Free Lethal Seasons (A Changed World Book 1) by Alice Sabo Page B

fallen racks and sent leaves flying. They stepped over the broken glass of the front doors, the bodies on the steps were the last straw for the other woman. She collapsed, sobbing.
    The wind shook the trees and plucked at their clothing. Grit flew up into Nick’s face making him squint. He paused next to her, shifting his grip on Bruno. “We need to get the kids out of here,” he said firmly. That seemed to galvanize her. She staggered to her feet. Lily opened the side door as they approached. No one spoke as they climbed into the van. They lay Bruno on the floor next to William. He looked to be in as bad shape from an equally brutal beating. Jean helped herself to the medical supplies that Wisp had previously laid out for William.
    As Nick got in the front, Wisp stepped back out to investigate the other vehicle. He returned with an armload of supplies which he dumped on the floor. The second trip over was for weapons. The third time to disable it. Nick wished he could have taken that van, too. It was a waste of a perfectly good vehicle.
    Wisp secured all the doors and took his seat. In a moment he had mapping options open on the dashboard screen. “Where is your settlement?”
    Nick shot him a startled look. “Why?”
    “Is that not where you wish to bring the women and children?”
    Nick mulled that over. He wasn't sure that he wanted to bring a biobot back to High Meadow. Angus would be delighted. There couldn’t be very many of them left. And Angus loved a good surprise. But Nick didn't know what had happened here. He didn’t know who these mercenaries were or why they wanted the children. High Meadow had little more in the way of defenses than Riverbank. He didn’t want to endanger his home.
    Wisp leaned forward and spoke very softly. “I do not feel any more of those men in the area. If we leave now, they should not be able to track us.”
    That reminded Nick that they needed to put some distance between them and the latest set of dead bodies. Nick started the van. He turned around in the parking lot and headed back down the driveway. Where could he take frightened women, children and two wounded? Ordinarily he’d head for a train station, but Wisp said they were watched. Something he used to consider a good thing. Now he wondered who was watching them.
    He stopped at the bottom of the driveway. Angus would take these people in without any hesitation. And if Wisp could be trusted, and there were no other mercenaries left in the area, there was a good chance they could get away clean.
    “Nick?” Lily came into the front pulling food out of a wrapper. “Look it’s weird. Not Crunch. But it tastes good.” She broke it in half showing him brown chunks in a red sauce.
    He stared at the pocket of dough she gave him. Could it be a calzone? Things kept going sideways. None of the new rules seemed to apply. Here was food he hadn’t seen in a decade. Armored men with shiny new vehicles. Blatant killings. His familiar world turned upside down, and he felt a sudden deep need to talk to Angus.
    Wisp touched his arm pulling him out of his swirling thoughts. He pointed to the map he’d brought up. “We are here. Where do you want to take them?”
    Nick had a sudden crushing sense of responsibility for the fragile freight he carried. Since the death of his family, he hadn't been responsible for anyone else. That's why he liked being on the road, looking out for just himself. Now he had women and children and two badly injured people to protect. It frightened him in a way that a gunfight never would.
    Feeling more out of his depth than he had since his first days in the FBI, he made a choice. “High Meadow.”

Chapter 11
     
    “After rumors and accusations of cults and gangs restraining people to inflate numbers, the government declared that settlements must go through an approval process in order to receive food and medicine allotments. That drove fringe groups further away.”
    History of a Changed World , Angus