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"Boss! I can't move," Conrad cried. "Help me!" |
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But Bryan couldn't help himself. With no place to run, he began frantically waving his hands in the air, belatedly trying to weave a charm to ward off what he knew was coming. |
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The Dark Man watched Bryan's ballet with an amused smile. The smile grew wider when a tiny ball of green energy formed in the air in front of Bryan's face. |
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"Leave now," Bryan panted as his arms continued to windmill. "And I'll let you live." |
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"Alas," replied the dark giant, "I am at your mercy. Do with me what you will." |
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"I'm not kidding around here!" |
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"I understand," the Dark Man replied reasonably. "But as you must know, you have something that belongs to me and I cannot leave without it. Besides, I have debts to pay . . . very specific debts. And my debtors are not the type to accept excuses." |
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The strain of maintaining the energy ball was making Bryan's arms tremble. His eyes darted to the door, but he understood now that there was no place on earth he could hide and his face began to crumble. "No. Please! I'll tell you where it is. Just go and leave me alone." |
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The Dark Man glanced at his assistant and the goateed man stepped out into the hall, returning a few moments later with the leather suitcase. |
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"Sorry," the Dark Man said. |
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"Take Conrad! He's big and strong." |
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"Boss? What are you saying?" the bodyguard exclaimed. |
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The goateed man removed a large rolled-felt pouch from the suitcase. He placed the pouch on the coffee table, untied the gold string that held it together and unrolled it. Inside the pouch, each in its own individual pocket, were twelve incredibly sharp cast-iron spikeseach twelve inches long and each with the likeness of a woman's deformed face carved into its handle. |
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Bryan took one look at the spikes and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. "NOOOooo!" he screamed, and |
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