Free Liberation (I Am Margaret Book 3) by Corinna Turner

was too late to go back, well, we just spent three months in EuroBloc territory, didn’t we? Seems I’m actually kind of used to it. Though I think I was getting a false sense of security from being with a whole group of super confident guys too stupid to be frightened, but there we are.”
    “Thank you,” said Bane, in mock offence.
    “I wasn’t actually referring to you. But I swear some of those young guards actually think it’s dead cool to be risking martyrdom like the priests and sisters always do.” The EuroGov didn’t lay its hands on Swiss guards very often, but when they did they tended to treat them as though their very existence ‘incited and promoted superstition’.
    “As far as I’m aware,” Bane was trying to keep a straight face, “all those ‘young guards’ are several years older than us.”
    “Oh, Lord help me, you’re right.” I clapped a hand over my mouth. “When did I get middle-aged?” Jon sniggered, so I gave him a gentle poke with my elbow. “ Anyway , it was much better than I expected.”
    “Good,” said Jon. “That’s good. Any chance you’ll stay at home next time?”
    “What, now I’ve proved I can do it?” I tried not to get annoyed. “That’s not the point, Jon. And no.”
    “Smooth, Jon, very smooth,” said Bane.
    “Well, you can’t blame me for trying.”
    “With all the subtlety of a pickaxe.”
    “Oh, like you’re going to do any better!”
    I ignored them and concentrated on getting Jon up the steps. By the time we reached the top, all six members of the postal service were jogging through the gates, trucks put to bed. They beat us to the main conference room, where the army of helpers had stacked the crates in piles according to what was stamped on the sides. With one of each type arranged along a wall, the team waited impatiently in what little space remained.
    “Uh, is everyone else here?” asked Bane. “Full check, please.”
    We all gave our code name in sequence – everyone who’d risked their life deserved to be here for this.
    “Have we got a can opener?” asked Bane. Father Mark held up a handful of small flat cylindrical things and placed one on the lock of the first crate. “Uh, we’re quite positive there’s nothing explosive in there, right?” Bane edged in front of me slightly, as though that would help if we accidentally set off a whole crate of explosives.
    Eduardo waved his networkAccessor.
    “Nothing explosive anywhere on the train’s manifest and the codes on the side of the boxes correspond to nonLethal tech. Let’s crack them open.”
    “Okay.” Bane nodded to Father Mark and everyone moved away and turned their backs.
    Crack.
    Fox One and Fox Two wrestled the lid up and everyone crowded forward as though they’d never seen a nonLee before. Father Mark pulled aside a rectangle of foam to reveal… actually, worth a look. Rows of gleaming, brand new nonLethal pistols, a newer model than any I’d seen. Better still, two spare power magazines nestled beside each one.
    “Wow, look at these.” Fox Two picked one up. “Sleek.”
    “Brilliant.” Bane handed one to Jon to feel.
    “Shiny, aren’t they.” Jon ran his hands over it appreciatively, making no move to get up from his crate seat.
    “Better than shiny!” said Kyle.
    Father Mark examined one with a mixture of professional interest and personal distaste. Not keen on any type of weapon. But he knew what to do with them.
    “I like these.” Eduardo actually cracked a small smile, sighting down the barrel at the wall. “Look like they should be more accurate.”
    Father Mark gave a slight grunt of agreement, then got back to passing them out so everyone had one to look at.
    “They’re probably not charged, but if anyone fires one of these things, they’ll still be on extra sentry duty for a month,” warned Eduardo.
    “What about those of us who don’t do sentry duty?” asked Sister Krayj sweetly.
    “Pretty much anyone in here who isn’t liable