Gone (Gone #1)(37)

"He'sa manipulator," Astrid said."Doesn't mean he's bad-He may be okay"

Mary said, "Sam saved the hardware store and the day care. And he almost saved that little girl. Speaking of which, someone needs to bury her"

"Exactly," Caine said. "God willing, we won't have to face that need again, but someone has to bury the dead. ]ust as someone needs to help people who get sick or hurt. And someone needs to take care of the little children."

Dahra Baidoo spoke up and said, "Mary has totally been taking care of the prees—I mean, preschoolers," she explained. "Her and her brother, John"

"Bui we need help" Mary said quickly "We're not getting any sleep. We're out of diapers and food and"—she sighed— "everything. John and I know the kids now, and we can keep running things, but we need help. We need a lot of help"

Caine seemed to mist up, almost as if he might shed a tear He walked quickly to Mary, drew her to her feet, and put his arm around her. "What a noble person you are, Mary You and your brother will be given the power to draft.... How many people will it take to care for the prees?"

Mary calculated in her head. "The two of us and four others, maybe," she said. Then, gaining confidence, she said, "Actually* we need tour in the morning and four in the afternoon and four at night. And we need diapers and formula. And we need to be able to ask people to get us stuff, like food."

Caine nodded. "The young ones are our greatest responsibility Mary and John, you have absolute authority to draft whatever people you need, and demand whatever supplies you need. If anyone argues, Drake and his people, including Captain Ore, will make sure you git what you need "

Mary looked overwhelmed and grateful.

Howard did not.

"Say what, now? I let it go by before, but are you saying Ore works for this guy?" He jerked a thumb at Drake, who just smiled like a shark. "We don't work for anyone. Captain Ore doesn't work for anyone, or under anyone, or follow anyone's orders"

Sam saw a coldly furious expression appear on Caine's handsome face, then disappear as swiftly as it had come.

Ore musl have seen il too> because he siood up, and Cookie along with him. Both clutched bats. Drake, still smiling, stepped between them and Caine. A fight was coming, sudden as a tornado—

Diana Ladris, oddly, was eyeing Sam closely, as if unconcerned by Ore.

Caine sighed, raised his bancs, and used both palms to smooth back his hair.

There came a rumble, up through the floor and the pews, A small earthquake, minor, nothing that Sam, like most Calitbrnians, hadn't felt before.

Everyone jumped to their feet, everyone knew what you did in an earthquake.

But then came a rending sound, steel and wood twisting, and the crucifix separated from the wall. It ripped free of ihe bolts holding it in place, like an invisible giant had yanked it away.

No one moved.

A shower of plaster and pebbles fell on the altar.

The crucifix toppled forward. It fell like a chainsawed tree.

As it fell, Caine dropped his hands to his sides. His face was grim, hard, and angry.

The crucifix, at least a dozen feet tall, slammed with shocking force down onto the front-row pew. The impact was as loud and sudden as a car wreck,

Ore and Howard jumped aside. Cookie was too slow. The horizontal bar of the cross caught his right shoulder.

He was on the ground and a red stain was spreading.

It all happened in the space of a few heartbeats. So fast that the kids who'd leaped to their feet didn't have the chance to bolt.

"Help me, help me!" Cookie cried.

He lay bellowing on the floor Blood was seeping through the fabric of his T-shirt. It pooled on the tile floor

Elwood shoved the cross off him, and Cookie screamed,

Caine had not moved. Drake Merwin kept his cold gaze on Ore, his arms still crossed, seemingly indifferent.

Diana Ladris maintained her focus on Sam. The knowing smirk on her face didn't waver.

Astrid grabbed Sam's arm and whispered, "Let*s get out of here. We have to talk."

Diana saw that as well.

"Ahhh, ahhhh, help me, oh man, I'm hurt!" Cookie cried. Ore and Howard made no move to help their fallen comrade.

Caine, perfectly calm, said, "This is terrible. Does anyone know first aid? Sam? Your mother was a nurse"

Little Fete, who had sat silent and still as a stone, began to rock faster and faster. His hands flapped as if he were warding off an attack of bees.

"I have to get him out of here, he's spiraling "Astrid said, and bundled Little Pete away."Window seat, Petey, window seat"

"I'm not a nurse," Sam blurted. *I don't know .. V

It was Dahra Baidoo who broke from her stunned trance to kneel beside the thrashing, bellowing Cookie, "i know some first aid. Elwood, help me "

"I guess we have our new nurse" Caine said, sounding no more agitated or concerned than the school principal announcing a name for the honcr roll.

Diana turned away, drifted past Caine, and whispered something in his ear. Caine's dark eyes swept across the shocked kids, seeming to size them up in turn. He formed a bare smile, and nodded imperceptibly to Diana.

"This meeting is adjourned till we can help our wounded friend ... what is his name? Cooxie?"