“Looks like we’re set,” he says in his booming voice. “When wifey brings food, I know it’s game time.” He puts his arm around her and pulls her in for a kiss on the head.
I give a strained smile before taking a seat next to Zeus. He rolls over, all paws and fur, almost scratching me in the face with his nails. His tongue hangs out sideways, and I run my fingers over his belly.
After a while, I lie down on the floor and stare at the ceiling. Once, I trained in here. I even danced in here. And now, I wonder if I might die in here. I close my eyes and picture Alyssa in her last hours of life.
I feel Cole’s presence. I open my eyes and then turn to face him, even though I don’t have the energy to talk.
“How long have you known?” Cole asks in a whisper.
“A few days.”
“And she hasn’t told Bruno?”
“No, and it’s not our place to tell him.”
“He has a right to know.”
“Dammit, Cole. I had a right to know. Don’t be a hypocrite.”
“So it’s okay for her to keep a secret from her husband?”
“It’s between them. We should stay out of it. And no, I don’t agree with what she’s doing, but it’s none of our business.”
“His wife’s pregnant. If it were you, and you told others before me, that’d destroy me.” He sounds wounded, lost.
I find myself scooting away from him.
“You’re right. Secrets have a way of destroying relationships.”
He sucks in air and swallows hard. “You’re right. I was wrong for not telling you.” He pauses. “I made a huge mistake, and I’d do anything to go back and make the right choice, but I can’t.”
“Cole, I love you. That hasn’t changed.” Someone hits the lights, and the room goes completely black. “But I won’t be able to forgive you just like that, just overnight.”
“I hope you do,” he whispers, “before it’s too late.”
Zeus paces back and forth. I throw a blanket at him, trying to distract him from whatever got him worked up. He lets out a low, gruff growl. Finally, I push myself up on my elbows.
“What’s wrong?”
He woofs and then nudges my hand. “Grrrrrrrrrrr.” He lets out a very unpleasant noise.
I sit up completely, tossing my thin cover. Reaching over, I shake Cole’s shoulder. He moans as I tug him awake. His covers rustle as he sits up and flicks on a small flashlight.
“What time is it?” he asks. He rubs his eyes with one hand and squints at me.
“I don’t know. Look.” I point to Zeus.
“How long has he been doing that?”
“A couple minutes, at least,” I say.
Zeus’s hair stands straight up the entire way down his spine. He’s fixated on the entrance to the training room, and his eyes glow green against the flashlight. He bares his teeth and keeps woofing. It sends all my senses into overdrive. My body tingles the way it does when something’s awry, and my heart picks up pace.
“I’ll wake Bruno,” Cole says in a tight voice.
But everyone is already awake.
Grace immediately makes for the restroom, but Bruno grabs her elbow. “Something’s happening. You can’t go out there right now.” He pulls out and turns on his flashlight, checking the room for signs of an intruder.
Roméo stares, bewildered by the bright lights flashing in his face. He struggles to his feet.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“Where’s Bill?” Bruno asks, putting his boots on and gathering his belongings. “Stay here,” he says to Grace. She looks over at me, then Cole, and then takes a seated position against the wall.
A crashing sound reverberates throughout the training room. Cole’s light flicks in the direction of the entrance. We see Bill on all fours, wading through trash. Crazy drunk.
“Here,” Bill says.
My eyes quickly focus on the hallway behind him as Zeus’s woofs grow ever louder. His ears point in the direction of the hallway, his tail stands up, moving back and forth in a rigid motion.
I pull on my boots, hastily lacing them together over my sweaty socks and barely keeping my fingers steady enough to pull the final knot tight. I can’t seem to clamp down on the fluttering sensation going on in my stomach.
“Everyone to the weapons closet. Run!” Bruno says while practically shoving us toward it.
Cole flicks his flashlight onto a lower setting as we scamper across the training room floor toward the weapons closet. Once inside, he shuts the door and stands in front of it. He then instructs Zeus to block it with his massive body.
Something is definitely wrong.
“Load ’em up!” Bruno says.
“Everything?” Grace asks. A quizzical expression crosses her face.
“All of it,” he says. “And do it fast.”
He begins pulling on a vest and shoving grenades inside. Every pocket, every possible inch of his clothing is filled with something lethal. He has to be carrying close to one hundred pounds, if not more, by the time he’s done. And that’s before he picks up an M4 and two knives from the table.