Free The Navigator by Pittacus Lore

use.
    Actually, that’s not exactly true. We have something else.
    I dig into my bag and pull out one of the small grenades Raylan included in his supplies. It’s a short cylinder covered in markings that identify it as a concussion and electromagnetic short-range hybrid bomb—in other words, not exactly a precise weapon but one that should be enough to knock down most of our assailants. I’ve never actually used one before, so I can’t be sure. Crayton looks back and forth between me and the grenade.
    “You can’t be thinking—,” he starts, but another barrage from the Mogs causes chunks of our shoddy cover to shatter around us. I return fire, noting where our enemies are. The big guy has moved and is closing in on us fast.
    We don’t have time to plan or argue. I see only one way of us—of Ella—getting out of here.
    “It’s our only chance,” I say. “Make for the back exit after it goes off. I’ll hold off any survivors.”
    “What about you?” he asks.
    “I’ll meet you back at the hotel.”
    Before he can protest, I click the top of the grenade and toss it over the jewelry case. There are a few beeps as I dive to the ground, pulling Crayton and Ella down with me. And then a wave of force explodes from the center of the room, flattening us. Jewelry, glass and pieces of displays crash into the walls. The lights go out. The Mogs grunt, and I can’t help but grin when I see one of them slam into the cinder-block wall of the shop and disintegrate.
    Not all of them are dead, though. A few have been blown outside and are already picking themselves back up when I check. The big guy from the back of the store is laid out on the ground, seemingly unconscious.
    “Go!” I shout, pushing Crayton.
    He hesitates for only a moment before running towards the back door, Ella in his arms. I try to fire at the Mogs outside, but my blaster has powered down due to the EMP. Shit.
    Fortunately, the Mog weapons don’t seem to be working either.
    Crayton’s almost to the back door when I see the big Mog move. Something shiny flies through the air and catches Crayton’s calf. Crayton falls onto his side, Ella still in his arms, a big sliver of glass sticking out of his leg. The monster crosses the room in just a few strides as Crayton struggles to get up. Ella starts to babble.Crayton looks back at me and then to the big Mog, now just steps away from him. I can see some kind of calculations being worked out behind his eyes. He knows there’s no way he’s going to outrun the big guy. Not now.
    He winces as he shouts to me.
    “Catch her! Don’t let them take her.”
    Ella’s body flies through the air. She doesn’t cry. In fact, I think I actually hear her giggle. I catch her with one arm, pulling her in to me, trying to protect her. When I look up again, the big Mog is holding Crayton up off the ground, a sinewy hand around his neck. The monster’s black eyes are furious as he snarls. The creature pulls a small dagger from his belt and rears back, ready to plunge it into Crayton’s chest.
    “No!” I shout. But it’s too late.
    There’s a bang, and the Mog stops. His arm falls to the floor. Another shot sounds, and the Mog begins to disintegrate. Crayton falls to the ground, gasping.
    It’s only then that I realize Emir is standing again, blood pouring out of a wound on his shoulder as he reloads what I think the people of Earth call a shotgun.
    “Get that child out of here,” he says to me.
    The two remaining Mogs look so stunned that their leader has fallen that Emir has just enough time to fire off a few shots and take them by surprise. They turn to ash as Crayton picks himself up off the ground and hobbles over to me. Emir babbles in a language I don’tunderstand, shaking his head. His eyes dart back and forth between the piles of ash, trying to comprehend what’s happened.
    There are sirens coming from somewhere down the road, and we can’t be here when they arrive. I grab Crayton, and we sprint out