It took Alex a second to get what she meant. He glanced up at the dark house beside them. “Inside – what, here? This is your base?” He turned and stared at the other AKs in disbelief. “You mean, you actually led them back here. To your base.”

Kara looked sharply at Sam. “Led who back? Was there trouble?”

Alex couldn’t help it; he laughed out loud. “Yeah, let’s go inside,” he said. “You’re right, there’s a lot to talk about.”

Chapter Six

KARA TOOK THEM THROUGH the back door and switched on the light. Alex could see cardboard boxes stacked against the wall, and scuffed floor tiles with a blue and white floral pattern. A decorative niche that looked as if it should have a vase in it instead held a flashlight and someone’s change.

“What is this place?” he asked. He was carrying their camping stuff and helmets from the bike; they didn’t have much else.

“Welcome to AK Central,” said Kara. She led the way into a small kitchen. The other AKs hung back in the hallway, watching Willow with distrustful expressions. Sam especially was keeping an eye on her every move, as if she were about to sprout a halo and swoop at him, screeching, to feed. Alex dropped their stuff in a corner and put his hand on Willow’s back as she stood against the counter, stroking lightly between her shoulder blades. The small smile she gave him didn’t touch her eyes.

Kara introduced them all. Sam, Alex already knew better than he wanted to. The sharp-featured girl was Liz, who had long black hair and a pale, goth look. She kept casting appalled sidelong glances at Willow – apparently saving her life wasn’t enough to earn her trust. Trish, the freckled brown-haired girl, didn’t seem any less appalled; she also appeared anxious at the tension, gazing worriedly at the others.

“Hi,” they each muttered. After a beat, Brendan, the short one with wiry hair, stepped forward to awkwardly shake Alex’s hand. With an apprehensive glance at Willow, he stepped hastily back again.

The black guy was Wesley, whose arched eyebrows and wry mouth made him look like he should have a great sense of humour – except that he also looked like he’d never smiled in his life. He shifted his feet, glowering. “Are you going to need us for this, Kara?” he muttered.

“No, I don’t think so,” said Kara. “Why don’t you guys go into the TV room, or the range or something, so the three of us can talk?”

“You sure?” drawled Sam. He narrowed his blue eyes at Willow in a calculating way. “You might need some backup.”

Alex snorted. With an effort, he refrained from pointing out that backup worked a lot better when the person backing you up actually knew how to shoot a gun.