Children Of The Mountain (Book 2): The Devil You Know (9 page)

‘Eden? I’m not sure I’m familiar with it.’ She looks at me, and again I get the feeling that I’m being assessed, evaluated. ‘Well, wherever it is it looks like they were feeding you there. Whatever made you want to leave?’

‘We didn’t care for the way the place was being run.’

Dr. Gilbey looks over at Mags as she says this and then simply says
I see
, although I don’t know how she can.

‘And who’s in charge there?’

I hesitate, looking across at Mags again. I wasn’t going to mention Kane, but Dr. Gilbey’s reaction to his name earlier seemed genuine. I guess Mags must think the same because she nods.

‘President Kane is the person in charge of Eden.’

Dr. Gilbey’s eyes widen and she stares at us for a long moment. The wind suddenly picks up, howling through the terrace outside. And then the shrouded silence of the Colonial Lounge settles around us again like fresh snow, the only sound the occasional flicker and buzz of the emergency lights. Finally Dr. Gilbey seems to regain her composure. She reaches for the teapot and starts to pour herself another cup of tea. But as she does so I can see the hand that lifts the pot is shaking.

‘So Kane is still alive. You must tell me everything.’

I explain how we came to be at the White House on the Last Day, and how we fled in helicopters with Kane when the bombs started to fall. For the most part she just sits and listens, every now and then raising the cup from its saucer to take a sip, but I notice her leaning forward in her seat at the mention of Miss Kimble and our class of first graders. I finish by telling her about Kane’s plans for us. I confine the details of our escape to just Mags and me, so she won’t wonder where the rest of the Juvies might be hiding out. When I’m done she stares at me for a long moment.

‘What an adventure you’ve both had. And you say there are more of you, in this place you call Eden? How many?’

‘There were thirty of us in Miss Kimble’s class. Kane exiled Lena and she died outside in the cold.’

‘And you two managed to escape. How brave. But twenty-seven others remain. Twenty-seven children. Why how awful.’

Her interest seems genuine, but somehow the last sentence seems like an afterthought, as though something else is preoccupying her.

‘And tell me dear, how did you know to come here?’

I explain how Marv told me about it. I don’t mention that he gave me a map to other places like The Greenbrier, and Benjamin’s codes to get us into each of them.

‘I see. And this Marvin, did he tell anyone else about The Greenbrier? Is there any chance others will know to come here too?’

I shake my head, no. ‘Marv’s dead. He only told me about it.’

‘What a pity.’ She takes another sip from her tea. ‘And what do you plan to do now?’

I hesitate. The truth is I don’t know. I can’t see there’s much for us here; the soldiers barely seem to have enough supplies for themselves. But we need to do something about Peck; if we just return to Mount Weather we’ll be no better off than when we left. An idea’s coming to me but I’ll need to discuss it with Mags first. She seems to have already made up her mind, however.

‘We’ll be moving on. It seems like you’ve already got enough mouths to feed here.’

Dr. Gilbey glances over as she says this, and for an instant I think the eyes behind the thin metal glasses narrow, but it’s so brief that later I convince myself I’ve imagined it. When she looks back at me she’s doing her version of smiling again.

‘Well you must do as you see fit, of course. Surely there’s no need to rush to a decision, however. Supplies are certainly tight, but it’s been years since we’ve had visitors; it would be a shame to see you leave so soon.’ She raises the cup to her lips again. ‘And tell me, where will you go?’

‘I guess we’ll keep heading south, see if we can find any other places like this, where there might be more survivors.’

She pauses, as if considering something, and then turns to me.

‘Gabriel, maybe you could speak with the Sergeant. I believe he’s scouted most of the area around here. You might be able to ask him what he’s found.’

‘Do you know if he ever made it to a place called Fearrington?’

Fearrington’s the next facility marked on Marv’s map. It’s all the way down in North Carolina, more than two hundred and fifty miles from where we are now. We don’t have supplies to make it there and back on this trip, but if I can find out something about it maybe our visit to The Greenbrier won’t have been wasted.

‘Is that one of the places your friend Marvin told you about?’

I nod. She pauses, as if she’s considering it.

‘I’m not sure. It certainly rings a bell, but then the Sergeant has been to a lot of places. I’m sure if he can help you he will.’ She brings her hands together, like she’s reached a decision. ‘Well, it’s getting late and you’ve had a long journey. You must both be simply exhausted. Rooms have been prepared for you in the hotel.’

‘You don’t all live in the bunker?’

Dr. Gilbey looks over at Mags again.

‘No, dear, the bunker is strictly off limits; I need it for my work. Besides, the rooms up here are so much nicer than the dormitories down there.’

‘Hicks said you were working on a cure for the virus.’

‘Yes, dear, I have been since before we arrived here. But I really think that’s enough questions for now. Magdalene, you’ll be sleeping over by the North Entrance. And Gabriel, we’ve got a room for you with the other men near the front of the house.’

My disappointment at these arrangements must show, because Dr. Gilbey looks at me over the top of her glasses.

‘Now, Gabriel, whatever relationship you and Magdalene might be having I’d suggest you take care not to flaunt it while you’re here. The men haven’t seen a woman other than me in a very long time. I will speak to them of course, but I think it’s wise that we put Magdalene in a part of the hotel that is uninhabited. I hope it’s an unnecessary precaution but…’

She spreads her hands, leaving the sentence unfinished. Maybe she has a point. I’ve sort of gotten used to Jax’s staring, but I remember how Boots had looked at us as we climbed the steps to the organ balcony in the church in Covington.

She turns her head again and calls for Hicks. A second later the door opens and he steps in.

‘Ah, yes, Sergeant, will you show Gabriel and Magdalene to their rooms? And have Corporal Truckle assemble the men.’

*

W
E FOLLOW
H
ICKS
down the corridor back towards the entrance. It’s colder now than it was earlier, but he still isn’t feeling the need for a parka. When we get to the lobby he tells us to wait. Outside the wind occasionally gusts against the doors and from somewhere below us I can hear the drone of the generator, but otherwise The Greenbrier’s quiet. Mags hugs her arms to her side and stomps her feet on the marble. I take a step towards her meaning to wrap my arms around her but then stop myself. Hicks will be back in a minute and I’m mindful now of what Dr. Gilbey said about how we should act around the soldiers.

Hicks returns a few minutes later carrying a flashlight and we set off across the checkerboard marble, this time in the opposite direction to the dining room Boots brought us to earlier. We climb a wide staircase, the thick carpet muffling the sound of our footsteps. None of the emergency lamps are on up here, but there’s just enough light from the lobby below to make out a landing. Long hallways stretch off into darkness in both directions. Hicks chooses one and we follow him down it past rows of numbered doors. The inky blackness quickly wraps itself around us; we’ve barely gone a dozen paces and already I’m no longer able to see a thing. The flashlight was still in his hand coming up the stairs but it’s like he’s forgotten he has it, and the wind-up I normally carry’s downstairs in my backpack. I feel Mags slip her hand into mine.

‘How many rooms are there?’

There’s a pause then Hicks’ response comes back from somewhere in front of me.

‘More than seven hundred, all told.’

There’s no more to his answer, and we go back to walking in silence. I resist the urge to reach out with my free hand for the wall I know must be there. Instead I strain for the sound of his footfalls ahead.

We continue on for what seems like a long time. We’re mostly heading in the same direction but occasionally we round a corner, or climb or descend a flight of stairs. Hicks must know where he’s going but this place is like a labyrinth; it’d be easy to lose your way in the darkness. After the first turn I start to count our steps, just like I used to do in the tunnel in Eden.

At last I see something that might be the faintest sliver of light, and in front of me Hicks’ outline once again separates itself from the darkness. As we get closer I can see it’s coming from underneath a door. Hicks stops when he gets to it and reaches for the handle. We follow him into a large room. A fire burns in the fireplace and someone’s pulled the dustsheets off the furniture. A large four-poster bed sits against one wall.

Hicks turns to face us.

‘I expect you two’ll have things to talk about.’ He hands me the flashlight. ‘Your room’s on the first floor above the lobby, at the top of the stairs. Reckon you can find your way back?’

I nod.

‘Good. Don’t be long now; I’ll be listening for you.’

He turns to leave.

‘Sergeant Hicks?’

He stops, one hand resting on the door handle.

‘Dr. Gilbey said you had been south of here.’

I think I see his jaw shift from side to side but he makes to move to turn around. The light from the fire catches the ridges on the puckered scar tissue that runs down one side of his neck.

‘That’s right.’

‘She said you might be able to tell us whether there’s anything there. You know, anywhere like this, where there might be other survivors.’

He turns around and squints back at me for a long moment. There’s an expression on his face I can’t read.

‘She did, did she?’

I nod.

‘It’s getting late. You can ask me your questions in the morning.’

He leaves, closing the door behind him.

Mags looks over at me.

‘Well that was helpful.’

She shucks off her parka and slides down to sit on the carpet, her back to the bed. I sit down next to her and slip my arm around her shoulders. She leans in to me and I feel a warm happiness that has little to do with the fire easing itself through my whole body. It’s been a while since we’ve had to obey a curfew and I don’t care much for it. But I’m grateful to Hicks for giving us some time alone.

We stay like that for a while, just staring at the flames. It’s actually a pretty good fire. The soldiers must be cutting timber; the logs are big, and they’ve had time to dry. They crack and spit in the flames, sending flurries of red sparks swirling up into the chimney. Eventually Mags speaks.

‘What did you think of Doctor Gilbey?’

‘She certainly doesn’t seem to care much for Kane.’

‘Yeah, but didn’t she seem creepy to you?’

I shrug. Dr. Gilbey was a little odd, but then the whole world’s messed up. I’m not sure what even counts as normal anymore.

‘She’s been living in this place with a bunch of soldiers for ten years. It’d be strange if it hadn’t affected her a little.’

Mags considers this for a while, but I don’t get the impression she’s buying it.

‘I’m not sure this place is any better than Mount Weather, Gabe.’

‘Yeah, I think you might be right. But we’re not safe there; it’s way too close to Eden.’ The idea that was coming to me downstairs resurfaces. ‘Maybe we could do a deal with Dr. Gilbey; have her send some of the soldiers back with us to Mount Weather to scare Peck off. They seem to be running low on supplies and we have plenty to share.’

Her brow creases, like this isn’t something she’d be happy with.

‘I’m not sure. What about that guy Truck? He just seems like an asshole.’

‘Truck’s probably okay. I just got off on the wrong foot with him with that comment I made about their food. Anyway, it wouldn’t have to be him. One or two of the others would be enough. I mean, look at the size of Jax. And I bet Hicks is pretty handy with that gun.’

She doesn’t say anything. I know she’s not convinced but I don’t want to return to Mount Weather with nothing, and Fearrington’s simply too far for us to check out on this trip. I’ve been running through our provisions in my head and we can’t stretch the supplies we have left for a hike of that distance, even if we ration them. That means we’d have to scavenge as we went. I might risk it if it was just me, but this is Mags’ first time out and I don’t mean to bring her anywhere without food enough to get us home.

For a long while neither of us speak. There’s a sound from the fire as one of the logs shifts in the grate. Outside the wind picks up; it gusts against the window, rattling the glass in its frame. She shivers against me and I pull her tighter.

‘I guess you’d better get back to your room.’

But she makes no move to stand so instead I slip my hand under her chin and bend down to kiss her. Her parted lips meet mine and even though their taste is familiar to me now I experience that same moment of fascinating breathlessness I always get when they first touch. It’s as though I’m suddenly aware of everything at once, the pressure of her lips and the taste of her mouth and the warmth from the fire on my cheek and its light through my closed eyelids and the breath we share as we pull away before it starts again.

She twists around and slides underneath me. Her fingers slide up into my hair and curl into it, drawing my face down to hers. I kiss her on her mouth, under her jaw, above her collarbone, lingering there for a few seconds. Her skin is soft and tastes of salt from the day’s hike. I trace a line with my lips from the hollow of her throat to that spot on her neck that always makes her sigh.

I feel her hands tighten around my waist and suddenly something has changed. Her kisses are deeper, no longer gentle. After what happened with Lena we know to only go so far, but it’s always Mags that has to stop us. But now it’s like she wants me to go on and it’s suddenly scary because I don’t think I can be trusted. All I ever want is more.