Revolution (Collide, #4)(51)

"So, was she all right?"

"Oh, you know. Love lost, love scorned, love come back again. We should start a soap opera. The Bunker Diaries of the Apocalypse!"

He laughed. "Too bad there's no one to watch it."

"Yeah, too bad. So," I started, "are you leaving in the morning to search for Cain?"

"Actually…no. Daniel's already gone after him and Marissa assured me that in her vision, he finds Cain and Cain makes it home safely. So we thought it would better suit our time to try and figure out this broadcasting deal. Maybe go and take a look at the station, see what we can find."

I nodded and yawned. "Yeah."

He pulled me to spoon with his front to my back. "Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"You don't wanna…" I asked and wiggled against him with a grin.

He chuckled. "That’s not all my brain thinks about. Sometimes, I just want to hold you and know that you're safe," he squeezed me to him, "right here."

"Ok," I agreed. It was sad how tired I was and willing to give up.

He kissed the back of my neck and spoke into my ear in a soft growl, "But in the morning, all bets are off, sweetheart."

I smiled and let his warmth carry me to sleep.



After waking up to being deliciously wrapped around my husband as he promised, I had left him there, exhausted, naked and asleep in our blankets. I couldn't help but grin as I went to find Lily and get her some breakfast.

But she was already there with Calvin and Frank, munching down on some kind of granola bar that must've been in the boxes I brought.

Marissa and Jeff were reading a book and feeding each other peach slices. Danny and Celeste were playing the slap-hands game and laughing. Ryan and Ellie were studiously avoiding each other, and Miguel and Rylee were watching each other openly over a crate marked 'Guns'.

I was slightly alarmed by that, but got my breakfast and made Merrick a bowl. Just in time, too, it seemed. I felt his hands on my waist from behind me. I turned into him to thank him for…this morning, when we all stopped.

The squeal from the elevator was loud above all the other noise. Merrick shoved me behind him and motioned for Jeff to toss him a stake. Everyone got ready for a fight and waited.

The doors stopped with a thud that sounded wrong. It never made that noise when we rode it. I squeezed Merrick's arm as the doors creaked open to reveal Chesser. Chesser and a whole butt-load of people.

"Chesser?" I said and moved around Merrick. I looked at the posse gathered behind him. There were at least twenty. They looked scared, dirty and hungry.

"Hey," he smiled easily, "I assumed you took strays, otherwise…this will be awkward."

"Of course, we just…" I looked around. "I mean, it's nothing fancy."

Merrick and Jeff came to flank me. "Brother," Jeff said a man stepped forward. He was scraggily to say the last, but still managed to hug Jeff.

"Brother," the man said and then looked at Merrick. They repeated the process and then a woman came forward. Then another. At the end of introductions, there were five Keepers and only one Special. The rest were just rebels.

I pulled Chesser to the side a little to let them talk Keeper talk.

"What do you want us to do with them?"

"Just add them to the cause. Are you working on how to help us with the broadcast?"

"Yeah," I replied and smiled small. "Everybody's a little revved up about it."

"Good!" he shouted and laughed. "We'll need all hands on deck for this thing."

"I know." I nodded my head to the kitchen. "You hungry?"

"And steal the precious food you worked so hard to steal?" He grinned. "Nah, I'm good. But thanks."

"So, where did you find them?"

"They got stopped crossing the river. I was supposed to transport them to the nearest facility, but…" He shrugged. "I know things are tight here, but I didn't know where else to take them. And I'm hoping that we can get everything organized soon for the broadcast."

I nodded. "We're fine. They can stay. We'll wait to hear word from you."

"Alrighty." He touched my arm and nodded before walking to the elevator. He explained to the newbies that he was leaving them there with us, but he would see them soon. And then he was gone and the newbies and us were just staring at each other.

"Who wants some breakfast?" I ventured.

They all jumped at the chance for that and I proceeded to make a huge pot of oatmeal and even had sugar and cinnamon to add to it this time. It reminded me so much of how we used to be at the store. It reminded me of Trudy.

More rebels added to the cause. Now we just had to figure out how to get word out. We had to figure out a way to make this work.

Collision



Chapter 22


Ryan



Ellie was steering clear of the crowd that moseyed around, occupying every empty corner and cranny. To say that I hadn't noticed was a lie because I'd been watching her.

I thought to say the words out loud gave them power. We'd always been taught that. So I thought to say those awful things to her would make the power behind them ring true. I did want to go to the After. But did I actually think I was ever going to get there? I had no idea. Either way, I shouldn't have said those things to her.