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Looking up at her； Vince said； 〃Don't go all the way to the barn。 Stop right beside the house。〃
His plan was obvious。 The corner of the house where the pantry and cellar stairs were located had no windows。 Travis and Einstein would not be able to see the man getting out of the truck with her。 Vince could hustle her around the corner； onto the back porch； and inside before Travis realized something was wrong。
Maybe Einstein's canine senses would detect danger。 Maybe。 But 。 。 。 Einstein had been so ill。
Einstein padded into the kitchen； excited。
Travis said； 〃Was that Nora's truck？〃
Yes。
The retriever went to the back door and did a dance of impatience…then stood still； cocked his head。
Nora's stroke of luck came when she least expected it。
When she parked alongside the house； engaged the hand brake； and switched off the engine； Vince grabbed her and dragged her across the seat； out of his side of the truck because that was the side against the back end of the house and most difficult to see from windows at the front corner of the structure。 Climbing from the pickup； pulling her by one hand； he was looking around to be sure Travis was not nearby； distracted； he couldn't keep his revolver on Nora as closely as before。 As she slid across the seat； past the glove box； she popped open the door and snatched up the 。38 pistol。 Vince must have heard or sensed something because he swung toward her； but he was too late。 She jammed the 。38 into his belly and； before he could raise his gun and blow her head off； she squeezed the trigger three times。
With a look of shock； he slammed back against the house； which was only three feet behind him。
She was amazed by her own cold…bloodedness。 Crazily； she thought that no one was so dangerous as a mother protecting her children； even if one child was unborn and the other was a dog。 She fired once more； point…blank； at his chest。
Vince went down hard； face…first on the wet ground。
She turned from him and ran。 At the corner of the house she almost collided
with Travis； who vaulted over the porch railing and landed in a crouch in front of her； holding the Uzi carbine。
〃I killed him；〃 she said； hearing hysteria in her voice； fighting to control it。 〃I shot him four times； I killed him； my God。〃
Travis rose from a crouch； bewildered。 Nora threw her arms around him and put her head against his chest。 As chilling rain beat upon them； she reveled in the living warmth of him。
〃Who…〃 Travis began。
Behind Nora； Vince issued a shrill breathless cry and； rolling onto his back； fired at them。 The bullet struck Travis high in the shoulder and knocked him backward。 If it had been two inches to the right； it would have hit Nora in the head。
She was almost pulled off her feet when Travis fell because she was holding him。 But she let go fast enough and went to the left； in front of the truck； out of the line of fire。 She got only a quick look at Vince； who was holding his revolver in one hand and clutching his stomach with the other； trying to get off the ground。
In that glimpse before she cowered down in front of the pickup； she had not seen any blood on the man。
What was happening here？ He could not possibly have survived three rounds in the stomach and one in the chest。 Not unless he actually was immortal。
Even as Nora scrambled for the cover of the truck； Travis had been getting off his back； sitting up in the mud。 Blood was visible on him； spreading across his chest from his shoulder； soaking his shirt。 He still had the Uzi in his right hand； which functioned in spite of the wound in that shoulder。 As Vince pulled off a wild second shot； Travis opened fire with the Uzi。 His position was no better than Vince's； the spray of bullets snapped into the house and ricocheted along the side of the truck； indiscriminate fire。
He stopped shooting。 〃Shit。〃 He struggled onto his feet。
Nora said； 〃Did you get him？〃
〃He made it around the front of the house；〃 Travis said； and headed that way。
Vince figured he was approaching immortality； almost there； if he had not already arrived。 He was in need of…at most…only a few more lives； and his only concern was that he would be snuffed out when he was that close to his Destiny。 As a result； he took precautions。 Like the latest and most expensive model Kevlar bulletproof vest。 He was wearing one under his sweater； which was what had stopped the four shots the bitch had tried to pump into him。 The slugs had flattened against the vest； drawing no blood whatsoever。 But； Jesus； they had hurt。 The impact had knocked him against the wall of the house and had driven the breath out of him。 He felt as if he had lain on a
giant anvil while someone repeatedly pounded a blacksmith's hammer into his gut。
Hunched over his pain； hobbling toward the front of the house； trying to get out of the way of the damn Uzi； he was sure he was going to be shot in the back。 But somehow he made it to the corner； climbed the porch steps； and got out of Cornell's line of fire。
Vince took some satisfaction in having wounded Cornell； though he knew it wasn't mortal。 And having lost the element of surprise； he was in for a protracted battle。 Hell； the woman looked to be almost as formidable as Cornell himself…a crazy Amazon。
He could have sworn there was something of the timid mouse in the woman； that it was her nature to submit。 Obviously； he misjudged her…and that spooked him。 Vince Nasco was not accustomed to making such mistakes； mistakes were for lesser men； not for the child of Destiny。
Scuttling across the front porch； certain that Cornell was ing fast behind him； Vince decided to go into the house instead of heading for the woods。 They would expect him to run for the trees； take cover； and reconsider his strategy。 Instead； he'd go straight into the house and find a position from which he could see both the front and rear doors。 Maybe he'd take them by surprise yet。
He was passing a large window； heading for the front door； when something exploded through the glass。
Vince cried out in surprise and fired his revolver； but the shot went into the porch ceiling； and the dog…Jesus； that's what it was； the dog…hit him hard。 The gun flew out of his hand。 He was knocked backward。 The dog clung to him； claws snagged in his clothes； teeth sunk in his shoulder。 The porch railing disintegrated。 They tumbled out into the front yard； into the rain。
Screaming； Vince hammered at the dog with his big fists until it squealed and let go of him。 Then it went for his throat； and he just knocked it off in time to prevent it tearing open his windpipe。
His gut still throbbed； but he hitched and stumbled back to the porch； looking for his revolver…and found Cornell instead。 Bleeding from his shoulder； Cornell was on the porch； looking down at Vince。
Vince felt a great wild surge of confidence。 He knew that he had been right all along； knew that he was invincible； immortal； because he could look straight into the muzzle of the Uzi without fear； without the slightest fear； so he grinned up at Cornell。 〃Look at me； look！ I'm your worst nightmare。〃
Cornell said； 〃Not even close；〃 and opened fire。
In the