The place had comfortable chairs.
And hot chocolate. Tana had only had hot chocolate once in her life, and she stared into the cup with the kind of reverence another might have given to a holy relic.
Yeah, she needed rest.
After a small sip -- she intended this to last -- and she looked at the others. Lisel and Ret were passing around cups to Krisin and Tom, both of whom looked spent.
Then they sat down as well. Ret looked more relieved than the rest of them.
"I never thought I'd need this for more than a nice getaway from the world," he admitted. "And while this is not what my grandfather planned for it, I'm glad the place has found some good use."
"Will the snow cover our prints?" Tom asked with a worried glance at the door.
"Not well," Ret admitted and drew out his pocketcomp, jabbing at a few buttons. "Good, no one on the slope."
He ran his fingers over a quick code. A heartbeat later, Tana felt an odd slight tremble and a sound like something sliding past the building.
"Avalanche?" Tom asked, shocked and dismayed.
"A small, controlled one," Ret assured him. "And on a slope that is known for such snow slips. I have scanners in place. There wasn't even an elk out there tonight, but now the prints are buried. They might think they lost us in the avalanche, too, and they won't be looking under a tree that fell over a century ago."
Tana wondered if she should be worried, which was a stupid thought. Of course, she should. But Ret seemed to be doing an excellent job of getting them clear of the danger.
"Why did all of this happen? Lisel asked.
There was a question Tana had not thought to ask. They were earthers. They were crazy. That seemed answer enough, at least while they were on the run.
But that was too easy of an answer, and Tana knew it now that she had a chance to sit still.
"It makes no sense," she said aloud, and Lisel nodded. "No matter how much fighting we've done, we're no one important --"
But that wasn't true. Tana looked at Krisin.
So did the others.
"No, no, no," Krisin said, his ears going back. "Just no. I am not any more important than the rest of you."
"I think you are the only Catchin known by name on Earth," Tom offered.
That didn't help Krisin's mood. He started to stand and then changed his mind before Ret could say anything.
"Okay, so why?" Lisel asked. "Catchins have done nothing to draw attention. Not even Krisin, despite how hard he tries."
"Ha," Krisin said.
Tom looked uncomfortable, and Tana didn't think it was his asthma, either. She sipped more of the cocoa and then leaned closer to him. Tana figured he might get up and walk away, but he sighed and nodded to her instead.
"My mother mentioned something a few weeks ago. She'd heard a rumor that the military's science department was considering creating new Catchin -- bigger, stronger, and wilder -- to turn loose on the older mutant style."
Silence.
"It can't be true," Lisel said. "They just wouldn't be that stupid, would they?"
"Why not?" Krisin said and sounded more bitter than even Tana had expected. "They created us. But how do they expect to keep the new ones in control if they feared that from us?"
"Damn." Ret sat down. "I was a medtech in the Earth Force. I saw a couple cases of people who went crazy, killed others, and then died. Both had had some sort of brain operation, and there may have been a bio device, but I never got that far before they were taken away. I'm not the only medtech who saw them, too."
"You aren't here by chance," Krisin said to Ret.
"That's not true." He stopped and stared at the wall. "Or maybe it is. The offer of this job came unexpectedly. My name was on a list of medtechs looking for a position. I really thought I was lucky to get a position in a posh spot like this, and so near my grandfather's hidden retreat."
"Someone brought us all here, and I'm betting on your mother, Tom," Tana said. She didn't like the idea, though. "What are we supposed to do? And are those idiots who shot at us in on it?"
"I think they're just a sideshow," Tom admitted. He looked more assured now and thoughtful. "We didn't try to hide the fact you were coming to earth. That's why we kept changing the location ... but this last choice came from my mother. I wish she had let me in on this. I would have been far more watchful of Sally."
"So, what do we do now?" Lisel asked. He didn't look inclined to jump up and do anything.
"Rest here for now," Tana said. Ret nodded in agreement. "As far as I can tell, no one can locate this place with sensors, and I'm the last person alive who knows about this place ... except, apparently, Councilor Jakeville, though even she might not know the exact location."
"But she wanted us together," Tana said with a look at Tom.
He shrugged.
She wanted to demand answers, or at least talk it out -- but Krisin had fallen asleep already, and she didn't want to wake the Catchin. The others agreed. So they leaned back in their chairs. Ret stayed awake at the monitoring equipment, and Tana decided she trusted him.
She slept well and awoke to the scent of food and soft voices. Tom and Lisel were cooking breakfast, and it smelled delicious.
Krisin was awake as well. She went to clean up and came back to a table sat for a meal. She settled by Krisin, and the others spread around.
Something huge flew overhead.
"Captain Dundas is here," Krisin said.
The others nodded. They finished their meal.
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