He would find a way to whisper the question later.
He nudged her over, and she shifted, leaning against the wall at the head of the bed and stretching out her legs, and he settled in next to her, a barrier between her and the door.
He slid an arm around her and she tipped her head onto his shoulder.
They sat like that, in silence.
Ethan expected the guards to bring them food and water, but no one did.
Eventually, they drank water from the tap in the bathroom, had a quick shower, and then slid down on the bunk.
It would be more comfortable if Ethan were to go over to his own bunk, but he wanted to be right beside her, and she didn’t complain.
He got his pillow, adding it to hers, so things were a little more comfortable, and then she tucked herself under his arm, her head resting on his chest, and even though he tried to keep awake, alert to any danger, he found himself slipping into sleep.
He woke with a suddenness he was used to, especially from his days in the military, but this felt . . . more . . . than usual, as if every sense was at optimum capacity.
He felt well rested, energized, and when he looked down at Velda, she was staring up at him, and there was a sudden connection between them that made his body hum with excitement and a feeling of rightness.
Neither of them had moved anything other than their heads, aside from opening their eyes, and he guessed if they were being watched, they would look like they were still asleep, although it would be difficult to make them out in the darkness.
Some time in the night the lights had gone off, letting them sleep more naturally, but now the lights flicked back on andthe door suddenly opened, and Ethan wondered if they’d both unconsciously heard someone moving outside.
He lifted his head to look at who it was, and wasn’t surprised to see the guards from yesterday, along with Ritter.
“How are we feeling this morning?” Ritter asked, studying them with interest.
When Ethan had lifted his head, Velda had pushed up on one hand, and Ethan swung both feet to the floor, giving her room to do the same.
“Hungry,” Velda said.
“I’ll give you something to eat after I’ve taken your vitals,” Ritter said, stepping back as they both got to their feet. “Shackle them, just to be sure,” he told the guards, and then strolled away.
“Hands out.” One of the guards lifted a laz, and the caution Ethan usually felt when someone aimed a laz at him seemed to spike inside him, way more than he’d ever worried about it before.
He stepped in front of Velda, shielding her from the guard’s aim, and thrust his hands forward.
The second guard restrained him and waited until Velda stepped forward to do the same to her.
“Out.”
They stepped into the passageway, which was completely devoid of crew.
Were they deliberately keeping out the way, Ethan wondered? Were they considered dangerous?
Or, more dangerous, he amended. They were dangerous, or at least he knew he would be seen that way, even if Velda wasn’t. But there was a jumpiness to Ritter and the guards that made him think the test subjects hadn’t been very predictable after being experimented on.
“What did some of the crew do after Ritter was finished with them, that you’re so nervous?” he asked.
The guards were behind them, and he glanced over his shoulder as he asked the question.
“They weren’t themselves,” one of the guards said. Then he closed his mouth in a thin line, and Ethan guessed that was all he was going to get.
Interesting.
He didn’t feel not himself. He felt pretty good. Better than he should have for sleeping on an uncomfortable bench, with a skipped meal, and in a stressful situation.
Maybe some of it was Velda. Having her plastered up against him all night had been a sweet torture, but he didn’t even feel stiff, despite the narrow bed and thin mattress.
