“There’s an army of ‘em,” Barry cried,sparing a look back over his shoulder.
From where he sat, Matt couldn’t see into theback room, but the man’s words bothered him. An army ofwhat? Had Vic led the police through the back of thestore?
The gunman shook his head, visibly pissed.“What are you talking about? What the hell was that noise? And youscreaming like a girl—”
Barry scrambled around the counter to put itbetween himself and the door. “It’s the same man. Everysingle one of them. Like some fucking Terminator or something!”
The gunman started, “What—”
But that was as far as he got before Vic’sbulk filled the doorway. Matt’s heart swelled and he had tosuppress a cheer. Never had the sight of his lover filled him withso much emotion.
With a grimace, the gunman aimed and fired.As Matt watched, Vic went down—no, he didn’t fall so much as…well,evaporate, it seemed. One word clawed at Matt’s throat,rising from him in an anguished wail. “No!”
* * * *
The moment Vic’s first clone dissolved,another rushed to fill its place. And a second, and a third. Vichad more doppelgangers than the gunman had bullets, and he’d keepcoming at the guy until the weapon ran out.
But he had forgotten about Matt, who didn’tknow it wasn’t Vic himself who’d been shot. Anguish tore throughVic when his lover thought him killed. The emotion was sostaggering, so immense, Vic reeled from it. Without consciousthought, he opened the mental bond between them again and feltMatty rush in to fill him. His body tingled as a dozen phantomhands patted him down to find a wound. ::God, Vic! He shot you!He…he—::
Vic caught Matt’s frenzied mind in his owncalm grip. ::I’m fine, I promise.::
In the main showroom, Matt cried out as hewatched Vic fall again. His thoughts whirled through Vic’s mindwith a frantic pace. ::What the hell’s going on? How are youdoing this?::
It would take too long to explain. InsteadVic just opened himself fully to his lover, allowing Matt freereign to his memories. Matt riffled through them, learning aboutVic’s current ability. Still, the knowledge that it wasn’t Vicgetting shot was slim reassurance when Matt’s eyes saw him fall.With each gunshot, Vic felt a little pang of heartache as Mattwinced. Beside him, Roxie could be heard pleading with the gunmanto stop, please, for the love of God, stop shootingalready. Cries rose from the other hostages, and curses from therobbers as Vic threw himself at them again and again.
::Close your eyes,:: he told Matty.::I don’t want you seeing this. When he runs out ofbullets—::
::He’ll reload,:: Matt said. Reliefpoured from him as he obeyed, shutting his eyes to the sight of Vicbeing gunned down. ::He has a second clip in his hand. How manyshots has he fired already? How many do you think he hasleft?::
Vic glanced over the gunman’s thoughts—theweapon was a Beretta 9 mm pistol, loaded with twenty rounds. Asmall part of his mind had begun counting when the first shot wasfired, so he knew eleven bullets had been expended. Twelve,thirteen…the guy was running on autopilot at the moment, firingbecause Vic seemed unable to die. Though Vic felt the usual burn inhis muscles that told him his powers were being exerted, he knew hecould easily send in another forty doubles, sixty if there were twoclips, eighty if necessary. But how long would it take the gunmanto realize he wasn’t doing any real damage and come after Vichimself?
Or, worse, turn the gun on his hostages? OnMatt?
Counting down the first clip, Vic knew whathe had to do. Grimly, he told Matt, ::When he stops to reload,I’m coming in.::
* * * *
Panic rose in Matt at Vic’s announcement.“No,” he murmured, shaking his head. Telepathically, he added,::Vic, don’t do this. You can’t.::
::I got to get you out of there,::came Vic’s reply.
Matt shook his head harder as the gun fired,its steady rapport loud in the small showroom. Beside him, Roxieheld Matt’s arm in a painful grip, her nails digging through hisshirt sleeve and into his skin. She moaned, rocking back and forth.“God, Vic,” she said, over and over, occasionally punctuating themoment with a loud cry. “Stop! Vic!”
Covering her hand with his own, Matt tried totell her, “It isn’t him.” But the sound of the gun was deafening,and even if she could hear him, he wasn’t sure she’d believe himanyway.
Then Matt heard something so startling, itshocked him into opening his eyes—the hollow click of anempty gun. Deep within him, Vic rumbled, ::Showtime.::
Matt’s lover barreled through the stockroomdoor, his bulk filling the frame before he stepped aside and a twintook his place. That got through to Roxie—she gasped,clawing at Matt. “Oh, shit,” she whispered. “Matthew, what thefuck? How is he doing this?”
“You know how.” Matt wrested free from hergrip as he watched the gunman reload. Which of those clones was thereal Vic? How many shots would the gunman fire before he hit struckflesh and bone?
Matt didn’t want to find out.
Surging to his feet, he tackled the gunmanand knocked the guy’s legs out from under him. They hit the groundwith a thud, the gun skittering away across the tiled floor. Mattgrappled with the gunman for a moment or two—he was larger than thekid, and his daily workout assured he was stronger, as well—but akick to the ribs sent him rolling away. The one called Barry glareddown at him, foot poised to strike again. “You all right,Chuck?”
“Where’s my fucking gun?” Chuck sat up andpushed back the hood of his sweatshirt, which had come up over hishead during the struggle. When he didn’t see the gun immediately,he punched Barry in the knee, almost dropping his friend. “I said,where the fuck—”
Vic interrupted him. “This?”
Matt rolled toward the sound of his lover’sstrong voice. “Vic, thank God.”
Chuck and Barry whirled, eyes
