Brianna smiled at him. “I’d forgotten you used to be a pastor.”
“He was a very famous, successful pastor,” Aaron said as he returned, set down his cane, and lowered to sit by the window.
Tori knew God had healed him, but the man still insisted on using his cane. Odd.
Thomas scrunched his face. “Lot of good it did me.”
Tori wanted to agree but kept silent. “Well, we better get some sleep.” She glanced around for the softest looking spot, but without blankets or pillows, what difference did it make?
Thomas seemed to be of the same mind as he looked around and groaned. “There’s nothing but hardwood floor and sand…lots of it,” he complained.
“That’s all we got,” Tori quipped back. “You can always go outside and sleep in the dirt.”
He groaned again.
“Maybe you can take Carla, sleep beside her to keep her warm?” Brianna asked Thomas. “It’s all I can do to watch over Callie.”
“Ah, no thanks.” Thomas held up a hand. “I mean, sorry, but I’m not good with kids.”
Despite his rejection, Brianna smiled. “I disagree. Carla has quite taken to you. But that’s okay.”
Hugging herself, Sara lay down in the corner. Aaron leaned his head back against the wall, and Brianna curled up beside her already sleeping children.
Tori’s gaze met Thomas’s. Even in the dim light, she could see him patting the spot beside him.
Against her better judgment, she crawled over and sat next to him.
He swung an arm over her shoulder and drew her near. She probably shouldn’t be snuggling up to a nonbeliever, but his warmth and strength felt so good.
“I wanted to ask you something,” he whispered, trying not to disturb the others.
“Sure.” Tori closed her eyes.
“I saw something back at that house right before the drone strike.”
Pushing herself to sit, she tried to read his expression in the darkness, but could hardly make it out. “What?”
“I don’t know. Something…someone…big, bright, with a sword.”
Smiling, Tori leaned back onto his shoulder. “An angel. That’s a good sign.”
“But there’s no such things. And why is it good? It probably means I’m finally going nuts.”
She chuckled. “It means there’s hope for you yet.”
Silence permeated the shack as she drifted off to sleep, but not before she felt him kiss her forehead.
???
Kyle knocked on Regent Landry’s door and entered at his command. He’d been summoned to give a report on the whereabouts of Thomas and Tori, and he was happy to have some news.
“Come in, sergeant.” The man rose from behind his desk and fingered his gray beard. “Tell me, where are the fugitives now?”
“May I?” Kyle gestured to the blank screen on the wall, and at Landry’s nod, he placed the magnetic chip onto it. Instantly the scenes recorded by the drones appeared.
Thomas, Tori, the older woman and her children, the young girl and Jura’s plant appeared, hiding behind a building, staring up at the drone in fear as it took the video. All except Aaron who looked bored.
“And you ordered the drones to stand down.”
