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The railing held for a second； but； weakened by the force of the gas explosion； it suddenly buckled and snapped and swung out over the edge of the catwalk； so that it now hung upside down out over the shaft。
And so the little girl hung there； one…handed and screaming； from the upside…down railing of the catwalk； fifty feet above the killer…whale…infested pool。
〃Don't look down！〃 Riley yelled； as he reached for her hand。 He had already seen the killer whales down in the pool； had just seen one of them take the French mando。 He didn't want the little girl seeing them。
The little girl was crying； sobbing； 〃Don't let me fall！〃
〃I won't let you fall；〃 Riley said as he lay on his stomach stretched out as far as he could； trying to grab her wrist。 Small； isolated spot fires burned on the remnants of the catwalk all around him。
His hand was about a foot away from the girl's when he saw her frightened eyes begin to dart around。
〃What's your name？〃 Riley said suddenly； trying to distract her。
〃〃My hand is hot；〃 she whimpered。
Riley looked back along the railing。 About five yards to his left； a small spot fire licked at the point where the downed railing met the catwalk。
〃1 know it's hot； honey。 I know it is。 Just keep holding on。 What did you say your name was？〃
'Kirsty。〃
〃Hi； Kirsty。 My name's Buck； but you can just call me Book like everybody else does。〃
〃Why do they call you that？〃
Riley cast a sideways glance at the spot fire licking against the railing。
Not good。
Under the intense heat of the explosion； the black paint on the railing had broken out into dry； paperlike flakes。 If the fire came into contact with those flakes； the whole railing would go up in flames。
Riley kept reaching out for Kirsty's hand； stretched harder。 Half a foot away。 He almost had her。
〃Do you always〃…Riley breathed a weak half…laugh… 〃ask this many questions？〃 He grimaced as he stretched。 〃If you〃…breath…〃really wanna know〃…breath…〃it's because； once〃…breath…〃one of my friends found out I was writing a book。〃
〃Uh…huh。。。。〃 Kirsty's eyes began to wander again。
〃Kirsty。 Now listen to me； honey。 I want you keep your eyes looking right at me now； OK。 Right at me。〃
〃OK；〃 she said。
Then she looked down。
Riley swore。
Rebound had been less than three yards away from the French mando when he had been taken under。 The sheer violence of the Frenchman's death had scared the living shit out of him。
Now； the whole pool was silent。
Rebound hovered in the pool； looking desperately about himself。 The water was cold and the bullet wound in his shoulder stung； but he barely even noticed them now。
Mother was treading water next to him； her face watchful。 Waiting； with tense anticipation。 Legs's body floated facedown in the water next to her； a halo of blood slowly fanning out from its head； seeping into the clear； blue water around it。
The four remaining French mandos were also still in the pool。 They pletely ignored Rebound and Mother； their battle forgotten； at least for the moment。
Last of all； Rebound saw the scientists…two women and one man。
Ten people in all were in the pool； and not one of them moved。
Not one of them dared to move。
They had all had seen the French mando go under moments before。
The lesson： if you don't move； they might not take you。
Rebound held his breath as three massive shadows glided slowly through the water beneath him。
He heard a sudden click and turned to see Mother holding her MP…5 poised above the surface。
Jesus； Rebound thought。 If there was anyone in the world who had the balls to take down a killer whale with a gun； it had to be Mother。
More silence。
Don't move。。。。
And then suddenly there came an incredible roar as one of the whales exploded out from beneath the surface； right next to Mother。
It lifted half of its enormous body out of the water； turned onto its side in mid…air； and then plowed into Legs's motionless body。 There was a series of sickening crunches as it caught the dead body in its mouth and clamped down hard with its teeth； breaking nearly every bone in it。 And then the whale's head went under and its tail appeared； and then the tail disappeared and only frothing water remained。
And Legs's body was gone。
Rebound just stayed where he was； hovering in the water； his mouth agape。 And then； slowly； it dawned on him。
Legs hadn't been moving。
An unspoken understanding instantly spread throughout the nine remaining people in the pool。
The killers didn't care whether they were moving or not。 。。。
The nine people in the pool moved as one； breaking out into frantic swimming strokes as the killer whales rose to the surface beneath them and menced their feeding frenzy。
Up on what was left of B…deck； Book Riley swore again。
When Kirsty had seen the pool； seen the enormous black…and…white shapes in it； her lower jaw had started to quiver。 Then； when she saw the first killer leap up out of the water and crunch through Legs's dead body； she started to hyperventilate。
〃OhmyGod； ohmyGod；〃 she sobbed。
Riley began to hurry。 He quickly lowered his upper body out over the edge of the down…turned catwalk； so that he was now practically hanging upside…down； reaching for Kirsty with his free right hand。
Their hands were now only two inches apart。
He almost had her。
And then all of a sudden he heard a soft whooshing sound from somewhere to his left。
Riley's head snapped round。
〃No___〃
The spot fire had ignited the flakes on the railing。 The response was instantaneous。 A small orange flame began to race along the length of the railing； devouring the dried paint flakes in its path； leaving a tiny trail of fire in its wake。
Riley's eyes went wide。
The trail of fire was rocketing along the length of the railing。
And heading right for Kirsty's hand！
Kirsty was still looking down at the killer whales in the pool。 She swung her head up to look at Riley； and in an instant their eyes met and Riley saw the absolute terror in her eyes。
Riley stretched down as far as he could； his whole upper body dangling upside down off the downturned catwalk； in a desperate effort to grab her hand。
The orange flame raced along the black hand railing； its fire trail lighting up the railing behind it。
Riley's hand was an inch away from Kirsty's。
He stretched again and felt the tips of his fingers brush against the top of her hand。
Another inch。 Just another inch。。。
〃Mr。 Book！ Don't let me fall！〃
And then suddenly the bright orange line of fire cut across Riley's field of vision and he yelled in frustration。
〃No！〃
The fire trail sped across the railing in front of him； right underneath Kirsty's hand。
Riley watched in helpless horror as the little girl squealed with pain and then did the only thing her body knew to do when it came into contact with fire。
She let go。
Kirsty dropped fast。
But as she did so； Buck Riley released his grip on the catwalk above him and lunged forward after her。 He dropped three feet straight down…one arm pointed down； the other pointed up。 His lower hand snatched the wool…lined hood of Kirsty's pink parka while his upper hand caught the flaming railing behind him。
Both of their bodies jerked to a sudden halt； and Riley did a jarring 180…degree spin that nearly pulled his arm out of its socket。 He was now right side up； hanging from the same burning railing that had； only seconds earlier； caused Kirsty to fall。
And oddly； despite the searing heat seeping through his leather…gloved hand； he managed a relieved smile。
〃I gotcha； baby；〃 he breathed； almost laughing。 〃I gotcha。〃
Kirsty just hung there below him with her arms held out awkwardly on either side of her body； held up only by Riley's grip on the wool…lined hood of her parka。
All right； Riley said to himself； how the hell are we gonna get out of this…
There came a sudden popping sound and abruptly Kirsty lurched downward。 She only dropped an inch； and for an instant Riley couldn't understand what had happened。
Then he saw it。
His eyes zeroed in on the join between Kirsty's pink parka and its pink wool…lined hood。
Riley's eyes went wide。
The hood wasn't actually part of the parka。
It was one of those removable hoods that could be connected to the collar of the parka whenever the wearer so desired。 It was only attached to Kirsty's parka by six clasplike buttons。
The popping sound that he had heard had been the sound of one of those buttons unclasping。
Riley began to feel sick。
〃Oh； that's not fair。 That's not fucking fair；〃 he said。
Pop！
Another button unclasped。
Kirsty dropped another inch。
Riley was at a loss。 He didn't know what to do。 There was nothing he could do。 He was already hanging from the lowest point on the railing； so he couldn't lower himself any further。 And Kirsty was hanging from his other hand； so he couldn't reach any farther either。
Pop！ Pop！
Two more buttons unclasped and Kirsty screamed in horror as she dropped sharply and then jolted to a sudden stop。
The pink hood began to stretch。 Only two buttons held i