Read Online Killswitch by Victoria Buck - Free Book Online Page A

up again?”
    “Take it how you want, Amos.” Chase smiled back. “I’m not going up again. Unless you tell me to, of course.”
    Chase tensed as that familiar surge of information flowed into him. He moved to the station where he could get a 3D image.
    “What is it, Chase?” Amos asked.
    He brought up the image of Molly’s house and raised it from the flat screen. Crumbled walls smoldered. No need for the exoself to dissolve the exterior. The place had been gutted and burned.
    “Why would they do it?” Amos asked.
    “They found her basement. Did you know the staircase going into it was undetectable behind a mirrored wall?”
    “Yes, I was there a few times before I came under. I don’t know why they had to destroy it.”
    “Should we tell her?” asked Chase.
    “It was just a house. Not her real home. But we’ll just keep it quiet for now. The Feds are back and the others will have to know, but not today. Let’s try to have a little less stress than yesterday.”
    “Fine with me,” Chase said.
    Mel joined them. She smiled as she rubbed Chase’s chin. “You got rid of that awful excuse for a beard, huh?”
    “You didn’t like my beard? Molly liked it.”
    “Well, Molly didn’t have to—”
    “Watch out, missy,” Amos said “You know what’ll happen.”
    “I haven’t told him what’ll happen.” She giggled. “Don’t worry, Amos. We’re not breaking any rules.”
    “Tell me what?” Chase asked.
    “Breakfast is ready,” she said.
    The three of them entered the dining hall and sat at one of the long tables. Breakfast was another chunk of dried meat, another orange, and another slice of bread. At least last night’s supper had consisted of something different—beans and cornbread.
    He peeled the orange and divided the sections. How many of these were left? Chase would use Mel’s code a little later to find out what was available.
    When she’d finished eating she ate, Mel went into the kitchen. It was her day to help out. Chase would get himself on the rotation. If he was going to be part of the group, he’d do his share. If they wouldn’t mind a heathen cleaning up after them.
    He turned to Amos and lowered his voice. “What do these people think of me?”
    A spark surged through the exoself and new information filtered in. Chase jumped to his feet.
    Amos and everyone else at the table stopped eating and stared at him. “What is it?” Amos asked.
    “We need to talk. In private,” Chase answered.
    Amos followed Chase out of the dining hall. “What now?”
    “The Feds took care of demolishing everything in Kirel’s apartment.”
    “Not a surprise after what they did to Molly’s place.”
    “Then they paid a visit to Finley’s parents, and to the twins’ grandparents.”
    “They didn’t—”
    “They killed them, Amos. They’re all dead.”

13
    The girl, Finely, lifted her head from a minister’s shoulder. “We are all in God’s hands.”
    Chase lowered his brow. That was it? The WR murdered her parents and that was all she said? With a quivering smile, she rose to leave. The blond boys followed her, their arms around each other’s shoulders. So calm. It’d hit them later.
    The three ministers who’d been summoned by Amos left with the teens. Chase scratched the back of head. He should have been able to prevent this.
    The emergency meeting had dwindled down to Molly and Kirel—who’d been told about the destruction of their up-top homes—Chase, Amos, Switchblade, and Mel.
    “We must look after the young ones,” Amos said. “Their faith is being tested.”
    Chase stared at the floor. The exoself could not explain this latest comment from a Christian. The kids needed support—he got that much.
    Amos cleared his throat. “Chase, tell us what you know about the day’s activities.”
    “The report indicates the residences were searched and burned, and that four people died in the raid,” Chase said. “It says the four fought to defend their homes and had to