The back door opened, and little Lena ran inside. She wore jeans short overalls with a bright pink shirt, and her long blond hair was back in two cute braids. She grabbed Sami’s hand and tried to tug her toward the front area.
Sami paused. “Lena? What’s going on?”
The girl dug in her heels and tried to drag Sami.
Vinnie got up from her chair and craned her neck. “Sami? Go with Lena and see what she wants. She’s never engaged to this point, and I’m getting weird images from her. I mean, if I get images. I probably don’t, you know. But—”
Sami nodded and cut her friend off before she babbled any more. “I’ll be back in a minute.” She glanced down to see a doll and a truck in Lena’s arms. “We’re going to play?”
The girl shook her head, frustration marring her pretty face.
“All right.” Sami followed the girl out of the infirmary, through the soup kitchen, and into the vestibule. Sunlight leaked in through the windows, bringing the heat of early summer.
The girl stopped and stared at the closed glass doors.
Sami kept her hand and tried to focus. Tace, Raze, and two kids came into view in the parking area, all walking slowly toward the doors.
Lena hopped up and down, releasing Sami’s hand.
Raze opened the doors, and the two kids, one boy and one girl, inched inside. They both looked at Lena.
Lena strode forward and handed the doll to the girl and the toy truck to the boy. She smiled.
The girl, a pretty black girl with dark eyes, clung to the boy’s hand. The boy had blue eyes and almost white hair, and he kept a step ahead of the girl as if to shield her. They both accepted the gifts with small smiles.
“Are you Lena?” the girl asked.
Lena nodded vigorously.
“I’m Tina, and he’s Rory. Is this a safe place?” Tina asked.
Lena nodded solemnly.
Rory’s stance relaxed.
Sami’s gaze flew up to Tace’s face. He watched the kids impassively, but his eyes had darkened like they did when she knew he felt something. His feelings were still there . . . just deeper below the surface.
“Lena,” called April Snyder from the far end of the soup kitchen. “I don’t know how you get away so quickly.” The pretty brunette jogged up and stopped short at seeing the other two kids. “Well, hello.” She smiled and dropped to her haunches. “Who are you?”
“Tina and Rory,” Sami answered. “I believe they’re joining Vanguard?”
Tina looked at Rory, who didn’t answer. Finally, Tina stepped forward, keeping a tight hold on the boy. “Yes. We are joining Vanguard.”
Rory stepped up to her. “We stay together. Me and Tina. Together.”
“Sure thing,” April said, standing. “You can stay together no matter what, but I need to know if either of you has had Scorpius.”
“We both have,” Rory said. “Before we found each other, we both had the fever and survived. But our families didn’t.”
April swallowed, her blue eyes almost glowing. “I promise you two can stay together for as long as you want, even if it’s forever. I lost my family, too. All right. Are you hungry?”
Tina whimpered.
Rory shrugged. “We could eat.”
God, the kid was tough.
April nodded. “Let’s get you some soup, and then we’ll find you a nice place to call home in Vanguard, all right?”
