She slung one leg over the top ledge and heaved her slim body up so she straddled the chimney top. Freezing air engulfed her and the lights in the fog below appeared close, too close. A patrol wagon at the front door had its lights flashing. Four IMPACT guards stood on the sidewalk; their black oval helmets and dark glasses recognizable even in the gloom.

A beam of light shone up the chimney and someone shouted. A laser pistol fired and the bricks across from her hissed. Pain, like a white hot needle, shot through her leg. Brittany stifled a scream, gritted her teeth and slung her inside leg over the ledge. The shrapne,l or whatever it was that hit her, must have bounced away, for the pain disappeared as quickly as it came. Now she was outside the chimney but not out of danger. The guards below could look up!

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