" This had a bunch of pikemen lined up in a box-like arrangement with musketeers or archers inside the box. We had enough men in the militia that we c...ould form a box with 10 men on a side and have seven crossbowmen, plus me an' Ezra inside the box. Southeastern Alabama weren't a good place ta try ta use long pikes cuz all the trees would git in the way, but our swords would serve just as well. With the swordsmen ta protect the crossbowmen from close attack, we could play hell with any bunch of. Their car park ticket was timed in at eleven twenty-two by the way, were entering the stairwell on the fifth deck, at what we believe was eleven-thirty, when they heard what they took to be, correctly, several gunshots. Frightened, they ran back out onto the fifth floor level and called the police."Officers arrived on the scene at eleven-forty and you were quickly discovered lying on the landing between the ground and first levels, with three bullet wounds: One to your head and two to your. .. you could have been killed." "Believe me, when I woke up that thought occurred to me. And I wasn'tsure I wouldn't have preferred it. But at the time, I didn't thinkabout anything like that. I just reacted." "Because he was your friend?" "I don't know. Maybe. I like to think I would've done the same thingfor anyone, but unless it ever comes up, I won't really know." "I like that. Oops! Gotta go." the girl hurried off. Angel went toher new locker, and was about to open it when Robin got a case. “Help me to understand,” I countered quietly. More silence followed. Then Christian heaved a loud sigh.“Have you ever wanted something you knew you couldn’t have?” he asked, though it sounded more like he was talking to himself.I let the question settle in the air. Of course I had. Hasn’t everyone?“What is it that you want, Christian?” I asked seriously.He shook his head gently. “I can’t tell you,” he replied in a condescending tone that made me feel about five years old. This I found too.