Page 58 of G8
Their chance to ever have children of their own was taken away by those arrogant bastards who’d experimented on them. If anyone deserves the right to adopt and raise these children it would be them.
A brisk wind gusted over her, sending chills through her body. A cold front was probably heading their way. Normally, she delighted in cooler weather. Autumn was her favorite time of year. And this year would be even more special when G8 and the others experienced their first round of holidays.
She suddenly halted in her tracks and ducked down as another thought came to her. One that didn’t bode well. “I’m assuming I get to stay with them. With G8. But what if he’s only tolerating me because of the babies? What if he expects me to move on after…”
The possibility brought tears to her eyes. Here she’d been thinking about staying with this man and his unique family on a more permanent basis, when he may be thinking the complete opposite.
“We need to talk. I need to let him know how I feel. I need to tell him…” She drew a deep breath and peered around the bush. The others had reached the back of the house and appeared to be listening at one of the windows.
At that instant G8 turned around and saw her. Astonishment crossed his face, but he didn’t call out to her for fear of someone inside the house hearing him. Realizing she’d given herself away, Ingrid rushed up to join them.
* * *
He should have known she wouldn’t stay put in her car and wait for them to return with the babies. But he couldn’t let her appearance deter him from what they needed to do. Still, he continued to glare at her as she hurried up to join them.
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” Ingrid murmured as she got behind him.
G8 raised an eyebrow. Her choice of words was unusual, but he couldn’t dwell on it. Not at this moment.
P8 removed his ear from the wood siding. “I don’t hear any movement in the room on the other side.”
“Myself knows I’m here,” K8 whispered. “She’s going to try and help keep those people from knowing we’re here.”
“How do you know that?” Ingrid asked.
The woman stared at her. “Because that’s what I’d do if I knew someone was trying to help me.”
“Let’s see if we can get inside,” G8 remarked and pointed to the nearby window. “See if that’s open.”
Moving over to it, P8 gave the window a tug. “Must be locked.”
G8 eyed the pane. “If we break the glass and unlock it, can you squeeze in, K8?”
“Watch me.”
Ingrid interrupted. “Let me. I’m smaller and slighter.”
“No,” G8 countered firmly.
P8 eyed Ingrid. “Sheissmaller.”
“We’re not debating this,” K8 hissed. “She goes in, too! Now break the glass!”
After checking to see where the latch was located, G8 drew his t-shirt over his head. P8 also handed over his own. Wrapping his arm and hand, he rammed his fist in the lower right-hand corner. There was a muffled crack. A second attempt, and glass fragments fell onto the floor, leaving a hole big enough for him to reach inside and unlock the window.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry,” K8 urged as G8 shoved the window open and pushed aside the curtain.
Ingrid reached for the sill when a pair of hands grabbed her hips to boost her up and over. She hit the floor with her hands first before rolling onto her back. Getting to her knees, she brushed the dirt from her palms as she looked around the dim room. It was a bedroom, and the door was closed.
K8 joined her and hurried over to place her ear against the door. “I can hear the sheriff,” she murmured. “Hold on.” Stepping back, she opened it a crack to peer out, and Ingrid was able to recognize Sheriff Biggs’ voice coming from the main room at the end of the corridor. Waving for Ingrid to follow, K8 tiptoed down a short hallway to another door.
When she opened it, they found the other K8 awake but tied to a bedframe. The two infants were asleep inside a large wicker laundry basket.
Ingrid noticed that the rope used to tie K8 Second was looped over the opposite bedpost where the woman couldn’t reach it. It was a simple matter to slip it over the post, releasing the pressure on K8’s hands as her other self untied the rope around her ankles.
“We have to hurry before the others get back,” the other woman whispered, and K8 First went over to the window to unlock and open it.
“The basket won’t fit through there,” Ingrid observed.
