A Long Road Back: Final Dawn: Book 8 Read Online Free PDF Page B

light?”
         “Sounds good to me. I’ll meet you at the gate at sunrise.”
         The men had been unsure what to do with Martel, so they’d left him in the back of the truck. He’d been there for hours, since they arrived back at the compound. At one point Brad went out and removed his gag so he could sip some water.
         Martel let off with a barrage of profanities that would make even the most hardened Marine drill instructor blush.
         Brad replaced the gag and returned to the compound, full water bottle still in hand.
         They hadn’t been sure whether to untie him and set him free, or to take him to San Angelo and turn him over to authorities.
         Now, it appeared, they’d decided on his fate.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    -6-
     
        Bryan awoke and found himself holding Sarah in his arms. He hoped she’d crawled there, out of habit, unaware of doing so in his sleep. He wondered how much longer she’d be sleeping, and wanted to see the look on her face when she woke up with her head on his chest.
         He wondered if she’d draw back quickly in horror or disgust.
         In any event, he wasn’t likely to find out. She was softly snoring, as she did only when she was in deep sleep.
         As much as he wanted to see her face he knew that the sedative Debbie had given her had done its trick. She’d likely be out for several more hours.
         And he knew that was for the best. For she truly needed the rest, after all she’d been through. Debbie had told Bryan there was a chance a better-rested Sarah might be able to remember more of the things, more of the people, around her.
         He’d pin his hopes on that possibility. It seemed as good as anything to cling to.
         He very gently eased himself free from Sarah’s grasp and went to the kitchen to get himself something to drink.
         And he came across David and Brad, whispering in a conspiratorial tone.
         David seemed to be trying to talk Brad out of something.
         “No. Just forget about this and put it to rest. You’ve got yourself and Sami and the baby to worry about now. You just can’t go off half-cocked like you did when you were single. When you didn’t have other people depending on you.”
         “What are you guys talking about?”
         “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
         David was a man with a level head, a dentist with his own practice before Saris 7 collided with the earth. And still a qualified medical professional to the group. He was seldom short with anyone. Especially Bryan, who he considered one of his very best friends. But it was obvious Brad had frustrated him, and that he was no longer in a mood to talk. Or even to sit down for a few minutes and share a cup of coffee with his friends.
         As he walked away, Bryan asked Brad, “What’s eating him?”
         Brad told him of his and Bryan Too’s plans for dealing with Nathan Martel.
         Bryan listened intently. He offered none of the arguments or concerns that David had voiced.
         When Brad was finished Bryan said, “Count me in.”
         Now it was Brad’s turn to object.
         “Shouldn’t you be spending every minute you can with Sarah? I mean, she probably needs you more now than ever.”
         “Debbie asked the Air Force to send in a medical evaluation team. They’re going to examine Sarah thoroughly to see if they think she has swelling in her brain. And if they think that surgery might be appropriate.”
         “Brain surgery? Holy crap!”
         “Yeah. That’s what I said. She said not to panic yet. That they may not find evidence of swelling. And if they do, it’s a fairly common procedure. She said it basically means taking off a piece of skull so that the brain can expand a bit while it heals. That in most cases as the brain heals it shrinks again and they can replace the