Commodity by Shay Savage Page A

head.
    “And you were abducted later and nearly met the same fate in store for those girls.”
    “It didn’t happen, though.  I got away from them.”
    “That’s how I know you are strong enough to deal with all of this.  You’re going to have to be.  It’s going to get worse.”
    I roll to my back to try to see his expression, but in the dark, I can only see the outline of his face.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Think about it, Hannah.”  Falk props himself up on his elbow, and some of the light from the fire filters through the tent and creates eerie shadows on his face.  “The women and children are gone.  We know the men on the surface are all dead.  We know those people who were underground survived.  Who do you think is more likely to have been underground, men or women?”
    “Men, I suppose.”
    “You’ve become a very rare asset, Ms. Savinski.  If I’m right, and I think I am, that makes you valuable.  People act very differently when they think there is something valuable around them.”
    “What are you saying?”
    “I’m saying that we’re in a unique situation and that people do things you don’t expect them to do when they feel their survival is at stake.  Those guys out there may seem like they’re friendly, but that can change in a heartbeat.”
    “Is that why you didn’t want me to talk to them?”
    “In a sense, yes.”  Falk clears his throat.  “I don’t want you to get too friendly with them.  I don’t want you to give the impression that you are available.  At some point, someone’s going to take advantage of that.”
    I narrow my eyes as I take in what he’s saying.  I am the only woman in this group.  Chances are, we’ll find other survivors, and chances are those survivors are going to be additional men.  At some point, mob mentality takes over.
    “Like what Hudson was going to do with those girls.”
    “A lot like that, yes.”
    What exactly does that mean for me?
    I haven’t thought about the future since the day I took the information I had and sent it to the authorities.  Everything has been very moment-to-moment as I was dragged from the local police department to the prosecutor in the county courthouse to the governor’s office.  Then those people from Washington showed up, and I was further tossed back and forth as they gathered more information.
    Then the assault.
    More police.  More government officials.  I didn’t have time to think about the future or what it held for me.  After the arraignment and Hudson’s threats, I’d taken him at his word.  I didn’t expect to have a future.
    Now no one knows what the future holds, but I know one thing—I’m not going to be doing any computer work any time soon.  I also know my survival skills aren’t exactly at the same level as Falk’s.  Eventually, I’m either going to have to prove my worth in other ways, or I am going to be seen as good for only one thing.
    “I’m scared.”
    I hear Falk roll over and feel his body heat closer to my back.  A moment later, he snakes his arm around my waist.  I tense at first, but when he doesn’t move any closer—just leaves his arm there around me—I relax against the ground.  I can feel the exhaustion in my limbs creep up into my head, and I yawn.
    “Is this okay?” Falk asks quietly.  He tightens his arm around my middle.
    “Yeah, it’s okay.”
    “I know you’re scared,” he says.  “That’s one of the reasons I’m keeping you close.”
    “What are the other reasons?”  I yawn again.  I can’t keep my eyes open any longer.
    “A topic for another time.”

Chapter 6
    “If you’ll just take a look at this television.  It’s on sale right now, and I think it will be perfect for you,” the salesman says.
    “Sorry, but I’m in a rush, late for work, and my boss will kill me if I’m late again.”
    Another salesman approaches.  Then another.
    “We have fabulous sales for you.”
    “I can’t right now,