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〃Call off the attack！〃 I yell。 〃Get your people out of there！ She may let them go if they pull back now！〃
James stares down in horror as blood fills the pool。
〃This is incredible；〃 he mumbles。
I grab him。 〃I was wrong！ She can't be stopped this way！ Tell them to back off！〃
He looks at me and frowns。 〃No。 We have only started to fight。〃 He touches his two sharpshooters on the shoulders； the two that crouch below us。 〃Open fire。〃
Their bullets begin to ricochet off the balcony。 Kalika moves inside。
〃Alpha Top！〃 James shouts into his radio。 〃She is ing。〃
No； she has e。 Before James can finish speaking； Kalika attacks those on the second balcony。 Only my eyes are fast enough to see exactly what she does。 The person closest to the balcony door is a woman with long red hair。 Kalika grabs her and twists her head all the way around。 Catching the dead woman's weapon as it falls； Kalika then shoots the otter two in the face。 One； a handsome guy with no top skull； falls over the balcony and lands on the sidewalk seventeen floors below。 The third one； a short dark guy； simply sits down and dies。 Before our sharpshooters can readjust their aim to the nearer balcony； Kalika has retreated inside。 And now she has an automatic weapon with her。 James struggles to turn his radio back on。
〃Alpha Bottom！〃 he yells。 〃You must attack！〃
〃What has happened to Alpha Top？〃 the guy wants to know。
〃Those on the balcony have been taken out！〃 James says and forgets all the 〃Alpha〃 this and 〃over〃 that。 There is no time for such formalities。 〃She is still inside！ Get her！〃
〃Tell them she has a gun！〃 I say。
〃She has a gun！〃 James yells。 〃Alpha Top； you must get down to the balconies！ Alpha Bottom is going in！〃
The four still on the roof are peering over the edges。 They see that the pool is full of bodies and so is one of the balconies。 Why； there is even a body down on the sidewalk。 They don't want to go anywhere。 I wish they would go back the way they came。 I know they are in extreme danger just by being on the roof。
〃We have to stop！〃 Dr。 Seter cries to his son； his face ashen。 〃Alisa is right！ Don't send any more people。〃
The radio is screaming。
Now Alpha Bottom is dying。
They have kicked in her door； violated her space。 There are gunshots； sounds of tearing flesh； splattering blood； breaking bones。 And over it all I hear Kalika laughing。 She is unstoppable and knows it。 It is only then I realize that from the very beginning this has been a trap。 Seymour was right。 Kalika let me hear enough to figure out where she lived。 She knew I would try to get help； and since she obviously doesn't like the Suzama group； so much the better that they should e to her to die。 I hear one woman begging for mercy and then it sounds as if she is smashed against a wall。 James trembles with the radio in his hand。 〃Alpha Top！〃 he shouts。 〃Help your partners！〃 The four still on the roof look at one another and shake their heads。 They would be better off getting down from the roof； yet they must think they are safe up there because they hardly move while the screaming continues。 But when it stops； and the firing stops； I finally grab the radio from James's hands。
〃Alpha Top；〃 I say calmly。 〃She knows you're up there。 Try to go back down the way you came up。 Don't wait for her to e to you。 Please； listen to me。 Swing down to the nineteenth floor and get in the elevator。 There's still time。〃
But what time there is they squander。 A precious minute elapses while they seem to argue among themselves。 At the end of that time； Kalika； her white robe now soaked red； peeks over the edge of the roof。 They see her； and those left of Alpha Top are too scared even to level their weapons。 As Kalika climbs up onto the roof； they slowly back into the corner farthest from her。 Even the sharpshooters at our knees stare in awe。 James slaps one on the head。
〃Shoot her！〃 he shouts。 〃She's an easy target！〃 But my daughter makes nothing easy。 As a bullet sparks at her feet； she leaps forward and grabs one of the men and holds him as a shield in front of her。 The other three continue to stand immobilized by fear。 But now Kalika is looking our way。 The sharpshooters cease firing。 James throws a tantrum。
〃Don't stop！〃 he screams。 〃Kill her！〃
〃But she's holding Charles；〃 one protests。
〃Oh God； this can't be happening；〃 Dr。 Seter moans。
James shoves the guy aside。 〃Give me that gun！〃
But I stop James。 〃Let me；〃 I say quietly。
He glares at me。 〃What do you know about sniper rifles？〃
〃She knows a lot；〃 Seymour says。
James continues to glare at me； but finally lets me take the gun。
〃Just don't miss；〃 he says bitterly。
Kneeling behind the stationary rifle； I peer into the telescopic sight。 Kalika is standing relatively motionless； but she still has the guy held neatly in front of her。 Only her face is visible behind the guy's right shoulder。 The laser guide is helpful； even for someone like me who can hit a dime…size object at two miles if I have the right gun。 For a moment I am able to plant the red dot precisely in the center of Kalika's forehead。 My finger sweats over the trigger。 I merely have to pull it and put a bullet in her brain and the night can still be considered a success； at least as far as the world is concerned。
But then I catch sight of her eyes； and I hesitate。 She seems to be looking directly at me。 Who am I fooling？ Of course she knows who tracks her。 The fact seems to amuse her because she smiles ever so faintly。 Her lips move to form a soundless word； yet I hear it； hear it inside。
〃Mother。〃
I momentarily lose my concentration。 In that time Kalika moves swiftly and with deadly purpose； vanishing from the field of view of my laser scope。 Pulling back from the weapon； I watch her throw her human shield off the side of the roof。 She tosses her victim straight at the pool…perhaps it amuses her to see the big red splash the screaming people make…and a moment later there is that much more blood to clean out of the filter。
In quick succession she grabs two of the three who are left。 These she kills by smashing their skulls together。 They are unrecognizable as she lets them fall onto the rooftop； their brains hanging over their collars。 Then her attention turns to the final member of the Suzama Society； and I recognize her。 Lisa； the accountant from North Dakota； whom I met last night。 So great is Lisa's fear that she backs away from my daughter； right off the side of the roof。 Kalika does not let her fall； but grabs her at the last instant。 James yells at me。
〃Why don't you shoot！〃 he says。
I set the gun down。 〃No。 I can't kill Lisa。〃
〃Lisa is as good as dead！〃 James cries。 〃Shoot！〃
But Kalika has already disappeared with her prey； a spider crawling back into her web with a kicking insect in tow。 The roof is now empty except for two virtually headless bodies。
I stand and look at all of them。 〃Stay here。 I am going to speak to her。〃
Dr。 Seter grabs my arm。 〃You can't go over there； child。 It's a bloodbath。〃
I gently remove his hand。 〃I am responsible for this。〃 I turn to Seymour。 〃I have to go。〃