Jon Kingsley was not alone. From other cars, people stepped out for identification, grinning at the cameras on the wall like hungry sharks.
"I am not letting...." Hades started.
"Open the gates." Sunshine said into the walkie-talkie.
Hades turned to her with wide eyes that screamed of betrayal. He looked like Ariel, any time someone messed with his supplies.
"They are neighbors, not enemies. We should be cordial because we don’t know when we might need each other." Sunshine told him. She patted Hades’s arm. "Don’t worry, if they dare not to play with you, I will kick their asses."
She laughed and walked ahead of him, leaving him dramatically breathing as if she had literally stolen the breath from him.
The cars rolled inside and were guided to one parking area. Jon was the first to step out and his wife Tracy followed. She was dressed like a supermodel about to walk the runway. her eyes were sharp, scanning the entire area like she was looking for something.
Sunshine figured that the woman was searching for Bob. The cat was in the first wall and there was no way Lisha was giving it up. Bob was now her baby.
Hades let out hiss as he saw more familiar faces. Members of the not-so-secret billionaires club. Men who still carried themselves as though money could tame the apocalypse. Two were smoking cigars, one was dressed in expensive silk pajamas and a bathrobe. The others looked like they had come to play golf.
"Your friends are here." Sunshine said to Hades as he reached her side and stood firmly by her.
"We are not friends." Hades corrected, grabbing one of her hands with a little too much force. "We are rivals. Business competitors. Occasional tennis partners. I hate them and they hate me. You know how it is."
Sunshine did not know how it was. All she knew was that these men would spend a lifetime trying to outdo each other. Who had a bigger house, bigger car, hotter wife, best hair, tallest, most handsome. Their passive-aggressive relationship would last longer than the apocalypse.
"Why are you here Jon?" Hades asked.
Jon snapped his fingers and Trevor rushed to his with a wrapped gift box.
Hades shuddered to think what was in there. Was it another animal on oxygen?
Jon smiled. "Hades, my friend. Why would you ask me such an obvious question? I am here because there is a party and my invitation got lost in the mail. I am your best friend. An uncle to your children. A brother-in-law to your wife. A son to your parents."
With every relationship claim he made, Hades looked like he was about to faint or explode. Sunshine and the other billionaires sniggered. Nobody tortured Hades Quinn more than Jon Kingsley.
Jon stretched his arms, smirking because he knew he was getting under Hades’s skin. "Were you really going to celebrate our Ariel’s birthday party without me?" His tone was mocking; a grin plastered across his lips.
"Our Ariel!" Hades scoffed.
Jon shrugged. "You know how it is. My son is your son, and your son is my son. My wife is...."
Tracy slapped him on the head and Jon cried out.
Laughter filled the air, Hades’s inclusive. If Jon had dared to say your wife is my wife, he would have personally punched him.
Sunshine stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "How did you know that we are throwing a birthday party? And do not say you heard the music because it is not loud enough to reach your base."
The grin faltered. Jon’s mouth opened, then he shut it again. For a heartbeat beat his composure almost slipped and he nearly gave away his biggest secret. He chuckled uneasily, brushing a hand over his brown fox fur jacket.
"Indeed." Nimo piped in. "He said birthday party specifically like he already knew that were having a party. Even if he knew Ariel’s birthday before, he could not have known that were having a massive party."
Hades shot Sunshine a sharp yet knowing glance. Their unspoken thought hung heavy between them. Was there a bug planted inside the base?
Jon must have sensed that the Quinns caught on, his laugh rose again, louder too, forced. "Relax both of you, I would never try bugging your base again. I am not even here for the party which I only found out about after flying a drone over your base. I am here to pick up Helena Drew. She belongs with me." Find the newest release on novel·fiɾe·net
His words made Hades scoff out loud, Jon’s behavior was even more suspicious. It was true that he had attempted to fly drones over their base a few times before but not lately. Jon was telling lies.
More than her husband, Sunshine kept her suspicions coiled behind a stern face. Something about Jon’s answer stank. Her instincts screamed, and her gaze lingered on Tracy. Jon had glanced at her twice when they asked how he knew about the birthday, and he had shifted a little as if he was attempting to block her from their sight.
Tracy quietly excused herself. "Restroom." She murmured, slipping away.
Cory spoke up, his tone measured. "We came to discuss the weird birds suddenly becoming aggressive. We should put our heads together and plan on how to get rid of them. If we do not, they will wipe out our bases."
Sheldon added, "Some of us also came to buy vehicles. We want some of your formidable cars, we also heard that you have weapons capable of killing mutant beasts. Oh, and we also buy some sheep wool."
Sunshine’s eyes narrowed. They knew too much!
Hades folded his arms, his jaw tight. "Heard? Heard from who?"
Sheldon quickly pointed in Jon’s direction, giving him up.
Before Jon could say anything, Sunshine’s walkie-talkie cracked.
"Madam president, urgent report. There is a woman outside the second wall. She’s...demanding entry and says she’s going to undress if we do not let her in."
The group rushed to the entrance of the second wall, what they found there was unexpected drama.
Tracy was screaming at the soldiers, her face flushed, voice ringing like a siren. Her shoes were kicked to the far left. "Open this gate! Do it now, or you’ll regret it! Don’t test me!"
Sunshine approached her, voice calm but firm. "This is not your husband’s base where you can waltz anywhere without permission. Why are you demanding entry?"
Tracy spun, eyes wild, her hands shaking as if holding back a storm. "Because I can hear him! Bob! My cat! He’s somewhere in there trapped with Lisha Quinn and I am here to liberate him."
Quickly, Jon bolted to her side and tried to whisk her away, but Tracy wrenched herself free of his grasp and stepped closer, pressing herself closer to the iron gate, her lips trembling. "I can hear everything. The footsteps inside, the clapping, the shouting. She did not even take Bob to the party. If he was with me, he would be sitting at the center of the table and eating like a king."
Her voice cracked, half pleading, half commanding, echoing with raw desperation.
Jon cursed, running a hand through his perfect hair. "Tracy, stop this. Damn it woman, can’t you see that you are making a scene."
Sunshine’s mind clicked the final piece into place. Her eyes widened, the suspicion unraveling into clarity. Jon had a bug alright.
The ’bug’.....was his wife!