at least part of the story, she risked him withdrawing even farther into night terrors. The unknown was usually worse than facing reality. It was a toss-up what would be best for him.
“Mom.” His face was strained and his eyes were pleading. “Don’t close me out. I have to help you.”
“Michael…” She reached out to touch his cheek. Lord, she loved him. What was she supposed to tell him? That his mother had been prepared to kill a man? That last night a man had been trying to kill them both only yards from where he slept? Okay, skip that part of the story and just give him the background. That was bad enough. “Years ago I was very worried about your grandfather. You probably don’t remember, but he had terrible dreams. Sort of like you. And he didn’t sleep much. I wanted very much to help him. So I started working on…”
“It was that man, Sanborne, who blew up our house?” Michael said.
Sophie nodded. “Probably. At least he gave the order.”
“Because he wanted to kill you. He hates you?”
“I don’t think he even hates me. I’m in his way. He just wants to wipe out everyone who knows about REM-4.”
“Well, I hate him.” Michael’s eyes were blazing. “I want to kill him.”
“Michael, I understand. But I have to shoulder some of the blame. It’s not—”
“He hurt Grandpa and Grandma and all those people. He hurt you.” He threw himself into her arms. “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. He did it. He did it all.”
She could feel his tears against her cheek as she held him close. “He’ll be punished, Michael. As I told you, it’s just difficult to find a way to do it.”
“Why? The good guys are supposed to help. The good guys are supposed to win.”
“We will win.” She pushed him away to look down into his face. “I promise you, Michael.” She had to make him believe. “We
will
win.”
“He blew up our house,” he said fiercely. “Why don’t we go blow up his?”
Good heavens. “An eye for an eye?”
“I bet Mr. Royd would do it. Why don’t we ask him?”
“We have a lot of questions to ask him. I don’t believe that should be one of them.” She kissed his forehead. Time to get back to normal, everyday things if he was going to have a chance for an undisturbed night. “Now go wash your face. Neither of us ate much for dinner. I’ll call Domino’s for some pizza.”
“I’m not hungry.” He frowned. “But you should eat. Go ahead.”
“Thank you. I imagine you’ll be able to choke down a few bites. I’ll just step outside and ask Royd if he wants to join us.” She headed for the door. “And Jock should be here soon. He likes pepperoni, doesn’t he?”
“With mushrooms.” Michael was heading for the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”
Michael was reacting more normally than she had hoped, she realized with relief as she opened the door. She had thought fear would be the primary response, but she had underestimated him. It had been shock and then anger and protectiveness that had dominated.
Royd and Jock were sitting in Royd’s Toyota and both men got out when they saw her.
“I’m sorry, Sophie,” Jock said quietly. “It must have been a hell of a shock for you and Michael.”
“How’s he doing?” Royd asked.
“Fine.” She took a deep breath. “No, not fine. You’ll be glad to know I had a talk with him.”
“You told him everything?”
“Almost everything. He didn’t need to know about Caprio.” She looked at Jock. “Or precisely what Sanborne did to you and Royd. I generalized.”
“Smart,” Royd said. “He might have confused us with the bad guys. I’m sure he’s mixed up enough.”
She nodded grimly. “Mixed up enough to think you’re like the Terminator. I set him straight and told him you were definitely flesh and blood.”
Jock chuckled. “Not a bad simile. The Terminator protected the kid in the last two movies.”
“And was a prime villain in the first. I’m sure he
“Mom.” His face was strained and his eyes were pleading. “Don’t close me out. I have to help you.”
“Michael…” She reached out to touch his cheek. Lord, she loved him. What was she supposed to tell him? That his mother had been prepared to kill a man? That last night a man had been trying to kill them both only yards from where he slept? Okay, skip that part of the story and just give him the background. That was bad enough. “Years ago I was very worried about your grandfather. You probably don’t remember, but he had terrible dreams. Sort of like you. And he didn’t sleep much. I wanted very much to help him. So I started working on…”
“It was that man, Sanborne, who blew up our house?” Michael said.
Sophie nodded. “Probably. At least he gave the order.”
“Because he wanted to kill you. He hates you?”
“I don’t think he even hates me. I’m in his way. He just wants to wipe out everyone who knows about REM-4.”
“Well, I hate him.” Michael’s eyes were blazing. “I want to kill him.”
“Michael, I understand. But I have to shoulder some of the blame. It’s not—”
“He hurt Grandpa and Grandma and all those people. He hurt you.” He threw himself into her arms. “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. He did it. He did it all.”
She could feel his tears against her cheek as she held him close. “He’ll be punished, Michael. As I told you, it’s just difficult to find a way to do it.”
“Why? The good guys are supposed to help. The good guys are supposed to win.”
“We will win.” She pushed him away to look down into his face. “I promise you, Michael.” She had to make him believe. “We
will
win.”
“He blew up our house,” he said fiercely. “Why don’t we go blow up his?”
Good heavens. “An eye for an eye?”
“I bet Mr. Royd would do it. Why don’t we ask him?”
“We have a lot of questions to ask him. I don’t believe that should be one of them.” She kissed his forehead. Time to get back to normal, everyday things if he was going to have a chance for an undisturbed night. “Now go wash your face. Neither of us ate much for dinner. I’ll call Domino’s for some pizza.”
“I’m not hungry.” He frowned. “But you should eat. Go ahead.”
“Thank you. I imagine you’ll be able to choke down a few bites. I’ll just step outside and ask Royd if he wants to join us.” She headed for the door. “And Jock should be here soon. He likes pepperoni, doesn’t he?”
“With mushrooms.” Michael was heading for the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”
Michael was reacting more normally than she had hoped, she realized with relief as she opened the door. She had thought fear would be the primary response, but she had underestimated him. It had been shock and then anger and protectiveness that had dominated.
Royd and Jock were sitting in Royd’s Toyota and both men got out when they saw her.
“I’m sorry, Sophie,” Jock said quietly. “It must have been a hell of a shock for you and Michael.”
“How’s he doing?” Royd asked.
“Fine.” She took a deep breath. “No, not fine. You’ll be glad to know I had a talk with him.”
“You told him everything?”
“Almost everything. He didn’t need to know about Caprio.” She looked at Jock. “Or precisely what Sanborne did to you and Royd. I generalized.”
“Smart,” Royd said. “He might have confused us with the bad guys. I’m sure he’s mixed up enough.”
She nodded grimly. “Mixed up enough to think you’re like the Terminator. I set him straight and told him you were definitely flesh and blood.”
Jock chuckled. “Not a bad simile. The Terminator protected the kid in the last two movies.”
“And was a prime villain in the first. I’m sure he
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