Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Um, hi Karen,” she said uncertainly, hoping her face didn’t look too much of a mess. She’d probably cried all her make-up off at this point.
“Hey, I can’t believe it’s you!” Karen exclaimed brightly. “What are you doing here in Richmond?
“Oh, I was just—” Molly began, wondering how to explain herself.
“I live here now,” Karen said, interrupting her. Clearly she was more interested in talking than listening. “I left the Mother Ship—it just wasn’t for me. And when I came down here, I met the most interesting people. Hey, this must be some kind of a sign—I’ve been thinking that I wanted to look you up and apologize for what happened at your ceremony,” she went on. “I just got so drunk on that crazy blue liquor I didn’t know what I was saying, you know? And now, here you are—it’s like Fate brought us together!”
“Um, I guess so,” Molly said weakly.
“Well, where are you headed?” Karen asked. “Hop in and I’ll take you for an iced coffee,” she went on, before Molly could even begin to answer. “Come on—we can catch up and talk about old times.”
Molly didn’t really want to “catch up” with Karen, whom she had never really liked very much. But she had nowhere else to go and it was hot outside. Also, she was dehydrated from all the crying she’d done. An iced coffee sounded nice.
“All right,” she said and got into the passenger side seat.
“Buckle up!” Karen sang merrily. “I know the perfect little spot, but it’s a kind of a drive from here. Better be safe.”
“Um, sure.” Molly buckled her seatbelt. “But I can’t go too far from the city.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. So, do you like music?” Karen asked and then turned on the radio before Molly could answer.
They drove off with Molly staring listlessly out the window.
She had no idea how much danger she was in.
43
MOLLY
Molly didn’t pay attention to where they were going—Karen seemed lost in her own world, singing along to the loud country music she was playing. Despite telling Molly that she wanted to “catch up on old times”, she clearly wasn’t interested in conversation.
That suited Molly fine. She didn’t have much to say at the moment. Her mind was in turmoil and her heart was aching. She stared out the window as the houses and buildings rushed by and barely noticed when they left the city limits and headed into the more rural area outside the city.
Before she knew it, they were pulling into the gravel parking lot of a small, abandoned-looking building. There was a neon sign over the door that wasn’t lit. In the deepening twilight, Molly could just read the words, Bad Decisions written in curving script.
“Uh, where are we?” she asked, temporarily pulled out of her misery by a feeling of deep unease.
“Oh, this place serves the best iced coffee in the whole city! I should know—I come here all the time,” Karen chirped as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
“Are you sure it’s open?” Molly asked doubtfully. There was only one other vehicle in the gravel parking lot—a huge, black pickup truck with oversized tires and a red skull painted on the side.
“Of course I’m sure, silly! They’re just not busy yet. That’s why I wanted to take you here—they don’t get busy until later. Now come on!”
Karen hopped out of the car and came around the passenger side to pull Molly out as well. She hooked her arm through Molly’s and practically dragged her up to the deserted looking building—which looked more like a dive bar than a coffee shop, Molly thought.
Despite her unease, she couldn’t really think of a valid reason not to go into the building with Karen. After all, the other woman had driven her all this way—and she was also Molly’s only transportation. She remembered what a quick temper Karen had—if she got angry, she might just leave her here in the middle of nowhere.
If you still had the TET device on, you could call Torus to come and get you, whispered a little voice in her head. Too bad you peeled it off and flushed it! That was stupid, Molly.
Molly ignored the voice. There was no point in feeling sorry about ditching the expensive device—though she was definitely going to have some explaining to do to Commander Sylvan about why she had gotten rid of it. She would probably be out of range anyway—even if she still had it on.
What’s done is done, she told herself firmly. I’ll just get a quick iced coffee and then let Karen know I have to get back. I can always call Councilor Paige if there’s a problem.
Feeling reassured, she followed Karen into Bad Decisions. It was dim inside and she saw a deserted-looking bar with lots of empty tables and chairs. Most of them looked dusty, as though no one had sat there for a long time.