Page 31 of Hollow Code
Except, this damn backpack was the only thing he had left of his father, and he wasn’t parting with it until it decided it could no longer carry his world.
Zadie rested her hand on his elbow, and instinctively, he bent it. "You want to grab a slice of pizza first."
"Absolutely."
They stopped in the kitchen, which was massive and had commercial grade, stainless steel appliances and a long table.
"Water? Soda? Beer?" she asked.
He laughed. "Too early for the latter, but I might take one tonight."
"Mind it cold? I’m too hungry to heat it up." She handed him a slice on a napkin. It was loaded with cheese and meat. His favorite.
"Is there any other way to eat left over pizza?"
He followed her into another hallway. "This wing is where all the bedrooms are. Coulter and Neve are down at the end."
"They’re an item?"
"Oh yeah. It’s a long story, but they’re too cute." Zadie leaned in. "Neve hates it when I remind her how adorable they are together."
"Why?"
"According to her, I’m weird about it.” She shrugged. “But Wynn says I’m weird about everything."
"I can see that."
"Rude." She narrowed her stare. "That’s Darwin’s room. Across from his is Wynn." Zadie smiled, shaking her head. "Those two don’t know they like each other yet. Or maybe they do. It’s funny to watch."
Gideon found this side of Zadie amusing. More like delightful. He couldn’t decide if she was just relaxed because she was home. Or if she was nervous about something. But whatever it was, he liked it.
"Scout is the fourth room on the left." She paused and waved a hand in front of an open door. "You can have this room."
"And where is yours?"
"Across the hall." If he wasn’t mistaken, her cheeks flushed.
"I’ll take it." He crossed the threshold and found the accommodations more than he expected. Certainly more than what he’d been used to. It was simple. A single bed with a metal frame, a desk, a chair, a small closet, and a private bathroom.
He set his backpack on the bed and stared at the three letters on the back side. MGR—Malachi Gideon Rhodes.
Gideon ran his fingers across the letters. At one point, the stitching had been white. Now it was more the color of mud. His father had used this pack every day since Gideon and his mom had gotten it for him for Father’s Day when Gideon was six years old.
"You okay?" Zadie leaned against the doorframe.
"Yeah." He unzipped the pack and started pulling things out. The laptop went on the desk. The tablet beside it. "I take it there’s laundry in this place." He pulled out what little clothing he had. "This stuff stinks."
Zadie waved a hand in front of her nose. "Yeah, it does."
"Maybe it’s you you’re smelling." He lowered his chin.
"Aren’t you funny." She pointed to the closet. "There should be a laundry basket in there and when I radioed ahead, I told Neve if anyone was going on a supply run, to get you some clothes."
"How do you know my size?"
"I looked inside the label," she said.
"You did what? When?"
