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“Just how far past done did you push yourself today?”I asked.
He finished his bite and focused on me.
“Do you trust Patrick?”he asked.
“I trust that we have the same goals.”
“What goals are those?”
“To bring you to the leaders and the scientists so you can help us find a solution for stopping the infection.Why are you asking?”
“If you trust that he means to return to those leaders, then you need to question his ability to read a map.He wasted too many hours driving south, only to drive north again.West to drive east.We’ve made very little progress from our original location.Fifteen miles at most.”
“Patrick knows how to read a map.He keeps an eye on the roads ahead and reroutes us around any trouble and cities.Even the smaller towns give us trouble.Each day, there are more infected in the outlying areas.We were lucky to only hit one roadblock today.”
Molev grunted and resumed eating.
“Ask him about tomorrow’s route before we leave,” I suggested.“He’ll show you.It took us three weeks to reach Parsons.Granted, we stayed at a few bases for a full twenty-four hours so everyone could rest, and there were a few bases we helped along the way, too.But still, it took a lot longer than it would have before the quakes.”
“What do you mean you helped bases?”
“Bases like Vance are struggling to maintain the number of personnel needed to operate.We ran across one that needed some extra support clearing out some infected so they could evacuate.We lost a four-man team there but saved twenty who probably would have eventually died.”
Molev finished his second meal and poured himself some more water.
“How much sleep do you need every day?”I asked.
“You’re concerned for me?”
“Yes, Molev.Please take better care of yourself.We need you.”
He looked down at his hands for a moment then moved over and lay down.Turning his head to watch me, he patted the empty space beside him.
“I told them to stay away.You’ll be safe without me crowding your space.”
“Words and a towel will not protect me from Roni’s quick hands.You will.”
I chuckled and got up to join him, lying on my back this time so I could look at him.
“I told her to ease up, but she liked what she saw that morning you flew out of bed naked.”
“Liking the way someone looks does not entitle a person to their time or attention.”
“You’re absolutely right.Now, close your pretty eyes and get some sleep.”
His mouth did that corner twitch again, and he closed his eyes.
“Thank you for caring, Andie.Not many would.”
I felt a little tug in my middle at that, and I imagined the life—or ratherlives—he had up until then.How lonely he had been.It was stupid of me to feel sorry for him.Stupid to care in any way.Yet, if I couldn’t care about him, the person who could potentially save us all, who else should I care about?
Rolling toward him, I moved closer and closed my eyes.I wasn’t sure he’d want any form of comfort from me, not that I was great at giving it.A hug for hurt feelings and a kiss near a scrape I could manage.But how did a person comfort someone who’d been alone his whole life?Someone who probably had no standards for appropriate social interaction.
Well, he knew enough to understand that Roni groping him under his towel hadn’t been right.
While I was still debating what to do, the weight of his arm settled across my waist.I slipped my arm over his in return.He tensed, and I almost smiled.
“Relax, Molev.Your virtue is safe with me.”
