had never been much of a crier. Once she released the emotional buildup her composure returned. She eased back and wiped her tears away. “Did she give you any idea what she’d found?”
He shook his head, gaze troubled. “Salvo is ready as soon as you are.”
She fought back a gasp, alarmed and horribly disappointed. “You’re not coming with me?”
“Of course I am.” He leaned down and pressed a comforting kiss to her lips. “Lake Walker Village is my home.”
She’d liked his reaction much better before the clarification.
Chapter Five
Unable to ignore the way Nikki shook, Jaron wrapped his arm around her shoulders. His mother had greeted them warmly as they arrived in Lake Walker Village, but then she dove right in to the reason she’d asked to speak with Nikki in person.
“I have stabilized the physical deterioration of your friends,” Mirra stressed, “but both were seriously damaged by the experiments. I did preliminary scans for my sister, Arpovae, and she agrees with my diagnosis.”
“Which is,” Nikki prompted, her voice shaking as badly as her hands.
“To return Selina and Haley to any meaningful quality of life, they both require genetic regression.”
Nikki tensed, looking at him then back at his mother. “What does that mean? I don’t know what that is.”
“Using a sample of their DNA from before the experiments, Arpovae will restore them to their original condition.”
“And where are we going to get a clean sample of their DNA?” Nikki’s voice cracked and she crossed her arms.
“That’s why I wanted to speak with you,” Mirra admitted. “You are the only person in this dimension who knows anything about these females. Do you know where they lived and with whom? It’s my understanding that they did not want the circumstances of their captivity known, so obtaining the samples could be tricky.”
“They both live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but that’s all I know. Selina mentioned that she shares a house with a married couple. They live upstairs and her apartment is in the basement. I’m pretty sure Haley lives alone. I’m sorry. We talked about all sorts of things, but their specific addresses never came up. Are they still unconscious? Can’t you ask one of them?”
Mirra pressed her lips together and glanced at Jaron.
Be honest with her, he urged. Even if it’s hard to hear, she prefers honesty.
“Selina’s condition is too volatile,” Mirra began in a calm even tone. “I didn’t even attempt to bring her out of stasis. I was more optimistic with Haley, but it became obvious as soon as she was fully conscious that leaving her in stasis was the wiser course. Arpovae has agreed to take charge of their care as soon as they arrive in Riverside.”
“You’re transferring them to the capital?” Nikki didn’t sound pleased by the development.
“They’re already there,” Mirra told her. “I knew you wouldn’t rest if you went directly to Riverside, so I asked Jaron to bring you here. After you’ve had a good night’s sleep, a sentinel will escort you to your friends.”
Nikki nodded. “In the meantime, I’ll figure out where they live so we can retrieve DNA samples.”
“You will do no such thing. You need to rest,” Mirra insisted sternly. “You are exhausted, physically and emotionally. You will be no good to your friends if you collapse.”
“She’ll rest,” Jaron told his mother. “I’ll see to it.”
Mirra arched her brows in silent challenge. “I think she might rest better if she stays here.”
“I’m not letting her out of my sight,” Jaron persisted. “Nikki is stubborn and incredibly resourceful. If you turn your back on her, she will find a way back to Earth and begin the search for her friends’ dwellings. She has thought of nothing but their wellbeing since leaving Cretz.”
Mirra smiled, speculation gleaming in her pale pink eyes. “Loyalty is a wonderful quality. It should be praised not criticized.”
“I’m not being critical. I’m being realistic.” He looked at Nikki and arched his brow, echoing his mother’s expression. “If I leave you alone or with my mother will you still be here in the morning?”
“Doubtful,” she admitted with a guilty smile. “He’s right, ma’am. I’m a tad obsessed about their recovery.”
“Please call me Mirra. I’ve never been one to stand on formality.”
“Well, thank you for assisting with my friends, Mirra. I appreciate all you’ve done.”
“I wish it had been more, but Arpovae is the best there is.” A familiar catch roughened his mother’s tone, but it was too subtle for Nikki to notice. It was hard for anyone to grow up in the