Chris hadn't been kidding about the guards at the pharmacy.

An entire squad of six rangers, complete with a large armored vehicle, was stationed at the entrance. It was hard to imagine this was the same place my mom used to buy me cough syrup when I was a kid.

Before we even began to slow down, the squad's sergeant, a stout, brawny guy I'd never seen before, waved at us to stop.

So much for Chris's hearse strategy.

He pulled over on the opposite side of the road and parked beside the Bronze Dragon, Muldoon's single Chinese food restaurant. Both the restaurant and the apartment above were now abandoned.

"Papers?" the sergeant called out.

None of the rangers seemed too concerned about us. Most of them were leaning against the armored vehicle, looking bored, their guns slung over their shoulders. They stirred only to push forward a very young private, obviously new to the squad, to examine our papers.

"This one's all yours." One of the rangers nudged the private forward with his boot on his backside. "A girl and a fairy. You can handle it."

"Get her number," another ranger said mockingly. "Hers, not his."

All of the rangers laughed. The young private nervously crossed the road to approach us and examine our papers.

The problem was, of course, not only did neither of us have travel clearance, both of us were wanted. We had a pharmacy access card, but what good was that going to do if we didn't have any clearance papers? Obviously, Chris hadn't anticipated this.

"Crap," he whispered, eyeing the approaching private. He had no idea what to do. He leaned back and put his hand on his head, helpless.

I had to do something.

I reached into his lab coat and grabbed his pistol.

"What are you—?" Chris began, startled. "Ashley!"

I tucked the pistol into the back of the scrubs I was wearing and got out of the hearse. I walked directly toward the private.

I wasn't even sure what I was doing. I wasn't even wearing shoes. But suddenly I was overcome by another weird rush of what felt like limitless confidence. The fog from my sedative hangover cleared away. I had no idea where these spikes of nerve were coming from, but when they hit me I was strangely, recklessly, without any fear at all.

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