Page 52 of Salvation
Perfect timing. Someone had just come in the front door. She slid off the lab stool, stepped into the common area and gaped. Two familiar Terrian women stood just inside the doorway. Actually, one woman and her teenage daughter.
“Just leave your bag by the door, Flora,” the dark-haired woman said to the teenager at her side. “We’ll probably be staying in the guest cube with Uncle Dante.”
“Fine,” Flora said, drawing out the word in a typical teenage manner.
Sakura found her voice again. “Alex?”
Brown eyes flecked with bronze looked at her. Unusual coloring that she’d only seen on two people in her entire life. “Hi, Sakura.” Alex had a smile that would light an entire city, if someone could figure out how to harness its radiance.
“What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
Alex shrugged out of her coat as she moved further into the room. “Everything’s great. Just here to visit my family and friends. We wanted to get in before the storm hit.”
“Ididn’t.” Flora dropped her coat and hat on the floor then flopped on the couch.
Sakura gaped at the reddish stubble that had replaced the girl’s long locks. What had happened to all that beautiful hair? She met Alex’s gaze, and the other woman shook her head.
All right, then, the subject was not open for discussion right now. She cleared her throat. “Would you like something to eat? Or tea?”
“Tea would be nice, thanks. I’ll help you. What would you like, Flora?”
“Tea. And eggs, sunny side up.”
In the kitchen, Alex leaned close to Sakura’s ear. “She’s a little moody and doesn’t want to be here.”
Sakura gave her a small smile. “I had not noticed.” Then she reached into the cabinet and pulled out four tins of tea while Alex filled the kettle. “It’s nice to see you again, Alex. Where is the rest of your family?”
“Gryf and the rest of the kids are at his parents’.”
“I should be there, too,” Flora groused from the living room.
Sakura suppressed a chuckle and measured out the loose leaves. “Nick did not tell me you were coming.”
“He has no idea.” Alex leaned against the counter. “Where is Nicky, anyway?”
No explanation why she and Flora had come unannounced? How odd. “He and Dante are out visiting the Directionals. They will be back this evening.” A twinge of apprehension shot through her. She frowned. Where had that come from?
“Everything good between you two?”
More than good. Excellent. She tried to suppress a grin, but it did not work. “Oh, yes. Very good.”
“Ooh. Dish.”
~*~
It seemed like hours went by before the mysterious woman raised her hand to signal a stop.
Beyond the trees was a wide expanse of snow-covered plains stretching as far as Nick could see. She moved to the edge of the trees, her head tipped up as her eyes scanned the grey sky. Great, she must be watching for a skimmer or something. A dark dot on the horizon grew until a small, windowless surface shuttle landed close by on the open plain.
“Let’s go,” the woman said.
Nick folded his arms. “Where’s Sakura?”
The woman’s hazel eyes became slits. “Waiting for you, I’m sure. Get moving, Mr. Bock, because I will happily take it out on her if you don’t.”
A firm hand grabbed him by his bicep and atelumpressed into his side. The growl forming in Nick’s throat lodged there. No choice, again. His escort hustled him aboard the craft and shoved him into the seat next to Dante. The door was latched and a moment later they were airborne.
