15. Peter

15

PETER

M arina squeezed Peter's hand as the car's windows turned opaque and the vehicle slipped into autonomous mode. "I'm so excited. I'm finally here."

"Almost." He leaned over and kissed her temple.

He'd warned her about the windows so she wouldn't freak out, and he also told her about the underground tunnel leading into the mountain that the village sat on top of.

When the car wound its way into the tunnel's hidden entrance, Marina's eyes widened, and her hold on his hand tightened.

Peter had seen this journey countless times before, and the James-Bond-style high-tech marvels that guarded their secret sanctuary no longer registered, but seeing them through Marina's eyes, he once again noted the miracle of ingenuity that was involved.

Most of the credit belonged to William, but the guy didn't work alone. He had a team of bright minds working under him, coming up with innovative solutions and technologies.

The air grew cold and damp as they descended deeper into the earth, and even though the windows were still opaque, they admitted light, which was absent in the tunnel. Peter wondered why no artificial lighting had been installed, or maybe it had been, and it just wasn't on when there was no need for it. The car drove itself, and it was perfectly able to navigate in the dark.

As Marina shivered, pressing herself closer to his side, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are you cold?" he asked.

"A little. But mostly, I'm spooked. I don't like dark places, and I don't like being underground. I hated that my cabin on the ship didn't have a window."

"Don't worry." He lifted their conjoined hands and kissed the back of hers. "We are not going to stay underground for long. After we park, we will take the elevator to the surface, and you'll see how full of sunlight the village is." He glanced at his watch. "The sun will set soon, but we still have enough time to see most of the village. It's not that big."

"When are the windows going to clear?" she asked.

"When the car enters the elevator, which will happen in one, two, and…three." The car stopped, and a moment later, they lurched up.

"Amazing," Marina whispered. "It's like a science fiction movie."

"It is." He smiled. "I've gotten used to it, so I don't see it anymore, but watching the marvels through your eyes makes me excited about it again."

When the elevator doors opened with a soft ding and a pneumatic hiss, revealing the cavernous underground parking garage, Marina's jaw dropped, her eyes darting from one sleek row of vehicles to the next.

"So many cars," she whispered.

It dawned on him then that Marina had never been to a mall or supermarket. She'd never seen a sprawling parking lot full of cars of every make, shape, and color.

"I need to take you to see the city."

Her cheeks pinked. "I sounded provincial, didn't I?"

He laughed. "Where have you ever heard that word?"

"I don't remember. Maybe I heard it in one of the movies or shows I've watched lately or dreamt it." Marina chuckled. "I don't know when it happened, but lately, I've started to think and dream in English."

"That's good." He opened the door. "It indicates mastery of the language, which you have." He stepped out of the vehicle.

One of the other Guardians beat him to Marina's door and opened it for her. "Welcome to the village, Marina."

"Thank you." She stepped out and looked around. "I'm already impressed, and I've only seen the parking garage. We have one bus and two cars in Safe Haven, and we didn't have much more than that in the compound in Karelia. I've never seen so many cars in real life."

There were still so many things he could show her that would make the parking garage seem like nothing, and Peter was excited at the prospect of being her guide.

As they gathered their luggage and made their way toward the elevators that would take them to the surface, Peter felt a flutter of excitement in anticipation of the moment Marina would lay eyes on the village for the first time.

He had told her about it, of course, painting vivid pictures of the lush greenery, winding paths, and cozy homes, but he wasn't great with words and could only convey so much without showing her actual photos, which he didn't have.

When the elevator doors slid open, revealing the sun-drenched pavilion with its soaring glass walls and displays of ancient artifacts, the look of slack-jawed amazement that crossed Marina's face made Peter grin.

She darted out of the elevator, her eyes wide and her steps faltering as she took in the display that lined the walls. Ancient pottery and intricately carved statues, gleaming blades, and clay tablets carved with ancient symbols were a treasure trove of history.

"What is all this?" Marina walked from one item to the next, her voice hushed with reverence as she ran her fingers along the glass.

"Kalugal is an amateur archeologist, and this is his collection," Peter explained. "Calling him an amateur is doing him a disservice. He might not do it for profit or fame, but he's very serious about it. When he moved to the village, he brought his entire hoard with him, and this is just a small sample of what he's got squirreled away in storage on the lower levels. From time to time, he rotates the exhibits, so we always have a fresh display." He walked over to stand by her side. "He also adds descriptions and explanations about each item."

Peter pressed a button, and a recording started, with Kalugal lecturing about that particular artifact. He let it play for a minute and then stopped it. "When you are bored and have nothing better to do, you can come here and listen to his lectures."

"I certainly will. This is fascinating."

He put his arm around her. "Maybe you'll discover that archeology is your passion."

"Maybe." She raised her glowing face to him, lifted on her toes, and kissed him on the lips. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You're welcome, but you've seen nothing yet."