The Disappearance of Ember Crow (29 page)

Daniel shook his head. His hair was bit scraggly and uneven, I noticed; he must have let Georgie cut it again. “It’s been quiet, and between us and the Saur Tribe we’ve kept a close watch. If anything was wrong, we’d know it.”

“Has Neville been brought in yet?”

“Yes. Grey too. And the Prime arrived late yesterday. You don’t know when the attack will be?”

“Unfortunately not,” Connor responded. “But if the purpose of it is to derail the reform movement, which Ember thinks it might be, then the minions will want to make a spectacle, in front of as many people as they possibly can. Do you have any idea what kind of events …”

“There’s going to be a big opening ceremony on Tuesday morning,” Daniel replied promptly. “A dinner the night after that. And tomorrow there’s a memorial service, right before lunch. For the detainees who ‘died’ escaping the centre.”

They really
had
been keeping watch. But that was a lot of events to cover, and the attack might or might not take place during any of them. They all sounded like good targets. Except … maybe one more than the others.

“The memorial service,” I breathed.

Connor nodded. “Illegals causing mayhem during a ceremony meant to mourn other Illegals? It’s before the Adjustment officially begins, but it would be hard for the minions to pass up that kind of opportunity.”

“It’s tomorrow!” I spluttered. “That’s so close. Even flying – or Running – it’ll take us the best part of a day just to get across the grasslands.” Or rather the best part of a night, in order to avoid being seen.

“Also,” Daniel said, “if the service
isn’t
the target, what do we do? We can’t exactly lurk about the centre waiting for something to happen, at least, not without getting arrested.”

“No,” Connor agreed thoughtfully, “but we don’t have to. If we could reach Prime Willis, or Jeremy Duoro or Rae Wentworth, they’d listen to a warning from us. We could try to get them to evacuate the Prime, or shut down the Adjustment, or …” His voice trailed off and he sighed. “I don’t know. Something. At least if we’ve warned them, they’ll be better prepared.”

“Plus they’ll know the Tribe isn’t responsible for the attack,” I said. “That we tried to help. That could be important if someone tries to blame us later, or if … things go bad, for Illegals.”

There was a moment of grim silence as the three of us contemplated exactly how bad things could get. Then Daniel spoke.“I don’t know about Willis or Wentworth, but I think we can get to Duoro.”

“How?” I demanded.

“He has this routine. In the morning, first thing, he comes out of the centre, walks to the edge of the grasslands and just stands there, staring at the grass. Then he goes back inside. He’s done it every day since he arrived.”

I knew what that was about. “He’s looking out at where the children died. I mean, where he thinks they died.” Jeremy Duoro had done his absolute best to save the detainees from being eaten by saurs. In fact, he’d almost ruined our rescue with his bravery. It was sad that he was still mourning their deaths so deeply. But helpful.

“If we’re going to reach Duoro tomorrow,” Connor said crisply, “we’ll have to cross the grasslands tonight. The three of us need to get to the caves, get supplies, and work out exactly what we’re going to do.”

Daniel nodded. “I’ll see you both there.”

He vanished, leaving only a stirring in the air behind him.

I turned to face Connor, and held out my hand, ready to fly. He twined his fingers in mine. I had a sudden panicked thought that this might be the last time we were alone before we went into the centre. “Connor? In this or any other life …”

He understood, of course. He raised my hand to his lips, pressed a kiss to my knuckles, and finished the sentence. “We will find each other.”

And we flew, soaring towards the caves so we could plan out the details of how we would stand between the Tribe, and the trees, and danger.

The next morning, I was skulking outside Detention Centre 3 with Daniel at my side.

Yesterday had gone past in a frantic blur as we formulated a plan, and decided who should put it into action. In the end it hadn’t been hard to determine who came on this particular mission. Firstly, Connor, both because of his superlative control of his ability and because he was the one who’d befriended Belle Willis and Jeremy Duoro, six months ago. Secondly, Daniel, because he could control his ability almost as well as Connor, and he was pretty much the only other Tribe member – except for Em, who wasn’t here – who could be trusted to keep their head. The absolute last thing we needed was someone panicking under fire. Thirdly, Jaz, to hide on the grasslands and relay messages by mindspeaking. And finally me, because … well, I hadn’t been about to let them leave me behind. But also because I was the one who knew Rae Wentworth, and that might be important. She’d never interacted with Connor, except as an enforcer; she’d only trust me.

Now we just had to activate our plan.

Jaz and Connor were at the front of the centre – Jaz crouched in the grasslands, and Connor hiding in the forests that ran along the road leading to the main gates. Daniel and I were lurking at the back, concealed by a pile of tumbled rocks. Fortunately, there was no shortage of convenient rocks to conceal ourselves behind in the Steeps, the hilly granite country that bordered Detention Centre 3 on two sides.

I whispered to Daniel, “Are you sure you know where you’re Running to?”

He gave me a look. It was a tolerant look, because Daniel had endless amounts of patience, but I got the message. I’d drawn him a map of the locations of the major structures within the centre, and of the storage building where we were headed now. He’d said he’d memorised it, and there was no need whatsoever for me to keep checking. “Sorry. You know what you’re doing.”

“I really do, Ash.”

I shifted my attention to what was in front of us. Most of the centre was surrounded by a high boundary wall with a walkway along the top that was continually patrolled by enforcers. But at the back, half the wall had collapsed in the fire Connor had started to cover our escape the last time we’d been here. There were still guards strung along the crumbled section, standing about twenty paces apart, as well as patrols that came by at regular intervals. It was the patrols we were concerned about; we didn’t want to pass close enough to one for an alert guard to notice something strange about the movement of the air.

I watched as two enforcers appeared, pacing slowly past the standing guards. It seemed to take forever before they’d covered the length of the gap and disappeared behind the wall again. Daniel checked his watch. “Fifteen minutes since the last time they came through.”

That was more than enough time for us to get in, especially with the help of a strong breeze to cover Daniel’s Running. He picked me up and held me tight against his chest. I called out to Jaz.
Tell Connor. Now
.

The wind grew abruptly stronger, scattering stones across the ground as it gusted through the centre. Daniel drew in a deep breath and Ran.

The whole world seemed to disappear into a big smear of paint, all the colours merging into each other. There was nothing concrete to focus on, and no sound except the roar of air rushing past me. Then everything solidified, only I wasn’t where I’d been before. Daniel and I were inside a building, one that was filled with crates and had a staircase leading up to an open floor above.

He put me down. It was the first time I’d ever Run anywhere with him, and it had been – pretty amazing, actually. “How do you find your way when everything is a blur like that?”

“Georgie asked me that once. I don’t see a blur. For me, it’s as if I’m moving normally and everything else has slowed to a crawl.” He glanced around curiously. “So this is the place? Where you showed Jeremy Duoro and Belle Willis the cache of streakers?”

“It’s where Connor showed them the cache,” I replied. “Plus the rhondarite from the secret mine Neville had in the Steeps.” I jerked my head towards the upper floor. “I was hiding up there.”

The storage building wasn’t very much different from how I remembered, except for the roped-off areas and little signs everywhere. It was an exhibit, now that the centre had been made into a museum.

Ash? Are you there yet?

Yep. Has Duoro come out?

Nope. I’ll let you know when he does
.

“There’s nothing happening at the front so far,” I told Daniel.

He nodded and began to stroll about. Like me and Connor, he was dressed entirely in Gull-City-blue; we wanted to be able to blend in with the Citizen delegates to the Adjustment if we had to. I leaned against a crate, fingering the stunner in my pocket. It was the only weapon we had, other than our abilities.
And the collars, I guess
. Daniel had three of the rhondarite collars that we’d taken from the rescued detainees bundled into in a small backpack. He thought that, with his speed, he might be able to get close enough to clip a collar on a minion. That was why he was also wearing thick gloves, to prevent contact between the rhondarite and his skin. Connor had tried to move a collar with air, in case he could find a way to use one as well, but it turned out it was unwise to rely on an ability to shift anything made of rhondarite.

One stunner, three collars, our abilities and our wits
. I wished we had more. I wished we had an army.

I hoped we had enough.

“Listen to this,” Daniel said. He was bending over a sign positioned next to an empty crate. “It’s a quote from Jeremy Duoro. ‘I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw what this box contained. Weapons. Row upon row of shiny, deadly, streakers. What terrible plan was lurking in the devious mind of Chief Administrator Neville Rose?’” He shook his head. “Does he really talk like that?”

“He’s a dramatic kind of guy.” I smiled. “But a good one. He’ll help us if he can.”

Ash? He’s coming out
.

I straightened. “Duoro’s outside the centre!”

He’s strolling … He’s strolling … He’s heading across the gravel to the grasslands. Now he’s standing at the edge of the grass, all sad, boohoo. What a terrible tragedy, sixteen children eaten by saurs. Okay, Connor’s sending the rock
.

I imagined our rock being propelled through the grasses to stop at Duoro’s feet. We’d tied a short note onto it, saying that the Prime and the Adjustment were in danger, and asking Duoro to meet Connor in this building.

It’s hit his foot. He’s glancing back at the gate guards … Wait, he’s doing the old “just bending down to tie my shoelace” trick … Nice. Very nice. He’s got the rock … He’s reading the note! He’s reading the note! Now he’s walking to the centre – bit quickly – whistling loudly – don’t overdo it, friend
.

A long pause, then,
He’s back in
.

Thanks, Jaz
.

Good luck, Ash. And Connor says, he’s headed your way
.

I grinned at Daniel. “It went well. They’re coming.”

He nodded, and we waited. The moments seemed to crawl by until the door finally opened and Connor slipped inside.

I sighed in relief to see he’d made it in all right. “Any sign of trouble out there?”

“Not that I saw. Not yet.” He walked over to stand at my side. “Duoro shouldn’t be far behind me.”

He was right – it wasn’t long before the door opened for a second time, and Jeremy Duoro bounded in. He charged up to Connor, seizing his hand and shaking it enthusiastically. “You’re alive! Belle and I thought Neville might have killed you for telling us his plans.”

Connor shook his head. “I got away. But I must tell you I’m not quite what you thought me. I am an Illegal.”

Duoro’s gaze dropped to the Citizenship tattoo on Connor’s wrist. “Got the better of an Assessor, did you? Good for you!” He let go of him, beaming at Daniel and me. “Are you Illegals as well?”

I nodded; there seemed little point in lying. “I’m Ashala, and this is Daniel.”

“Ashala?” he breathed. “Not …
the
Ashala? Ashala Wolf? Leader of the Tribe?”

“Um, yeah.”

“It’s such an honour to meet you.” He turned shining eyes towards Daniel. “And you too, of course. I never thought I’d meet anyone from the Tribe!”

“Thank you,” Daniel replied, and I could hear the suppressed laughter in his voice. “I only wish we weren’t here on such serious business.”

Daniel, the diplomat of the Tribe; it was a polite way to remind Duoro that we had more urgent things to discuss than his love of all things Illegal.

“The attack, of course!” Duoro exclaimed. He turned to Connor. “I’ve already warned the Prime. She’s increased security. Don’t worry though, I didn’t tell anyone else where the information came from, or that you are here.” He stepped closer and said in a lowered voice, “Is Talbot behind this?”

I bit back a gasp.

“You mean, former
Prime
Talbot?” Connor asked carefully.

Duoro nodded. “Stories are being passed around his old supporters that he faked his own death to thwart an Illegal plot to assassinate him, and that he’s about to make a triumphant return. Have you heard anything?”

There was a small silence. Daniel and Connor were leaving answering that question to me.
If there’re rumours, I bet Terence is the one spreading them
. In fact, maybe this whole attack was part of a plan for his “triumphant return” to save the world from vicious Illegals.

I made a decision. “It is Talbot. He’s alive. And he has Illegals helping him.”

“I
knew
he wasn’t dead!” Duoro exclaimed. Then bewilderment crept over his face. “But why would Illegals help him, or attack the Prime? She’s trying to get rid of the Citizenship Accords!”

I sighed. “It’s complicated. The Illegals who are helping him, he’s made them hate themselves, the same way he hates anyone with an ability. They’re young and twisted up.”

He frowned. “How young?”

I thought about the minions Ember had encountered on the road out of Fern City, and the Yowler who’d attacked Leo. “About my age,” I replied. “Or a bit younger. Why?”