It's mid-morning when I wake up, judging by the light flowing through the curtains. Exhaustion still pulls at my limbs, threatens to take me back under, but i can't imagine how the others must be doing with their little bit of sleep and decide to go relieve someone of their duty.

Zombie's passed out above me, head thrown back against the wooden board and mouth slightly open. Pink, plump lips swollen and chapped from the crisp cold air and cheeks still rosy. Soft snores pass his lips.

I chuckle at the sight and roll off of him, leaving him to sleep.

Evan isn't dead when I check up on him. Cassie looks it, however, cheek pressed against Evan's, blonde hair tangled in some bad bedhead. If she wasn't snoring like a freight train, I'd actually consider checking for a pulse.

When I go looking for the rest of the herd, I find Poundcake in the hall and Dumbo and Sam resting in the bed beside Zombie. I don't know how I didn't notice them before, but I'm not surprised that they're there. It's the closest they can get to him without literally being in the same bed.

I take Poundcake off of watch and sit on the windowsill, Zombie's pistol on my lap. We're blind on almost all sides but there really isn't much we can do about it. We put everyone on watch and we're still blind in most places, and everyone is sleep deprived. At least this way, if a squad or Silencer tries to take us on, we won't pass out halfway through the fight.

We'll die completely awake instead.

Screaming; the familiar sound of a Black Hawk coming way too close for comfort.

"Oh, shit." I call for Poundcake and he comes running. He hears the sound, falters in his step, and turns around to go get Zombie and the others. I turn back to the window, eyes flickering back and forth between the sky and the ground. If Vosche sent someone for us, we were fucked.

"What's going on?" Zombie steps into the hall. I hiss at him to shut up and point to the ceiling. It takes him a minute. When he hears what I heard, when he hears what changes everything, he kneels on the floor next to me and leans back on his haunches.

Poundcake and Dumbo and Sam crowd around us, trying to see what we're looking for.

"Go get your sister," Zombie says to Sam, who nods and races off.

"Something's wrong," I whisper to Zombie who stares at me with a stone face.

"Yeah, Vosche sent a chopper. Keep up."

"No, you idiot. They're being too loud."

Dumbo screws up his face. "Uh, helicopters are loud, Ghost. They can't really stop that--"

"No, but they can land somewhere else, somewhere far away, and take us by surprise." I shake my head in frustration. "That's the best call. That's the call I would have made if I was flying in to take out a bunch of Dorothy's."

"Makes sense," Zombie whispers. "Why alert us? Not the best move."

"Maybe they don't know we're here," Dumbo suggests quietly. "They could be just looking for us."

"I don't know about that," I say. "I wouldn't have sent in a chopper to look for a rogue squad."

"You'd have sent another squad?" Zombie asks, brows raised. "After the other two?"

"No," I say. "I would have sent in a couple Silencers to take us out. Heightened strength, abilities, a couple fancy drones. We wouldn't stand a chance."

Dumbo whimpers and I regret my choice of words. Judging by the look on Zombie's face, I shouldn't have said anything at all.

Sam came out with his sister and his sister came out with her rifle. Her face is pinched with worry and her hair is sticking up everywhere. Zombie waits for her to start talking.

"Might be just a patrol," he whispers. "Not even after us. There were two squads out there when the camp blew. Might be a rescue mission."

"They'll pick up our signatures," Dumbo says, panicking. "We're done, Sarge."

"Maybe not," Zombie says hopefully. His nap must have been delightful if it has him so damn cheery again. "Hear it? Fading already . . ."

My ears perk up, catching the sound of the chopper disappearing over the buildings ahead. The sound is growing fainter. They're leaving.

We wait there for ten minutes, letting the sound disappear completely. We wait another ten minutes just to be sure that they don't come back.

Zombie blows out the air in his cheeks. "Think we're good. . ."

"For how long?" Dumbo is nervous. "We shouldn't stay here tonight, Sarge. I say we head for the caverns now."

"And chance missing Ringer on her way back?" Zombie shook his head. "Or risk that chopper coming back while we're exposed? No, Dumbo. We stick to the plan." He pushed himself to his feet. He looked at Cassie. "What's up with Buzz Lightyear? No change?"

"His name is Evan and no. No change."

Zombie smiled. Sam giggled. "Zombie called your boyfriend a space ranger."

"He isn't a space ranger—and why is everyone calling him my boyfriend?"

Zombie's smile spread across his cheeks. "He's not your boyfriend? But he kissed you . . ."

"Full on?" Dumbo asked.

"Oh, yeah. Twice. That's what I saw."

"With tongue?" Dumbo asks. I snort and cross my arms. Wow, Bo. Wow.

"Ewww." Sammy mouth's formed a sour lemon pout.

"I have a gun," Cassie announced. I'm not sure she's joking, actually.

"I didn't see any tongue," Zombie said.

"Want to?" Cassie stuck her tongue out at him. Dumbo laughed. Poundcake smiled. Even my mouth quirked up at the corners.

That's when the girl appeared, coming into the hallway from the stairwell.

"Okay," I say, staring at her. "Who the fuck is this?"