Ethan had to admit, the girl struck him as someone who was a little slow on the uptake.
As Blackie might have put it, her compassion was spilling over the edges. Clearly, she hadn't endured much real hardship. And yet… he couldn't bring himself to dislike her. He didn't agree with her way of doing things, but he respected her untainted, straightforward nature.
"Blackie, take them and go ahead," Ethan said, glancing at the cooling waves of molten rock around them. The fiercest eruptions had passed, and the stray stones still raining down no longer posed much of a threat. Without waiting for a reply, he sprinted after the woman in red.
"Boss! That's your sister-in-law! You've got to bring her back… in one piece!" Blackie shouted after him.
Ethan had just twisted midair to avoid a swirling pocket of superheated air when the words hit him. His step faltered, and he almost lost his balance.
