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The people in the street watched him silently。
The guns showered destruction against the front of the building。
Zip was still smiling when he reached the crate； still thinking of what China had said。 Somehow； he felt curiously relieved； as if 。。。 as if something very heavy had been taken off his mind。 And then he heard the voice。
〃Well； now； ain't this nice？ One of the darling Latin Purples bought ices for us！〃
He looked up sharply。 He recognized the gold jacket instantly； and the words 〃Royal Guardian〃 flashed into his mind； and he told himself not to be afraid； but he felt a tight knot of fear beginning in his stomach。
〃H…hello； Tommy；〃 he said。
〃Hello； Zip；〃 Tommy answered。 〃You're just in time。 Get your boy off the box。〃
〃Get 。。。 but。。。〃 He paused； nibbling his lip。 The carton of ices in his hands felt suddenly very heavy。 〃But it's 。。。 it's my box；〃 he said。 〃I brought this all the way over from the。。。〃
〃It belongs to whoever's using it；〃 Tommy said。 〃And we want to use it〃
〃Aw look； Tommy；〃 Zip said； 〃what do you want bad blood for； huh？ Can't we。。。？〃
Tommy reached up suddenly； twisting his face into Papa's trouser leg； pulling him off balance； and dumping him into the street。 Zip； his hands full of ices； his mind whirring with the new thoughts China had put there； stood by helplessly； wondering what to do now； wondering why。。。
〃Blow；〃 Phil said to him。
〃Aw； e on； Phil； can't we。。。？〃
〃Li'1 Killer；〃 Phil corrected。
〃Sure； can't we。。。？〃
〃Blow！〃 Phil said firmly。
He shoved out at Zip suddenly。 Tommy； trained for the maneuver； stuck out his foot Zip tripped； staggered backward； the cups of ices leaving his hands and spattering over the street。 He jumped to his feet instantly； his hand darting for his pocket。 Nothing was in his mind right now but salvation。 If China had said anything to him； he'd now forgotten it。 All he knew was that he was being threatened by two Royal Guardians； that he was outnumbered and vulnerable。
As his hand closed on the switch knife in his pocket； he thought only I got to get out of this。
〃Don't pull the blade； Zip；〃 Tommy said gently。
Zip's eyes moved quickly to Tommy； saw that his hand was already in his pocket。 They flicked to Phil who was ready to charge in on his flank。 Undecided； he faced them。 Elena； on the crate； began to laugh nervously。 Tommy grinned and then picked up the laugh； and then Phil joined him； and their laughter was triumphant and； hearing the laughter； Zip began to tremble。 He wanted to fight them； he wanted to destroy them； wanted to pull the blade and rip into them； show them who he was； show them who they were laughing at。 But fear aawled in his belly like black worms； and he felt his fingers loosening their grip on the knife。 In impotent rage； his eyes brimming with tears he did not wish to show； he whirled suddenly and kicked at one of the ices cups in the street。
And then he saw Hernandez on the fire escape。
Flat against the side of the building； edging silently past the first shattered window； and then the next； his gun in his hand； Hernandez hesitated for a moment； and then crouched beside the third window。
He brought up his revolver。
Zip understood what was happening in an instant。
Burning with shame and indignation； wanting to explode； wanting to show these rotten bastards they couldn't kick him around； wanting to shout； to rip； to gouge； to release the shame that growled inside him； wanting to show that he was Zip； Zip； ZIP！； he looked up at the first…floor windows and suddenly； without knowing why； he cupped his hands to his mouth。
〃Pepe！〃 he bellowed。 〃The fire escape！〃
13
When Hernandez heard the yell； he thought at first that his ears were deceiving him。 His immediate reaction was to turn his head toward the street。 And then he realized that Miranda； in the apartment； had whirled at the sound of the shouted words。 And then he recognized the look in Miranda's eyes； and Hernandez tightened his finger on the trigger of the 。38； and then he heard the explosions inside the apartment and then he was spinning backward and falling。 He had been crouched outside the window； so he fell no more than three feet to the iron floor of the fire escape； but it seemed to him that he was falling through space for a very long time； and it seemed to him that he hit the iron slats with the force of a meteor slamming into the earth。
There were two bullets in his chest。
He had never been shot before； not when he'd been a Marine participating in the Iwo Jima landings； and not since he'd joined the police force。 He had seen wounded men； a lot of wounded men； when he'd been in the service； but somehow he had detached the wound itself from the event which had caused the wound。 He had been raised on the kid games of Cops and Robbers； Cowboys and Indians； bang！ I got you！ bang！ you're dead！ and there had always been something glamorous to the idea of getting shot。 Even when he had seen the open gaping wounds； the notion of glamour had persisted。
He knew now that the notion was false； and he wondered which con man had ever sold him such a silly bill of goods。 When the bullets slammed into his chest； he felt nothing at first but impact。 He had been punched before； punched with hard driving fists that had knocked the wind out of him； and he knew what it felt like to be hit。 He had once been struck with a hammer swung by a delirious building superintendent； catching the blow on his shoulder； feeling the sharp sudden pain of metal against flesh。 But he had never been shot； and he knew now that when a man got shot he didn't daintily clutch his chest and say； 〃Uggggh！〃 and then do a fancy movie…extra dive。 He knew that the force of a bullet was like the force of a steam lootive； and he knew that when you got hit with a bullet； you got knocked off your feet。 It was as simple as that。 Maybe everyone didn't get knocked off his feet when he was shot； but the bullets that struck Hernandez spun him around from his crouch and then knocked him flat to the fire escape。
He felt only impact and shock at first； and then the cold sensation of falling through space； will…less； unable to control himself； simply falling； falling； and then colliding with metal； powerless to stick out his arms to cushion the fall。
And then he was on fire。
The fire engulfed him。 It started with the two gaping holes in his back where the bullets had left his body； and then ran straight through his body like burning tunnels to the two smaller holes at the points of entry； and then suddenly flared up to consume his entire chest； and then his shoulders； and then his throat and his face； a roaring fire。 He found it hard to breathe； he sucked in air through his parted lips； and he dimly realized that one of the bullets must have gone through a lung； and then blood bubbled out of his mouth； and he thought it was saliva until he saw its bright…red splash on the cuff of his shirt； and then he panicked。
Gasping for breath； his body on fire； pain lancing through him； he felt the panic rush into his head and settle behind his eyes like a pair of thumbs pressing outward。 More blood bubbled from his mouth。
Giddily； he wondered if he we