“Nick?” Todd croaked.
“No. What the hell happened?” It was Captain Howard. She helped Todd sit up, steadying him. “Easy.”
She scooted away and leaned over Nick, feeling for a pulse and frowning. Todd crawled closer.
“Nicky?”
Nick was too still. A gash ran along one temple and cheekbone. His knife lay beside his head.
Captain Howard moved back to Todd’s side and helped him get closer to Nick. “This is what those things do?”
Todd ignored her, horror-struck at what he had done.
“I killed him.”
He’d killed Nick.
Nick was dead.
Todd hadn’t meant to hit him that hard. Just enough to stop him. Not…
“No,” Captain Howard said. “You didn’t kill him.”
“It was me. Not those things.” Todd’s hand cradled Nick’s face. Todd had only wanted to dislodge him and force him to break his grip on Tod
