Breathing in sharply, I took out the bullet and wrapped it up. I limped after Shade and put my hand on his shoulder. He wheeled around so fast it made my head hurt.

“What now?” he asked in a groaning sort of way.

“Watch this.” Jaklien was coming up behind me. I yanked out my lazer pen and shot him, right there, right between the eyes. And it was over. I fell into Shade’s arms, and he dropped me. I leapt up and stared at him. Mean. But it was over. I gathered up the strength to ask him.

“Will you take me back?”

“Sure. Wait, I don’t have to play dead now, do I?”

“Of course not,” I chuckled.