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There were swing sets and tricycles in several yards The place looked for all the world like a cozy, friendly, safe little neighborhood No faces peered out through parted curtains as far as she could see

Maybe it would be safe to go inside

Drawing a breath, she went up the perfect little sidewalk to the front door, knocked and awaited an answer that never came So, with hands that trembled, she slipped the key into the lock, turned it and opened the door

The house was dark, but it wasn&039;t empty She didn&039;t knohy no one had answered the door, but she could feel another&039;s presence And along with that feeling, there were the arorowled

She looked through the darkened rooht that was an open doorway at the far end A wo, no more than a dark silhouette

"Serena?" the shadow asked softly, but the tone of her voice said she already knew

"Yes"

"And where is Maureen?"

Serena got the feeling that the faceless woman already knehat her response to that question would be, as well "I got off the bus where she told me And she was there, in her car, and she waved to me"

She spoke faster than she should have, her te as she went on "I started to cross the street, and then her car, it justit justexploded And she was she was gone She was just gone, and I couldn&039;t"

Her throat closed too tightly to let her go on, and she tipped her head back, eyes focused on the ceiling as she tried to s, tried not to just burst into the hysterical tears she felt pushing at the gates to get through

She heard the wo closer Felt a hand on her shoulder and lowered her head to see a pair of kind eyes bri with tears, an attractive face with full lips that treh cheekbones that seeht

"I&039;m so sorry," Serena said, and sniffled hard "She was your friend, wasn&039;t she?"

"She was more than a friend She was a sister Not by blood, but well, hell, you&039;ll understand soon enough"

"Why was she killed?" Serena&039;s sto inside her

"Was it because she tried to help , Serena" The stranger squeezed Serena&039;s shoulder and spoke these words firmly, as if they were very ier than just you or your baby You bear no responsibility for what happened to Maureen Even if she had knohat the outco"

Serena lowered her head and let the tears flow "I&039; on

Where&039;s my baby? Why would someone take her? Why would they kill an innocent nurse?"

"I know all this is overwhel to explain everything, I proo?" Serena knew her tone hiney, and yet she couldn&039;t help herself "But I&039;m so tired"

"I know I&039;ve made you soup and a sandwich to eat on the way This is a safehouse, but we can&039;t risk that you e This way"

The woman took Serena&039;s arer picked up a Ther with a sandwich and a spoon tucked inside

"Grab soet out of here," she instructed

Serena opened the refrigerator, which ell-stocked, as if someone lived here Maybe someone did

Or had She pulled out two bottles of diet cola and closed the fridge again The woe and a blue compact car

"Co her spine and her courage at last "No, not until you fell , the woman asked, "What would you like to know?"

Serena frowned as herWho&039;s after us Where , for God&039;s sake"

The woht Brunette hair in a silky, mink-like ponytail Brown doe&039;s eyes beneath perfectly arched brows, and skin like a fresh peach, devoid of makeup

"Terry My nauess you&039;d call it The Sisterhood of Athena

We atch, and al, we step in to set theain

Maureen was one of us"

"You watch ?"

"Yes"

"You watch what?" Serena asked

Terry pressed her lips tight, as if deciding which words to allow passage "Your baby wasisspecial, Serena She was born with a very rare antigen in her blood"

Serena re about an antigen "Belladonna," she said, trying out the word for the first time

"Yes Belladonna People who are born with the Belladonna Antigen have special qualities It&039;s co you need to hear about, but later, e have more time, and e&039;re sure we&039;re safe But for now, all you need to know is that babies and young children with the antigen have been disappearing at an alar rate for the past five years And in most cases, their parents have been killed"

Serena felt her eyes widen, her heart skip "Murdered?"

Terry nodded once "Usually it looks like an accident Car wrecks Plane crashes Carbon erous cliffs Drownings But it&039;s happened too many times for it to be coincidence So we&039;ve placed some of our members in various placeshospitals, doctor&039;s offices, child protective agenciesunder cover, just to watch and wait And when soet to the mother and the baby before it&039;s too late Maureen wanted to get to you before they took your baby, but the best she could do was get to you before they arranged some accident that would take your life"

Serena watched Terry&039;s face while she spoke The things said the wo didn&039;t make a lot of sense, but she believed them Maureen had believed them She&039;d died because of the me?"

Terry put her hand on Serena&039;s shoulder "Soo far I need to find my baby"

Terry lowered her eyes, and her voice softened by degrees "If you choose to stay with us, we&039;ll help you search for your baby, Serena We have more resources, more connections a much better chance than you would ever have alone But it wouldthe Sisterhoodreborn You&039;ll have a new family, a new life Your past will be lost to you forever"

Serena pondered briefly before asking, "Have you found any of the other children who&039;ve been taken?"

"No Not yet But we&039;re getting closer all the time"

"Oh" A wave of disappointed to push it aside "Then I don&039;t know""You don&039;t have to make a decision now You can spend a few days with us, learn a little bit more about e do and why, and then you can decide If you want to leave, you can But the truth is, you&039;re not safe here And we have to go Now"

Serena nodded "All right"

She followed Terry to the little blue car Terry started the engine, thue door and then backed out, looking both ways As she drove, she checked the rearview mirror alth "You need your strength, and besides, it&039;ll settle your nerves"

She nodded at the Thermos and sandwich she had placed in the console between them Their drinks were in the cup holders

Serena twisted open the Ther hot chicken soup into the cup Then she sipped, and it soothed her stomach, eased the tension in her spine and even the ache in her heart a little bit, so she sipped some more When she finished the first cupful, she filled it a second time and downed that, as well

And with every sip her anxiety eased a bit She sank into her seat, let her head rest against the back as she sed the last of the soup and replaced the cup

Her eyes felt heavy She let theentle relaxation washed through her brain

Frowning, she looked toward Serena "Was there did you put so har to the Sisterhood&039;s headquarters, and it&039;s not permitted for outsiders to knohere that is Noto sleep now You need it anyway, Serena And when you wake, you&039;ll be in a beautiful, safe haven, surrounded by woive their lives to help you find your baby, as well"

There couldn&039;t be any such place or any such people, Serena thought No one could possibly care that much about someone they didn&039;t even know

Could they?

She let her heavy lids fall closed and prayed that they could