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“Who’s Gerard?” Maddy asks, trying hard not to sound frightened.

“I just told you. Gerard is an asshole,” says Mama-Girl.

“He’s one of Carla’s enforcers,” says the girl. “Makes sure we get to where we need to be, on time.” She starts to backpedal, clearly not wanting to be seen.

As soon as she says that, Gerard spots her, and his face contorts in anger.

He jumps out of the car and grabs the girl, throwing her up against the vehicle.

“You fucked up again, Kailyn. You fucked up big time. That fat-ass Doc Katz was expecting you at the Soho Grand at midnight. On the dot,” Gerard shouts. “I texted twice to remind you. But you was too fucked-up to remember, am I right?”

Two other girls move to join the scene, one of them brave enough to speak up. “Nah, man, Kailyn’s clean. Just, like, her phone was dead, or something.”

Mama-Girl steps forward, lightly caressing Gerard’s bulging biceps. “How about you drop the child and pay attention to a real woman?”

“A carcass, you mean?” Gerard shoots back, still pressing Kailyn against the BMW. “Nobody wants your worn-out ass, Jennifer. Now, get out of here before I stomp you.”

At least they’re trying to help their friend. Maddy doesn’t know what the hell to do. But she has a sense that the fan is going full blast, and a dangerous pile of shit is about to hit it.

CHAPTER 53

“YOU’RE HURTING HER,” Mama-Girl shouts, dropping any attempt at seduction as she slaps at Gerard’s arms. “Let go of my girl!”

But Mama-Girl’s shout just seems to make the attacker squeeze Kailyn even harder. As she screams, another huge BMW screeches up to the scene. Maddy is expecting the female driver. But no. Instead two very large men jump out of the car.

For a moment Maddy thinks they might actually be NYPD. But as soon as they shove Mama-Girl to the ground and one of them slaps the young girl who tried to intervene, Maddy’s hope is totally shattered.

What isn’t shattered, however, is her almost crazy determination to handle the situation.

Of course, she thinks. If she can do something, she sure as hell better do it now.

The intense training she received from Dache—his stern instructions, her own tough determination—is nolonger theoretical. She is not in the safety of her bedroom or backyard. This is the real world. These are real people. Villains? Innocents? Enemies? Friends? What the hell difference does it make? She’s got to get on it. Like those cheap greeting cards:LIFEHASNODO-OVERS.

Maddy concentrates until she hears Dache’s voice inside her head.

Dismantle and eradicate all other mental interference.

She tries with everything inside her to honor Dache’s directive.

And to her own astonishment, she feels she might succeed.

Embrace the talent that embraces only you. Focus, Madeline.

Madeline! She’s begged Dache not to call her that, but it is that infuriating word that sets her free.

Her entire body snaps spontaneously into judo position. Effortlessly, she thrusts her right leg upward and executes a brutal upsweep kick to Gerard’s back. He immediately drops Kailyn. Then, as the two other men run at her, Maddy executes a perfect ankle throw. Both men tumble to the ground.

Maddy senses that everything she does from here on out is going to be absolutely perfect. She has become another person, another power. Is this how it feels for Lamont?

The men and Gerard struggle to rise. Maddy isn’t frightened, but these guys clearly are. All three make a break for their vehicles. They stumble. One falls. Before they can get to their cars, Maddy gets to them.

Using the speed and strength of her mental hands, she grabs them by their shirts and flips them hard against the concrete.

She hears Mama-Girl yell out, “Kick him in the—”

But she doesn’t have to hear the end of the sentence to know what Mama-Girl says, and she does exactly as advised, Gerard letting out a roughwhooshof air that moves the pebbles in front of his mouth.

Dache might not approve of that last part, but he’s never had to walk the streets at night as a woman.