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“Whatever it is, I’m not sure you’re a robot, but we will figure it out. And we’ll deal, just like we deal with everything.”
“Together.”
He nodded.
“And if I get pregnant? What if the baby is a robot as well?”
He looked like he didn’t know whether to laugh or be concerned. “Now that we know you’re not pregnant, maybe birth control is a good idea. Just in case.”
“I don’t want to have a robot instead of a baby.”
He shrugged. “Whatever happens.”
They would face it together. Kenna sighed. “Thanks.”
Her life was so crazy right now she needed his steadiness to help her keep her footing. All the way over, they’d listened to her app that had the Bible in audio, resting in the Psalms and listening to David’s prayers for help. It seemed fitting to ask God for help when the enemy seemed to be all around them, and there was nothing they could do to stop the attacks.
Right now, she couldn’t trust anyone outside the circle of the team she had built.
Kenna felt better with Ramon here, as well as Bruce, but none of it was a guarantee of success. Or that they would all get through this and still be alive at the end of it.
The door opened before they even reached it, swinging back wide. But it wasn’t the receptionist guy who’d shown them around last time.
The lobby was empty of people. The only residents in sight were the men they’d shared that basement table with. One sat behind the reception desk. Four and Five flanked them on opposite sides of the room. Three was the one who’d opened the door.
It seemed desolate, but the place was clean and tidy. Just void of people except these men.
“Expecting us?” Kenna asked.
Three shrugged, closing the door behind them. He wore jeans and an oversized dark gray shirt. Clothes that couldprobably use replacing, but he didn’t seem like the type to worry a whole lot about shopping. “We figured you would be back sooner or later.”
Jax asked, “Where are the staff and the residents?”
One didn’t get up from his chair behind reception. “Surprise field trip.”
“Are we supposed to believe that?” This might not be a real care facility. “We need to ask you questions, but if you’re just going to lie and give us the runaround, then maybe there’s no point in trusting you for anything.”
None of them responded, not for several empty seconds that seemed to echo in the expansive lobby with the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. Finally, One said, “You haven’t found the doctor yet.”
Three glanced over at his associate.
Interesting. She caught something in his body language but couldn’t put her finger on what it was. “Have you?” she challenged. “Because if we joined forces, we might actually have a better chance of tracking her down.”
Instead, it seemed like they were here waiting around, content to do nothing. Not waiting for her to fix their problems. Maybe it was more like they expected her to ruin their lives. But not so they could jump into action and avenge themselves. They came across as…tired.
As if they might, to an extent, at least, be looking for an end to it all.
A way out through no fault of their own.
They way they acted almost seemed like a quieter version of Terri Fleming on that rooftop. But she’d been desperate and determined to take the future into her own hands. These men seemed…resigned to what happened but also fully prepared to act as if they intended to try and stop it.
One leaned back in his chair, making it creak. “You think we know where she is?”
Kenna asked, “How do you contact Doctor Buzard? When you need something, how do you reach him?”
“What makes you think we need to reach him?” One’s expression didn’t change.
“Come on. You need him protected so you can continue to receive your treatments.”