Chapter 695 Chapter 695
Deva glanced in the mirror to see the girls were still sleeping. Beside her Taggart was reclined back slightly, and his eyes were closed, but she seriously doubted he was asleep. The gun was still firmly in his hand and resting on his lap. They had driven for six hours without stopping and in that time the girls hadn’t complained once about being hungry, thirsty or said they were bored. These girls had missed so much of life, it made Deva want to cry for them.
Rolling her shoulders, she glanced at the time. She’d been driving for four hours, and her butt numb now. She tried to picture where they were on the map. When Taggart had been driving, she had studied it about a hundred times. They’d avoided all populated areas so far, but they should refuel before dawn if there was someplace open. Maybe get out and do some stretches. She looked at the girls again. They had to go to the bathroom by now.
Reaching over, she put her hand on Taggart’s arm. His eyes popped open. “We should find somewhere and fill up the gas tank before its light out again.”
He looked at her for a second and then put his seat up. “I look for place.”
“Did you sleep at all?” She whispered, hoping not to wake the girls.
“I close eyes, but no sleep deeply.” He picked up the map. “Is some thing I used to doing.”
She kept her eyes on the road. Going through life never really sleeping was not living at all. “We just went through a town called Smy –” She grinned. “I don’t know how to say it.
“Welcome to Taggart’s life.” He sounded amused. “Spell for me.”
She glanced to see he was looking at the map. Spelling it slowly, she looked to see the girls were awake. “We’re going to stop soon, so you can get out and stretch and use the washroom if you need to.” They had to by now. They were probably used to holding it and not complaining, but that was no way to live. “I don’t know about you girls, but I need to.” She glanced at Taggart. “Coffee would be good too.”
“Ja. I can drink coffees.” He looked back at the map, using his phone for a light. “I see the road we drive on.” He clicked his tongue a few times. “If you turn, uh, right in two more road, there is a truck stop. I go there before. Is good place. Good coffee.” He turned in his seat to look at the girls. “They have breakfast pastry that is big as your head. Very good.”
Deva smiled. “I could use a head-sized snack.” She looked to see Julia smile, but the other two didn’t.
“What is a pastry?” Missy asked.
“Sticky, sweet goodness.” Deva nodded. “We’ll all go in together and get something.”
“Ja. We stay close.”
“Are we safe?” Jo asked. “Safe from them getting us again?”
Deva exchanged a look with Taggart. “We’re going to keep you safe. I don’t think they’re going to be out looking for you. That’s why we split everyone up into so many vehicles.”
“They can no follow all the cars.” Taggart set the map back between the seats. “You ladies very safe with Taggart and his Deva.”
“You talk funny,” Missy told him.
“I do. Ja. Is from far away place I was born.”
“We are too,” Jo said, leaning closer to Julia. “We don’t talk like our family did. Our grandmother kept us hidden and taught us to speak English.”
“You speak it good.”
Deva had to agree with him. Both girls had a slight accent, but their English was almost perfect.
“We were supposed to come over with our family, but we were taken before that happened,” Julia whispered. “Do you think they made it? Our family?”
Deva glanced at her in the mirror for a second. “We can find out when we get to the factory. The Alliance has lists.” She still wasn’t sure why they were going there. “What clan are you from?”
“Caracal,” Jo said. The r made her accent more prominent.
Deva bit her lip. “I think you’re going there because of Fallan.” The orangish tone of their hair made sense now. Fallan was that shade with black mixed in.
“Fallan,” Julia said slowly. “That is a name from where we were born.”
“I’m sure she’ll know what families came over.”
“Taggart and men help Fallan’s people go over the seas many times.” Taggart nodded.
Deva hadn’t realized that. “There you go.” She glanced in the mirror and smiled. “You’ll be able to find out.”
“Did you know that if you hadn’t gotten us off the island, Jo and I and some of the other older girls would have been moved to a house?” Julia’s tone was clipped. “To breed.” She made a sick sound in her throat. “To have babies.”
“We heard Jorja and Alandra talking.” Jo supplied.
“We know about it.” Deva decided the girls needed to know the truth. They needed to know that something was happening to end what had been happening to them and so many others. “We’ve shut down a lot of those houses now. Rescued a lot of moms and kids.”
“Really?” Julia leaned forward. “So, you would have saved us even if we had.”
Deva nodded and then glanced at Taggart. They both knew that they wouldn’t have been saved before something they could never forget had happened to them. “We’re finding those responsible and shutting them down too.” It wasn’t a lie.
“Ja. Their gooses are baked.”
Deva couldn’t help the big smile on her face. “What he means to say is their goose is cooked – meaning they are done.”
“Cooked,” Taggart said slowly. “Baked, cooked,” he shrugged, “is no matter they be ended for always.”
Julia started laughing quietly. “We need to work on your English.”
Deva turned down the next road.
“You help with English for me?” Taggart shifted so he was looking at the girls again. “Ja is good thing to help.”
“Yes.” Julia said slowly, drawing out the s.
“Ja.” he nodded.
“No. It’s yes, not ja.” Julia said in a tone that reminded Deva of her one sister when she was lecturing the others on their behavior and proper etiquette.
“Ya…”
“Yee.” Julia said.
Taggart cleared his throat. “Yee–sss.” He shifted in the seat. “Yes.” He said it in slow motion a few times and then patted his hand on his leg. “Yes. What next?”
“I don’t feel good,” Missy whispered.
English lesson forgotten, Taggart undid his seat belt and turned so he was sitting with his feet between their seats. “Is wrong?”
“I don’t know. I feel…”
“She hasn’t eaten much,” Jo said.
“We’ll be stopping soon. Do you feel like you’re going to throw up?” Deva kept her eyes on the road.
“I won’t be sick.” She said in a quiet voice. “I will be okay.”
Deva rolled her shoulders. “You don’t have to pretend if you’re not, Missy. It’s okay if we have to stop.” She glanced at Jo in the mirror. “Get her a water from under the seat.” She stiffened and gripped the steering wheel harder when lights from a car come toward them blinded her.
Taggart noticed too and reached behind his back where he’d set the gun.
She was sure neither of them took a breath as they waited for the vehicle to go by them. When it did, she sagged down and blew out a breath. “How much further?”
“Is no far I think.” He said quietly and then turned back to look at the girls. “Take little drink, no too much.”
Deva lifted her shoulders up and let them fall and then repeated the motion. They hadn’t even made it the span of one day yet. It was going to take at least three to get to where they were going, if they drove straight through and didn’t stop anywhere for long. Which she was sure they both planned on doing. Stopping presented too many risks. She was going to be a nervous wreck by the time they got to their destination.