“Welcome to Song Island. You’ll love it here,” Sienna said.
Carly sniffed Sienna. “I smell shampoo.”
“The hotel stocked up on shampoo and soap before all of this happened,” Marcus said, “so there’s plenty to go around. There are stacks and stacks of the stuff in the storage closets, and some in your rooms, I’m sure.”
“Oh, I think I’m going to love it here,” Carly said, smiling brightly at them.
Marcus led them farther up the hallway. “Let’s get you guys settled in. I know you’re all worn out just getting here.”
“How long ago did the others get here?” Lara asked.
“Al got here just two weeks ago, and Jake and Sienna were the first people who actually made it here because of the broadcast. That was about three months ago.”
Marcus finally stopped and turned around. “This is it. As far as we go. Feel free to choose any rooms you want. Most of them already have everything you’ll need — towels, blankets, et cetera — and everything else can be found in the supply closets that we passed earlier. Any questions?”
“Just one,” Danny said, way in the back.
“Yes, Danny?”
“You got hot showers here? My BO is even getting on my nerves.”
Carly sighed. “He’s not kidding.”
“Thanks, babe.”
“I got your back,” Carly smiled.
There were two nightstands, one on each side of the bed, and a big dresser across the room. Metal brackets jutted out of the wall where a flat-screen LED TV was supposed to go. A big oval mirror hung from the wall next to the bathroom.
He had to admit, even a half-finished room at the Kilbrew Hotel and Resorts looked better than anything Harold Campbell had put together in his finished facility in Starch. It was certainly a step up from the basements they had been sheltering in during the trip here.
The floor had lush carpeting and a fan dangled from the ceiling. Not that they were going to need a working fan any time soon. The room was already cold, even though he had just turned on the air conditioner a few minutes ago. The bed was a queen, with fluffy pillows and a large blanket waiting for them. There was just a bit of dust, which meant everything had been prepared days — possibly weeks — ago.
Lara made a beeline for the bathroom, rubbing slightly at her left shoulder.
“How’s the shoulder?” he asked.
“It’s itchy,” she said, making a face. “I’m doing my best not to scratch it, but it’s really hard. But you wouldn’t know anything about that, Mister I’ve-never-been-shot.”
She disappeared into the bathroom, where he heard the sink faucet turning on and the squeak of plumbing not put to use until now coming alive. Then a second later, Lara shouting, “Yes!” followed by water pouring into the sink bowl.
“Found working plumbing?” he called over.
“What was that Gaby said?” she called from the bathroom. “Hallelujah!”
Will leaned the M4A1 and Remington against a comfortable-looking armchair in a corner next to a mini-fridge. He opened the fridge out of curiosity and found it empty. The fridge wasn’t plugged in, so he plugged it in and heard the small engine start up instantly. Satisfied that the outlets were working, he pulled the plug free.
Will walked across the room to the patio window and slid it open. He stepped out into the unfinished patio — really, just a half-circular concrete shape — and the heat immediately tried to reclaim him. He squinted in the sunlight and looked to his left, where he heard another window sliding open before Danny stepped out onto his own unfinished patio.
“Nice, a room with a view,” Danny said.
They looked across at about thirty meters of empty, undeveloped land and the wall of trees sprouting up on the other side. The grass in the middle was already up to five inches in some spots.
“Too much green, though,” Danny said. “I like my view a little more blue-ish.”
“How’s the mini-fridge in your room?”
“Wanting. I did find an uneaten mint in a corner. You?”
“Someone must have stolen our mint.”
“Bummer for you.”
“So what do you think?”
“About all this paradise?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s paradise.” Danny paused, then added, “It’s damn perfect. Sandy beaches, blue water, air conditioning, and working plumbing. What’s not to like?”
“Yeah,” Will said.
They didn’t have to say anything else, because it wasn’t necessary. He knew Danny was thinking the same thing.
It’s too perfect.
“Stay frosty,” Will said.
“I’m so frosty I can barely feel my fingers,” Danny said.
Will went back into the room, sliding the patio door shut behind him and feeling the cool breeze right away, thanks to a pair of vents along the ceiling. Will stood under one of them for a moment.
Lara came out of the bathroom with a big smile, her freshly washed face still glistening. She toweled down her wet hair, and he was surprised to see her just wearing panties and a lacy white bra, gauze tape covering up part of her left arm. “Bathroom definitely works. Haven’t used the shower yet, but it looks like it works, too. Won’t that be something? Two showers a day? How long has it been since we had working plumbing?”
“Since we left the facility.”
“It feels longer.” She walked over to the bed and sat down. “I’m going to need to change my bandages. You’re going to have to help.”
“Sure.”
“This place…” She ran the towel over her wet hair. “It’s safe, right? They’ve been here for eight months, and the ghouls haven’t attacked. They were right. It really is the sanctuary they promised.”
“It sounds that way.”
“But you don’t really believe it yet. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst?”
“Yeah.”
“Eight months, Will,” she said. “Eight months. And you saw how everyone is. They’re not afraid. I’ve seen fear, and these people…they don’t look afraid. At all.”
He nodded. Will didn’t take his eyes off her. The way her hair fell over her shoulders and the soft blue flicker of her eyes when she moved her head. He had never seen her happier, and he wanted desperately to keep her this way.
“What?” she said, finally looking over at him.
“Hmm?”
“You’re staring.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“I’m just reminded of how beautiful you are.”
“I’m already out of my pants, mister. You don’t have to work that hard.”
He smiled, and she returned it.
Lara put the towel down and leaned back suggestively on the bed. “Come here,” she said, patting the bed next to her. “Come to momma.”
“Sexy.”
She laughed. “Oh, shut up and get over here.”
“What about your arm?”
“I only need one good arm. Now come here before I change my mind and go take a nice, hot shower instead.”
He went.
CHAPTER 24
BLAINE
It was around five o’clock, with nightfall about three hours away, when they finished eating in the food court. Mason and Gerry were gone, checking on noises they had heard coming from the south side of the city. They kept in radio contact, but it would be a while before the two returned, even using a couple of ATVs. Lenny, the only one left at the mall who they had to worry about, was doing his rounds outside, something he did every day before nightfall, according to Maddie.
That left Blaine and Sandra time to talk to Maddie and Bobby in the Sortys employee lounge. Or just Maddie, since Bobby couldn’t say a word and stood guard at the door, looking over at them occasionally.