As they worked their way through the park, they came to a double-wide with two Rottweilers chained in the front yard. They were both sitting on their stomachs, and yawned when Scarlett and her mom approached.

“They won’t give you any trouble,” a woman, with tattoos covering her arms, said from her porch step. She was enjoying a smoke. “Whatcha sellin’ sweetie?”

“Chocolate-covered almonds and maple cookies. We’re raising money for my class trip to Washington.”

“My favorites. I’ll take three boxes of each to share with my girls at the bingo.”

“Wow. Thank you.”

Scarlett went into her bag and began assembling the order. Nancy’s eyebrows climbed a little as the woman reached into her pocket, produced a thick roll of bills, peeling off two twenties.

“That should cover it. I had luck with my numbers last week,” the woman said, after taking the boxes. “Don’t worry about the change, sweetie.”

“Thank you very much!”

“You’re welcome very much.”

“Thank you, really,” Nancy added, secretly wondering about the roll of cash.

“Oh, I got a couple of nieces just like her.” She smiled before crushing her smoke in the ground and returning to her trailer with her boxes.

Buoyed by her sales, Scarlett turned to the trailer across the street.

Unit 23.

“Let’s try that one next, Mom.” Scarlett trotted to the door and knocked.

No one responded.

“I don’t think anyone’s home, honey. I think we should head home.”

“Wait.” Scarlett pressed her face to the window and cupped her hands to her eyes. “I see something.”

“Honey, come on.”

“No. Come see, Mom!”

“Scarlett, it’s not polite to be so nosy.”

“Mom, look! It’s so weird.”

“Honey, come on.”

“Mom, just look, and then we can go.”

Nancy took in a breath, let it out. Then she joined her daughter at the window, cupping her hands near her eyes. It took a moment for them to adjust to the light and focus between the crack in the curtains.

“See?” Scarlett said.

A few seconds passed, as realization dawned. Unease coiled up Nancy’s spine, making the small hairs on her neck stand up.

CHAPTER 40

Lucifer’s Notch in the Northeast Kingdom

It was time for the auction.

Byyle’s stomach quivered in anticipation as he sat before his laptop, holding Tituba and stroking her. It calmed him as he watched the sale of items. The participant indicator registered more than 300 potential bidders from around the globe.

This was an extremely secret, highly exclusive group operating in the deepest recesses of the dark web. The items up for auction were living, breathing works of art.

Humans recovered from the wild and reimagined, shall we say.

First up were several international pieces that evoked the Renaissance—the way they were posed and their sets. They were interesting. Not all sold, but those that did went for moderate amounts.