Page 186 of Haze of Obedience
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Dirk
The cab pulls upto the house. It's dark out, but the lights are on inside.
Someone is here.
"Who do you think made it?" Zoe asks.
"Don't get too excited. It could be Blaise or someone in his family besides Andre, here on vacation."
Her face falls.
I knock on the door and kiss the top of Zoe's head. I'm still worried about her. The doctor kept assuring me she and the baby are healthy, but it shook me up. Maybe some of it is due to my mother dying from my childbirth, but seeing Zoe passed out, and blood on her shorts is haunting me.
My father was a rock through it all, but I can only assume what went through his mind when I brought her into the house in her passed out state.
The light to the porch turns on, and the door opens. Blaise grins. "Dirk! Thank God you're alive. We've been worried about you." He turns to Zoe. "And you. Are you okay? That mob looked pretty intense."
Zoe tilts her head. "Are you Blaise?"
"Yes, sorry."
"I see Zoe doesn't need an introduction. Can we come in?"
Blaise steps back. "Oh, sorry! Come in."
We step through the front door, and Naomi shrieks, "Zoe! Dirk! Thank God!" She runs to Zoe and hugs her. "Are you okay? We saw the news coverage today."
"What news coverage?" I ask.
"Zoe was being trampled by fans."
Andre comes into the room, and we embrace. "You've had me worried."
"Sorry. Things got a little out of control. But we've got bigger problems."
"The others. I know. Vanessa told us she saw the other women," Andre says.
"Vanessa is here?" Zoe's voice is full of hope.
"No. She's with Hunter in Australia. They left a few days ago, and we spoke with them today."
Relief surges through me. "They're safe then?"
"Yes."
"Are Malin and Emilia here?"
Naomi closes her eyes as if in pain. "No. They were last seen at an embassy party in D.C., according to Kalim."
I lock eyes with Andre. "Why would they be there?"
"We don't know, and Kalim didn't know either."
Zoe puts her hand on her stomach and winces. "What's wrong?"
"I just had a pain shoot through my stomach."
