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The ray scrubs, and when he pushes past Viktor, towarddown But he never reachestheto the floor in what feels like a blur of hits and kicks

The ht for And I realize with a start that the so hier man, and in a flash Alexei has his ar

"Alexei!"

Just a feeeks ago, ht it possible--never thought him capable--until now Jamie told me once that Alexei’s father was some kind of Russian special forces--that Alexei was the only kid who could ever keep up with the son of an Arer Only now do I see what he uy ht, the orderly’s head and neck gripped too tightly in his grasp

"Alexei, no!" I snap Alexei sees aze shifts

"Gracie!" he shouts, and I turn to see Viktor behind e in his hand, and a new terror fillsit is, but e touches , the sense of floating, distant and free And I know that it’s not right--not real I know that whatever peace that syringein a place like this Not anymore Iand clawing like a fiend

Like a madwoman

The orderly slumps as Alexei cuts off his air, but I can’t stop to think about that Viktor swings his are like an ax I throwup as he presses down

Viktor e, but I knohat he’s saying That I’erous That I should just shut up and be the irl that would make the world so much irl And I never, ever will be

I’ to take it any thein es toward th, and I use his force and his weight against hi Viktor’s ar I hear his cry I see the pain in his eyes But I just reach for the plunger and push until that pain is erased by ato the floor

I look down but don’t have tirabs me, makes me look into his eyes

"Are you okay?" he asks I could ask hi bruise But we’re both still here and we’re still breathing

Then I remember the bad part: We’re still here