Halting, Aaron grabbed Thomas's arm. “Any father would be proud to have a son like you. Not only were you enormously successful in your field, but you went on to become a powerful man in the NWU.”
Emotion clogged Thomas's throat as he attempted to shove back the moisture from his eyes. No one had ever said such things to him. No one had ever been proud of him. He’d spent his life trying to achieve some measure of success that proved he was worthy, that he had value. He lowered his gaze. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
Aaron squeezed his arm. “I meant it. Didn’t have kids of my own, but if I had a son, I’d want him to be like you.”
“Even though I sent many Deviants to their death?” Thomas asked, unsure if the man knew what he had done.
“Ah.” Aaron waved his cane through the air. “The past is the past, son.”
Son. He called him son again.
And despite the heat, the sweat, the hunger gnawing at his belly, Thomas smiled.
???
They walked the rest of the day without incident, thank God. This time, Tori kept her spiritual sense alert for any trouble as she led them through suburbs and the outskirts of cities and towns, avoiding crowds as much as possible. And therewerecrowds, which was unusual. Groups of ten or more people were prohibited, except at NWU Distribution Centers, but in the late afternoon, they came across a frenzied mob outside one of the medical facilities.
A voice bellowed over a loudspeaker. “Form an orderly line, one by one, and we promise to get to each of you by the end of the day.”
Halting behind the wall of a hardware store, Tori peered around the corner. Therevof engines and screech of tires filled the air as NWU trucks stopped in the street and soldiers in black uniforms poured out of them, guns strapped across their shoulders. They began shouting and forcing the crowd to quiet down and line up as instructed. One shabby man, out of his wits with either fear or drugs, rushed one of the armed men and was promptly rewarded with the butt end of an M16 across his skull. He fell to the ground, and the soldier ordered two others to cart him out of the way. They dumped him on the sidewalk in front of a nail salon like so much garbage.
Tori swerved back around and leaned her head against the wall. Maybe that man was the lucky one, because as soon as he took that tattoo, he would be damned forever.
Brianna dared a glance, then snapped her head back. “Whoa. There’s NWU troops everywhere.”
Sara sank to the ground while Thomas and Aaron took a peek.
“Look at all those people lining up for eternal life,” Thomas said.
“Eternal death is more like it,” Tori spat out, wondering when he was going to see the truth. And until he did, could she trust him at all?
Removing a bottle of water from her pack, she passed it around. “We can’t go this way.” She ran a sleeve over the sweat on her brow. “Let’s head back toward the coast and find somewhere to sleep.”
“Then we can eat?” Thomas asked.
“I’m hungry, Mama.” Carla whined.
Sara gulped down water, then pressed a hand over her belly.
Aaron merely shrugged. “Yeah. The coast is a good idea. Probably safer there.”
The buzzing sounded before Tori could react. Two drones appeared out of nowhere. Stopping above where they sat, they hovered for a few minutes, then dove straight for them. Tori’s heart stopped. Would they shoot and kill them right here? No. These drones were not armed that she could see. Still, they remained for what seemed like an eternity as they zipped back and forth, stopping within inches of each one of them. Red laser eyes scanned Tori from head to toe, piercing into her very soul. She felt the evil behind these mechanical beasts—dark, malevolent, depraved.
Callie began to scream. The rest of them remained frozen in fear. Tori started to inch her hand into the pack to get her zapper. But before she could bring it out, the drones flew off toward the NWU soldiers.
“We have to get out of here!” Thomas said.
“It won’t matter.” Tori closed her eyes. They were done for. The drones would alert the NWU forces, and they’d be on them in seconds.
“Lord, cover us with your wings. Protect us, we pray,” she said.
“Come on,” Thomas urged, helping Sara to her feet.
Brianna stood by Tori, her lips moving in a silent prayer.
A minute passed, then another, and Tori dared a peek around the corner. The drones were gone, and the troops were occupied with maintaining order. Strange. Not that she didn’t believe God could answer prayer and keep them safe, but such miracles were not guaranteed in the Tribulation. And why allow a fleet of drones to pummel them with bullets earlier but prevent these from reporting their location?
Either way, they were safe for now, and she uttered a “Thank you, Lord! Praise God.”
