“Nah. We needed some excitement. It was getting too quiet around here. I’m Laurel Knight, by the way,” the woman said.
“It’s nice to meet you. Did anybody else show up?”
“Only you and Rok. This means so much to Grav.”
“I’m sorry I brought trouble with me.” She bit her lip. “I hope there isn’t more on the way.”
“More of what?” Grav entered with Kevin, who began to twist and wiggle. Grav set him down, and the dog shot to Chloe, jumping up and licking her face. His entire body wagged with his tail.
“You’re such a good boy!” She hugged him. “Let me sit up!” The room swayed as she pushed herself to a seated position and swung her legs over the edge of the table.Definitely no bike riding.She pulled the excited dog onto her lap.
“I hope there isn’t more trouble coming,” she replied to Grav’s question. “Zack was working with a Progg in St. Louis. What if the Progg follows him here? Are colluders chipped?” She held up her wrist. “They had starlike scars.”
“Yes,” Rok said. “But the trackers don’t work anymore. Since the ship left, comms are down, and nobody can track anything.”
The Progg had the trio convinced he could find them wherever they went, but he’d lied. They thought they were trapped when all they had to do was leave. That still doesn’t excuse what they did.
Laurel cleared her throat. “If you’re ready, we can get you installed in a house. We keep a few clean and stocked for newcomers. The neighborhood is a mile or so away—too far for you to walk in your condition, but we can provide transportation.”
“That sounds perfect. Thank you both for all your help.”
* * * *
The transportation turned out to be a Radio Flyer red wagon.
On foot, Grav hurried on ahead, while Rok and Laurel readied the bikes, disconnecting the trailer onRok’s bike and hitching it to the dog trailer on hers. Then they secured the wagon to his bicycle.
Setting off for the house, Rok pulled Chloe in the wagon while Laurel rode Chloe’s bike, dragging both trailers.
Swaths of pink and purple lit the sky when they pulled up to an older brick home. A generator hummed in the open garage, and lights in the windows glowed with welcome and homecoming. Against her protests, Rok carried her inside, where Grav waited for them. After starting up the generator, he’d turned on the AC, which had begun cooling off the house.
As soon as Rok settled her on the living room sofa, Kevin jumped up beside her.
“Let me show you how to operate the generator,” Grav said.
Rok eyed Chloe anxiously.
“Go. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll take good care of her,” Laurel said.
The men disappeared into the garage.
“How are you feeling?” Laurel asked.
“Like I was shot in the head, but otherwise okay,” she said. “A little woozy.”
Laurel nodded. “Like Damon said—take it easy. Let Rok wait on you.” She grinned and then sobered. “He was so worried. He’s obviously quite taken with you. You two have…a thing?”
“Yeah.” Her mouth twisted wryly. “It took a while to accept him and my feelings for him. How could I care for a Progg after what they did? I hated them, but I liked him, and it messed with my head. It felt like I was betraying our people, like I’d joined the colluders. The Progg are merciless, murderous, genocidal invaders, but Rok is caring, kind, and sweet. How can both be true?”
“I experienced the same with Grav. He’d been wounded. I found him in the woods. I tried to finish him off, but I couldn’t do it. Maybe it’s the nurse in me, but I couldn’t kill him in cold blood. I took him prisoner instead and kept him tied up.”
She’s one tough lady. But I guess I am, too. Circumstances made us so.
“Then I encountered my own Zack,” Laurel said. “Luckily, Grav managed to free himself and save me.”
“And now you two are…”
