Free Children Of The Mountain (Book 2): The Devil You Know by R.A. Hakok Page A

West Virginia in fact. So delightfully pretty.’ She sits forward in her chair, as if sharing a secret. ‘They’d burn it all if I let them, you know. Wouldn’t you Sergeant?’
    Hicks’ voice drifts out from somewhere in the shadows behind her.
    ‘Yes ma’am, I believe I would.’
    ‘Every stick of furniture, each beautiful painting, traded for an instant of light, a few moments’ warmth. The world is so full of old and broken things now. I just can’t bear to let a treasure like this place go.’
    Outside the wind gusts, rattling the windows behind me in their frames. It’s cold in here, and even though I like the colors some of the furniture actually looks kind of ugly, so maybe I’m inclined to side with Hicks on this one. After my unfortunate comment in the dining room I figure that’s an opinion best kept to myself however.
    ‘Please, do have a seat.’ She points to the chairs opposite. On the table in front of her a porcelain teapot and three matching teacups wait on a tray. The rims of the saucers are trimmed with gold and what looks like the same pink flower adorns the teapot and each of the cups.
    ‘My name is Doctor Myra Gilbey.’ As she lifts the teapot and starts to pour the light catches something silver circling her neck. But the pendant that hangs from the delicate chain that shows itself just above her lab coat spells out the word Amanda, not Myra. ‘And you must be Gabriel and Magdalene.’
    I catch Mags rolling her eyes at that but she doesn’t say anything, and Dr. Gilbey’s busy serving us tea so I don’t think she notices. I take a seat while Mags looks around the room one more time.
    She passes me one of the cups. It shifts in the saucer as I take it and for a moment I’m afraid I’ll drop it. I’m not used to drinking out of anything so delicate.
    ‘I’m afraid I can’t offer you milk or sugar. Sergeant Hicks does what he can but unfortunately there are limits to even his considerable talents. We must accept our lot and live as barbarians.’ She looks at me and smiles again, but this effort’s not much more convincing than the last. It’s an expression that just doesn’t come naturally to her, like she’s had to teach herself to do it and maybe somewhere along the way she lost enthusiasm for the practicing.
    Mags finally sits down. Dr. Gilbey holds up one of the cups but she just shakes her head.
    ‘We thought this place was a bunker. But it’s just a big hotel.’
    Dr. Gilbey finishes pouring her own tea while she answers.
    ‘Oh, The Greenbrier has its secrets, my dear, she just hasn’t revealed them to you yet. This is indeed a hotel, once perhaps America’s finest. But for thirty years this is also where your politicians would have come in the event of a nuclear war.’ She sets the pot down. ‘That was the genius of it, you see. Everything hidden right where you could see it, all in plain sight. The entire wing you’re in now actually sits on top of a huge bunker. It was decommissioned decades ago of course, and then for a quarter of a century it simply sat idle. It was only re-activated when it became clear that places like this would soon once again be needed. I’m not sure any of your leaders ever made it here however. There was only one poor soul waiting for us when we arrived. I believe you’ve met Private Kavanagh.’
    There’s a noise from the shadows behind her as Hicks opens the door to let himself out. Dr. Gilbey leans forward in her chair.
    ‘Excuse me for a moment, will you?’ She turns her head, even though she’s not tall enough to see over the top of the high-backed chair. ‘Sergeant Hicks?’
    There’s a pause and Hicks steps out of the shadows.
    ‘Yes, ma’am.’
    ‘Could you wait outside? I’ll need to speak with you when I’m done here.’
    ‘Ma’am.’
    The door closes behind him. Dr. Gilbey raises the cup to her lips, takes a sip and returns it to its saucer. She looks at me again but for a long moment she says nothing and