In a moment, Marlow barks, “Yeah?”
“Dude, I need a phone, I need to—”
“Droga and Callie came back.”
“What?” I almost choke on my words.
“They turned around and came back to the island. I’ll see you in a few.”
He hangs up, and I pace around the bungalow for another twenty minutes until he shows up.
With his blue eyes, a man bun, and his gorgeous body, he would’ve looked killer in a slick suit. But the richest guys who reside on this island don’t bother with fashion much. He is wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans, managing to look hot as hell, the tiger tattoo on his arm the most elaborate decoration.
If only I were into nice guys. But no, my eyes are set on the asshole who just so happens to be my boss as of today.
“Spill,” I tell him.
Marlow flings himself onto the couch and rubs his face with both hands.
“This morning, Archer let Kai and Callie go on the boat to the mainland.” I know that—the news already raised my eyebrows more than once. “But they turned around and came back. And they are on their way to the Eastside.”
I’ll be damned. Did they lose their brains in the ocean?
“They decided to stay on the Eastside like survivalists?” I smirk, crossing my arms at my chest and leaning against the wall. “So, there will be more soap opera drama?”
“Hopefully not. Apparently, it’s a truce.”
“Archer knows such a thing?”
To be fair, that’s what I have with him after he blew my cover. But his war with Kai Droga dates back to before the Change. And it got resolved this morning—Zion is just full of surprises, if not miracles.
“Yeah,” Marlow says and grins.
“Oh, I see. You are happy as a puppy because now you can visit your buddy, Ty, and others without sneaking behind Archer’s back.”
He blows out a long breath and rubs his face. “Kat, you have no idea what the last two years were like.”
Somehow, in just several days, Marlow has become my closest friend on Zion. He is so easy to get along with. Good-hearted. Fun. I’ll get him to show me around Ayana maybe as soon as tonight. I always get along better with guys. There’s no silly drama with them or rivalry or jealousy. And the fact that we can shoot the shit in Russian is a plus.
“So this is the first gadget,” he says, digging into his pocket and tossing a cellphone to me that I catch and stare at like a kid who got a Christmas present.
I haven’t touched a cellphone since I left the mainland. Zion uses the StingRay-type technology to create its own network using the local cell tower. The phone is on, and I open the phonebook, grinning like a fool.
“It has the main directory,” Marlow explains. “Guest services, the Center directory, Lab, Surveillance, all the restaurants, medical staff. Port Mrei’s directory should you need something there, though I hope you don’t. Plus Archer’s number, mine, and Droga’s.”
My eyes snap at him in surprise.
“Kai got a phone? Since when?”
“Since an hour ago.” Marlow wiggles his brows.
“Can I call the mainland?”
Marlow shakes his head with a snort. “That’s a no. Until you get clearance from Archer.”
I see.
“Also, there is no camera. Only spring-breakers and those who have clearance have those.”