Chapter 164
Days had passed, maybe weeks. It was hard to keep track when time inside the base blurred together into an endless cycle of routines and survival.
Winter kept his head down, moving like a shadow through the base, avoiding Adrian’s sharp gaze and keeping his ears open. The barracks were tense—whispers of unease slithered through the ranks, soldiers murmuring about an operation no one seemed to have the full details on.
Despite Bale’s efforts in keeping them out of the spotlight, they still got given duties.
Harlowe had been reassigned to wall sentry duty, which was practically a death sentence, leaving soldiers vulnerable, exposed to the mist that hung beyond the walls. It was an accident waiting to happen.
Winter had been thrown into a patrol shift. Patrols along the outskirts took days to complete.
Were they trying to silence him?
Meanwhile, Zara had been stuck inside. "Recovering." At least, that was what the officials thought. They had both decided she shouldn’t go back to the lab for now, though the information there would have been great for them.
She hated the stillness, hated the feeling of being watched. But she couldn’t risk stepping out of line.
If they came back for her under the pretense of quarantine, she might not be able to fight them off this time. And as much as it grated on her nerves, there was one thing she had enjoyed: the quiet moments with Leo.
Now, she sat in his space, sorting through their supplies.
A few battered boxes held instant noodles, ration bars, and, to her mild amusement, several brightly colored cereal boxes she hadn’t remembered taking. Leo had probably snatched them up, drawn to the vivid reds and blues.