Juliet- Pex and Chips

  The girl stumbled accidentally, dropping to both knees on the interior’s carpet.

  “Sushi,” said Pex. “It’s good with French fries.”

  Then the girl’s foot snapped back, catching him in the chest. The hired muscle collapsed gasping onto the floor.

  “Oops,” said the girl, straightening. “Accident.”

  Chips thought he must be having some kind of waking dream, because there was no way a little pop princess clone could have decked two hundred pounds of muscle and attitude.

  “You . . . you just,” he stuttered. “That’s impossible. No way.”

  “Way,” said Juliet pirouetting like a ballerina. The jade ring in her ponytail swung around, loaded with centrifugal force. It struck Chips between the eyeballs like a stone from a sling. He staggered backward, landing in a heap on a leatherette sofa.

  Behind her Pex’s breath was returning. His eyeballs stopped rolling wildly, focusing on his assailant.

  “Hi,” said Juliet, bending over him. “Guess what?”

  “What?” said Pex.

  “You’re not supposed to deep-fry sushi,” said the girl, lapping the assassin on both temples with the palms of her hands. Unconsciousness was immediate.

-The Eternity Code, Chapter 9