“We have to tell the others,” I said. “We have to go to the refinery. That’s the meeting spot.”
If I was really, really lucky, there’d be a pigeon outside my window, ready to take a message to the rest of our allies.
“How are we going to get there?” Gavin asked. “I’m guessing there are more people than us who need to go, and I’d really prefer not to ride in the backseat of that piece-of-shit truck again.”
“It’s not a piece of shit.”
“It’s piece of shit enough.”
“Children,” I said quietly, and looked at Gunnar. “There will be more of us. Can you get us a ride?”
He nodded, and there was a gleam in his eyes. “Give me ten minutes,” he said, and set off at a run toward the Cabildo.
? ? ?
I’d been prepared to raise the flag to signal Delta, but it wasn’t necessary. There was a gray pigeon, its feathers shimmering iridescent in the light, perched outside the window.
It had a note already, and it seemed our friends were thinking the same thing: DISCUSSION RE: BAYOU AND NEXT STEPS AT USUAL PLACE. NOON.
It was nearly noon. I gave the pigeon some feed. While it bobbed its head at the grains, I scribbled out a small reply, tucked it into its pouch. I kept it short and sweet: RUTLEDGE HAS PHAEDRA DUPRE. MEET ASAP.
By the time I made sure the pigeon was in the air and made my way to the first floor, tires were squealing outside. Gunnar pulled up in a white van with CONTAINMENT in black block letters along both sides and the back.
Liam, Gavin, and I rushed outside. I locked the door behind us, followed them into the van, which had plenty of windows and three long bench seats.
“She isn’t sexy,” Gunnar, “but she’ll get us where we’re going. Which is where?”
“King Sugar Company Refinery,” I said. “And step on it.”
? ? ?
That van could move. Like most postwar vehicles, it had been stripped of nearly everything electrical. No radio, no AC, but at least it moved. So we drove toward Chalmette like schoolkids on a field trip.
Gunnar’s eyebrows lifted when he drove over the broken fence to enter the property, but he followed us inside without comment.
Malachi, Burke, and Darby already stood inside the giant space. Malachi carried his immaculate golden bow, which seemed so out of place in this rusting hulk of a building.
Their eyebrows lifted when Gunnar and Gavin walked in behind us. I decided I’d head off any argument.
“Malachi, Darby, Burke, this is Gunnar Landreau. Formerly the Commandant’s senior civilian adviser, and my very good friend. He’s on our side. Well, NOLA’s side, anyway. And this is Gavin Quinn, Liam’s brother. He’s a tracker, and he was with the Dupres when Phaedra was taken.”
There was silence for a moment while they considered the rest of my crew. They must have decided they were okay.
“That’s good enough for me,” Malachi said.
Darby nodded. “Agreed. Let’s get to it.”
Gavin stepped forward. “The Dupres were at my condo. There were two guards with them—both experienced Containment agents. Both had IDs that I personally verified with Containment. I went downstairs to the market for water, food.”
I could hear the guilt in his voice, wanted to reach out and soothe him, but didn’t think this was the time for it.
“When I came back, the guards were dead, and the operatives were taking Phaedra. I gave chase but wasn’t able to catch up. I got Tadji and Zana out of the house, got them safe.”
Gunnar took over from there. “The Commandant’s been apprised, but he knows only what he needs to know about what happened yesterday and what Rutledge has done. Containment can scramble jets and prepare ground support once we know where to send them. But PCC first-response jets come in from Tyndall, which is in Florida. Even when we know where they’re going, it will take time to get the jets in the air, and then here. We’re on our own until then. We have to keep the Veil closed until the cavalry arrives.”
Liam looked at Darby. “Where will they go? Rutledge and his people?”
“Talisheek,” she said. That was the location of the war memorial.
“The Veil crosses at Talisheek,” Malachi said. “That’s where the majority of Paras came through.”
“Is there a way you can get a message to Containment?” Gunnar asked. “Some way to warn them where it might happen?”
“I can arrange it,” Malachi said. “It’s easiest for me to get in and out of the Quarter unseen.”
Wings notwithstanding.
“How does the encryption work?” Liam asked.
“Only Sensitives who worked the encryption have the full details,” Darby said. “But I understand there’s a box that holds the encryption; it’s stored in the base of the war memorial. Each Sensitive has to apply his or her magic to the box to unlock one of the seven locks. The locks are keyed to their magic.”