We entered the larger space, and I looked around at the carpeted bench seating lining the perimeter of the room. The floor was black, as were the walls, but the twinkle lights and other battery-operated lanterns and globes gave the place a peaceful glow. There were three recording rooms in front of this one, all of them with large viewing windows. Only one was open, the other two covered from the inside by black curtains.

Layne glanced at the watch on her wrist. “I’m supposed to wake Leon in thirty minutes. Can I get either of you something to eat? Water?”

“Yes, water would be great,” Emily said.

Layne opened one of the benches and reached inside. “We’ve hidden all the supplies in these,” she said. “In case anyone breaks in or whatever. Things are wild. I spend most of the day trying to believe this is even real.”

She handed us each a bottle of water, and I drank several sips but then capped it again. We’d grown used to rationing at this point. Emily did the same and then we sat down.

“You can’t be planning to stay here indefinitely,” Emily said to Layne.

“No, no, we aren’t. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Leaving for where?”

“San Diego.” She looked back and forth between us. “You should both come. I’m sure Leon wouldn’t hesitate to take you with him.”

I frowned. “What’s going on in San Diego?”

“There’s a whole neighborhood in La Jolla that’s been turned into a safety zone. Leon’s been back and forth between there and here. He’s the reason I’m not hiding in my apartment with half a bag of Doritos and the water remaining in my toilet tank, knowing I would have to go out into the streets soon, or die alone.” She wrapped her arms around herself and drew her shoulders up. “It was terrifying, Nova. And I know your plane crashed, so you probably experienced worse than me.”

Emily reached across and took her hand and squeezed it. “Please, call me Emily. And yes, we all have stories,” she said.

Layne nodded, a jerky movement. “Leon helped Freddie and some others get there, which is how Leon knew about me. He’s been rescuing the people he can.”

“Wait, the San Diego thing,” Emily said, obviously as unclear as me about what was there. “What do you mean a ‘safety zone’?”