“Can you tell me more about the infected who seemed to be coordinating everything?” Matt asked, going back to what I’d explained.
“Not really,” Adam said. “His eyes, like his partner’s, weren’t the normal milky white. They had a hint of red. And he was smart enough to act stupid and bait a trap. What June didn’t get to was the part where we received a message. The western barrier has fallen. The sender said it needed to reach the east coast.”
Matt frowned and asked, “What does that mean?”
“No idea,” Adam said. “I can’t even tell you where it originated. We stopped sharing locations when people started killing each other for the supplies some of us were smart enough to stockpile.”
Matt nodded.
“The world’s a changed place and not for the better. But I haven’t lost hope yet that we can turn it around. If we want.”
He stood and moved to the door.
“I’m grateful you’re both alive. Each one of us matters. I’ll have someone bring over your share of the supplies. I am sorry.”
He let himself out, and Adam swore.
“A share of our own damn supplies.”
“I’m sorry, Adam. I didn’t have much choice. We needed the help.”
He changed his hold on me, hugging me close.
“I’m not mad at you. They took advantage.” A shiver stole through him. “Let’s check out what we traded the bunker and supplies for.”
Several hours later, Adam was swearing again. We had a wood stove, but no wood. There were solar panels, but they barely had enough juice to keep the appliances going. He unplugged the ones we weren’t using and vented that these people were stupid enough to waste energy on running a refrigerator that didn’t have anything in it to cool.
Our supply box consisted of a cup of dried beans, a box of dehydrated potatoes, and a can of corn. Adam was dangerously quiet as we ate the potatoes and corn and soaked the beans for breakfast.
“We’ll pull through,” I said. “We always do.”
He kissed my temple, apologizing for being an ass.
“You’re right. We will pull through. The rules have changed, and we have a lot to learn. Especially about the fey.”
I knew what he was thinking without having to ask. He wanted to get to know the fey better to see what type of people they were. Sure, the fey had the strength we lacked, but a person’s character mattered to Adam. He’d want to know they were willing to work hard to survive. He didn’t have any use for people too lazy or full of excuses to help themselves.
Adam was a team player and had already discounted the residents of Tenacity. But he’d hold out hope for the fey. If they disappointed him too, I wondered how long it would take before Adam talked about going back to the bunker.
Worried about what would happen to us both then, I curled up against him and let him hold me until we fell asleep.
* * *
“June, I made you breakfast.”
I peeled open my eyes and gave Adam a sleepy smile.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he said softly.
Groaning, I rolled away from him.
“Don’t make fun of my bed head.”
“It’s part of your charm. Get up. We have work to do today. It’s going to be a long day if we want to eat again.”
Accepting the proffered cup of beans, I sat up and started spooning them into my mouth. When Adam was driven, it meant there was a time crunch. He proved me right by tossing my freshly laundered clothes on the bed.
“What are we doing today?” I asked.