After a couple of months of acknowledging each other, I caught a break and finally got a chance to meet them properly. The place was full that Saturda... noon. I was unable to get my usual table as two elderly women arrived earlier and took it. I was sitting at a table for four when the girls appeared and searched for an open spot. There were none and seeing this, I stood and waved to them. They looked at each other, said something, then moved toward me. ‘Hi girls,’ I smiled. ‘Looks like a full. . poor baby!" his mom just giggled, as she continued doing herthing getting the food ready, not really feeling any empathy for him."What did I tell you about 'sticks and stones' little man?" I know mom, but..." Paul paused for a second, "... I don't think I cango through with it. I think I'm going to quit first thing in themorning!" he put his foot down, hoping his mom would back up hisdecision."You most definitely not quitting! That is not an option," his motherlet him know immediately where. "She can stay here, at least, until my paster comes," said Colton. "Louis said he'll contact some people better ... equipped to hide her." Are there a lot of other synthetics in hiding?" asked Renee. The bag of books sat at her feet.Colton shrugged. "I don't know. I'm on the shallow end of the organization, kid." Where would they send me?" I don't know." Do you know anything?"The woman sighed and shook her head.The synthetic bit her lip and turned to Sawyer. "This can't, it just can't be safer. "The Sheriff tilted his sweat-stained dirty Stetson hat back onhis head and looked at a nearby grimly-looking man with a bighandlebar mustache. The man was twenty feet away from theSheriff and prudently hiding behind a big rock, using thegranite boulder as protection as he carefully pointed his riflebarrel in the general direction of the cabin. Instead of watchingthe cabin, the man was staring at the Sheriff, patiently waitingfor the Sheriff to do something to end the impasse. Garrettknew that.