Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Sisterhood

Beckett is down from the coal car and jogging toward me before I'm halfway out the gate. He catches me mid-way, hands rising, but he doesn't hug me, just grasps my upper arms and squeezes.

"You're okay." His words are clipped, almost strangled in the back of his throat.

"I am," I say. "Trust the dog, remember?"

He glances down at the grinning lab. "What happened? Why did they let you in?"

"It's a long story," I say, "but part of it is I've found one of my clones."

Beckett stares at me like I've told him the world really is flat and we could fall off at any moment. "Clones?"

I pull free of him, but gently and head toward the train with him walking next to me. "Are you forgetting my name that fast?" I manage a smile as his eyes widen.

"Clone Three," he says. "I forgot." Like it's not only been days instead of forever since we met.

It certainly feels the other way around.

Poppy leans over the side, arms outstretched and I grasp for her, letting her fall in my arms.