Page 116 of Gunslinger Girl

Max jerked toward the bars, blood draining from his cheeks. “When?”

Pity felt a brief fluttering of pride that he didn’t question her at all. “Any time now. Siena—hurry up with the damn door!”

“That’s why you got the gag!” came the reply.

But a moment later the cell door clicked and slid open. Pity threw her arms around Max, burying her face in his neck before raising her mouth to his. The taste of him briefly washed away the fear, filling her with desperate warmth.

“Save it for later, Jones!”

They broke apart.

Siena stood outside the cell, dangling Pity’s gun belt in one hand. “I give these back, we gonna have a problem?”

“Not so long as we’re in Casimir. Beyond that, I can’t promise anything.”

Siena smirked but tossed her the weapons. “I’ll take my chances.”

“What did you say about my mother?” She strapped the belt on. “As good as anyone with twice her years?”

“Look, I don’t know if you realize this,” Max interjected, “but I’ve been locked in a cell for the past day. Invasion aside, what else did I miss?”

Pity opened her mouth and then closed it again, not knowing the right words. “Max…”

“Or is it Maximillian? Or Edwin? Or Khristos?” Siena said. “That’s a lot of names, even for a rich boy.”

Max wavered, his whole body seeming to go slack. Pity grabbed his arm to steady him as he stared at Siena, his face ashen.

“Sheridan made a deal with Drakos-Pryce,” Pity explained. “The presidency… for you.”

For a moment, Max looked like he was going to be sick. Then anger flashed across his features, there and gone like summer lightning.

“Decision time, Jones.” Siena put a hand on the sawed-off shotgun holstered at her hip. “You coming or not? We can’t linger here any longer, and I want to be gone before the bullets start flying upstairs.”

Max shivered once before finding his voice. “No. We can’t go.”

“I’m not in the habit of leaving that choice to my bounties,” said Siena.

Pity took his hand in hers. “I’m not gonna let her take you back there. I swear.”

Max raised her hand and placed it over his heart. “Yes, you are. I’m sorry, Pity, but sooner or later this was going to happen.”

“No!”

He ignored her and turned to Siena. “I’ll come with you, willingly, but only if we go to Selene first. No word about my parents. We warn her and Beau, and then we leave. Pity comes with us, and on the way we get her somewhere she’ll be safe. You got that, Pity?”

“I sure as hell do not!” She ripped her hand away. The look on his face splintered her hopes of escape into shards, which buried themselves in her heart. “So that’s it? You’re just gonna give in?”

“No,” said Siena. “He’s making the best play he can, given the circumstances. Fine. You’re still no one. I suppose I can make Selene understand that Pity was half out of her mind with love when she broke you out of here. Me? I was only going along with an old friend’s daughter to make sure she didn’t make a mess of things.”

“No!” cried Pity. “No, I do not agree to this!”

Siena ignored her. “But you stray one inch from my sight and the deal’s off. Understand?”

“No, he doesn’t!”

“Please, Pity.” Max kissed her again. “I’m sorry.”

“The hell you are!” She balled her fists, nails biting into her flesh. “The hell with both of you!”