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“Still an asshole?”
Stabbing at his eggs, Arthur glowered in her direction.
“Arthur, you agreed—” Simone started.
“What are you going to do?” Arthur cut in. “Knock me out again?”
Minji could feel Arthur’s eyes on her as she scooted out a chair and sat Ava in it before taking one herself.
“It was a lot more peaceful, that’s for damn sure,” Jesse muttered. There were dark circles under his eyes and his braid was a little ragged.
“Why am I the only one asking the important questions?” Arthur sat back in his chair and regarded his companions with disbelief. “Why is she immune? Completely immune?”
Bailey bestowed Arthur with a non-too-subtle stink-eye as Minji handed her the fresh bottle Jesse had prepared. The baby popped the nipple into her mouth, but kept her dark look squarely on Arthur.
“How do you know she is?”
The people at the table started and glanced toward the doorway. Alec entered the room, yawning loudly and rubbing his neck with one hand. Leaning heavily on a black cane, he limped to the table and settled into the chair between Minji and Jesse.
“Well, she moved away from us while we were affected, so she appeared to vanish from our point of view when we came to.” Simone sipped her coffee, scrutinizing Alec over the rim. “I’m Simone Avery. And you are?”
“Alec Markham. You can call me Alec. As for your observation, perhaps she just came out of it faster.” Alec served himself a large heap of eggs. “Did you think of that?”
“No, I did not.” Simone primly set her cup aside, the thunk of it settling on the table a little too loud.
Annoyed by the tension in the room, Minji helped herself to some toast and eggs and resolved to keep quiet for the time being. If she ascertained exactly everyone’s viewpoint on their circumstances, she could formulate a response. The group could bicker all they wanted, but in the end it was Minji who had the most weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Should another attack happen during their evacuation, she was the only one who could make sure the group remained safe. In spite of what Alec said, she had no doubts she was fully immune. Beyond that truth, she was certain that something was watching her through Ava’s eyes. How she was going to actually communicate with that entity and convince it to let go of Ava and the others wasn’t clear, but Minji was determined to find a solution.
“I’m Arthur Freestone, by the way. I’m glad someone responded to my call for help.”
Alec started to eat and didn’t answer.
“You did come here to help us, right?” Simone’s words were hesitant, almost as if she was afraid to hear the answer.
“I came for medical attention,” Alec responded. “I had an accident. I knew about this place because of Arthur’s call to the news, so I walked here after I extracted myself from the car. Once I got to The Strip, I looked for a medical building with the lights still on.”
“But you know where to take us, right? Where we’ll be safe? Where they are working on a cure?” Arthur’s words rushed out, rising in pitch.
Alec shook his head.
“How can you not know? You’re in the military!” Arthur incredulously stared at Alec.
“I’m a retired staff sergeant. My leg was shattered in Iraq and I spent the rest of my service as a recruiter for the Army. Why do you think I’d have the lowdown on what’s going on?” Alec wore an amused smile upon his lips.
“Because you’d call in as soon as you realized you were immune,” Minji answered. “And they would have reactivated you and given you orders.”
Setting an elbow on the table, Alec swiveled toward Minji to gaze at her with surprise. “Why’d you think that?”
“My brother was in the Air Force.”
“In North Korea?” Arthur gave her a pointed glare.
“In the United States Air Force, asshole.”
“Americans do come in every color, Arthur,” Simone snapped. “I’m getting tired of your racist bullshit.”
“I have great sympathy for your people having been slaves and all,” Arthur protested. “I’m not racist!”
“My family emigrated from Somalia in the sixties,” Simone replied.
