Tainted: Book Three - Enslaved

48. A Delicate Situation

Rome

"Mr. Snyder?!" From Kerry's tone, I guessed he found this as surreal as I did. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to check on you. The divs are attacking everywhere."

The old man shuffled into the room. His dark eyes darted around as he took in the damage.

"How'd you get out of the Sanctuary during a lockdown?" I asked.

"I wasn't in it, but that's a story for later." Mr. Snyder stuck his hands in his pockets. "Well, come on. Grab your gear. I want to get you somewhere safe."

"I ain't going back to the Sanctuary and you can't make me!" Kerry snarled.

"I'm not planning to go back myself. At least, not anytime soon." Mr. Snyder shrugged. "Best we get moving. Quick as you can."

"How do we know we can trust you? If it was just me and Rome, it wouldn't be an issue, but we have others with us. People who are vulnerable."

"Hank and Gina told me you were here. You trust them, right? Call the outpost and have an Examiner sent here if you want, or have your friend John Morgen meet us somewhere. He can tell if I'm lying."

Kerry and I looked at each other. I knew what he was thinking. We were out of options for safe places, and we could ask Josef for an Examiner or send for John. If it was a ploy to deceive us, it wasn't a good one.

The next thing I knew, Kerry flicked his eyes on and was looking the man over.

Smart move. Even if it isn't as effective as a messenger's skill, he can probably pick up at least a general sense if something's wrong.

"Well, I don't see anything dark like I did when Travis was enthralled, and I don't smell anything, either." He blinked his eyes off and stared at Mr. Snyder for several tense moments. "All right. We'll trust you for now, but if you betray us, I will kill you and take my time doing it."

Kerry laced his voice with a little power, which made my heart stutter and it wasn't even directed at me. Mr. Snyder looked like he might have a stroke.

"Fair enough." The old man nodded frantically. "Let's pack up and get under cover, hmm?"

#

Mira

I got Lilah to sleep and had gone into my room to clean up when Kerry and Rome came storming in.

Well, Kerry stormed. Rome strode in with a distracted look on his face.

"Can anything else go wrong?!" Kerry thundered. "I don't need anyone else getting in my way, but now, here I am, saddled with an old man! I was already saddled with—"

I didn't know what was going on, but I was not in the mood for another one of his tantrums.

"Us?" I snarled. "You know, we are trying to help you, right? You can't even be grateful for that?"

"I was gonna say a kid. Meaning Lilah." Kerry scrubbed his hands over his face. "Look, I admit that at first I thought I should ditch you all and go it alone. Ever since I was little, I've only had myself to rely on and no one I could trust. It's hard to change that way of thinking in a few months."

I understood what he was talking about, but it still hurt that he thought of us as burdens.

"But I am grateful to have you all here," he went on. "Your support means more to me than I can explain."

"Good. I'm glad you realize that." I shot him a narrow-eyed glare. "Now what is going on?"

Rome explained, and I frowned.