Jim tiptoed over to the door and opened it. Don grinned at him.
'Everything okay?' Don asked.
'Sure.' Jim nodded, stepping out into the hall. 'Danny's sleeping. He just laid down.'
'Good. He needs his rest. Hell, I guess we all do.'
'Yeah,' Jim replied. 'So what's up?'
'Well, I wanted you to know that I checked on Frankie, and she's doing fine. She had a scare earlier in the day, though.'
'What do you mean?' Jim frowned as he realized he didn't know exactly where Frankie was sleeping tonight- the infirmary, he assumed. Damn, they'd been here less than a day, and he'd already lost track of his friends.
'Apparently, she got out of bed and went looking for us. She was delirious. Doc Stern said she had enough sedatives in her to knock out an elephant, but still, she got up and was wandering around. Wound up in a bit of trouble.'
'Maynard.' Jim hissed. It wasn't a question.
'I think so,' Don agreed. 'Forrest and Stern wouldn't confirm or deny, but I'm sure Maynard was involved.'
'I knew that guy was trouble. Is Frankie okay?'
'She's fine now, and she should be up and about in a few days.'
'Good. That's a relief.'
'Yeah.' Don paused for a moment. 'Listen, Jim- everything's gonna be all right now, isn't it? I mean-I'm sorry about Martin, and everything else that happened, but despite all of that, it's okay now, right? We made it. We're alive.'
'I don't know, Don. What is it you want me to say? What do you want to hear?'
Don's voice was barely a whisper.
'I want to hear that it's going to be okay. That we'll win. That they can't beat us.'
'They don't win until the last human being left on Earth is dead.'
Don frowned. 'Judging by the way things have been going, I don't find much comfort in that, Jim.'
'Well, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, and I can god-damned guarantee you that nothing is going to
hurt my son. Not ever again. And I've got your back too. So does Frankie. How's that sound?'
De Santos grinned sheepishly. 'It sounds good. Look, I'm sorry. It's just that-I haven't had anybody to talk to in what seems like forever.
Not since everything started. First there was our dog, and then Myrna-and then nothing until you guys came along. I guess I was just lonely.'
'Well,' Jim clasped his shoulder, 'you're not alone anymore. None of us are.'
It was hard for Jim to believe that he'd met this man less than twenty-four hours ago; it felt like they were brothers.
'Yeah.' Don sniffed. 'You've got that right.'
The two of them drifted apart, straightening their posture, secure in their manhood.
'Listen,' Don said, 'me and Smokey and some of the others are gonna play cards. You want to come?'
Jim cocked a thumb at the apartment door. 'No, I appreciate the offer, but I'm gonna stay here with Danny.'
'Of course. Enjoy it, Jim. He's a good kid.'
'That he is.'
'Okay, well, I'll see you later then. Breakfast sound good? Seven o'clock tomorrow morning?'
'You're on. We'll see you there.'
'Goodnight.'
'Goodnight, Don.'
Jim watched him walk away down the hall. Then he went back inside and quietly closed the door. Danny was still sleeping, and there was a smile on his face.
It matched the smile on Jim's own.
He undressed, layed down in bed, and read Martin's Bible, finding comfort from both his lost friend-and those still with him.
Ramsey folded his hands and shook his head in reserved disbelief. Seated around the conference table with him were Bates, Forrest, and Stern.
'You're absolutely sure of this?' he asked.
'Yes, sir.' Bates nodded. 'Dr. Stern found the videotapes. Maynard had quite the library, it seems. He filmed himself in the act with the ...
He must have been doing this for quite some time. They were-'
