This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
Copyright (c) 2001 by Aaron Allston
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.
A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
ISBN: 0-671-31993-0
Cover art by Patrick Turner
First printing, June 2001
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Production by Windhaven Press, Auburn, NH
Printed in the United States of America
I extend my thanks to:
The Eagle-Eyes, my advance readers, who make sure that I dot my eyes and cross my teas: A.T. Campbell, Kelly Frieders, Ruben Gamboa, Kali Hale, Steven S. Long, Beth Loubet, Matt Pinsonneault, Susan Pinsonneault, Bob Quinlan, Roxanne Quinlan, Luray Richmond, Sean Summers, and Lori Wolf.
The folks who volunteered technical answers in person and on-line, including Tobias Budke, Beverly Hale, Stefan Immel, Denis Loubet, Matt Pinsonneault, and Scott Ruggels. Any mistakes of detail that remain do so in spite of their involvement.
My agent, Russ Galen. His work lets me do more of the fun stuff.
HEAD OVER HEELS OVER WHEELS
With the last of his vehicle's momentum, Zeb slewed around leftward, putting the car across two lanes. He killed the engine and hopped out to stand on the driver's-side running board. He drew his pistols and aimed them across the roof at the oncoming car.
Muzzle flares erupted from its passenger side. He returned fire into the driver's-side windshield, emptying both pistols, hearing thumps and slams strike his own vehicle.
The oncoming car veered left and then right, as though the driver were indecisive about whether to pass Zeb on the right or the left. Then the car leveled off and steered straight at Zeb, and he realized the driver was probably already dead.
Zeb dove clear, hit the pavement with a bone-jarring thump, heard the shrieking collision as tons of metal met violently. . . .
Doc Sidhe
Sidhe-Devil