Once they were back on the compound, Abby went straight to her room in the barracks for a long shower and a clean change of clothes. She scrubbed until her skin tingled, letting the hot water beat against her shoulders as she tried to wash away the last twenty-four hours. When she was done, she braided her hair while it was still damp and pulled on fresh clothes that didn’t smell like interrogation rooms or borrowed pajamas.
She texted Brooks and Norah to let them know she was back. Norah replied almost immediately, demanding a lunch date and even suggesting one of the human-owned restaurants off the compound “for privacy and sanity.”
Brooks didn’t respond, which wasn’t unusual.
After a moment of hesitation, Abby finally texted her father to let him know she was back as well. His respon
