6
A family was waiting for Annaliese and her team in a conference room with a perfect view of Reader IV.
A Latino family. They sat at the table nervously, as if they had seen the weight of a hard life and were waiting for more trouble to come their way.
The family elder was a late middle-aged man in a wheelchair. He wore a cowboy hat, a denim shirt and a string tie. He had a bushy mustache and his cheeks were beginning to wrinkle. Despite the serious look on his face, he had a warm air about him. A blanket rested on his lap.
“Benito,” Annaliese said, moving around the table to shake the man’s hand. He shook it reluctantly. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I’m surprised you’re here. We didn’t see any ships in the airlock.”
“Can never be too cautious,” Benito said. “I had
