Read Online F Paul Wilson - Sims 05 by Thy Brother's Keeper (v5.0) - Free Book Online Page A

to harm you. Just
the opposite. I am here to help you and protect you from being harmed by
the bad men.”
                 Zero
waited, hoping he’d said enough, praying he hadn’t said too much. He glanced at
Tome who was staring at him with wide eyes. He nodded to the old sim, to let
him know, yes, this is true. Maybe…maybe if only Tome and Meerm knew, he could
still keep his secret. The two sims would talk, of
course, but Zero could tell Romy and Patrick that he’d used makeup to look like
a sim so he could coax Meerm out. They’d buy it. It was much more plausible
than the truth.
                 Zero
refocused on the black hole of the elevator shaft. He heard a rustle within,
and then a hoarse, fragile voice…
                 “Is
true? You not man?”
                 “No,
Meerm.” Zero fought back a sob. It had worked. He could feel Meerm tipping his
way. “I’m a sim too. But if I am to help you, we must hurry from here. Now.”
                 “Meerm
want go.” And now a face, a swollen, care-ravaged sim face, floated into the
light. “Meerm not like here. But…”
                 “We
must go now, Meerm. The bad men are looking for you. If they come before—”
                 Meerm
stepped out into the light. Zero gasped at the sight of her—her belly so big
and her ankles so swollen she could barely move. She took a step forward, but
caught her foot and started to fall. Zero grabbed her, then lifted her into his arms. She was heavy for a sim, but nothing he couldn’t
handle.
                 “Don’t
be afraid, Meerm,” he said in a soothing voice as she started to struggle.
“You’re okay, now. I’ll make you safe and keep you that way. No one will hurt
you ever again.”
                 As
he turned toward the tunnel he saw two figures emerging from its entrance. Romy
and Patrick, faces ashen, mouths agape, eyes fixed on his nonhuman face. They
couldn’t miss its yellow eyes and simian cast—his brow ridge was not so
pronounced as Meerm and Tome’s, he knew, his nose not quite as flat, but he was
unmistakably sim like.
                 Oh,
no, he thought as dismay softened his knees and he almost stumbled. Oh, God,
what have I done?
                 Just
when they were so close to success, he’d ruined everything. Now the whole
organization would fall apart because…because who’d want to follow a sim?
                 Even
worse was the uncomprehending look of betrayal he saw in Romy’s eyes.
                 But
he had to press on. She looked away as he approached, so he addressed Patrick.
                 “Help
me get her through the tunnel. We haven’t got much time.”
                 Patrick
blinked, hesitated a heartbeat, then nodded. “Less
than you think.”
                 As
they eased Meerm into the opening, Zero prayed Romy would follow.

           10
     
                 Silence
ruled the van. Zero leaned forward as Patrick piloted them toward the freeway.
                 “Follow
the signs toward the Goethals Bridge ,” he told him.
                 He
glanced at Romy, huddled against the passenger door at the far end of the front
seat, staring dead ahead without blinking, looking as if she were in a trance.
                 I’ve
really done it now, Zero thought. I’ve lost her. She’ll never trust me again.
                 Meerm
whimpered at his side. She was curled next to him on the rear seat. He laid a
reassuring hand on her shoulder. Tome and Kek hunched behind them in the open
rear section.
                 “Goethals,”
Patrick said. “Got it. But I think…I think we …” He seemed to run out of words.
                 “You
think you deserve an explanation,” Zero said. “Of course you do.”
                 “I
mean,”