AARON

This title is narrated with virtual voice. Computer-generated narration for audiobooks. Erin. By B. Camp. Prologue Amy's heart hammered so wildly against her ribs, that she feared even those behind the closed doors along the hallway couldn't help but be alerted by the sound. She had trouble taking a deep breath, and felt starved for oxygen. Her hands shook, and a cold layer of sweat covered her from head to toe. She doubted her ability to turn the doorknob with the slick film of sweat coating her palms. Despite her doubts, she persevered, and succeeded. Reminding herself that this was only the first and least risky step of their plan. She eased through the open door into the nursery. Amy paused for a moment, and allowed her gaze to sweep across the small sleeping forms, arranged in five neat rows, each composed of four beds. The twenty children ranged in age from newborn to age six. Depending on their age and size, the children slept in a bassinet, crib, or tiny twin bed. Her target was in the second bed of the third row. She made her slow and careful way to his bed, taking care to be as quiet as possible. Waking a single child would most likely lead to several crying children, and that would make her task immeasurably more difficult, if not impossible. The nearly unbearable tension that had virtually incapacitated her, slowly melted away as Amy looked down at number seven. No. Not number seven Erin. She cared deeply for all the children. But Erin had captured her heart. She reached into his crib, and tucked the blanket around him before gently gathering him into her arms. All remaining dregs of tension were wiped away by a tender yet fiercely protective feeling, that possessed her when she cradled the sleeping toddler against her chest. Amy retraced her path, but unlike her earlier journey, her steps were sure, and filled with confidence. She opened the door and entered the hallway. She turned in the direction that was opposite to the course she had taken to the nursery. She ignored the numerous security cameras along the corridor, just as she had ignored those in the room. According to the plan, her husband, Ben, had taken control of all the video feed, and the security personnel would be viewing a looped feed, that showed only what they expected to see. She trusted Ben fully, and had no doubts concerning his ability to do exactly as planned. The passage down the hallway was uneventful, and she made her egress through an emergency door that opened into the parking lot. She paused after exiting, and took a quick look around. She wasn't concerned about the surveillance cameras. But there was always a possibility that a random co-worker wandering around for some unexplained reason, might see and report the odd sight of her carrying a child. Once she was sure that there were no unexpected observers, she quickly made her way to her car. Now she only had to wait for Ben's arrival. Though brief, the wait seemed interminable. Just when Amy became convinced that she could bear the wait no longer, she saw Ben casually strolling across the parking lot. He opened the driver's side door, and after taking his seat, his first act was to reach across and give Amy a long embrace. There was no need for words. Ben started the engine, backed out of his assigned parking spot, and drove away from the facility. The Taggart Agricultural Research Center, or TAG-AG as Amy and Ben's co-workers referred to it, was located approximately 50 miles southwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Amy and Ben lived a few miles north of the facility, but they had no intention of returning home. The two drove southeast instead. The first step of their plan had been completed at the beginning of their shift, and with Ben's many manipulations, their actions shouldn't be discovered for several hours. They intended to make full use of that time to disappear, with the ultimate goal being central Kentucky. Over the previous year, both Ben and Amy had made use of many casual conversations, to slip in references to their love of California. The hope was that co-workers would remember, and any search would be focused in that direction. Ten miles down the road was a small community. That was the next step in their plan. Ben had purchased a car using his new name and identity, Nathan Knight, and stored it there. They would switch vehicles, and leave the original concealed in the storage unit. He had chosen a two-year-old silver Toyota.