She cocked her head as if listening.
"What?"
"They will be conscious soon. Do you wish to be there when they wake?"
"Of course."
He wanted to be the first person Gia and Vicky saw when they opened their eyes.
"Then you must go now."
Jack jumped out of his seat and helped her to her feet.
"You coming?"
She shook her head. "No. I have no place there."
She tapped her cane on the walk and she and her dog began to move away.
"Where are you going?"
"Not far. I am never far."
He watched her until she'd rounded the corner of the nearest building, then he turned and hurried back inside. He had to be there to tell Gia about Emma.
Guilt clung to him like a school of leeches as he headed for the elevators.
Tell Gia about the baby, yes, but he could not tell her everything, could not let her know that it was no accident, that she and Vicky had been deliberately run down because of him… simply because they meant something to him.
No. Couldn't tell her that. Not yet. She'd have enough to deal with as it was. He'd tell her someday when she'd gotten over the worst of losing Emma, but not yet.
At least they were safe now.
No, not quite. Safe from the Ally, maybe—Jack had made it clear that losing those two branches meant losing the spear. But what of Rasalom? Would he try to strike through Gia and Vicky? It certainly wasn't beneath him.
Only time would tell. Jack had an idea that he didn't rank very high on
Rasalom's list of priorities. Nevertheless he'd have to keep his head down and stay on guard.
Always on guard.