“Yeah.I’m hungry but wanted to ask before I go help myself.”
“Go for it.The kitchen is for everyone.If there’s something in particular you want, there’s a magnetic notepad on the side of the fridge.Add whatever you want to the list and someone will pick it up on the next trip.”
Delilah nodded.“I’ll be back in a minute.”She headed into the kitchen and fixed herself a plate.When it was through heating, she carried it back out to the table and sat.Before she’d even taken her first bite, Dax appeared next to the table and set a bottle of water beside her.She frowned and looked up at him.“What’s this?”
“For you.You seem to prefer water, so I brought you one,” he said.
She looked at the bottle then back to him.“Thank you.”She didn’t know what else to say, so she turned her attention back to her plate.He left and she ate.
A few minutes later, Taylynn pushed her plate aside, until it was in front of the chair beside her instead of in front of her, then she folded her arms and rested them on the table as she watched Delilah.
“What?”Delilah asked after a moment.
“Just thinking.Hawkeye told me we would need to order you more clothes, but he wasn’t sure what you would be comfortable with.He asked me to help you do some online shopping since you likely don’t know much about using a computer.”
“He’s right.I’ve never even touched one.”
Taylynn frowned.“That won’t last long.If I know anything at all about Hawkeye, he’ll get you a computer and a smartphone by the end of the week and he’ll make sure you know how to use them.”
Delilah pulled a face.She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of learning to use a computer, but she didn’t hate it either.A sound came from the hallway—it sounded like a door opening, then the sound of several sets of footsteps.Delilah turned to see who was headed this way.
The first man that appeared, she didn’t recognize.It wasn’t until he got closer that she could read that patch with his road name.‘Banshee’ it said.Still not a name she recognized.
Behind him she could see several others.Did this mean church was over?Would Hawkeye be coming out soon?She wondered what he’d found and if it was something he could tell her.She wouldn’t ask if anyone was around.She figured she had a better chance of getting him to tell her what was up when they were alone.
In the end, she didn’t have to wait.Hawkeye came into the room, looked around for a moment then came and sat beside her.
“Glad to see you got something to eat,” he tipped his head toward her now empty plate.
Delilah nodded.
“How long have you been up?”
“Maybe half an hour or so.Is something going on?”
“I’ve got some news.I’m just waiting for Raven to join us before I tell you.He’ll be here in just a minute.”
Delilah nodded.She could wait, especially if she knew he would tell her what was going on.She hoped she wouldn’t have to wait too long.
Raven showed up a couple of minutes later.He sat beside Taylynn, looked around, and waved his hand in a circle at someone, then turned his attention to the table.
“Have you already started or were you waiting for me?”
“I was waiting.I figured there would be questions and I wanted you here for them, because I think some of them might be for you.”
Raven nodded and motioned for Hawkeye to go ahead.
Hawkeye took a deep breath and Delilah saw him look at each person around the table in turn before he spoke.
“The Royal Crows are no more.If there is any of them left, they’re in deep hiding.”He paused.
Delilah stared at him, not sure what she should feel.Right now there was nothing.She didn’t know if it was because they didn’t matter to her or if there was something wrong.Either way, she got the idea that wasn’t all Hawkeye needed to tell her.
He looked around again, then continued.“Once I reached out to a group of hackers I know about Jericho, they were able to put things in place and move, fast.They raided the town early this morning.All of the women and children there have been removed and are being cared for at one of over a half dozen locations.I would have liked to keep them together, but with the number of people involved, that wasn’t possible.They were able to keep mothers and children together where possible.”
“What does that mean?”Taylynn said with a frown.
Hawkeye turned to look at her.“I don’t know how to put this without being blunt.But there was a significant number of children whose mothers are deceased.”
