The silence outside seemed to stretch. All he could hear now were the cries of crows and ravens. The birds seemed to be everywhere these days. He hated them. They touched some unspecified and atavistic dread buried deep beneath the surface of his introspection.

But … why wasn’t anyone yelling anymore?

Fong hid where he was, not daring to even peek out from behind his desk. His hands were sweaty, and he was afraid that if he had to shoot, the gun would just slip out.

Then there was a sound.

Not a scream. Not a gunshot. Not the creak of an opening door.

It was a growl.

And it was right above him.

Fong raised his head slowly and stared up. Amazed. Dumbfounded. Terrified.

There, crouched on top of the very desk behind which he cowered, was the dog. Big. White, except for its muzzle, which glistened with an awful, dreadful crimson. The animal bared its teeth.

Those teeth.

Some were dog teeth. The others…?

They were metal. Pasted with red. Twenty inches from his face.

Fong fumbled with the pistol, trying to bring it up. Uncertain if he’d racked the slide. Was there even a bullet in the chamber? God, he couldn’t remember.

A shadow fell across him, and he turned to see that the man was here, too. Both of them had come into his office without making a sound. The gun in the man’s hand was big and ugly, and it was pointed at him.

CHAPTER 41

BLUE DIAMOND TRAINING CAMP

CADDO MILLS, TEXAS

They called it a camp, but it was really a gymnasium, part of a middle school that had been closed due to redistricting and budget shortfalls. The windows were all sealed and blocked, and there was a stout metal security fence around the perimeter, with a guard station at the entrance and regular foot patrols.

Bunny pulled the old Ford into a slot next to the GMC, and they got out, waiting as Saxon finished a call inside his car. Then he got out, still smiling. He was a smiler, that one, and Top Sims didn’t like the smile at all. It was the kind of smile alligators wore right up until they took a bite out of you. There was nothing at all trustworthy in that grin, as if he knew no one trusted him and wanted to assure them that they shouldn’t. Top thought about how much fun it would be to bust out every one of Saxon’s flawless teeth and maybe knock the lantern firmness out of his jaw. Maybe kick his balls up into his chest cavity for good measure.

But all that was unlikely, since Saxon was a low-level talent scout, and messing him up would endanger the mission. Fun to think about, though.

“So what’s the play here, Flagg?” he asked Saxon.

“Let’s go see,” said Saxon vaguely. He paused. “You boys carrying?”