Outer Banks Read Online Free PDF Page B

still. This might hurt.” Might , like hell. I jabbed a large gauge needle into his arm. He shrieked for a second in surprise, and then I pulled it back out, watching the black blood ooze out of the wound.
    â€œSorry about this,” I said, and repeated the process two more times, making a tiny distinctive triangle. This time he grit his teeth and took it.
    He looked at his arm and then back to me. “You didn’t squeeze anything in.”
    â€œNo, but now they’ll think you’ve had the reversing agent.”
    â€œOh! Hey, thanks.” He rubbed his arm vigorously and smiled in relief.
    His arm healed over quickly, leaving a scar in mere moments. The first batch of tests had been applied in three separate injections, and this tiny scar pattern was the telltale sign that he wasn’t eligible for further testing.
    As we made our way to the first bridge to the Outer Banks we had to pass a group of activists. They held up signs and yelled things like, “Kill the Evil Demons!”, “Earth First!” and “Hybrids Aren’t Human!”
    Corey twitched when someone pounded on the glass. I honked my horn to scare them away.
    â€œAssholes,” I muttered.
    We got to the first set of security gates on the Washington Baum Bridge at almost ten, and I could see Corey stiffen.
    â€œIt’s going to be okay. It’s not a bad area. They’ll find you a place to stay, and you’ll get food when you need it. If you get placed in one of the hotels, someone even does your laundry.” He looked down at his ragged clothing. “We can get you new clothes.”
    He nodded as I held my permit out the window as one of the guards came to examine it.
    I grouped the guards at the Outer Banks into three categories:
    First, the ones who just saw it as a job. Impartial and tolerant of whom they were keeping out and who they were keeping in. They went home every night the same as if they had spent the day at a factory or a car lot.
    The second group were those who were in it for the politics. They took personal interest in making sure Haunts never left the island.
    The third—and smallest—group, were the guards who also took a personal interest in their job, but for a completely different reason. They had someone they loved living here, and it was the only way they could still be close to their families.
    The guards at the first gate were of the first two varieties.
    One, Sam, I had met on other runs. He was a strictly business guy. The other, someone I’d never seen before, would have fit in better with a sign at the bridge than a guard’s uniform. He looked over at Corey sitting in the passenger seat with disgust.
    â€œAren’t they supposed to be restrained during transport?” he asked Sam.
    Sam didn’t get a chance to answer. “His name is Corey,” I said, “and he is restrained. He’s wearing his seat belt.” The other guard handed me my papers and opened the gate without saying anything else.
    I rolled my eyes as Corey chuckled.
    We got to the second gate a few minutes later. No one said anything about Corey being in the front.
    As we reached the final gate I could feel the tension rolling out of Corey like a wave. He was frightened, but he was trying to hide it. I remembered being the same way at fourteen. Got to impress the adults.
    â€œI know a few people here. I’ll introduce you and hang around until you get settled if you want.”
    â€œThat would be awesome.” He seemed relieved. I shrugged it off like it was no big deal.
    I parked in the spot outside of the Roanoke Island Visitor’s Center. I guess on some level it was still a visitor’s center.
    Corey followed behind me while he looked around anxiously.
    â€œIt’s not what I expected. It looks like a regular town.”
    â€œIt is for the most part. None of the grocery stores have food anymore. The arcades don’t need quarters. If they put