“Thanks, Orchid,” Trisk said. “Can you do a sweep of the building without getting caught?”
“Duh.” Orchid peeked out from beneath the hat, then jerked back under when a sudden commotion in the hall turned into four officers pushing into the break room.
“It’s okay. We’re all okay,” Trisk said when one of them ran out yelling for Captain Pelhan and the other three went to Randy. “Has anyone seen Kal?” But they weren’t listening.
“We had it in impound” came Pelhan’s irate voice from the hall. “You’re telling me that kid not only got out of his cuffs, but boosted his own van? From impound?”
“We ran out of room so we had to put it on the street,” someone said.
“And why the hell am I smelling cinnamon and wine?” the captain exclaimed as they pushed into the break room. Seeing Trisk, he stopped short and reddened, embarrassed for the mild swear word. “Sorry, Doctor,” he said, and then his expression steeled when he noticed Daniel beside her, his neck and face marked with blisters.
“He’s been pixed,” Trisk said, breathless. “He’s fine, I promise. Did you see Kal?”
“Thank God,” Pelhan said. “You must be Dr. Plank. How did you get pixed?”
“He said I could,” Orchid said from under his hat, and both Pelhan and the officer with him started. “I gave him blisters so he could hitch a ride out of the arena on a morgue truck.”
Pelhan’s eyebrows rose. “Your hat is speaking, Dr. Plank,” he said, and Daniel smirked as Orchid peeked out. The tiny woman looked decidedly embarrassed, brushing her dress smooth before taking to the air. “Well, I’ll be damned,” Pelhan said, clearly charmed as he put his hands on his knees and peered at her. “I haven’t seen a pixy since I was twelve and they cut down the park to put in a 7-Eleven.”
Orchid’s dust turned a dismal green. Any pixies there were long gone. “Are you sure?”
Pelhan nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Trisk pushed between them impatiently. “Kal. Did you see him?” she asked, and Pelhan shook his head, sliding out of the way as his officers hustled a groggy Randy out and to the infirmary. Saladan was next, slung between two men, and Trisk’s need to leave grew when his hand pushed fitfully at the officers carrying him. The binding spell wouldn’t hold him much longer. She’d downed one hell of a witch. She hadn’t known she’d had it in her. Quen would be proud, she thought, even as she worried about him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Pelhan said, eyeing the dust slipping out from under Daniel’s hat.
Daniel took a breath, his expression cross, and Trisk silenced him with a soft touch on his arm. “I’m sorry, Pelhan,” she said evenly, ready to fight her way out if needed. “I can’t let them do this. They want to blame Daniel for everything.”
“And if I don’t agree to take it, they’ll blame her,” Daniel said.
“You misunderstand.” Pelhan glanced at the open hall. “You can’t stay here. Ulbrine is still on the phone, and I’d rather you be gone by the time he’s done. I don’t like his plans to make science the enclave’s scapegoat.”
Relief buoyed her up. “How did you know they were blackmailing us?”
Pelhan’s expression became sheepish, his hand on the small of her back as he ushered them into the hall. “I put a bug in my office last year when someone kept using my phone to make long-distance calls.” He held up his hand, showing her a wooden ring that was probably an amulet. “I can hear everything that happens in there.”
“You can do that?” Daniel whispered, and Pelhan’s eyes flicked to him. Looking uncomfortable, the captain hid his hand behind his back.
“Dr. Cambri . . .” Captain Pelhan said, his voice pained and clearly worried as they continually broke the silence in front of a human.
“I’ll deal with it,” she said, and Pelhan’s hand on her back pressed tighter as he hustled them forward.
“You had better,” he said softly as he leaned closer. But then he pulled away, and she breathed easier. “Daniel, I’m sorry for putting you where I did, but I’ve gotten word that no one new is coming down with the plague at the Chicago Stadium. Thank you for that. In this town, a rumor is as good as a public service announcement.”
Daniel met the captain’s grin with his own. “Once I convinced them I wasn’t a nutcase, the rest was easy.” His smile faded.
“I wish I could take you to the TV station,” Pelhan said as he snagged a blue police department jacket from a desk they were passing, then another. “But even if it was working, I don’t dare. I have very little wiggle room with the enclave here. I can blame Saladan and Kal for you slipping me, but if you’re caught again, that will be the end of the rumor, and I want it to keep spreading.”