Page 33 of G8
Cold tendrils of dread began creeping up his spine. “Me, sir?”
“And any of the others who can come with you, we could greatly use their help. Oh, and Miss Shyne, too. Especially Miss Shyne, since she had access to areas you and the others never knew existed.”
“Hold on. Let me tell them what you told me.”
“I gotta go. We have a hazmat crew coming in in case something was left behind in those labs we need to protect ourselves from,” Biggs informed him. “I’ll see you when you get here.”
As usual, the man hung up without signing off. G8 did the same and slowly made his way back into the dining area.
“I already told them what the sheriff said,” F8 admitted. “I’m coming with you.”
Before he could reply, K8 jumped in. “You need F8 in case she can hear or see something the others can’t. I’ll stay here and watch the boys.”
“By yourself?”
She gave him an odd look. “No. Thebothof us can.” It was a little dig to remind him of her ability to split into two people. G8 cast her a chagrined smile.
“You want me to come along, too?” N8 offered.
G8 held up a hand. “No. You’re starting a new job. Same for you, T8. You guys go ahead and go to work. There’s no sense risking getting fired because you tell your bosses you need to take off on the first day you report for duty. P8?”
“I’m coming.”
After receiving a nod from Ingrid, G8 did a quick head count. “Thanks. That makes four of us.”
“G8, are you sure about this?” N8 inquired, not hiding his worry and concern.
He nodded. “We have to. What if there’s someone still alive in there?” Turning to Ingrid, he asked, “Are you sure you’re going to be okay taking us there and going in with us?”
“Try to stop me.”
“Okay. Thanks, guys. How soon can we leave?”
“Let me go get my purse, and I’ll meet you at the car.” Ingrid handed the child in her arms to K8. As she hurried out of the lodge, F8 handed the infant in her arms over to N8.
“Hold him while I go get their box from my cabin,” she told him. “I’ll be right back.”
P8 and T8 rushed out, G8 assumed to get ready for work.
Striding over to the table, he hastily ate his bacon and toast. He was reaching for his mug to down the rest of his coffee when K8 strolled over, patting the baby on her shoulder.
“By the way, I thought you’d like to know, we all know about you and Ingrid.”
G8 raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t say anything.
K8 smiled. “The decision is unanimous. We all approve of her. So if you and her want to shack up together, you’ve got our permission.” She dropped her voice. “That way you two won’t have to go sneaking around in the middle of the night like N8 and Cydney.”
He almost spit out his coffee. “You knew we…last night?”
K8’s smile widened. “We suspected. We weren’t sure until this morning when we watched you and Ingrid trying to act so nonchalant.”
“She didn’t spend the night,” G8 corrected. “She had to go back to the cabin in case the babies woke up.”
K8 nudged him with an elbow. “It’s all good, G8. Just be careful when you go to the labs, okay?”
Patting the woman’s other shoulder, G8 left the lodge to join the others waiting for him outside.
17EXTRAPOL8
