The Omega Protocol Chronicles (Book 1): Exodus by Courtney McPhail Page B

direction of county 28.
    He didn’t know how much time had passed, his sole focus on getting the van as far away from the park as possible and he momentarily forgot his passengers. It wasn’t until he felt a hand on his shoulder that he finally heard the choked sobs his mind had blocked out.
    He looked back to see Hannah shaking violently in Audrey’s arms as she gasped for breath between wailing sobs. Audrey’s eyes were wide with terror and he realized it was her hand on his shoulder.
    “I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” Audrey said, her voice catching with emotion.
    “Shit, she’s havin’ a panic attack.”
    He pulled over to the shoulder and leaned over the centre console to face both girls. He reached out and took Hannah’s hands in his own, ducking his head down so he could meet her eyes and he squeezed her hands.
    “Hey squirt, it’s okay. Yer okay, a’right? Just take a deep breath through your nose then ya let it outta your mouth. Like this.” He demonstrated for her, inhaling through his nose and breathing out his mouth. “Now ya do it.”
    The little girl just continued to hyperventilate, not hearing him. Audrey grabbed Hannah’s hand and put it on her chest. “Come on, Han, like this. In.” She took a deep breath, the small hand rising with her chest. “And out.”
    When Audrey inhaled again, Hannah’s face scrunched up and her tiny shoulders rose and fell. They did it again, the sisters breathing in sync, and soon Hannah stopped shaking, her pitiful gasps quieting as Audrey ran her fingers through her hair.
    Audrey looked back up at Jackson. “Thank you.”
    Her voice held such gratitude, it had him looking anywhere but at the two girls. “Weren’t nothin’.”
    “Where’s Mama and Daddy?”
    His eyes went back to them, Hannah staring up at her sister wide-eyed as she waited for an answer. Jackson took a deep breath, stalling for time as he tried to think of a kind way to explain what happened.
    “They’re dead,” Audrey said, her voice thick with grief.
    He glared at Audrey, that kind of answer would probably send her right back into hysterics. What the hell was she thinking talking like that?
    But before he could say as much, she looked at him. The pain in her eyes was like a knife in his chest. That girl was hurting even worse than the little one. She’d been the one to watch her parents die, taking it on herself to shield the little one from it all.
    He shifted in his seat as he tried to think up some words that would be reassuring to both the girls but he came up empty.
    Shit!  
    Well, better to say something instead of just staring at them. Besides, there wasn’t much he could say to make the situation worse.
    “Your Ma and Pop had to go away. They didn’t want to but they didn’t have a choice. That’s just how life is sometimes. I know that if they could, they’d be here with ya right now because they loved ya both a whole hell of a lot.” He attempted a reassuring smile for their benefit. “Before they had to go, I made ‘em a promise that I’d look after both of ya.”
    Hannah nodded as she sniffled loudly. “May I have a drink, please and thank you.”
    Wasn’t exactly the response he was expecting but at least she wasn’t hyperventilating anymore. He passed her the bottle that sat in the centre console and she took it and knocked a quarter of it back, letting out a satisfied gasp when she was finished.
    Jackson wasn’t sure how much had gotten through to her. She was pretty young and confused. Probably a good thing in the end, made it easier for her to adjust, not knowing what was really going on.
    The older one was the one he had to worry about. She wasn’t confused about anything. She knew what was going down. She watched him with careful eyes, like she was trying to figure him out.
    “Did you really promise them you’d look after us?” she asked.
    Probably smart of her to wonder if he was telling the truth. When he’d told Ian he’d be