Free Touch of Evil by C. T. Adams, Cathy Clamp

presence until they race past.
    "Morning!" called a pair of power walkers as they passed by going the other direction. I smiled and nodded.
    The path was still steeped in shadows. Traffic was a steady hum in the background, but the quiet murmur of the flowing water and quacking of bobbing ducks almost made me forget about Dylan, Larry, and Monica—almost.
    My senses were alert and my brain was utterly my own. The vague smell of car exhaust blended with the flowers and trees growing along the path. It felt good to move. My legs formed an easy rhythm with my pumping arms. I had a light bead of sweat on my brow by the time I reached my exit on Broadway. I could go further on the bike path, but the grocery isn't near an exit, so I'd have to overshoot it and come back to reach it. I went up the stairs two at a time, but just missed the crossing light.
    "Can you spare some change, ma'am? Maybe for a donut and some coffee?" asked a tiredlooking man of about forty who was standing on the corner of Broadway. He held a sign that read,
    "War Veteran. Anything will help." His blond hair was oily and uncombed and his blue eyes were bloodshot and fuzzy. Probably from last night's bender, if the smell of whiskey that hovered over him like a cloud was any indication.
    That's the only problem taking Speer. A lot of the street people live under the bridges and panhandle on the corners until the cops run them off. Still, I removed my wallet from my pocket and handed him a ten.
    "Go get a hot meal at Denny's," I said, with a warm smile that wasn't faked. His return grin said that business hadn't been too good. A lot of those guys would die without a handout. As much as I hate that there are people who are willing to beg for a living, it's reality, and charity is a big part of my religion.
    As I started toward the crosswalk, a droning, sing-song voice chilled my blood. "We wish to speak to you, Not Prey."
    My head immediately started to throb as the combined force of the queen collective entered my skull like an icepick. I turned and saw the pale eyes of the bum take on an inner light. When he opened his mouth, a chorus of voices froze me in place. I hated that my voice sounded strangled,
    because the words were not only entering my ears, but beating behind my eyes directly into my mind.
    "What do you want? You've already broken your word to me. Why should I talk to any of you?" Being a hive mind, I didn't need to explain the situation. They already knew.
    The queen collective possessing the man made his back straighten. His face grew confident; assured. He was suddenly a warrior in the prime of his life. Aw, man. I really didn't need a fight right now. "We only learned of Monica's deceit when you did, Not Prey. Her insanity risks the collective, and we feel it necessary to eliminate her. We ask your indulgence while we find another to take her place."
    Indulgence? Like they cared what I thought. I snorted and crossed my arms over my chest so they wouldn't see that I was shaking just a little bit. I hated that we two had disappeared to the minds of everyone around us. Businessmen stepped
    around us quickly, looking down as though we were a doggie doo-doo pile in their path.
    " My indulgence? She tried to kill me! Why shouldn't I just track her down and eliminate her myself?"
    The cold sureness in the voice sounded almost condescending. "This is not just a matter between you and Monica, Not Prey—as you well know. There are many other lives to consider. Hosts and Herd with families; jobs. Would you risk all of them for such a small favor? You saw the result when you eliminated Queen Larry without regard for the others."
    I did, and I've been paying for it ever since in the confessional. I cocked my head suspiciously. " How small? When can you replace Monica with another queen?"
    "Two weeks, and—"
    I picked my jaw up off the ground. " Two weeks!
    She'll have me dead and buried about thirteen days before that!"
    The man began to