Chương 126

The suite was two floors below the director's office, behind a pair of double doors at the end of a corridor. No guard stood outside the door. That was the first thing Louis noticed. The woman who brought them there opened the doors with a keycard, stepped aside, and said, "Director Calloway asks that you make yourselves comfortable. Food service is available on the tablet on the dining table. If you need anything not listed there, please use the room phone." Louis looked past her into the suite.

The room beyond the doors was large and clean. A short entry hall opened into a living room with imported furniture, gray leather sofas, a low stone table, and a thick rug that muffled their steps. Floor-to-ceiling windows ran along the far wall. The woman in the suit looked at Louis.

"The director expects negotiations to conclude quickly. Until then, this floor is reserved for you. We will call if anything changes." She handed him a keycard.

"For the door."

"Thank you," Louis said.

"How generous," Gladice said. She walked into the room. The others followed. The woman gave a small nod.

"Then I'll leave you to rest." She stepped back and closed the doors. The lock clicked once, but when Louis tried the handle, the door opened. He let it close again and stood with his hand on the keycard. Gladice went to the bar and opened one of the cabinets.

"There's whiskey here," she said.

"Of course there is." Willa set her bag on a side table and looked into the dining room. A long polished table had been set with water glasses and folded napkins. A tablet lay near the head of the table. She picked it up and tapped it awake.

"Room service menu." She raised an eyebrow.

"They're not joking." Louis put the keycard in his pocket and looked at Savannah. She had moved toward the windows and was looking over the city. He went to her.

"Savannah?" She looked at him.

"This is not where I expected to end up today."

"Me either." He glanced out the window. The city moved below them.

"At least we are alive." She gave a short laugh.

"For now. And we are locked in a luxury prison."

"My father won't keep us here long." He hesitated.

"How are you holding up?" She looked at him, then away.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." He turned to Donya.

"Can you see if there's a first-aid kit?" Donya sat up.

"Yeah. There might be one in the bathroom."

"Thanks." Louis looked back at Savannah.

"Let me see your wrist." She hesitated, then held out her arm. The bandage was dirty. Blood had seeped through at one edge. He loosened it carefully. The cut beneath was shallow, but the skin around it was swollen and raw. Savannah watched him without speaking. Donya came back from the bathroom with a white plastic box. She set it on the side table and opened it.

"Sit." She pointed to the sofa. Savannah sat. Donya took over with the first-aid kit. Louis moved to Angelique, who was still walking the perimeter of the room.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"Bugs." Angelique opened a drawer in the sideboard, then closed it.

"Are you finding any?"

"Not yet. But they wouldn't make it easy." She ran her fingers along the top of a picture frame, then moved to the bookshelf.

"We assume everything is being recorded unless we find proof otherwise." Gladice came over from the bar with a bottle of whiskey and one glass.

"They're not going to waste high-end gear on this."

"Maybe not," Angelique said.

"But I am not taking chances." Cherish had put her bag down on the floor. She stood in the middle of the room, not moving. Willa touched her shoulder.

"Come on. Let's check the bedrooms." Cherish went with her. They disappeared through a door into a hallway. Louis watched them until they were out of sight. Angelique closed the last cabinet and straightened up.

"This place is clean enough. If there's something, it's hidden too well for me to find without tools."

"Good." Louis nodded.

"Thank you." She looked at him.

"You think your father will pay what they're asking?" Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"I don't know." He kept his voice low.

"He's practical. If the price is worth the service, he'll pay."

"And the diplomatic recognition?"

"That's trickier," Louis said.

"It depends on what he values more right now: the Authority or his relationship with Virginia." Angelique considered that.

"Calloway is ambitious. He wants legitimacy."

"Obviously." Only then did Louis feel how tired he was.

"We should rest. I haven't slept for two days."

"Me neither." Angelique looked at him for a moment.

"But don't expect this to be over soon. Even if your father agrees, it will take time to organize the escort."

"True." He sighed.

"At least we have a place to sleep. And food." She gave a small smile.

"That is more than we had this morning." He touched her arm.

"Go take a shower. I'll check on the others." She nodded and went toward the bathroom. Gladice poured whiskey into the glass and sat on the sofa. Donya was finishing with Savannah's wrist. She wrapped a fresh bandage around it with quick motions. Savannah watched without speaking.

"Better?" Louis asked her.

"Better," Savannah said.

"But I'm still angry."

"Good." He sat on the arm of the sofa.

"Stay angry until we're out."

"That's the plan." She flexed her fingers carefully, testing the bandage. Gladice handed the whiskey to Louis.

"Drink this." He took it and sipped. The whiskey was better than he expected. He handed it back.

"How are you?" Gladice shrugged.

"Alive. But I don't like being a guest in this kind of hotel." Donya put the first-aid kit away and stood.

"I'm going to shower too." Louis nodded. She went toward one of the bathrooms. He looked at Savannah and Gladice.

"Cherish is probably scared," he said. Gladice said nothing. Savannah nodded once.

"She is tougher than she looks."

"Still. She's never been this far from home." Louis stood.

"I'm going to check on her."

"Good idea." Gladice leaned back on the sofa and turned on the TV.

"At least they have channels." Louis walked to the bedroom door and knocked. Willa opened it. Cherish sat on the edge of a bed, her bag open beside her and her Bible in her lap. Willa stepped aside to let him in.

"How are you doing?" he asked. Cherish looked up at him. Her eyes were red-rimmed.

"I am okay."

"You don't have to pretend." She swallowed.

"I miss my parents."

"I know." She looked down at the Bible.

"I prayed this morning that God would keep them safe." He sat on the bed across from her.

"I'm sorry you had to leave them." She shook her head.

"It was God's will. I know that. But it hurts."

"I understand."

"Do you think they will be all right?" Louis thought of Nicholas, of Rita's hands on Cherish's shoulders, and of the snake-handlers rising in the church. He said, "They are strong. And they believe in what they are doing." Cherish nodded.

"Yes. They do." She looked at the Bible again.

"I just wish I could have stayed."

"Maybe one day you can go back." He said it without knowing if it was true. She looked at him.

"Do you think so?"

"If the world changes." She gave a small smile.

"I'll pray for that too."

"Good." He stood.

"We are safe here for now. Let's order something to eat and get some sleep."

"Okay." She closed the Bible and set it on the nightstand.

"Thank you for bringing me, Louis." Louis did not answer at once.

"You're welcome, Cherish." Willa brought the tablet.

"Food menu," she said.

"Anything look good?" Cherish glanced at it.

"I'll take whatever you take." Willa smiled.

"That's going to be a lot of eggs." He left the room with Willa. In the living room, Gladice was watching a news channel that showed satellite footage of strikes hitting the Holy States. Savannah sat beside her and watched the screen without speaking.

"Anything new?" Louis asked. Gladice said, "The Dixies are getting bombed to hell. First good news all day." Savannah nodded once.

"I hope it hurts." Louis watched the screen for a moment. Smoke rose in columns from points he could not name. He felt no satisfaction. Only distance. He looked away and turned back to the tablet.

"They even have chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream," Willa said.

"Order it," Savannah said.

"We deserve something." Willa tapped selections into the tablet. Louis sat on the sofa beside Savannah.

"Maybe we should get drunk," Gladice said.

"It might make the time go faster."

"Maybe." Louis leaned back.

"But I need a clear head." Savannah gave a short laugh.

"You been clear-headed for two days. How's it working?"

"Terribly." He smiled. She looked at him.

"You know something? I liked you better when you were shooting people." He laughed.

"Noted." Gladice glanced at him.

"Since when are you two flirting?"

"Since we almost died together," Savannah said without looking away from the TV.

"Ah," Gladice said. She poured herself another drink.

"Makes sense." Louis stood and moved to Gladice's side.

"Are you sharing that?" She gave her glass to him.

"Why not." He sipped the whiskey and passed it back. The whiskey burned, and he liked it. He leaned his head against her shoulder.

"This is too normal." Gladice wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close.

"Enjoy it while it lasts."

"What happened yesterday after I left with Nicholas?" He asked. Gladice squeezed his shoulder.

"We stayed inside and worried. Then we decided to find you with the map and satellite image." She chuckled.

"We argued about which building you were in. I told them it was the cooperative office, not the school." She took a sip of whiskey.

"I was right."

"I'm glad you were," he said.

"So you and Savannah just decided to drive through checkpoints to rescue me?"

"It was my idea," Savannah said.

"But we wouldn't have made it through without Cherish." Gladice nodded.

"She drove us through the back roads and dropped us off a mile from the office." She looked at him.

"You should have seen her."

"Yeah, I owe you all a lot." He leaned on Gladice.

"How did you escape, Gladie?" She glanced at Savannah.

"She covered me when the patrol showed up and got herself captured. I ran and hid in a barn. Then I stole a tractor." Louis laughed.

"A tractor?"

"It was the only thing with keys in it." She smiled.

"Anyway, I got back to the farm and told the others." She raised her glass to Savannah.

"Cheers to you, hero." Savannah smiled, but her eyes stayed on the TV screen.

"I just did what I had to do."

"Still." Louis looked at her.

"Thank you all for coming for me. That means a lot."

"We're family now, Louis," Willa said.

"That's what families do."

"Come here," Louis said. Willa came and sat on his lap. He put his arms around her waist and held her. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He kissed her hair.

"I was so scared," she whispered.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. It's this world." She took a deep breath.

"I'm glad you're back."

"Me too." He held her tighter. Savannah glanced at them, then looked back at the screen. Louis extended his arm.

"Savannah." She hesitated, then shifted closer until her shoulder brushed his. He put an arm around her too. She was tense at first, then she relaxed against him. Gladice leaned into him from the other side.

"Well," Gladice said.

"This is cozy." Louis smiled.

"It is." Willa stood up.

"I'm going to check on Cherish."

"Good." Louis let her go. He leaned back against the sofa and watched the news without paying attention. For the first time since the militia took him, he let his guard drop. The TV kept playing. The others talked in low voices. He did not listen to the words. He was too tired to stay alert. He closed his eyes and drifted.