Natalie gave a single curt nod and said quietly to the group, "Kill them all." Outside the villa, Theodore and his team had already reached the area. He'd deliberately used the thick fog as cover and slipped to the very rear of the marching column. The main road through the Hillside Villa District was narrow; the 200 or so people were packed along it, with a long distance between the front and the tail of the formation. Theodore stopped a short distance behind the rear and, for the first time, thought the fog was actually useful. Pointing into the white haze ahead, he ordered in a low voice, "We'll move forward slowly. Whenever you see a figure, take them out." He emphasized, "Cover their mouths first. Use knives to cut their throats quietly—don't make a sound." Danny answered, "Yes, sir," inwardly admiring Theodore's cunning. This was far better than sitting at home waiting to be slaughtered. They advanced cautiously, picking off whoever they could; if discovered, they could turn and run. With the fog as cover, the enemy wouldn't find them and wouldn't suspect the Mervyns were behind it. Several guards flexed their wrists, eager to begin. The only one who looked pale was Raven. She was a civilian from before the apocalypse—she'd never killed anyone, and couldn't even stomach violent horror movies. She used to look away when she saw chickens slaughtered at the market; she could not imagine killing someone with her own hands. Theodore noticed her hesitation and bent close to whisper in her ear, "Rae Rae, you've got to take the first step." He pointed ahead. "Consider this your monthly test. Work hard. Do well, and there's a reward. Fail ... " His voice dropped lower and colder. "And you'll die." Raven's breath hitched. I've only learned a few clumsy moves. How could I kill someone? Theodore drew a sharp little knife from his belt and tossed one to Raven as well. "Try it and you'll see," he said, licking his lips as a vicious gleam grew in his eyes. "Killing is addictive." Raven shivered at the look on his face. She'd always thought Theodore was an unruly rich kid with a loose grip on reality. Now she realized he might be much more dangerous than she'd believed. On the surface, he was a careless playboy, but even when smiling, there was no warmth in his eyes. He reminded her of a manager she'd once worked for—funny and seemingly kind, but hiding as a cold snake beneath the charm. Right then, Theodore looked like that snake coiled and ready to strike, body raised and tongue flicking. Before she could react, Theodore and the others moved forward. She was left at the tail of the line, staring into the fog. Swallowed by helplessness and fear, she forced herself to follow. Soon, they reached the rear of the enemy formation. Theodore and several guards struck quickly, each taking down one target. Raven clamped a hand over her mouth as she watched people fall silently. Theodore's white shirt had a few bright red splatters; his arm holding the knife was splashed with blood, and he casually wiped his hand on his soiled shirt as if it were something filthy. The man he'd killed lay on the ground, eyes wide in a fixed, shocked stare. In the Grayhound Sect, only Godfrey wore a respirator; everyone else's faces were exposed. That fallen man's head happened to face their way, so Raven could see the corpse's expression of surprise and terror clearly. It was her first time seeing what the books called "dying with eyes open"—not at all like the dramatized versions on television. A cold terror climbed from her feet to the top of her skull. Theodore nonchalantly turned and glanced at her, and in that look there was an excited, childish hunger, like someone who'd just been handed a new toy. Raven's skin crawled as she thought of how she'd spent time with him lately. She instinctively took a step back. Theodore's gaze flicked past her, and his expression changed in an instant. Raven followed his sightline and saw, to her horror, a tall man standing only inches behind her. If he'd turned his back on her a moment earlier, she would already have been discovered and the whole unit alerted. Raven's breathing quickened and grew ragged; the man sensed movement and turned his head slightly to scan. All the blood drained from her face as Theodore's earlier words echoed in her head. "Consider this your monthly test. "Fail ... and you die." You die.Adrenaline surged through her, and her hands trembled. One thought dominated her mind. Don't let him make a sound, or it will all be over.