The Virus Within: Third Wave (Book 2)

Chapter 83

I relaxed on my bed and read a mystery book. I wasn't tired after my morning nap, but I didn't feel like getting up and working just yet.

Close to ten o'clock, Jess's footsteps padded down the hallway and stopped outside my door. Instead of the knock or whisper I expected, my doorknob jiggled, and with a pop, the lock came undone. Just like Nicky's usual stunt. Okay, those two are far too much alike.

I lowered my book so I could bestow a mild glare upon the person peering through the narrow gap allowed by the backup chain lock.

"I figured you were awake," she said, shimmying the door, although it refused to open any wider. "You're usually up and moving by now."

"Sometimes I prefer to relax after waking up. Just because you sleep all night, that doesn't mean I do."

"You used to check on me if I was unusually late getting up. I'm just returning the favor."

"And since when do you pick locks?"

"Nicky showed me how to do it. It actually works quite well, although she failed to tell me about the chain." She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why do you have two locks on your door?"

"Take a guess," I said, raising an eyebrow at her.

Her face flushed red. "Ah. Got ya. I came because I didn't want to miss you before you left. If you go for your usual patrol before lunch, could you please find these three plants for me?" She held ziplock bags with dried leaves through the crack. "Just flag them, and we can go dig them up before dinner."

With a sigh, I put my book down and got to my feet. "Fine."

"Thanks! Is that book any good?"

"Not really. Every murder mystery seems boring now. All they needed was a sane zombie to take a sniff of the murder weapon or the place the person was last seen." I took the three bags from her.

She scratched her head. "I guess that would make things kind of anticlimactic. Maybe you need one where they're chasing down a sniper or something. Anyway, I'm going to head back down to the lab. See you later!"

There was no point in lounging around now that I was on my feet. It was about time for my pre-lunch patrol anyway. I slung my backpack over my shoulders and unchained the door.

Jess was already clattering down the stairs as I entered the now-empty hallway. I took a couple of steps and paused. Backtracking to her plant-themed door, I tested the handle, which was unlocked.

I peeked inside the neat, organized room – which was the complete opposite of Nicky's – and took note of a few things. With a smirk, I closed her door and headed for the staircase.

When I went out the gate, the guards dropped the radio down to me. As I went past where Daniel and a few people were digging, I commented, "You're not going to know what to do with yourself when you finish."

Daniel looked down at the knee-deep hole he was standing in, then back at me. "I will miss it. I'm sure there are other projects I can help with, so I'll have to sit down with the planning committee and see what's on their list. It's quite satisfying to use your hands and muscles to build something."

"If they decide to build a workshop for Jess and her eight million plants, let me know, and I'll help with that as well."

"Now that's a thought. I noticed she already filled her rooms in the lab, but the drying and the steeping can be done anywhere." He nodded thoughtfully. "I'll make sure to mention that. What's in the bags?"

I held up the small bags so he could see the leaves inside. "I apparently have to locate more plants for my darling sister while patrolling."

He chuckled softly. "Well, I wish you luck with that."