local clan feuds, no open hostility between the New York families. And then you of all people turn up, and that suddenly explains a lot. How many reasons do you think I need to throw you to the lions?”
Even in this situation, in view of all the Panthera in the dark among the trees, she realized that there was something she didn’t know. A missing link in his line of argument, something that he wasn’t withholding from her deliberately; he simply assumed that she’d known it all this time.
“Listen, Michele—”
He waved that aside. “Save your energy for running. Maybe you’ll make it as far as one of the barriers.” His smile seemed to turn time back to their meeting in the club. “Not that I’d bet on it.”
While he was talking, the cables tying the hands and feet of the street kids had been cut. Two of them had managed to get up on all fours, but the other couple were still lying in the churned-up snow. They had been tied up too long to be able to get to their feet.
Rosa cast Michele a withering glance and then hurried over to them. She took one of the girls under the armpits and helped her up. “What’s your name?”
“Jessie.” There was naked terror in her stare. Living on the streets had left its mark on her face, but she couldn’t be any older than fifteen. Suddenly she seemed to realize that Rosa had just been standing beside the kidnappers. Her eyes flashed with rage and defiance. “Don’t you touch me!” She tore herself away, stumbled two steps back, and almost fell over one of the boys.
“I’m not like them,” whispered Rosa, as if trying to convince herself. Louder, she said, “It can’t be too far to Central Park West.” The street running along the outer side of the park.
“What are they planning to do with us?” asked one of the boys.
“They trade in human organs,” said the other with conviction.
It was on the tip of Rosa’s tongue to say, There’s not going to be much left of your organs to trade . Instead she said, “Run as fast as you can. Keep going straight ahead. Don’t even think of doubling back—that won’t stop them. They can pick up your scent, so don’t hide. Running is allthat may save you.” Us , she should have said.
The whole situation still felt totally unreal. The one thing that did seem real to her was the cold. And now that she had noticed it, it got worse. She was wearing nothing but her short dress and her torn black tights. Her jacket was still in the coatroom at the club. If she didn’t turn into the snake very soon, suiting her body temperature to her surroundings, she could forget about running at all.
Suddenly Michele was beside her. “You’ve explained what it’s all about to them much better than I could have done. Anyone might think you’d had experience with it.”
Jessie spat in front of Rosa’s feet. “I hope you die a horrible death with the rest of them.”
Michele smiled, impressed by the child’s courage. Rosa had a nasty feeling that he had just picked his personal prey—for before or after he had finished with Rosa herself.
“And whatever you do, don’t stay together,” she told the four kids. “Run different ways.”
“Don’t listen to her,” one of the boys objected. “If we stick together, maybe we can make it.”
“No!” Rosa snapped at him. “You have to split up.”
Michele was beaming with satisfaction as he watched this scene. “Remember, she’s one of us.”
The second girl began begging for her life, but no one took any notice of her.
“They’ll kill you all if you stay in a group,” said Rosa. But the four weren’t paying any attention.
“We’ll kill you whatever you do,” said Michele complacently.
Rosa spun around, and before he could avoid her, she struck him full in the face with her clenched fist.
Michele staggered back with a groan, and at that moment one of the boys thought he saw a chance. “Come on! Run!” he shouted to the others, and they stumbled off, four
Even in this situation, in view of all the Panthera in the dark among the trees, she realized that there was something she didn’t know. A missing link in his line of argument, something that he wasn’t withholding from her deliberately; he simply assumed that she’d known it all this time.
“Listen, Michele—”
He waved that aside. “Save your energy for running. Maybe you’ll make it as far as one of the barriers.” His smile seemed to turn time back to their meeting in the club. “Not that I’d bet on it.”
While he was talking, the cables tying the hands and feet of the street kids had been cut. Two of them had managed to get up on all fours, but the other couple were still lying in the churned-up snow. They had been tied up too long to be able to get to their feet.
Rosa cast Michele a withering glance and then hurried over to them. She took one of the girls under the armpits and helped her up. “What’s your name?”
“Jessie.” There was naked terror in her stare. Living on the streets had left its mark on her face, but she couldn’t be any older than fifteen. Suddenly she seemed to realize that Rosa had just been standing beside the kidnappers. Her eyes flashed with rage and defiance. “Don’t you touch me!” She tore herself away, stumbled two steps back, and almost fell over one of the boys.
“I’m not like them,” whispered Rosa, as if trying to convince herself. Louder, she said, “It can’t be too far to Central Park West.” The street running along the outer side of the park.
“What are they planning to do with us?” asked one of the boys.
“They trade in human organs,” said the other with conviction.
It was on the tip of Rosa’s tongue to say, There’s not going to be much left of your organs to trade . Instead she said, “Run as fast as you can. Keep going straight ahead. Don’t even think of doubling back—that won’t stop them. They can pick up your scent, so don’t hide. Running is allthat may save you.” Us , she should have said.
The whole situation still felt totally unreal. The one thing that did seem real to her was the cold. And now that she had noticed it, it got worse. She was wearing nothing but her short dress and her torn black tights. Her jacket was still in the coatroom at the club. If she didn’t turn into the snake very soon, suiting her body temperature to her surroundings, she could forget about running at all.
Suddenly Michele was beside her. “You’ve explained what it’s all about to them much better than I could have done. Anyone might think you’d had experience with it.”
Jessie spat in front of Rosa’s feet. “I hope you die a horrible death with the rest of them.”
Michele smiled, impressed by the child’s courage. Rosa had a nasty feeling that he had just picked his personal prey—for before or after he had finished with Rosa herself.
“And whatever you do, don’t stay together,” she told the four kids. “Run different ways.”
“Don’t listen to her,” one of the boys objected. “If we stick together, maybe we can make it.”
“No!” Rosa snapped at him. “You have to split up.”
Michele was beaming with satisfaction as he watched this scene. “Remember, she’s one of us.”
The second girl began begging for her life, but no one took any notice of her.
“They’ll kill you all if you stay in a group,” said Rosa. But the four weren’t paying any attention.
“We’ll kill you whatever you do,” said Michele complacently.
Rosa spun around, and before he could avoid her, she struck him full in the face with her clenched fist.
Michele staggered back with a groan, and at that moment one of the boys thought he saw a chance. “Come on! Run!” he shouted to the others, and they stumbled off, four
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