Masked

CHAPTER 29 | Pizza

"Not a problem, just remember to check the labels. If in doubt, don't buy it. Better yet, you could try and avoid processed food altogether." Parker placed the phone in the cradle, inhaled deeply, and let out an ear-piercing scream.

"Feeling better?" Daniel said. His expression was sympathetic with a hint of humor.

She sat back in her chair and rubbed her forehead. "Much."

In the week since the discovery that foods were laced with Wildfire, panic had spread through the packs within and outside of the Alliance. She was inundated with a constant barrage of calls querying whether a particular ingredient, fast food, snack, or drink was safe. Everyone was scared, and justifiably so.

"Let me guess, McDonalds, Pepsi, or Pizza?"

She rolled her eyes. "Pizza. Is that all teenagers eat these days?"

"It appears so."

She had spent the better part of a week sharing an office with Daniel, and had a much better appreciation of the logistical nightmare that came with the responsibilities of leading a pack, running a business, and juggling an impending disaster.

The phone rang again, and she quickly answered. But after the third call in a row about pizza, she was ready to explode. It seemed even those not at risk were reluctant to eat or drink anything that contained caffeine.

Daniel, who had been observing her growing frustration in his usual unreadable manner, raised an eyebrow at her. "When is Gail coming to relieve you?"

The volumes were more than she could handle alone, and she had enlisted both Jessica and Gail's help to take turns staffing the phones.

"Around six."

"I thought that perhaps you might like to have a few hours away from the chaos around here. You look as though you need it."

She sighed and jotted down a few notes. "That's okay, Alice is busy and Jessica is preparing for her Eventide Ceremony, so, there's not much point."

Daniel fidgeted with his pen. "I meant... with me."

Her hand froze on the pad, and she glanced up at Daniel. "Oh."

"If you don't want to, that's okay, I just thought..."

She cleared her dry throat. "No... I would love to. You just caught me by surprise."

He shrugged and nodded toward the window. "I sometimes find that heading out on one of the trails helps me clear my hea—"

He was cut short by the all too familiar sound of the phone ringing.

She reached for the phone. "You know, I now dream of ringing phones. Thousands of them."

***

Gail was late relieving her, so it was dusk before they left the compound and headed for the tree line. The evening was warm as they walked along a familiar path. When they veered into a dense grouping of trees, she knew they were headed to the small lake. Her breath caught in her throat as they came into the clearing.

Hundreds of tiny glass balls floated on the lake, each with a glowing light in the shape of a small candle. Lanterns hung from trees or rested on the ground, lighting the clearing with a gentle surreal glow. A table for two was set on a grassy patch by the lake, the white linen cloth a stark contrast to the dusk that had fallen across the valley. Her eyes opened wide as she took in the elaborate setting. She didn't know where to look or what to say. Her face grew warm, and she hoped that Daniel didn't notice her embarrassment.