"They won't have it out here, and the clothing will be no better than what we had on the trek, but at least they will be the right size and clean."
Grant appeared in the doorway. "If you're going out, at least one of us needs to go with you."
"We'll be fine," Lokan said. "Unless you guys need to do some shopping as well?"
"We don't," Grant said. "But we are here to protect you. I should go with you."
Carol stretched on her toes to kiss Grant's cheek. "You forget that Lokan and I are not inexperienced civilians. We are both trained, and we know what we are doing."
Reluctantly, he nodded.
"Bring back food," Camden called from the living room.
"Pizza?" Dougal suggested hopefully. "Do they have pizza out here?"
"We'll see what we can find." Lokan ushered Carol toward the door before the shopping list could grow longer.
The car Mikko had mentioned was in the garage—an older model Volvo. The keys were on the hook by the door.
"Are you okay to drive?" Carol asked as she got in. "Did you sleep on the plane?"
"I dozed off for a little bit. That's enough for me."
It wasn't, and he was operating on fumes, but thankfully Carol didn't argue for a change, and soon they were driving through the Finnish forest.
"This feels so surreal," Carol said, adjusting the heater vents. "Three days ago, we were running for our lives through Mongolia, and now we're going shopping in Finland like a normal couple."
"We're not a normal couple." He smiled at her. "We're extraordinary people who happen to need new underwear."
She laughed. "When you put it that way, it sounds almost romantic."
"Everything is romantic with the right person," he said, reaching over to take her hand.
"Such a smooth talker."
"That's why you love me."
"Among other things." She waggled her brows.
The shopping center appeared exactly where Mikko had said, a modern building that looked almost alien, dropped into the wilderness as it was. The parking lot held a few dozen cars at most, all older models.
Carol squared her shoulders like a soldier preparing for battle. "Thirty minutes, starting now."
He chuckled. "You make it sound like a race."
They entered through sliding doors into fluorescent-lit normalcy. A department store anchored one end, a grocery store the other, with smaller shops in between. Music played softly over hidden speakers.
"Divide and conquer?" Carol suggested. "You get luggage and men's clothes, I'll handle women's wear?"
"Together," Lokan said firmly. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."
"Overprotective much?"
"Recently hunted by multiple armies," he countered.
"Fair point." She linked her arm through his. "Ladies' department first. I refuse to spend another minute in these sweats."
What followed was the most normal half hour they'd experienced in recent memory. Carol efficiently selected clothing appropriate for travel and in the correct size. She didn't bother trying anything on, claiming that she was old and experienced enough not to need that. She knew what looked good on her, and he couldn't argue with that.
