Jamie sat up suddenly, staring around, disoriented. He frowned.
“Don’t upset him,” I told Jeb. “He insisted on taking the mat. I moved him when he was asleep.”
Jamie snorted. “Mel always used to do that, too.”
I widened my eyes slightly at him, trying to convey a warning.
Jeb chuckled. I looked up at him, and he had that same pouncing-cat expression he’d had yesterday. The solved-puzzle expression. He walked over and kicked the edge of the mattress.
“You’ve already missed your morning class. Sharon’s bound to be testy about that, so get a move on.”
“Sharon is always testy,” Jamie complained, but he got to his feet quickly.
“On your way, boy.”
Jamie looked at me again, then he turned and disappeared into the hall.
“Now,” Jeb said as soon as we were alone. “I think all this baby-sitting nonsense has gone on long enough. I’m a busy man. Everyone is busy here—too busy to sit around playin’ guard. So today you’re going to have to come along with me while I get my chores done.”
I felt my mouth pop open.
He stared at me, no smile.
“Don’t look so terrified,” he grumbled. “You’ll be fine.” He patted his gun. “My house is no place for babies.”
I couldn’t argue with that. I took three quick, deep breaths, trying to steady my nerves. Blood pulsed so loudly in my ears that his voice seemed quiet in comparison when he spoke again.
“C’mon, Wanda. Day’s wasting.”
He turned and stomped out of the room.
I was frozen for a moment, and then I lurched out after him. He wasn’t bluffing—he was already invisible around the first corner. I raced after him, horrified by the thought that I might run into someone else in this obviously inhabited wing. I caught up to him before he reached the big intersection of the tunnels. He didn’t even look at me as I slowed beside him to match his pace.
“’Bout time that northeast field was planted. We’ll have to work the soil first. Hope you don’t mind getting your hands dirty. After we’re done, I’ll see that you get a chance to clean yourself up. You need it.” He sniffed pointedly, then laughed.
I felt the back of my neck get hot, but I ignored the last part. “I don’t mind getting my hands dirty,” I murmured. As I recalled, the empty northeastern field was out of the way. Perhaps we would be able to work alone.
Once we got to the big plaza cave, we started passing humans. They all stared, infuriated, as usual. I was beginning to recognize most of them: the middle-aged woman with the long salt-and-pepper braid I had seen with the irrigation team yesterday. The short man with the round belly, thinning sandy hair, and ruddy cheeks had been with her. The athletic-looking woman with the caramel brown skin had been the one bent to tie her shoe the first time I’d come out here during the day. Another dark-skinned woman with thick lips and sleepy eyes had been in the kitchen, near the two black-haired children—perhaps she was their mother? Now we passed Maggie; she glowered at Jeb and turned her face away from me. We passed a pale, sick-looking man with white hair whom I was sure I’d never seen before. Then we passed Ian.
“Hey, Jeb,” he said cheerfully. “Whatcha up to?”
“Turning the soil in the east field,” Jeb grunted.
“Want some help?”
“Ought to make yourself useful,” Jeb muttered.
Ian took this as an assent and fell into step behind me. It gave me goose bumps, feeling his eyes on my back.
We passed a young man who couldn’t have been many years older than Jamie—his dark hair stood up from his olive-toned forehead like steel wool.
“Hey, Wes,” Ian greeted him.
Wes watched in silence as we passed. Ian laughed at his expression.
We passed Doc.
“Hey, Doc,” Ian said.
“Ian.” Doc nodded. In his hands was a big wad of dough. His shirt was covered with dark, coarse flour. “Morning, Jeb. Morning, Wanda.”
“Morning,” Jeb answered.
I nodded uneasily.
“See you ’round,” Doc said, hurrying off with his burden.
“Wanda, huh?” Ian asked.
“My idea,” Jeb told him. “Suits her, I think.”
“Interesting” was all Ian said.
We finally made it to the northeastern field, where my hopes were dashed.
There were more people here than there had been in the passageways—five women and nine men. They all stopped what they were doing and scowled, naturally.
“Pay ’em no mind,” Jeb murmured to me.
Jeb proceeded to follow his own advice; he went to a jumbled pile of tools against the closest wall, shoved his gun through the strap at his waist, and grabbed a pick and two shovels.
I felt exposed, having him so far away. Ian was just a step behind me—I could hear him breathing. The others in the room continued to glower, their tools still in their hands. I didn’t miss the fact that the picks and hoes that were breaking the earth could easily be used to break a body. It seemed to me, in reading a few of their expressions, that I wasn’t the only one with that idea.
Jeb came back and handed me a shovel. I gripped the smooth, worn wooden handle, feeling its weight. After seeing the bloodlust in the humans’ eyes, it was hard not to think of it as a weapon. I didn’t like the idea. I doubted I could raise it as one, even to block a blow.
Jeb gave Ian the pick. The sharp, blackened metal looked deadly in his hands. It took all my willpower not to skip out of range.
“Let’s take the back corner.”