
yeah, right.
The words throbbed through Ewan's mind. He didn't dare say anything aloud. Not with his Senior Tutor standing there, cool and critical, and Charlie staring at him in open triumph. Don't come…
Ewan fixed his gaze on the narrow alley between two apartment buildings, soaring up toward the CityDome. He dreaded the first sign of movement. His stomach churning, he dug his fingernails into his hands, remembering when he'd first seen Cat.
He always stopped off in the yard behind the apartments on his way home from the Learning Center. There was a warm niche near the aircon outlets, where he could sit and work on his assignments. Hardly anyone went there; it was quieter than his apartment, with his little sister and the new baby.
Poring over his microscreen, as he struggled with a math problem, he felt something touch his leg. Glancing up, his eyes met a pair of wide, green-gold ones. A small head with pricked ears. Fur: mottled brown, black and gold on top, white underneath. Jaws gaped wide, showing a pink tongue and white, needle-sharp teeth. The creature let out a piercing cry.
1. New Orleans - 281,440 - 179 (08) - 173 (09) - Old rate per 100,000: 64 - New rate: 61
2. St. Louis - 356,204 - 167 (08) - 147 (09) - Old rate: 47 - New rate: 41
3. Detroit - 905,783 - 339 (08) - Did not provide 09 total - Old rate: 37 - New rate - ??
4. Baltimore - 634,549 - 234 (08) - 238 (09) - Old rate: 36 - New rate: 37.5
5. Birmingham - 228,314 - 82 (08) - 66 (09) - Old rate: 36 - New rate: 28.9
6. Jackson, Miss - 174,734 - 63 (08) - 40 (09) - Old rate: 36 - New rate: 22.8
7. Washington DC - 591,000 - 186 (08) - 143 (09) - Old rate: 31 - New rate: 24
8. Baton Rouge - 226,920 - 67 (08) - 63 (09) *Through October - Old rate: 30
9. Oakland, Calif. - 401,587 - 115 (08) - 107 (09) - Old rate: 29 - New rate: 26.6
10. Flint, Mich. - 113,462 - 32 (08) - 36 (09) - Old rate: 28 - New rate: 31.7