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Connie laughed as John and Michael let the nose cone fall free.
They all whooped, loudly for a moment, then hushed. Then it built again. The normally reticent D-boys pounded each other on the back. Emily hugged her copilot.
Gerta gave voice to a deep Russian belly laugh. Connie grabbed John as he flexed his fingers to get the blood moving back into them. She dragged his face down and kissed him a good smack.
He scooped her into his arms and swung her in a circle until it felt like she was flying.
She heard the sharp, ripping sound right next to her ear. A bullet flying through where her head had been a moment before, then a loud, “Thwack!” against the helicopter behind.
John must have heard it too, because the next thing Connie knew, the air had been slammed from her body and she
