Guardian Read Online Free Page B

unrecognizable.
    “Some hero,” Finch said.
    “Let me up.”
    “I was going to live a lux life”—Finch talked over him, leaned his weight down—“before you glitched it all up, you Chapter Eleven swampcat prick.”
    “It’s treason to long for the past,” Syd said, spitting mud from his mouth. “What would the other Purifiers say if they heard you?”
    “Who’s gonna tell them?” Finch pressed down harder. The weight was agony. A root below Syd dug into his back. He tried to get up and Finch’s foot pushed him down again. The front of Finch’s boot had a hole in it and Syd made out a filthy white sock.
    “I wonder what would happen if the great Yovel was accidentally trampled to death in the crowd?” Finch leaned down. “Would they blame some crazed Machinist? How long would the people mourn such a terrible accident?” Finch licked his lips, his hands jittery with excitement. He raised his voice. “Oh dear me! I tried to save him, I surely did. If only he had let his bodyguard help!” Finch laughed.
    “Let me up,” Syd demanded.
    “Make me.” Finch pushed Syd deeper into the mud, grinding his boot into Syd’s chest. “I’ve dreamed about this for a really long time, Syd. The people may worship you, but we both know what you really are.”
    Suddenly, a metal hand appeared on Finch’s shoulder and spun him around.
    “And what is he, really?” Liam didn’t wait for an answer to punch Finch across the face. Then he lifted the Purifier up by the neck, the metal hand squeezing around his throat. Through his mask, his eyes bulged out. Liam’s were calm, and hard as desert glass. “You know I’m authorized to kill anyone who presents a threat to Yovel?”
    Finch couldn’t answer. His windpipe was squeezed shut. His face turned red. Liam wasn’t even breaking a sweat, holding Finch aloft.
    “Don’t,” Finch squeaked out. “Just messing around . . . old friends . . .”
    “I fought with the Rebooters while you were sitting in Mountain City playing holo games,” Liam continued. “I killed more people before puberty than you’ve met in your entire life. I wouldn’t even remember your name by lunch.”
    “Stop it,” said Syd. The veiny nope on the ground writhed beside him.
    Liam squeezed harder. “You can’t go running off like that,” he told Syd. “You know it’s not safe.”
    “I know,” said Syd. “I’m sorry. Just let him go.”
    Liam looked at Finch, made hard eye contact. “You will leave Syd alone from now on?”
    Finch did his best to nod.
    “You won’t so much as look at him ever again?”
    Finch was about to pass out.
    “Let him go,” Syd repeated. “You’re killing him.”
    “I
should
kill him.”
    “Don’t,” Syd pleaded. No one else had to die because of Syd. No one should. This was not what he wanted.
    Liam looked back at Syd, took a deep breath, and dropped Finch to the ground. Then he bent down and helped Syd up.
    “I am getting you out of here.” Liam gripped Syd around the arm with the metal hand—always with the metal hand, Syd noted—and dragged him through the crowd toward an alley off the avenue. Liam took his bolt gun back out.
    “Let go of me.” Syd tried to rip his arm free. He knew he’d be bruised, but Liam’s grip was relentless. They rounded a corner to a quieter clearing. They could still hear the screaming, but not see it anymore. Syd struggled and finally, Liam let go.
    “I can take care of myself,” Syd told him, wiping the mud from his face.
    Just then, another figure in a white balaclava came tearing through thick brush from the other end of the alley, a large serrated knife gripped for attack.
    “Drop the blade!” Liam shouted.
    The Purifier skidded to a stop. He did not drop the blade.
    “I said drop it!” Liam repeated.
    The Purifier’s eyes darted to Syd and then to Liam, and his arm came forward, tossing the knife straight for them.
    Liam did not hesitate this time. He shoved Syd sideways to the ground at