Liv paused longer than she wanted, debating whether to escape immediately with Adam, or to somehow help her mother, or at least make sure she would survive. They couldn’t stay where they were. Now that the police were on the scene, the Empress Wharf’s staff emerged to clean up the mess. They’d be over here in the service area in moments. Shoving Adam with her shoulder to get his attention, Liv led him in a crabbed scramble along the banquettes, past the kitchen, toward a delivery bay in the back.
They reached a fire door that was attached to an alarm. Liv positioned Adam next to the door and gestured for him to be quiet and wait. He didn’t argue. Good boy. But then he also looked scared out of his mind . . . and maybe more than a little excited? Leaving him there, Liv edged out toward the main dining room again, where she could grab a final view of Penelope, just for some indication of what was going to be done with her.
After all, she’d have to find and help her mother later, and the more she knew now, the better. She stopped cold as she glimpsed the featureless drone hovering in front of Penelope. It projected a 3D avatar of her grandfather’s image, trim and hale, in a neat suit. The crisp likeness hung in the dining room, regarding Penelope pleasantly. “Hello, Penny,” SINE said.
