The heavy thud of Felix's combat boots echoed on the concrete floor. He stopped just a few steps from the blind corner.
"Where's Josie?" he asked, his voice low as he stopped Jane Alden, who was walking toward him.
"I just saw her over by the warehouse." Jane pointed in that direction and added, "Should I go get her now?"
Felix shook his head. "No need. Just let me know when she gets back."
Hiding in the blind corner, Josie listened to their conversation, her head still resting on Lucas Lockwood's chest.
She could clearly feel the rise and fall of his chest and hear his heart begin to beat faster.
"He's looking for you," Lucas's voice came from above her, laced with a hint of restraint. "Aren't you going to see him?"
After arriving at the shelter, he'd heard all sorts of things about Josie.
He had even met the man named Felix Fields before seeing Josie herself.
When he learned that Felix had brought her back and that she was now his woman, a strange emotion churned inside him.
He couldn't identify the feeling, only that it was deeply unsettling.
"I'm not going."
Josie chuckled, intentionally leaning in closer. "You still haven't told me why you came all this way. Don't tell me you actually came looking for me?"
She was only teasing, but she heard a distinct "Yes."
Josie slowly pulled back and looked up at him. The dim light caught the slight curve of her lips.
"Risking your life just to find me?"
In the dim light, the man's handsome face was as fresh and clear as the sky after a spring rain. His eyes were fixed on her, his expression unreadable.
Josie abruptly sat up straight, putting more distance between them.
Lucas pursed his lips.
The journey here had been a series of near-death experiences, but he never once thought of giving up.
"You were in danger because you helped us. I couldn't just abandon you." His voice was steady and resolute.
The smile on Josie's face slowly faded.
'A heartless, disloyal man like Landon Hughes is someone I can wrap around my little finger without a second thought.'
But facing this man of noble character, she suddenly dropped her casual, flirtatious act.
"Thank you," she said softly, her tone uncharacteristically serious. "I've made a few friends here. Once I say my goodbyes, we can leave."
The tension in Lucas's eyes eased, and his voice softened. "Okay. I'll wait for you."
Just then, a cold male voice spoke from behind them.
"What are you doing here?"
Lucas turned to see a tall man standing in the corridor about a meter away.
The man's face was stern, and his sharp gaze cut across them, openly scrutinizing and probing.
Hearing Felix's voice, Josie's body stiffened involuntarily.
The image of Felix, overcome with passion while under hypnosis, flashed through her mind.
'His ragged breathing, the searing heat of his palms, the cool, masculine scent that was uniquely his…'
The memory was enough to fluster her.
She quickly composed herself. By the time she turned, her usual smile was already in place.
"I ran into an old friend. We were just catching up," she said brightly, her face showing no trace of awkwardness or evasion.
"Are you done?" Felix's gaze flickered between them. "I need to talk to you."
"We're done."
Josie took two steps forward, then turned and waved to Lucas. "I'm off, then."
Lucas said nothing, just watched them go.
'Since Josie is willing to leave with me, I can wait a little longer.'
Felix walked ahead, the sound of his combat boots striking the ground with a particular weight.
Josie followed behind, unable to see his tightly clenched jaw.
Felix had already gotten the full story from Joanna Cross.
She had brought in Jack Jennings to hypnotize him, but Josie had knocked her unconscious before he could even touch her.
'So... Josie must have been there. But by the time I broke free of my restraints, she was gone.'
'After being hypnotized, who else could I have held but her?'
'Josie helped me, and in return, I took advantage of her.'
'I've been waiting for her to come and hold me accountable, but she's acting like nothing ever happened.'
'She still smiles at me without a hint of awkwardness or evasion.'
'If I hadn't confirmed it with Joanna, I might have been fooled by her act as well.'
Josie felt that Felix's aura was unusually cold today, as if the temperature in the room had dropped several degrees.
Josie sat down across from him with a radiant smile, intentionally keeping her posture relaxed.
"How is your ability recovering?" Felix asked, getting straight to the point. His voice was even colder and deeper than usual.
Josie studied his expression. 'He doesn't seem to remember what happened between us during the hypnosis,' she thought, sighing inwardly with relief.
The smile on her face grew even more brilliant. "It's recovering pretty well."
'After that intimate contact with him, my ability recovered incredibly fast.'
'And just now, getting close to Lucas helped too. It's not fully recharged yet, but it's enough to last a few hours outside.'
"I mentioned before that I need you to do me a favor."
"A favor... sure, no problem. But if even you can't do it, are you sure I can?"
"It would be very difficult for anyone else," Felix's gaze suddenly deepened, seeming to carry a hidden meaning, "but it shouldn't be a problem for you."
Josie's heart skipped a beat. She had a feeling he was implying something.
She looked up, meeting his eyes directly, but all she saw was his usual cold, stern expression.
"Well, tell me about it," she said, feigning a casual air. "But make it quick. I'm leaving in the next day or two."
"You're leaving?" Felix's voice rose sharply, and his hand clutching the water cup tightened.
Josie nodded. "I only ended up here by accident. I was bound to leave sooner or later. Once I've helped you, it'll be time for me to go."
"Leaving with that man from before?" A dark glint flashed in his eyes before vanishing.
Josie thought his tone was a little strange, but she didn't dwell on it.
"Yes. He's a friend I made while I was on the run. He didn't give up looking for me after I disappeared."
Then, she skirted the issue. "But that's not important. First, tell me how I can help you. I really owe you for being able to live safely here these past few days, so I'll do my best to help. You can count on me."
Felix was silent, staring at her for a long moment.
"Hm? Why so quiet?"
Felix relaxed his grip on the cup and looked away. "Tomorrow morning, you and I are going somewhere. There are a lot of zombies. Let me confirm one more time: can your ability guarantee your safety inside a horde?"
"It can."
"Good."
"What do you need me to do in there?" Josie blinked. She was actually quite curious.
Felix's fingers traced a line on the tabletop. "The place we're going to is about a kilometer from here. It's a public hospital from before the apocalypse, and it's full of zombies. I need you to go in and confirm exactly how many evolved zombies are inside."