Old Shed did go armed sometimes； but he never advertised the fact。 The knife did wonders for his confidence。
He could tell himself he would use it； and he'd believe the lie long enough to get by； but in any tight spot he would let fate run its course。
His fate was sealed。 。 。 。 Unless he whipped it heads…up； no holds barred。
How？
Krage's men were amused by his terror。 There were six of them。 。 。 。 Then there were seven 。 。 。 and eight； as those tracking Raven reported in。 Could he hope to beat those odds？ Raven himself didn't stand a chance。
You are a dead man； a tiny voice whispered； over and over。 Dead man。 Dead man。
〃He's working his way down Chandler's；〃 a shadow reported。 〃Going into all the little alleyways。〃
Krage asked Shed； 〃Think he'll find anything this late in the winter？ The weaklings have all died。〃
Shed shrugged。 〃I wouldn't know。〃 He rubbed his left arm against his side。 The knife's presence helped； but not much。
His terror peaked and began to recede。 His mind cooled to an unemotional numbness。 Fear in abeyance； he tried to find the unseen exit。
Again someone loomed out of the darkness； reported they were a hundred feet from Raven's wagon。 Raven had gone into an alley ten minutes ago。 He hadn't e out。
〃He spot you？〃 Krage growled。
〃I don't think so。 But you never know。〃
Krage eyed Shed。 〃Shed； would he abandon his team and wagon？〃
〃How would I know？〃 Shed squeaked。 〃Maybe he found something。〃
〃Let's take a look。〃 They moved to the alley； one of countless dead…end breezeways opening off Chandler's Lane。 Krage stared into the darkness； head canted slightly。 〃Quiet as the Catabs。 Check it out； Luke。〃
〃Boss？〃
〃Take it easy； Luke。 Old Shed is going to be right behind you。 Won't you； Shed？〃
〃Krage。 。 。 。〃
〃Move out！〃
Shed shambled forward。 Luke advanced cautiously； wicked knife probing the darkness。 Shed tried to talk to him。 〃Shut up！〃 he snarled。 〃Don't you have a weapon？〃
〃No；〃 Shed lied。 He glanced back。 It was just the two of them。 They reached the dead end。 No Raven。 〃I'll be damned；〃
Luke said。 〃How did he get out？〃
〃I don't know。 Let's find out。〃 This might be his chance。
〃Here we go；〃 Luke said。 〃He climbed this downspout。〃
Shed's guts knotted。 His throat tightened。 〃Give it a try。 Maybe we can follow him；〃
〃Yeah。〃 Luke started up。
Shed didn't think about it。 The butcher knife materialized in his hand。 His hand slammed forward。 Luke arched back； dropped。 Shed jumped on him； jammed a palm against his mouth； held on for the minute it took him to die。 He backed away； unable to believe he'd done it。 〃What's going on back there？〃 Krage demanded。 〃Can't find anything；〃 Shed yelled。 He dragged Luke against a wall； buried him under trash and snow； ran to the down…spout。
Krage's approach made a marvelous incentive。 He grunted； strained； popped a muscle； reached the roof。 It consisted of a skirt two feet wide set at a shallow angle； then twelve feet rising at forty…five degrees； above which the roof was flat。 Shed leaned against the steep slate； panting； still unable to believe that he had killed a man。 He heard voices below； began moving sideways。
Someone snarled； 〃They're gone； Krage。 No Raven。 No Luke and no Shed； either。〃
〃That bastard。 I knew he was setting me up。〃
〃Why did Luke go with him； then？〃
〃Hell； I don't know。 Don't stand there。 Look around They got out of here somehow。〃
〃Hey。 Over here。 Somebody went up this spout。 Maybe they're after Raven。〃
〃Climb the damned thing。 Find out。 Luke！ Shed！〃
〃Over here；〃 a voice called。 Shed froze。 What the hell？ Raven？ Had to be Raven。
He inched along； trying to fake himself into believing there wasn't thirty…five feet of nothing behind his heels。 He reached a ridged corner where he could clamber up to the flat top。
〃Over here。 I think we got him cornered。〃
〃Get up there； you bastards！〃 Krage raged。
Lying motionless on the cold； icy tar； Shed watched two shadows appear on the skirt and begin easing toward the voice。 A squeal of metal and vicious cursing proclaimed the fate of a third climber。 〃Twisted my ankle； Krage；〃 the man plained。
〃e on；〃 Krage growled。 〃We'll find another way up。〃
Run while you got the chance； Shed thought。 Go home and hole up till it's over。 But he could not。 He slid down to the skirt and crept after Krage's men。
Someone cried out； scrabbled for a hold； plunged into the darkness between buildings。 Krage shouted。 Nobody answered。
Shed crossed to the roof next door。 It was flat and forested with chimneys。 〃Raven？〃 he called softly。 〃It's me。 Shed。〃 He touched the knife in his sleeve； still unable to believe that he'd used it。
A shape materialized。 Shed settled into a sitting position； arms around his knees。 〃What now？〃 he asked。
〃What're you doing here？〃
〃Krage dragged me along。 I was supposed to be the first one dead if it was a trap。'' He told Raven what he had done。
〃Damn！ You've got guts after all。〃
〃He backed me into a corner。 What now？〃
〃The odds are getting better。 Let me think about it。〃
Krage shouted out in Chandler's Lane。 Raven yelled back； 〃Over here！ We're right behind him。〃 He told Shed： 〃I don't know how long I can fool him。 I was going to pick them off one at a time。 I didn't know he'd bring an
army。〃
〃My nerves are shot；〃 Shed said。 Heights were another of the thousand things that terrified him。
〃Hang on。 It's a long way from over。〃 Raven yelled； 〃Cut him off； why don't you？〃 He took off。 〃e on；
Shed。〃
Shed could not keep up。 He wasn't as nimble as Raven。
A shape loomed out of the darkness。 He squeaked。
〃That you； Shed？〃 It was one of Krage's men。 Shed's heartbeat doubled。
〃Yeah。 You seen Raven？〃
〃No。 Where's Luke？〃
〃H…he was headed right at you。 How could you miss him？ Look here。〃 Shed indicated disturbances in
traces of snow。
〃Look； man； I didn't see him。 Don't e on at me like you was Krage。 I'll kick your ass up around your ears。〃
〃All right。 All right。 Calm down。 I'm scared and I want to get it over。 Luke fell off。 Back there。 Slipped on some ice or something。 Be careful。〃
〃I heard。 Sounded like Milt； though。 I'd have sworn it was Milt。 This is stupid。 He can pick us off up here。 We ought to back off and try something else。〃
〃Uhn…uh。 I want him now。 I don't want him tracking me down tomorrow。〃 Shed was amazed。 How easily the
lies came！ Silently； he cursed the man because he wouldn't turn his back。 〃You got an extra knife or something？〃
〃You？ Use a knife？ e on。 Stick with me； Shed。 I'll look out for you。〃
〃Sure。 Look； the trail goes that way。 Let's get it done。〃 The man turned to examine Raven's tracks。 Shed drew his knife and hit him hard。 The man let out a yell； twisted。 The knife broke。 Shed almost pitched off the roof。 His victim did。 People shouted questions。 Krage and his men all seemed to be on the rooftops now。
When Shed stopped shaking； he started moving again； trying to recall the layout of the neighborhood。 He wanted to get down and head home。 Raven could finish this insanity。
Shed ran into Krage on the next roof。 〃Krage！〃 he whined。 〃God！ Let me out of here！ He'll kill us all！〃
〃I'll kill you； Shed。 It was a trap； wasn't it？〃
〃Krage； no！〃 What could he do？ He didn't have the butcher knife now。 Fake。 Whine and fake。 〃Krage； you got to get out of here。 He already got Luke and Milt and somebody else。 He would've gotten me when he got Luke； except he fell down and I got away … only he caught up again when I was talking to one of your guys right over there。 They got fighting； and one of them went off the edge； I don't know which； but I bet it wasn't Raven。 We got to get down from here； on account of we can't tell who we're running into so we got to be careful。 I could have had him this last time； only I didn't have a weapon and we didn't know it wasn't one of our own guys ing。 Raven don't have that problem。 Anybody he sees he knows is an enemy； so he don't have to be so careful。 。。。〃
〃Shut up； Shed。〃
Krage was buying it。 Shed talked a little louder； hoping Raven would hear； e； and finish it。
There was a cry across the rooftops。 〃That's Teskus；〃 Krage growled。 〃That's four。 Right？〃
Shed bobbed his head。 〃That we know about。 Maybe there's only you and me now。 Krage； we should get out of here before he finds us。〃
〃Might be something to what you say； Shed。 Might be。 We shouldn't have e up here。 e on。〃
Shed followed； keeping up the chatter。 〃It was Luke's idea。 He thought he'd make points with you。 See； we saw him at the top of this drain…spout and he didn't see us； so Luke said why don't we go after him and get him； and old Krage will。 。 。 。〃
〃Shut up； Shed。 For God's sake； shut up。 Your voice sickens me。〃
〃Yes； sir； Mr。 Krage。 Only I can't。 I'm so scared。 。 。 。〃
〃If you don't； I'll shut you up permanent。 You won't have to worry about Raven。〃
Shed stopped talking。 He had pushed as far as he dared。
Krage halted a short time later。 〃We'll set an ambush near his wagon。 He'll e back for it； won't he？〃
〃I expect so； Mr。 Krage。 But what good w