Manumission

Chapter 26

"We can't stay here."

They were the first words that came to Ryan's mind, but they were true. They couldn't stay in this house. If they hadn't been found yet, it could only be due to the snow or the power outages. Neither would slow them much longer now that the storm had stopped.

"They'll find us no matter where we go!" Eva was nearly hyperventilating, and Ryan couldn't blame her.

"Can't we remove it?" he asked no one in particular.

Both nurses shook their heads at the same time.

"There's no way to know how big the total device is or what vessels we might harm in the process," Rachel answered softly. "Not without proper imaging."

"Shit," Ryan swore softly, hugging the child tighter to him as panic grew in his chest. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"You need a magnet," Jo said quietly, leaning against the countertop. The three turned collectively to look at him. "To deactivate it. You need a magnet."

Ryan wasn't tracking, but the other two clearly were.

"Yes!" they both whispered at once. "Like an MRI," Eva finished.

"The clinic!" Rachel exclaimed, looking at Jo.

He nodded, slipping a pair of keys from a drawer. "You can take our car," he said, tossing the keys to Ryan.

"I'll get you my keys and badge," Rachel said, taking Eva with her as she rattled off instructions for accessing the building.

"We have to put her through an MRI?" Ryan asked Jo, still not completely following.

"She just has to be in the same room," Jo murmured, snagging a Maya-sized coat from the hall closet. "The magnet will deactivate any sort of electronic device that comes near it. Just be careful, though," he added with a grimace. "Just a step or two into the room. If she gets too close, the machine will rip it right out of her chest."

Ryan straightened. "What? Isn't that... that's too risky."

Jo shook his head lightly. "All you need is a few seconds in the room. The second she starts to feel it, get her out of there."

"How do you know all this?" Ryan asked.

Jo reached down to lift the little boy who'd run over and buried his face in his leg. "I had a tracker put in me once, when I was about Maya's age." His voice had dropped and Ryan couldn't tell if it was for the child's sake or out of habit. "Several years later, I needed an MRI and the magnet ripped it out of my arm. Wouldn't wish that on anyone," he added softly.

Ryan shuddered, helping Maya into the coat. He still felt dizzy and lethargic from last night's trek, but shook it off and slid into his boots.

"I'd go with you, but..." Jo trailed off as he handed Ryan a pair of gloves.

"No, man, you need to protect your family. Get them away from here. I'm sorry we-"

"Don't," Jo cut him off. "We're not sorry." He added kindly, "You're welcome back anytime." Then, approaching his boys, who were still watching the street with fascination, "Everyone get on coats, hats, and gloves. We're going sledding."

The boys cheered, oblivious to the danger drawing nearer with every ticking second.

With hugs and handshakes and whispered prayers, the Atwoods sent their guests off in the only vehicle they owned, quietly accepting the risk and gathering their brood. Ryan drove as fast as he could on the somewhat plowed streets. This vehicle handled much better than his in the snow and it wasn't long before they reached the clinic.