The Extinction Switch: Book three of the Kato's War series by Andrew C. Broderick Read Free Book Online Page B

they’ll try and stuff lots of other people in this apartment too!”
    “At least we'll live, though,” Vivianne said. “So will Etienne, and everyone else they can fit down here. Think about that.”
    David looked over at Etienne. “She'll never know there was any kind of life other than underground… Crap! Will I ever be able to get back to England? What about Mum? Will the UK do anything like this for its citizens?”
    The other three looked at each other, in silence. At last, Kassandra spoke, “I guess we'll have to leave, since we're not French citizens, and they’ll probably only accommodate people who are. Well, she is”—she indicated Annabelle—“but we're not…”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER SEVEN
    David and Vivianne
     
    Vivianne still managed to look stylish even in the midst of the crisis. She wore a red leather skirt with a short matching jacket, a white blouse, black tights, and pair of black mid-heel shoes. Her hair was pinned up at the back, but some of its reckless curls around her ears and neck broke loose in a bohemian fashion. She walked with Annabelle down Rue Borchal, with Annabelle having just managed to procure some gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt from one of the shops there.
    “It’s good to get out, just us girls, huh?” Vivianne said.
    “Yes.” The dismal gray road was busier than when they had first arrived.
    “I don’t feel like going home yet. It gets oppressive there sometimes,” Vivianne said. “It’s so small, and…”
    “Oh, I’m so sorry! We can find somewhere else to stay. We’ve probably overstayed our welcome by three days already…”
    Vivianne flipped her right hand playfully at Annabelle. “Tsk! No, it’s not you guys. It’s… well, David and I have problems sometimes…”
    “Oh…”
    “I won’t bore you with them though.”
    “If you need to talk…”
    Vivianne half-chuckled. “It’s okay. Old people problems. You shouldn’t have to worry about that stuff yet. If I really need to talk, though, I’ll take you up on it.”
    Annabelle smiled. “Old? You’re probably only about twenty-five, I’m guessing. How did you two meet, anyway?”
    “We’re both photographers. We met in Normandy, having both gone there to take pictures. We were married six months later, and I had Etienne a year after that.”
    “Oh. She’s so cute! She’s so blonde though…”
    “And we’re both brown-haired. Yes, I get that a lot. We were both blonde when we were her age, and only went darker as we grew up.” Vivianne stopped dead, and turned towards Annabelle, on her right. Putting both hands on the girl’s shoulders, she pivoted Annabelle to face her. “She’s going to live, Annabelle! She’ll actually have a chance to have brown hair! Life underground will be even less fun than it is now, but she’ll live!”
    “Yeah. Yeah, she will.” Annabelle spontaneously hugged Vivianne. “I’m so glad we bumped into you guys on the bus that night, I feel like I’ve known you forever. I’m sorry if Tony’s a bit of a dork sometimes though…”
    Vivianne shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. Men! Tsk!” Annabelle smiled, as the two women released their embrace. They resumed walking. “I find Kassandra kind of hard to read, though,” Vivianne continued.
    “You really mean she’s stuck up, but you’re too kind to say it?”
    “Well, partly, I guess…” Vivianne chuckled.
    “It’s okay. You can say it. She’s spoiled. She’s had every privilege in life that money can buy. Never had to worry about a thing. She’s even got her own warp spaceship parked up at the ETI.”
    “Wow! But, she’s smart, too, isn’t she?”
    “Yes, she sure is. And she’s a deep thinker but she tries to make out that she isn’t. Probably had to do it to fit in with the party crowd growing up. I sometimes see this faraway look in her eyes, like she’s contemplating something. Or maybe hurting and just not saying anything. There are unseen depths in there, kind