“Welcome to Bramble,” he says when he notices me among the group. “First time, right?”
I nod.
Adrienne quickly briefs him. “The meeting is at midnight, but we don’t have the grids yet.”
He rolls his eyes. “Somebody’s paranoid.”
“Indeed. It appears the General doesn’t trust us,” she says with a wry smile. “The grids will be transmitted over an encrypted channel two hours before the meet.”
I was told this earlier, and I don’t enjoy hearing it the second time around. I understand Travis’s reasoning for not transmitting the coordinates yet. We can’t ambush him if we don’t know where we’re meeting him. But that meanswemight be walking into an ambush.
I glance at Adrienne. “Do I have time for a tour? I’m dying to see what this base looks like.”
“Sure, but keep your comm on.”
“I’ll take you,” Declan offers.
As the others disappear into what looks like a common area with tables and coffee machines, I follow Declan down the hall instead, guided by the hum of the overhead fluorescent lights.
Our first stop is the dormitories, which are more functional than comfortable, maximizing the space with bunks rather than single beds. Declan tells me there’s a wing of private rooms for the base leaders, including him. They have enough food stored to last years, water tanks and purification systems, and a small hydroponic system that lets them grow fresh produce in the bunker itself.
He shows me several recreation rooms and a small gym. There’s truly no reason for anyone to ever leave this base, unless they’re fans of the sun. Yet even that isn’t a detriment; Declan explains that everyone at Bramble takes vitamins and supplements that help with the lack of natural light.
I feel like we’ve walked over a mile by the time I say, “Should we head back to the briefing room?”
“There’s nothing to brief about. Options are limited until the grids arrive.”
“True.”
“Do you want to see the medical bay?” He nods at the end of the hallway. “Fiona’s there, with her daughter.”
“Poppy?” I say in surprise. “What is she doing here?”
I wonder how on earth she convinced Fiona to let her come along. Last I heard, Fiona was threatening to chain her to the mountain before allowing her to leave the Dagger.
“I don’t know, but they arrived together.”
He pushes open the door and I’m instantly hit with the strong scent of antiseptic. The medical bay is a large room filled with single cots separated by light-blue curtains and equipment lining the walls. Only a few of the cots are occupied, but none of the people appear seriously injured. Fiona stands by a bed in the back of the room, talking to a prone older man who looks to be in his eighties.
“Wren!”
I glance over and there’s Poppy. Her blond braid swings over her shoulder as she walks toward me.
I raise an eyebrow at her. “How did you manage this leisure pass?”
She bites her lip sheepishly. “I may have, you know, thrown a tantrum.”
I swallow a laugh. “Really.”
“Yeah. I’m so tired of being stuck on the mountain all the time.”
“I don’t blame you. There’s only so many rounds of clash poker you can play.”
“Exactly.”
I feel like I’m being watched, and I look over to find Fiona staring at me and Poppy. Her gaze is sharp. Wary. I give a small smile and a wave, but although she nods in greeting, her lips tighten, nothing but quiet disapproval in her expression.
“She really doesn’t like me,” I remark, trying not to grin.
