ABRIGHT PAIR OF EYES appeared from out of nowhere as Sparrow swung the barrel of the Parkhan Spray about, her finger tightening on the trigger. The safety was already off, the clip locked and loaded, and the weapon ready for firing. She almost went the whole way, so startled by the movement that she was ready to shoot anything. She held up just in time, even though the glint of those big eyes caused everything inside to tighten from her throat to her knees. Something about those eyes, some small detail, made her pause, and a second later Cheney’s grizzled head swung into view, clearing the curtain of the mist.

The big dog moved toward her, and a second later Hawk and Bear appeared right behind him.

“Hawk!” she called, lowering her weapon and rushing over to him. “Jeez, am I glad to see you!”

He stared at her in disbelief. “Sparrow, what are you doing out here? I thought you were in the AV. What happened to the others?”

She hugged him impulsively. “I don’t know,” she said into his shoulder, refusing to let go. Clinging to him as if he were a lifeline. Very unlike Sparrow.

As if sensing what he was thinking, she stepped back and abruptly released him. “I was thrown off the roof of the Lightning after we got separated, and they didn’t know I was gone. I’ve been wandering . . .”

She gestured toward the wall of mist. “All over.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Hawk, I think there’s something out there, tracking me.”

“There’s something out there, all right,” he agreed. “But I don’t know that it’s tracking you. I think it’s just mist and night and some militia people running into each other. Look, we have to get moving, follow the tire tracks of the AV until we find them. It’s not safe to stay here.”

Bear ambled over. “You look spooked, Sparrow,” he said quietly.

She glared at him. “You think? Didn’t you hear those screams?”

He nodded slowly. “I heard.”

“Didn’t they spook you?”

He nodded uncertainly. “Sure.”

“Then shut up.” She turned back to Hawk, her eyes dark and angry. “Can we go now?”

He was about to say yes when the Klee stepped out of the fog.

EIGHTEEN