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ting them。 No one had picked Fred for a side； or maybe he’d ignored them； or maybe they couldn’t even see that he was there。 I could still see him。 He stood out the only one not participating； a big blond elephant in the room。 I had no desire to insinuate myself into either Raoul’s team or Kristie’s； so I just watched。 No one seemed to notice that I was sitting out with Fred。 Though we must have been somewhat
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invisible； thanks to talented Fred； I felt horribly obvious。 I wished I were invisible to myself that I could see the illusion so that I could trust it。 But no one noticed us； and after a while I could almost relax。 I watched the practicing closely。 I wanted to know everything； just in case。 I wasn’t planning on fighting； I was planning on finding Diego and making a break for it。 But what if Diego wanted to fight？ Or what if we had to fight to get away from the rest？ Better to pay attention。 Only once did anyone ask about Diego。 It was Kevin； but I had a sense that Raoul had put him up to it。 “So； did Diego end up getting fried after all？” Kevin asked in a forced joking tone。 “Diego’s with her；” Riley said； and no one had to ask who he meant。 “Surveillance。” A few people shuddered。 No one said anything more about Diego。 Was he really with her？ I cringed at the thought。 Maybe Riley was just saying that to keep people from questioning him。 He probably didn’t want Raoul getting jealous and feeling second best when Riley needed him at his most arrogant today。 I couldn’t be sure； and I wasn’t going to ask。 I kept quiet； as usual； and watched the training。 In the end； watching was boring； thirsty work。 Riley didn’t give his army a break for three days and two nights straight。 During the daytime it was harder to stay out of the mix we all were crammed so tightly into the basement。 It made things easier in one way for Rileyhe could usually catch a fight
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before it got ugly。 Outside at night； they had more room to really work around each other； but Riley was kept busy darting back and forth to catch limbs and get them back to their owners quickly。 He kept his temper well； and he’d been smart enough to find all the lighters this time。 I would have bet that this would spin out of control； that we’d lose at least a couple of coven members with Raoul and Kristie skirmishing head to head for days on end。 But Riley had better control of them than I had thought possible。 Still； it was mostly repetition。 I noticed Riley saying the same things over and over and over again。 Work together； watch your back； don’t go at her headon； work together； watch your back； don’t go at him headon； work together； watch your back； don’t go at her headon。 It was kind of ridiculous； really； and made the group seem exceptionally stupid。 But I was sure I would have been just as stupid if I’d been in the thick of the fight with them rather than watching calmly from the sidelines with Fred。 It reminded me in a way of how Riley had drilled into us our fear of the sun。 Constant repetition。 Still； it was so dull that after about ten hours that first day； Fred produced a deck of cards and started playing solitaire。 That was more interesting than watching the same mistakes over and over again； so I mostly watched him。 After about another twelve hours we were inside again I nudged Fred to point out a red five that he could move over。 He nodded and made the change。 After that hand； he dealt out the cards to both of us； and we played rummy。 We never spoke； but Fred smiled a few times。 No one ever looked our way or asked
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us to join in。 There were no hunting breaks； and as time went on； this got harder and harder to ignore。 Fights broke out more regularly and with less provocation。 Riley’s mands got more shrill； and he tore off two arms himself。 I tried to forget the burning thirst as much as possible after all； Riley must have been getting thirsty； too； so this couldn’t last forever but mostly thirst was the only thing on my mind。 Fred was looking pretty strained。 Early into the third night one more day to go； and when I thought about the ticking clock it tied my empty stomach into knots Riley called all the mock fights to a halt。 “Round it up； kids；” he told us； and everyone moved into a loose halfcircle facing him。 The original gangs all stood close together； so the practicing hadn’t changed any of those alliances。 Fred put the cards in his back pocket and stood up。 I stood close to his side； counting on his repulsive aura to hide me。 “You’ve done well；” Riley told us。 “Tonight； you get a reward。 Drink up； because tomorrow you’re going to want your strength。 ” Snarls of relief from almost everyone。 “I say want and not need for a reason；” Riley went on。 “I think you guys have got this。 You’ve stayed smart and worked hard。 Our enemies aren’t going to know what’s hit them！” Kristie and Raoul growled； and both of their panies followed suit immediately。 I was surprised to see it； but they did look like an army in that moment。 Not that they were marching in formation or anything； but there was just something uniform
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about the response。 Like they all were part of one big organism。 As always； Fred and I were the glaring exceptions； but I thought only Riley was even the slightest bit aware of usevery now and then his eyes would scan across where we were standing； almost like he was checking to make sure he still felt Fred’s talent。 And Riley didn’t seem to mind that we weren’t joining up。 For now； anyway。 “Um； you mean tomorrow night； right； boss？” Raoul clarified。 “Right；” Riley said with a strange little smile。 It didn’t seem like anyone else noticed anything off in his reply except for Fred。 He looked down at me with one eyebrow raised。 I shrugged。 “You ready for your reward？” Riley asked。 His little army roared in response。 “Tonight you get a taste of what our world will be like when our petition is out of the picture。 Follow me！” Riley bounded away； Raoul and his team were right on his heels。 Kristie’s group started shoving and clawing right through the middle of them to get to the front。 “Don’t make me change my mind！” Riley bellowed from the trees ahead。 “You can all go thirsty。 I don’t care！” Kristie barked an order and her group sullenly fell behind Raoul’s。 Fred and I waited until the last of them was out of sight。 Then Fred did one of those little ladies first sweeps with his arm。 It didn’t feel like he was afraid to have me at his back； just that he was being polite。 I started running after the army。 The others were already long gone； but it was nothing to
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follow their smell。 Fred and I ran in panionable silence。 I wondered what he was thinking。 Maybe he was only thirsty。 I was burning； so he probably was； too。 We caught up to the others after about five minutes； but kept our distance。 The army was moving in amazing quiet。 They were focused； and more… disciplined。 I kind of wished that Riley had started the training sooner。 It was easier to be around this group。 We crossed over an empty twolane freeway； another strip of forest； and then we were on a beach。 The water was smooth； and we’d gone almost due north； so this must have been the strait。 We hadn’t passed near any residences； and I was sure that was on purpose。 Thirsty and on edge； it wouldn’t take too much to dissolve this small measure of organization into a screaming freeforall。 We’d never hunted all together before； and I was pretty sure that it was not a good idea now。 I remembered Kevin and the SpiderMan kid fighting over the woman in the car that first night I’d talked to Diego。 Riley had better have a whole lot of bodies for us or people were going to start tearing each other up to get the most blood。 Riley paused at the water’s edge。 “Don’t hold back；” he told us。 “I want you well fed and strongat your peak。 Now… let’s go have some fun。” He dove smoothly into the surf。 The others were growling excitedly as they submerged； too。 Fred and I followed more closely than before because we couldn’t follow their scent under water。 But I could feel that Fred was hesitant ready to bolt if
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this was something other th