“Me, too!” Margie leaped onto Jason. He laughed as he hugged the younger kids.
Juan took a step back, feeling tears threatening. Jason was his son. He loved him fiercely. He could not love him more if he had fathered him.
The pride he felt in him was overwhelming and he fought for control.
Leaning over, Jason kissed the sleeping old woman that was his adopted great-grandmother, then strode away.
“He’s a good boy,” Rosie whispered.
“So am I!” Troy leaped into her arms to hug her.
Rosie laughed and hugged the little boy tightly. “Yes you are. Now kiss your Daddy One. ”
Juan could feel his control slipping, but he managed to not cry as the three kids kissed him and hugged him tight.
“Go kill the zombies,” Margie ordered.
“I will,” Juan promised.
“Shoot dem in da head,” Holly instructed.
“I will,” Juan answered.
“In da head,” Troy repeated.
“In the head,” Juan assured him.
Then he was walking away, his heart in his throat and his head spinning.
There was just no way about it. His children would not die today. They would not. There was simply no other choice but to win.
* * * * * Kevin and Nerit stepped into the elevator and the doors closed behind them.
“Here,” Kevin said softly, pressing a tiny metal box into her hand.
“The detonator?”
“I have one, too. ”
“We won’t use them,” Nerit assured him. “We’ll win. ”
“But just in case. ”
“Of course. ”
Kevin shifted on his feet and looked at her steadily. “I want to say something. It’s something I wanted to say since you woke up. ”
“I already know. You don’t have to say it,” Nerit responded quickly.
“Arnold once called you the sexiest old woman around, you know. ” Kevin said bashfully.
Nerit rolled her eyes, but looked amused.
“I think he was right. ” Kevin drew closer to her. “Nerit. . . ”
“You deserve the right to find a new family. To rebuild just like everyone else once this is over. I can’t give you that. ”
“But you feel it, too. If we were closer in age and met-”