Didi staggers into the trash, the heat of the day taking her breath away. But she doesn't care, just wants to run into the garbage and find a place to collapse. Not that she's quitting, she won't admit that to herself just yet. But Dad is gone and so is her house. Jackus is hunting her and the only hope she has is a run-down piece of rubbish who won't do what he's programmed to do, snargle it all.
Pip flutters as she stumbles, clinging to her too tight. She brushes him angrily from her shoulder, forcing him to take wing. Didi rubs at the painful cut he's made, the small puncture oozing. She's already filthy, but the fresh damage makes her feel like she's failed at last.
"You have to shut him down." Pip lands hard, voice sharp edged and hissing. "You can't just leave him in there like tha
