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           Twolinesthatlookedasthoughthey’dbeenpaintedwithabrushextendedfromthepooltowardtheotherentranceatthefarendofthehangar.

           Someonehadbeenhorriblywoundedhere,andwhoeverdraggedthemawaydidn’thavethemanpowerorequipmenttodoitneatly.Ifallthatbloodhadleakedoutofoneperson,theywerealreadydead.AhandfulofJacketswerestrewnindisarrayontheground,likedthedesiccatedmoltsofsomehuman-shapedbeast.

           AJacketwasalotlikeoneofthoseridiculouscuddlysuitsemployeesdressupinatthemeparkstolooklikesomemaniacallygrinningmouse.Whenthey’reempty,theyjusthangonthewallwithgapingholesinthebackwaitingforsomeonetoclimbin.

           SinceJacketsreadminutemuscularelectricsignals,eachonehastobecustommade.Ifyouweretowearsomeoneelse’sJacket,there’snotellingwhatwouldhappen.Itmightnotmoveatall,oritmightsnapyourbonesliketwigs,butwhatevertheresult,itwouldn’tbegood.NoonemadeitoutofBasicwithoutlearningatleastthatmuch.TheJacketsonthegroundwereclearevidencethatsomeonehadignoredthatbasicruleoutofdesperatenecessity.Ishookmyhead.

           MyJackethadbeenleftunmolestedinitsberth.Iclimbedin.Ofthethirty-sevenpre-suit-upchecks,Iskippedtwenty-six.

           Ashadowmovedatthefarendofthehangarwherethebloodtrailsled-theendofthehangarRitawasn’twatching.Mynervoussystemjumpedintopanicmode.Iwastwentymetersfromthedoor,maybeless.AMimiccouldcoverthedistanceinunderasecond.