Betrayed

Chapter Fourteen

By the time we reach the mess hall, there's already a long line. My arms and legs wobble like almost-frozen jelly, and I'd love to find a spot to sit rather than waiting for David. No sign of David, either, though Nia and Florencia stand beside the towering siren pole. My stomach gurgles at the yeasty scent of fresh bread wafting from the mess hall. I guess that's the other downside of waiting for David here, though the breeze coming from the whirring fans of nearby buildings is nice.

I don't spot Luuk, but if he's with the group that travels out to the mines, they probably take their lunches with them. Too inefficient to head all the way back.

Shortly after we exchange the usual "How was your morning?" pleasantries, a woman I haven't seen before with short, straight black hair steps into view, peeking around each group with a puzzled frown. Like Erin, with her oval face and small nose, she looks like she has East Asian ancestry, except that her face is a little more symmetrical, a little more... flawless. Like she does more than the average Community member regarding her appearance. She's dressed nicer than the rest of us, too, the cut of her tunic more pristine, though the main difference is that her clothes aren't stained and might have been ironed recently. I doubt she spends much time in the sun; her pale complexion is a shade lighter than Erin's.

She spots us and straightens. "Galina? Erin? Nia?" She looks at each of us as she says our names. David must have shown her our pictures, since we haven't met before. "I'm Chieko, David's assistant."

"Hi," I say, while Erin waves shyly and Nia grins. I gesture to the others. "We're here for lunch."

Chieko frowns at Florencia and Nia. "David didn't mention that you were coming."

Florencia jabs her thumb at me. "Galina invited us. I had a couple questions for David, and they said this was a question-answer session, so I figured, 'Why not?' "

"Hmm." Chieko examines her, thoughtful, and then beckons for us to follow. I let out my breath. So far, so good. She leads us to a rust-ridden truck around the corner of the mess hall. "David lives at the back of the settlement, so this is faster."

I glance at Florencia. "Is it safe to live back there with the raiders being a threat? I mean, since the rest of us live in groups?"

"He has a handful of trusted guards, as befitting for a leader," Chieko explains. "And there are other houses nearby for the families." She gives the back of the truck bed a shove before letting it down with as much ease as Nia. "Does anyone want to sit in the front?"

None of us immediately volunteer, so I raise my hand and head to the passenger seat. The others pile into the back. The cabin's interior smells of hot, musty fabric. Despite the smell, it's clean. No sign of dust on the dashboard, and all the lights work.

I blink when I realize there's a gearshift on the floorboard. A manual. Definitely meant for heavy duty work, though I'm pretty sure the Community has almost entirely switched to automatic, at least for most of their vehicles.

Chieko slides into the driver's seat after I've fastened my seatbelt. She turns the key and the engine growls. The truck shudders, and then roars to life. Then we roll along at a slow pace, and anyone on the road moves to the side as we approach. They smile and tip their chins as we pass.

David's assistant watches me from the corners of her eyes as she drives. "Settling in can be difficult," she notes.

No kidding. But I don't want to talk about myself. I'd rather hear her take on things. "How long have you been here?"

Chieko doesn't answer for a moment. I'm not actually sure she will answer, but she finally says, "I've lost track of the time."

I can only imagine her story's not a great one if she doesn't want to talk about it. I try to give her a sympathetic smile. "Sorry you got stuck here."