The Virus Within: Third Wave (Book 2)

Chapter 74

I found the two at the bench by the archery lanes.

"So, what'd you find?" Nicky asked me, her container of food already half-gone. "I'm assuming it's bad since you brought it with you."

"Espresso beans covered in chocolate."

She sighed. "That'd explain it. Remind me never to eat those things again. That was one hell of a mood swing."

Oh, you don't have to tell us. We saw it firsthand. Although it must have been pretty bad if she's asking us to keep them away from her. "Where'd you get them?" If there were more around, I wanted to know where they were.

"One of the guys from that group we helped on the road gave them to me. He said they were chocolates. He gave Nina, Daniel, and John a box too."

"I'll have to warn them," I muttered.

"Probably a wise idea," Nicky agreed, far more mellow now. "They were all different types of boxes, so they might not be the same thing. On a side note, how bad is the collateral damage?"

I glanced at her, wondering if I had missed something. "What collateral damage?"

"Did I scare John, Luke, or Logan out of the Stronghold?"

"Not that I know of. You severely confused them though."

"I tend to be really good at doing that for some reason..."

I didn't bother responding to that comment, and Nicky kept eating. She eventually managed to wolf down everything I had packed in the container.

"That was good," she said, sighing in satiation. "I feel much better now. What's on our agenda for the rest of the day?"

"First, I think you should get properly dressed and brush your hair so people don't think you slept in a cave. Then those bunny slippers either need a trip to the garbage can or the laundry basket. Considering the bottoms are in tatters, I vote for the garbage can."

Nicky lifted a foot and stared at her slippers as if only just noticing them. "Sheesh. How did I run through the forest in these?" She shook her head. "The next time I think I'm losing my mind, I'm not even going to go looking for it."

"After that," I continued resolutely, ignoring her comments, "you can think of what tasks you feel like attempting. I already spent all night patrolling, so I did my due diligence."

She put her foot back down. "Braggart. Just because you finished working, that doesn't mean you can rub it in."

I snorted. "After what you just put me through, why not?"

"Because it reminds me that I haven't even started my chores yet. Besides, I think Luke got the short end of the stick this morning, so I'm not sure what you think I put you through."

"You can help me collect some herbs," Jess offered. "I know roughly where they are, but it's always nice to have a helping hand and someone to talk to."

"If we're driving the side-by-side, then fine. But I'm not walking. That takes way too much energy, and I already used up my daily supply."

"Jess drives," I added sternly.

Nicky rolled her eyes at me. "Even I refuse to drive impaired."

"Make sure she doesn't drive," I told Jess. "And in case you weren't aware, her mood is going to be all over the place today after those espresso beans. She doesn't do well with caffeine."

Jess shrugged. "It doesn't matter how many times you fall; it's about how many times you get back up."

"That's not how sobriety tests work," Nicky informed her.