“You’ve had no military?” Wyatt asks.
“Oh we have a military. But their primary function has been to clear the surrounding area from Eaters. We’ve been busy here, pushing into the surrounding towns like Greensboro and Durham. Luckily it’s been some time since we’ve had an attack.”
“Have you made it to Raleigh?” I ask hopefully.
“Yes, they’re all mostly cleared of the infestation. Now that our own environment is under control, we hope to come to a better understanding with New Hope so we can get trade routes established.” She smiles, pointing us to a hotel not far from intake. Armed guards stand in the doorways. “That’s the plan, at least.”
“What kind of understanding?” Zoe asks.
The smile falters and Sophie’s face takes on a more guarded expression. “You would think at the end of civilization things would get less political—that we would have common goals of survival and progress.”
“They aren’t?” Mary Ellen asks. Her face betrays nothing. None of us give an inch on what we know.
“I have faith, but nothing is easy,” she says, stopping at the doorway. “I’ll set up a meeting for you all with the council. Until then you can find details about our community in your rooms. It’s only two bedrooms but the pantry is stocked. If you pass the interview we’ll give you all more permanent quarters.”
“Thank you, Sophia,” I say. “What can we expect from the interview?”
“It’s a standard process everyone must go through. Full background and any information you can share about how you got here and what you’ve seen.” She smiles. “Go rest. I suspect the council will want to speak to you soon.”
I have no doubt that’s true, but I do wonder how much they’ll actually know. Zoe and even Walker admitted we’ve gained some celebrity status. Has it come this far? If they recognize us will they know we’re wanted and on the run? Or exactly what kind of experience we have in the Death Fields? Once again I feel myself getting sucked into another powerful entities game. I glance at the ring on my finger. More and more, I just want to live my life in peace.
*
Even though it’s mid-day we use the time in our hotel room to sleep. There’s not much preparation we can do. There are guards on every hallway, the elevator and at the exits. It’s a smart move—this town seems nice. I would protect it too.
The room is more of a suite and has two bedrooms attached. I’m about to move into one with Wyatt when Mary Ellen grabs my wrist. “Will you stay with me? It doesn’t feel right sharing a bed with another man.” She swallows. “Not yet.”
I’ve noticed the dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes. She’s still mourning Finn and deeply exhausted. “Sure,” I say. “Zoe, you take the couch. Guys, the other room.”
A grimace ghosts over Wyatt’s face but he looks sympathetically at Mary Ellen and heads to the room with Jude. I crawl into the bed, dressed with my boots on. I have no idea if the sheets are really clean but my last solid sleep was in the car, so no complaints. I tuck my hatchet under the pillow and close my eyes.
“Get some rest,” I say, already half asleep.
“You too, Alex.”
I fall hard and even when I feel the shift of the bed and squeak of the bathroom door I can’t bring myself to fully wake. It’s only hours later, when the sky has grown dark that I realize Mary Ellen has left the bed and never came back. The bathroom door is closed and I spot a faint light underneath the crack.
“Hey,” I call out. I stretch my arms over my head. “Are you okay?”
There’s a long hesitation and then, “Yes.” Her voice wavers and it’s followed by the sound of her blowing her nose.
“M.E., I can’t even imagine what it’s like to lose someone like that. If I lost Wyatt…well, there were a few times I did think I lost him. I thought he was dead when Chloe locked us up. I mourned him. For months. It wasn’t easy, but if you need me I’m here. Anytime.” I lean against the door frame and push away those terrible feelings of loss. There’s no response from the other side of the door and I call out, “Mary Ellen?”
The door jerks open and I stumble forward, nearly smashing into the girl. Her face is streaked red and it’s clear she’s been crying. I reach out to give her a hug but she pushes my hands away before balling hers into tight fists.
“I have something to say,” her voice wobbles, but her chin juts in the air.
“Okay. Sure.”
“Finn and I weren’t married, you know that. But we were very much in love. I’m sure he was my soul mate.”
“He loved you so much, M.E. I’ve never seen a man look at someone with such devotion.”
She shakes her head. “We never could have been together in our old community. Never. It wouldn’t have been allowed.”
I reach for one of those balled-up fists and take it in mine. “Then I’m glad you had time together, even if it was in the middle of the freaking apocalypse. I mean, I never would have met Wyatt if this hadn’t happened. I wouldn’t know you or Jude or Paul. I’ve made some amazing friends because of this and it’s too hard to say if I’d give them up to make everything go back to normal, you know? Would I trade Wyatt for my mom?”
The thought makes me queasy.