Kneeling, Tori swept her up in her arms, showering her with kisses. “Praise God you are all well.”
Callie started to fuss, and Tori lowered Carla to the floor and took the baby, jostling her in her arms.
“Did anyone else…?” Tori could hardly even say it.
“Not that I know of. We are the only ones left.” Brianna shook her head. “Wait. Except Sara. She went to NWU housing, I think.”
Not Sara. Tori blew out a sigh. The young woman wouldn’t do well there. She’d fall back into her old ways.
“How have you survived?” Tori asked.
Brianna gazed down at little Carla. “It’s been tough, but the Lord provides.”
“Well, you aren’t alone anymore. You’re coming with us.”
???
Clearing his throat, Thomas struggled to rise. “What’s this?” It was one thing to avoid cameras, drones, and robots with just the two of them, but with a small child and a baby?
The attractive African American woman cast a suspicious look his way.
“This is Thomas,” Tori said. “He helped me escape.”
“Well, then, a pleasure to meet you, Thomas.” Brianna smiled.
He attempted to return her smile, but the pounding ache in his head forbid it. “I can’t see how—”
“You’re hurt.” Cutting him off, Tori reached for a cut on the woman’s forehead. “Here, let me.” She looked around, and just like that, handed Thomas the baby.
Thomas didn’t like babies. He wasn’t a fan of children either. But his protests fell on deaf ears as Tori located a first-aid kit and bandaged up Brianna’s wound.
The baby stared up at him as if he were Godzilla. Her face scrunched into a twist of fear and outrage before she opened her mouth and let out an ear-piercing wail.
Apparently, babies didn’t like him much either.
Tori cast him a look of disappointment. “Here, Carla, hold this.” She instructed the little girl to hold a bandage against her mother’s forehead as she headed toward Thomas and took the babe. The child instantly quieted and began to coo.
His body trembled. His stomach growled, and he felt like his head would explode. If he could find one drink. Surely there was somewhere to buy a bottle of wine…anything. Didn’t the NWU provide free alcohol and drugs to the masses?
The room spun. Thomas leaned against the wall and rubbed his temples
“Detox.” He heard Tori explain to Brianna as she finished her nursing. Then heading toward the back of the room, she removed bricks from the wall and took something out of a hole, placing it in her sack.
Thomas hoped it was food. Better yet, alcohol.
No such luck, as finally, Tori gathered her sack and her friends and headed up the stairs.
“Where are we going?” He dragged himself after them.
Once outside, Tori smiled his way. “To show you your NWU housing and rescue my friend Sara.”
???
Kyle always got the jitters when he was about to meet with his Tall White friend, Jura. He wasn’t sure why. He’d known the alien for years and had learned so much from him. In fact, he owed his quick rise in power to Jura and his influence. But something about the man…woman…whatever it was never failed to cause Kyle’s insides to squirm. Just a little. Perhaps it was merely because Jura was from another planet. That had to be it.
The guard ushered Kyle into the comfortable room at the Broward Reformation Center. The Tall White stood at the window that took up an entire wall, looking down on the prison cells where Deviants were held to be reprogrammed. He turned, smiled—that alluring sensual smile of his—and gestured for Kyle to sit.
The alien always seemed to float instead of walk, though Kyle could see his feet. His white shirt and pants blended well with his skin that was a translucent, shimmering ivory. Long silky alabaster hair hung down his back while stark blue eyes examined Kyle with an eerie interest. “You may be wondering why I’ve summoned you,” he said.
