them a tour of the building, starting on the third floor and working their way up. Jim and Don were amazed, and Danny kept commenting on how cool everything seemed. The interior of the skyscraper really was like a self- contained village. It was a wonderful place, but Jim had to wonder what the point of it all was-just to survive here forever? He hoped Ramsey and his staff were at work on a plan to take the world back.
'What's on the first and second floors?' Jim asked as they stepped into an elevator.
'A lot of guards on two,' Smokey said. 'When this all started, we dropped office furniture and stuff from the upper windows, to kind of make a barricade around the outside of the building. Heavy stuff, so they couldn't just move it all out of the way. The first floor, especially the lobby, is heavily barricaded on the inside too. We keep two guys on duty there, twenty-four seven. We've got it booby-trapped, and nobody is allowed down there without Bates's permission, other than the guards. Same with the parking garage and the basements levels. The two top floors are off limits too, so don't go up there either.'
'Why's that?'
'That's the command-center-Ramsey's personal quarters and stuff like that. Nobody goes up there except for Mr. Ramsey and Bates.'
'So what's Ramsey really like?' Don asked as they stepped out of the elevator. 'I mean, I've seen him on TV and stuff, but what's he like in person?'
Smokey shrugged. 'He's all right. Just a man, you know?'
'A very rich man.' Don snorted. 'He always topped the Forbes list. Fucking amazing, the way that guy could create wealth. Hell of a showman, too.'
'Did all of the people here work for him before- this?' Jim asked.
'No. Bates and Forrest and some of the others did. A lot of these folks worked in the building, or lived here. Ramsey Towers had both office space and apartments. But the others were survivors, folks trapped in other parts of the city. The patrols found us and brought us back here.'
'That what happened to you?'
Smokey tugged at his mustache. 'Yeah. I'm from Michigan, originally. I was in Manhattan, visiting my daughter and son-in-law. They lived in a one-bedroom apartment on 34th and Lexington that went for three grand a month, but you could look out their window and see the Empire State Building. I was taking a nap when it happened. My daughter had gone out for a jog.'
He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing.
'I never-I never did find out what happened to her, but when she came home, her bottom half was missing. She must have dragged herself up the steps and into the apartment. I woke up as she was crawling into the living room. There were-'
The old hippie looked away. His eyes were wet and when he spoke again, his voice cracked.
'One time, years ago, I accidentally ran over a nest of baby bunnies with the lawnmower. I didn't see them until it was too late. The yard was high, and the mother had hidden them pretty well, piled grass and her own fur over the nest. Didn't notice until I looked down and saw one of them crawling away across the yard. The blade had cut it in half. Its back end was missing and its guts were hanging out.'
His fists clenched at his sides.
'That's what my daughter looked like when she came home that day.'
Don and Jim looked at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. Danny's eyes were wide.
'I'm sorry, Mr. Smokey,' he said, and took the old man's hand.
Smokey smiled, blinking away the tears, and patted the boy on his head.
'Thank you, Danny. Thank you very much.'
He straightened up. 'How about we find your rooms?'
'That'd be fine,' Jim agreed. 'And I apologize if we brought up bad memories.'
'No.' Smokey shrugged, regaining his composure. 'It's okay. We've all got stories like that these days. But you asked about Ramsey. That's him. He saved us. Saved us all, gave us shelter from the storm.'
'Why?' Jim asked.
'What do you mean?'
'I mean, he and his men have this secure building. Why jeopardize their safety by bringing in more refugees? And that light show we saw last night? Doesn't seem smart to me.'
'You don't think he did it out of the goodness of his heart, Mr. Thurmond?'
'I don't know the man. You do. Did he?'
Smokey didn't respond. They walked down the hall and got into another elevator. Smokey pressed a button and the doors closed.
'All I know, Jim, is that we're better off in here than outside with those things. And anytime I start to doubt it, I think about the population of this city and how most of them are now like my daughter.
Doesn't matter what I may think about Mr. Ramsey. Survival is all that's important.'
The elevator rose in silence.
Their rooms were small but comfortable. They'd previously been office suites, converted now into living space, along with a kitchenette containing a sink and a small refrigerator, and a bathroom with toilet and shower. Jim and Danny were assigned a room, and Danny shouted in delight when they entered. Somebody had placed two action figures on his bed as a welcoming present.
Jim collapsed on the other bed and groaned with pleasure. Then he started to laugh.
