Free Adaptive Instinct (Survival Instinct) by Kristal Stittle Page A

premises at all.
    They all entered the motel office, and a little bell over the door dinged.  On a couch near the door sat three children.  One was a black boy who looked to be between the ages of Jon and Claire, another was a petite Hawaiian-looking girl who was probably a little younger than Claire was, and the third was the smallest: a little Caucasian, blond, baby boy who couldn’t be older than a year and a half.  He was drinking from a sippy cup.
    “Hi kids.”  The officer tried to sound as friendly as possible.  “This nice woman here…”  The officer realized he didn’t know her name.
    “Lauren,” she told him.
    “This nice woman, Lauren, is going to take you to one of the motel rooms, okay?  She’s going to look after you for a little while.”
    “Okay,” the boy nodded and got to his feet.  “I’m Jason.”  He held out his hand.
    “Nice to meet you, Jason.”  Lauren shook it.
    “That’s Leelo,” the boy gestured to the girl.  “The baby doesn’t seem to know his name, so we don’t know what it is.”
    “That’s all right.”  Lauren walked over to Leelo.  “Hi Leelo.  Are you ready to move to one of the motel rooms?”
    “No,” Leelo scowled.  “I want my mom.”
    “We’re looking for her, sweetheart,” the officer told her.  He then turned to Lauren.  “You got things from here?  I have to go help out outside.”
    “Sure,” Lauren gave him a smile and let him leave.  He probably just had no idea how to handle children and wanted to get the hell out of there.
    “They’re not going to find her,” Leelo burst into tears.  “She’s dead.  My dad attacked her, I saw it.”
    Lauren had no idea how to respond to that.
    “It’s okay.”  Claire walked up to Leelo and put her hand on hers.  “My mom’s dead too.  She was killed by the doorman, Mr. Fargus.  He also killed my sisters and friends.”
    Lauren felt her heart hit the floor.  She looked to Jon who nodded.  He had heard the story in more detail.
    Leelo looked at Claire, then got up and held her hand.  Lauren picked up the baby, who seemed totally content with his sippy cup, and left the office, the other kids in tow.
    Room 28 was on the second floor, which happened to be the top floor as well.  She found the door already opened and a man in fatigues standing by it.
    “Are you Private Winchester?” Lauren asked him.
    “Yes, ma’am,” he nodded with a smile.  “You been assigned to this room?”
    “Yes, my name is Lauren Sanford.  This is Claire, Jon, Leelo, and Jason.”  Lauren introduced them as they trooped past her and into the room.
    “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Sanford.  And the little one?”
    “Miss, actually.  And please, call me Lauren.  We don’t know this guy’s name yet.”  Lauren shifted the boy to her other arm.  He was just looking around, taking everything in with his big brown eyes.  Totally content.
    “Then he fits right in, in this room.  I assume you were told about the other guest?”
    “I was, yes.  You’re sure she’s safe?”
    “Sure as I can be.  Once you see her, you’ll realize she’s harmless.  I don’t even think she knows where she is or who’s around her.”
    Lauren gave him a smile and entered the room, not really sure if she could believe that.  Once she saw the woman, however, she did.
    The woman in question was sitting on the floor near the bathroom.  She didn’t move, didn’t speak, didn’t acknowledge anyone as they walked in.  She just stared at a fixed point on the blank wall beside her.  In her lap sat a stuffed bear, and the woman’s only movements were to stroke its head ceaselessly.  This woman was clearly far away.  Lauren hoped that when, or even if, she came back, she stayed that peaceful.
    “All right, let’s get you settled,” Lauren spoke to the kids.  They organized who was to sleep where and with whom.  They started to call the one-year old Peter, and the woman Mary.  They figured she would tell