‘They abandoned this facility a century ago. It is forgotten. He will see to it that it remains so.’
Our surroundings were a little more welcoming now. None of the bulbs grew too bright – Alsafi must be being cautious with the electricity – but they warmed the concrete and cast-iron.
The others had claimed places on the lower deck. The vile augurs had clearly felt safe enough to emerge, for the time being: Wynn and Vern had occupied one pair of bunks, while Róisín was at the top of the next set, and Ivy at the bottom of the next. Jos was above her, fast asleep beneath two blankets, and Maria had dumped her rucksack opposite Ivy. When she saw Warden’s towering figure, Ivy pushed herself farther into her bunk.
‘You found bedding?’ I said.
‘Not much,’ Nick admitted. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Of course.’ I spotted a bag on the floor. ‘Whose is that?’
A hoarse voice came from the doorway. ‘Mine.’
I turned to see Tom and Glym, both a little worse for wear. It was Tom who had spoken, and he was grinning, if grimy. I was so relieved to see them that I embraced them both.
‘Minty asked us to deliver a message.’ Glym looked grave. ‘She has decided against entering the Beneath. She would prefer to stay in Grub Street and assist us from there.’
I wanted to protest, but Minty Wolfson was the soul of Grub Street, and I couldn’t imagine her anywhere else. ‘And the Pearl Queen?’
‘We’ve heard nothing from her.’
Four out of six commanders, Warden, and both my mollishers. More than enough to decide on our counter play. I beckoned the others into an empty side tunnel, where someone had set up a table and chairs. Warden barred the door behind us before taking a seat.
‘Time for us to plan our next move,’ I said, ‘because things are about to get much worse.’
‘Worse,’ Maria echoed. ‘Than this.’
I handed her Danica’s note. She read it and turned away with a groan, fisting her hands in her hair.
‘Portable scanners. For the soldiers,’ she said. ‘It’s a damn good thing we did move underground.’
Tom took it from her, digested it.
‘I know it’s not good news,’ I said as they passed the note around, their faces turning grimmer as they read, ‘but it does give us a new lead on Senshield.’ I raised my chin. ‘I’m going to Manchester. If that’s where portable scanners are being manufactured, we might be able to find out how and where they’re being linked to Senshield, and that, in turn, could lead us to the core. It’s a chance, at any rate.’
Eliza shook her head. ‘You want to leave? Now?’
‘That would be unprecedented,’ Glym said. ‘No syndicate leader has ever left the citadel. It may not be a popular move—’
‘I didn’t become Underqueen to be popular. Tom, Maria, will you come with me?’
Tom beamed. ‘I’m with you, Underqueen.’
‘Absolutely,’ Maria said.
It was risky to take two commanders away, but I sensed their skills would be the most useful. Tom was a powerful voyant and had knowledge of the country beyond London, while Maria had experience as an insurgent, as well as the sort of relentless energy we needed for this journey.
‘Good. And Glym,’ I said, ‘will you be interim Underlord?’
There was an odd silence. Glym blinked, but dipped his head. ‘You do me a great honour, Underqueen.’
Glym was loyal and well-respected, had years of experience as a leader in the syndicate, and didn’t take any nonsense from the Assembly. ‘Your priority is to preserve life while we’re gone,’ I said. ‘Get as many voyants into this facility as you can. Get the pumps and ventilation working. Send the higher orders to retrieve food and drink for the lower. Keep the peace. Above all, make sure this place isn’t compromised.’
Warden had watched our discussion in silence.
‘What did you want to say?’ I asked him quietly.
He looked between my commanders.
‘The Mime Order is an alliance between our two factions,’ he said. ‘You have all contributed your skills and knowledge to its continuation. Now, we wish to give something in return.’
‘Oh, at last,’ Maria said.
Warden gave her a sidelong glance before continuing. ‘With Senshield now able to detect four of seven orders, all clairvoyants in this country, whether they yet know it or not, are in an extremely precarious position. If ever the time was ripe to sway them to our cause, it is now. It would be advantageous to alert them to the situation in the capital and urge them to join the revolution.’
‘And how do you propose we do that,’ said Maria, ‘given Scion’s famous tolerance for freedom of information?’
Tom snorted.
‘I suggest,’ Warden said, undeterred, ‘that we send a message through the ?ther – one that would reach many voyants at once – encouraging them to assist the Mime Order in its fight against Scion.’ There was silence from us all. ‘I take it you have all attended a séance at some point in your careers.’
Nods. I had been part of a few séances during my time as Jaxon’s mollisher. They were group summonings of spirits, requiring the presence of at least three voyants.
‘Well-conducted séances can amplify clairvoyant gifts. I propose that we hold one here. First,’ Warden said, ‘I would draw memories from any willing ScionIDE survivors, which will illustrate the threat they pose. Paige will enter my dreamscape and experience them with me. Immediately after, she will jump into a willing oracle.’
‘Okay,’ Nick said, frowning.
‘This stage is theoretical, but I believe that Paige should be able to transfer the memories from my dreamscape to the oracle’s, allowing them to be projected into the ?ther. The longer we can sustain the séance, the farther the message will travel. We will need most, or preferably all, of the Unnatural Assembly for it to travel far and wide.’
Maria folded her arms. ‘Sounds great. Why haven’t we been doing this all along?’
‘You did not have a Rephaite with you,’ Warden said. ‘Now, who here has had dealings with ScionIDE?’
Maria chuckled. ‘I’ll share. My memories are nice and gruesome.’
The room’s attention shifted towards Nick, who was hunched on a supply crate. He wet his lips. ‘My experience was . . . personal. I don’t know if I want it made public.’
‘Take mine,’ I said to Warden. ‘My memory of the Dublin Incursion.’
‘You were too young,’ Warden said. ‘Those memories may not be clear enough.’
Nick circled his temples with his fingers. ‘Have it,’ he said. ‘If it will help the country understand, have it.’ His knee bounced. ‘I can’t project the emotions in the memory, you realise. Just images.’
‘The images may be all that is needed. Visions of a violent past – portending a violent future.’
Nick nodded, resting his forehead on one hand.
‘Let me do the projection,’ Tom said gently, patting him on the back. ‘I’ve a wee bit more experience in the art.’
Another nod.
‘It is settled, then. If you can persuade the Unnatural Assembly to perform the séance,’ Warden said, ‘I will help you strengthen it.’
Tom grimaced. ‘You dinna think the Assembly will all hold hands together, do you?’