Tom nodded, his eyes burning when she put the baby in his arms. “You’re a lucky little girl, Jellybean. Your parents love you. Your daddy cannot wait to meet you.”

The baby yawned, looking too damn cute.

Liza sighed. “Will you bring charges against Hayley and Graham’s mom?”

“I don’t know. Molina is making notes of all the infractions. Which reminds me of why I’m here. Gideon and Mercy arrived, along with several agents. Things are getting tense. Rebecca was yelling that Molina is denying her rights.”

“Molina can charge her with kidnapping. She stole Tamar’s baby.”

Tom was floored. “What the hell is wrong with these people?”

“I wish I knew.”

“Well, at least Joshua isn’t carrying his shotgun anymore,” Tom said. “I convinced him to put it away. It was confiscated by the ATF agent who arrived in the second wave.”

“That’s good. Oh, and Tamar is really Tiffany and I promised her that she could leave and we’d take her baby and pending DNA testing she’d get him back.”

“I’ll make sure Molina knows.”

“Thank you. Did you say there was hot water?”

“Yes. We’ve had two helicopter drops—both included tanks of water and a gas-powered water heater. Does Jellybean need a bath? We’re going to need baby seats, too, for the transport vehicles.” The logistics of this transport were daunting. “Oh, I also need you to come with me. There are a number of people who need medical attention.”

“Why didn’t you say that right off?”

“Because you were holding the baby and my brain circuits fried.”

She patted his cheek gently, then turned to Tiffany. “I’m going to take the baby with me,” she said. “Can you stay with Hayley in case she wakes up? Until Rebecca is confined, I don’t want to leave Jellybean here, and I don’t want Hayley thinking the baby’s been stolen.”

They heard the shouting as they drew close to the entrance. Tom gave the baby to Liza and rushed to help. As expected, Joshua was in Gideon’s face, calling him a liar and a fraud, sent by the government to take away their First, Second, and Fourth Amendment rights. Molina stood next to Gideon and there were four federal agents behind her.

Mercy stood to the side, looking anxious. She’d known that coming back here would resurrect a lot of bad ghosts, but she’d done it anyway because she’d wanted to help.

Graham sidled up to Liza. “I’m clean. And sanitized. Can I hold my niece now?”

Tom rejoined them, watching the gathered crowd from the sidelines as Liza put the baby in Graham’s arms. The boy began to cry, the sight sweet and at stark odds with the angry Joshua.

Gideon remained calm, ignoring Joshua’s rant and talking to the members of Eden who stood silently gawking at him. “If you want to leave, we will transport you. My sister Mercy and I came back to let you know that there is life after Eden. We will help you find a place to live and integrate back into the community at whatever level you wish. If you’ve suffered at the hands of a husband or as an apprentice like we did, there are resources to help.”