Page 79 of Zalis
The sandwich smelled intriguing, cured meat with tangy vegetables in a brine, and Gemma would not leave until he ate. There was only one course of action.
“If this is the only way to appease you, very well,” he said, unwrapping the sandwich.
GEMMA
An underground tunnel wasn’t Gemma’s top choice for a picnic, but if visiting Zalis during working hours was the only way to spend time with him, so be it. She’d throw the best damn underground cave picnic ever.
Overhead lights burned a sulfurous yellow against rough stone walls. Water dripped somewhere, echoing in the distance. The floor was nothing more than packed dirt. Metal pipes ran along the walls. Construction equipment, spools of wire, and boxes were scattered throughout the space. This place had all the ambiance of a dungeon.
“Was this part of the mines?” she asked.
“This is a utility tunnel. Many such tunnels connect the buildings.”
“Utility stuff. Is that what you’ve been doing?” Gemma asked, pointing to a nearby bandsaw. No one’s home went unscathedduring the Invasion. As a result, an entire generation got hands-on experience with DIY. She knew enough to fix a leaky pipe under the sink, replace the wooden boards on the porch steps, and recognized several of the tools.
“No,” Zalis said, his tone sour. “I was meant to upgrade the network. I discovered that the existing infrastructure in this tunnel must be replaced entirely.”
“Sounds tedious.”
“I would give up my horns for a more interesting assignment.”
“It’s important,” she said, which was bland and just embarrassing. She wanted to say,Oh, thank heavens I’m being ignored for something boring. Wouldn’t want my ego swelling with feelings of value.But she didn’t, because she was an adult. Instead, she finished her sandwich without the color commentary.
Zalis reached for the cucumber salad. The movement betrayed a tear in his shirt at the shoulder seam.
“What happened there?” she asked.
“Ren happened.”
“Ren did that?”
“During the fight,” he said with a smile. Not his normal barely there grin but a wide, delighted smile like a child holding a massive ice cream cone.
“What fight?”
“The fight we had after the fire.”
“What?!” Gemma looked around for evidence of a fire.
“Be calm. This happened some days ago.”
“And you’re wearing the same ripped up shirt?”
He plucked at the fabric. “I had it cleaned.”
“You know what, wear rags for all I care. Why were you fighting with Ren?”
“Many valid reasons.” Again with the ice-cream-eating grin.
The ground shook and the world ended.
She wished she were joking.
GEMMA
“What’s happening?” Gemma feared she already knew.
Zalis glanced at his comm unit. “Still no connection.”
