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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

I slowly disengage. Not painful, but it makes me lonely for a second. Like stepping away from a part of myself. But I’m no longer needed. We made our decisions together, and now the sub will carry them out.

I pull off the blue police shirt that I took from the Hadley station. Drape it over Gisco like a blanket.

It’s all that I can do for him now. The blood has dried on his fur. I stroke his ears and he stirs faintly.

Heal, hound, I encourage him telepathically. A big old war dog like you has made it through many battles. Come through one more. And because Gisco is out of it and can’t hear me, I add in a soft, pleading whisper, “I need you, old friend. I don’t want to lose you again.”

The dinghy must sense my deep concern for him. A faint reddish glow envelops Gisco from snout to paws. Perhaps the boat has the power to keep him alive, or even to somehow heal him.

It certainly couldn’t do any harm.

I sit with my back against the wall. Listen to Gisco’s labored breaths. Feel scared for him. But also curious.

Why did Gisco come back to Hadley for me? How did he know I’d be in the police station?

Is this his submarine, or did someone leave it in the river for him? If it’s his, why didn’t he know how to work it better? If someone left it for him, who are they and where did they go?

Haven’t had this feeling of complete mental meltdown for a while. Drowning in a sea of my own fears and ignorance. I know nothing about myself. Don’t have a clue what I’m supposed to do. Can’t figure out who’s after me and those I love. Chief Parker’s grim descriptions come back to me, conjuring up awful images.

The woman who raised me, and who I still think of as my mom, sliced in half and left to die in a burning house.

My “dad” torched inside his car and pushed off a hundred-foot cliff into this very river.

Now the Dark Army is chasing me again. Why? What do they want from me? Only Gisco can answer these questions.

If he dies I’ll have no one.

Except P.J. But maybe not even her.

My love. My touchstone. The reason I came back to Hadley. Now she’s gone. Vanished. No, not vanished. Vanished would be better. P.J. was targeted.

For no reason I can think of. She wasn’t part of this. Just a sweet American girl who fell for the wrong guy. She was taken because of me. It’s my fault.