caine

Lexie, I practically sold my soul to get where I am today. I__ a selfish bastard _ and you _ His eyes washed over my face. __ou__e already lost everything to keep your soul intact.

No one will ever understand like I do. You__e so different with me, baby. You take care of me. You make me feel safe. You__e not who you think you are. Didn__ you once tell me that people aren__ just one thing? You__e so much more to me than anything you might have done in the past.

I won__ stay,_ I warned him. __ won__ try to fight for you anymore. This is it. If you walk away it__ not for me. I won__ ever think that. I will always, always blame you for this. For ruining us.

Has Orc shown up here?_ But neither Caine nor Diana answered. Both were staring at Drake, who sauntered toward them, all his cockiness restored, no longer the ragged scarecrow who had wept when he saw the melted stump of his hand lying on the tile floor. __rake,_ Caine said. __e thought you were dead._____ back,_ Drake said. __nd better than ever.__he red tentacle unwrapped itself from around his waist, like a python releasing its victim.__ike it, Diana?_ Drake asked.The arm, that impossible bloodred snake, coiled above Drake__ head, swirled, writhed. And then, so fast that the human eye could barely register the movement, it snapped like a bullwhip.The sound was a loud crack. A mini__onic boom.Diana cried out in pain. Stunned, she stared at the cut in her blouse and the trickle of red from her shoulder.__orry,_ Drake said with no attempt at sincerity. ____ still working on my aim.___rake,_ Caine said and, despite the blood, despite Diana__ wound, he grinned. __elcome back.___ brought some help,_ Drake said. He extended his left hand, and Caine shook it awkwardly with his right. __o. When do we go take down Sam Temple?

Now, who else speaks for Perdido Beach?__ouncing Bette said, __am Temple here went into a burning building to rescue a little girl. He can speak for me, anyway.__here was a murmur of agreement.__eah, Sam is a hero for real,_ a voice said.__e could have died,_ another voice seconded.__eah, Sam__ the guy.__aine__ smile came and disappeared so quickly, Sam wasn__ sure it had happened. For that millisecond it was a look of triumph. Caine walked straight up to Sam, open and forthright, hand extended.__here are probably better people than me,_ Sam said, backing away.

Endgame,_ Sam muttered, not really expecting Caine to hear.__ep,_ Caine said. __hat__ right. Endgame. The FAYZ barrier is coming down; at least that__ mybet. But there__ also a ninety percent chance you and me both end up dead. Ten percent chance weboth actually get out of here alive. In which case we end up sharing a cell somewhere._ He laughed.__ind of unfair, really, what with me being evil and all, and you just so darned virtuous and heroic.

But hey this was the FAYZ, where all you could really hope was to delay the pain.

I want my mom,_ a little boy cried out suddenly.Every voice fell silent. The boy had said what they were all feeling.Caine hopped down from the car and went to the boy. He knelt down and took the boy__ hands in his own. He asked the boy__ name, and reintroduced himself. __e all want our parents back,_ he said gently, but loudly enough to be overheard clearly by those nearest. __e all want that. And I believe that will happen. I believe we will see all our moms and dads, and older brothers and sisters, and even our teachers again. I believe that. Do you believe it, too?___es._ The little boy sobbed.Caine wrapped him in a hug and said, __e strong. Be your mommy__ strong little boy.___e__ good,_ Astrid said. __e__ beyond good.__hen Caine stood up. People had formed a circle around him, close but respectful. __e all have to be strong. We all have to get through this. If we work together to choose good leaders and do the right thing, we will make it.__he entire crowd of kids seemed to stand a little taller. There were determined looks on faces that had been weary and frightened.Sam was mesmerized by the performance. In just a few minutes_ time, Caine had infused hope into a very frightened, dispirited bunch of kids.Astrid seemed mesmerized too, though Sam thought he detected the cool glint of skepticism in her eyes.Sam was skeptical himself. He distrusted rehearsed displays. He distrusted charm. But it was hard not to think that Caine was at least trying to reach out to the Perdido Beach kids. It was hard not to believe in him, at least a little. And if Caine really did have a plan, wouldn__ that be a good thing? No one else seemed to have a clue.

Find Sam Temple. Tell him you escaped.__ack gulped and bobbed his head.__etter yet, find that girl, Astrid._ Diana recovered some of her mocking attitude. __strid the Genius. She__l be desperate to save Sam.___kay. Okay._ He steeled himself. __ better go.__iana touched his arm. __ell them about Andrew.__ack froze with his hand on the key. __hat__ what you want me to do?___ack, if Sam blinks out, Drake will turn on me, and Caine won__ be able to stop him. Drake is stronger than before. I need Sam alive. I need someone for Drake to hate. I need balance. Tell Sam about the temptation. Warn him that he__l be tempted to surrender to the big jump, but maybe, maybe, if he says no_ She sighed. It was not a hopeful sound. __ow: go.