"Take a last look to make sure you don't forget anything," I say to Ruby while I go out of the bathroom. After long hours of flight, several short naps, three dogs barking tired of being cooped up and a bored wife it's about time for us to land in Siberia. Our bags are packed and the dogs have their leashes on ready to leave the plane. Before getting into the cockpit, where anyone might be able to hear us through the radio, I stop staring pensively at the tip of my boots. This is a delicate matter and I don't want her to feel uncomfortable but it's better to talk about it now instead of regretting it later. "Ruby..." she looks at me with interest when she hears my serious tone of voice despite I'm whispering. "Once we're down there... it'll be time for you to start playing your role. I'm not asking you to become a clingy and loving wife all of a sudden but... it has to be credible and..."
"I understand it," she whispers back. "I'm an actress, I can do it, don't worry." I nod, happy to consider the topic closed. She doesn't need to start kissing me and hugging me in every corner, not matter how much I'd love that, but we must have some kind of physical contact and tender glances if we want my brothers to believe it... They're good boys but not stupid. We get into the cockpit and sit down in our positions, fastening our belts.
"Sergeant..."
"Hello Lieutenant. I see you on the radar: it's about time to go down." I can picture him jumping excited in his seat judging by his enthusiastic tone of voice.
"Wow! You are really eager to see me..." I shake my head amused while I see my wife smiling out of the corner of my eye.
"See you? I'm looking forward to see Chance... and Ruby," he adds quickly while my girl bursts into laughing.
"I understand," I sigh in resignation. "From now on I've lost my own identity, I'm not Iselen anymore but 'Ruby's wife' and 'Chance, Ru and Charlie's stepmother.'"
"Damn right and now you should land that plane." Rick answers while laughing too. I start the landing manoeuvres while my girl looks attentively through the window, even if there's not much to see down there: just an area of land covered in white immaculate snow. The bunker is well hidden...
"What's going to happen now?" she ask confused.
"The bunker is down there even if you can't see it, believe me. And there aren't zombies around, it's too cold, we're far up north from the closer inhabited area and there's also a wired and electrified perimeter, so we don't have to worry about them. We're going to land, going back along the runaway and then getting into a ginormous hangar. I'll try to park the plane as close as possible to the elevator door. You're going to carry one bag and your pets wrapped in a blanket and I'll take the rest of the luggage, the moment I let down the airstair you must run as fast as you can to the elevator. The cold from outside will sneak into the hangar when the door opens and you need to be ready for that because you'll feel like ice needles in your lungs. You must try to hold your breath and keep running, once we're in the elevator you'll feel warm again. Don't worry about the plane, we'll leave the door open and the logistics boys will take care of it and get everything ready for the next mission if someone needs it, restocking it with fuel, food and equipment. Are you ready?" She nods vigorously, after the octopus-zombie episode she seems determined to act with courage and not being swept away by the desperation. I'm happy to see that the strong and resolute Ruby is back.
Following every step of my plan we land without problems even if the runaway is covered by a thin layer of snow, luckily it hasn't freeze yet. Even taking a closer look, the white walls and door of the hangar help it blend in with its surroundings perfectly. I operate our plane with great care since there're other aircrafts here but I manage to park close to the elevator: we only need to run some steps before reaching the refuge. I turn off the engines and unfasten my belt, Ruby has already get up and waits nervously.
