Yoko brightened up. "So we dance crew? So sweet!"
They walked the eight blocks to the Protector Hall. For the rest of the city, it was the dead of night, but without a sun to modulate their sleep/wake cycles, this was their current middle of the day.
"I forget how much I miss being above ground," said Bethany.
"I hate it. Too much empty space, too many things that could fall," said Sisi, glancing suspiciously at the skyscrapers.
Before they arrived at their destination, Jade pulled Pi aside. Her forehead was hunched with concern.
"I hope we're not doing another prank," said Jade in a low voice.
"Those weren't pranks, they were training. And they were fun. The Misfits need a little fun. Being down in that cave all the time is depressing," said Pi.
"They were stupid."
"Enchanting half the city's pigeon population to shit on Coterie's Obelisk was anything but stupid. It looked like a giant turd-sicle. Coterie thrives on its reputation, and that prank reached every perspective student in the world. Plus, it looked like a prank from another Hall, which should keep them distracted."
"You're still trying to save Arcanium," said Jade, shaking her head. "And the Halls."
"I don't have to apologize," said Pi. "But will you trust me on this one? This'll be good. You'll see."
After a smile and a kiss, Jade joined the others, leaving Pi to walk behind them alone. It wasn't that she didn't hate the Hundred Halls for what they'd allowed the original patrons to get away with, it was that she feared what would happen without them, not to mention that her sister would get hurt because of their collapse.
Though she wouldn't admit it to Jade, she had been steering them away from real attacks on the Cabal. Not only because they weren't up to it training-wise, but because Pi didn't completely trust Jade, who'd never been forthcoming about her past and why she hated the Hundred Halls. Unfortunately, Aurie had come up with nothing about Jade, only that her name was either made up or she'd removed all traces of her history from the internet. Which left Pi wondering what could have happened to make Jade hate the Hundred Halls with such passion.
The others weren't as absolute in their disgust. Pi assumed that all of them would join the Halls if they still had the opportunity. But they also respected Jade, and would follow her if she led them against the university.
They stopped in a park about two blocks away from Protector Hall. The building looked like a modern version of the Alamo, or a military penitentiary. It was quarter to four, and already lights bloomed inside the concrete armory.
"Augh," said Bethany, "they're probably getting them up for latrine inspection or something. Why would anyone join Protectors?"
Sasha's head turned so fast her afro bounced and swayed. "Some people like discipline and service."
"You wanted to be in Protectors?" asked Bethany, clearly aghast.
"It wasn't my first pick, but had I passed the trials, and they offered, I would have accepted."
"Crap-on-a-stick," said Bethany, shaking her head. "You think you know people."
"My brothers and I like to go camping, play war in the forest. They were bigger and stronger, but I outthought them. Always kicked their asses when it came to strategy. I considered joining the Arcane Service Division after Protectors."
"Quiet now," said Pi, waving them into a circle. "Here's the plan. We're going to set up these munitions around the Protector Hall. I've sent you the spell that will set the trigger on your phones. Remember that it's a hard 'r' on the third word. That's super important, or the trigger will be delayed. Also, don't point them too low, or they'll shoot past the fence line and hit the neighbors. We don't want to start any fires in the city."
The box contained large military-grade fireworks that she'd acquired from Big Dave. Instead of being in a colorful package with an interesting name like Firecat Surprise, or Fountain of Faeries, each firework had a serial number printed onto its olive green covering.
After the fireworks were handed out, Jade poked Pi in the arm. "Don't I get any?"
"We've got a special job."
"I hope so. Otherwise, this trip is going to be for nothing."
Pi ignored the comment, handing Jade a plastic shopping bag filled with white tablets.
"What are these?"
"Skunk pills," replied Pi as they headed up the street.
"Will they make them turn into skunks?"
"Kinda."
Before they got within range of their target, Pi handed Jade a kitty mask.
"What enchantments are on these?"
Pi shrugged. "Nothing. Works as good as a spell."
Jade narrowed her eyes suspiciously before slipping it onto her face. After they were both masked, Jade asked, "Aren't you going to put some no-see-me's on us?"
"Hell, no. Protector Hall is covered in defenses. The more you magic up, the harder it'll come down on you. We're going in naked."
"You've got to be kidding me," said Jade. "They're going to know who we are."
"I thought you wanted to be a rebel."
"I don't want to have a criminal record," said Jade.
"You mean, you're all anti-Halls, but you won't take any risks?"
"I'd take a risk if we were actually doing something. This is bogus. We might as well be throwing toilet paper in their trees," said Jade.
When they got within fifty feet, Pi handed Jade a slingshot from her backpack.
"Put the pills in these, and fire them over the wall. They're chemical, not alchemical, so there will be no triggers."
As carefully as they could, they fired the pills over the wall to land in the courtyard that surrounded the Hall. Inside, the place was awakening, so Pi hurried them so they wouldn't get caught. After the two bags were empty, they headed back to the park.
Everyone returned without incident, and except for Jade, they seemed excited to see what they had wrought.
Pi pulled a switch from her backpack. She set it on the ground, and hovering over it, she cast the connecting spell to the munitions. When she was certain it'd worked, Pi held it out for the others.
"Someone want to do the honors?"
Before anyone could say a word, Sisi stepped forward and slapped the chrome switch into the "ON" position, and for a brief moment, Pi thought it wasn't going to work.
She really didn't know what to expect from the fireworks. They were meant to mimic the spells and missiles that would get used in a war, so troops could train under close-to-real conditions.
Pi remembered footage of reporters during the first Congolese war as magically guided missiles rained down on the antiaircraft stations, sending white-flash plumes of smoke high into the sky. The shock-wave blast rattled the microphones and cameras, and the rat-a-tat-tat of machine-gun fire was loud in the distance. For about five minutes, their magical fireworks mimicked that battle, with streamers of fireblast spitting over the Hall.
Within a minute, the courtyards were filled with Protector students manning the defense. Pi couldn't hear if the pills had worked until the wind shifted and a whiff of skunk reached them in the park, followed by a chorus of retching and gut splatter.
Bethany, who was standing nearest the Hall, gagged and immediately ran back towards the rest of them. "Oh, that's awful."
"Shit, that's terrible," said Nancy, pinching her nose.
"That's worse than shit," said Sasha. "Think about those sorry suckers, trapped in that, hoping to god someone knows a smell dampening spell."
A host of sirens and helicopters were descending on the region. Smoke and stench rose from the Protector Hall in a gray cloud.
"We should get out of here," said Pi. "Cavalry's incoming."
"Walk, don't run," said Jade sternly.
They strolled back towards the City Library, linked arm in arm. A couple of fire trucks and police cars sped past. They happily waved, and made drunken stumbles, as if they were returning from the bars.
By the time they reached the portal, everyone had giddy
grins, except for Jade, who was sullen. Pi had hoped that this prank might lighten her mood, but it only seemed to have made things worse based on the pulsing of her clenched jaw.
Chapter Twenty
The whiplash of returning to the present time gave Aurie a headache, but it was much better than the broken bones and burnt flesh she'd received on previous visits. Dr. Fairlight had repaired each without comment, but it was getting difficult to keep the truth from getting out.
"How long were you there?" asked Professor Mali from her command post, surrounded by sensors and computers, her face up lit with screen glow. Behind her, Professor Longakers was typing furiously on his computer, humming the latest hip-hop chart topper.
"Six hours," said Aurie. "Then it got a little dicey, so I scrammed."
"Was it the same time and place?" asked the professor.
"More or less, though I think this time might have been earlier than the others. I seem to jump around the time line, never straying too far."
"There must be some reason," mused Professor Mali, stroking the long gray braid hanging over her shoulder.
The low whine coming from the Engine was less than when Aurie had gone in, but based on the lack of real change, it appeared her visit hadn't dissipated the energy enough.
"The return spell?" asked Professor Longakers.
She'd been using a modified dreamstalking spell to get out of Semyon's memory. She sighed and gave him the news. "Better this time. I'm not sure the last word is the best. There was still an hour delay, which was fine, I wasn't being chased by a mob this time, but you never know what the next visit will bring."
The professor tapped on his lower lip, eyes glittering with thought. "I'll give it my undivided attention. We cannot have our glorious psychonaut getting run down by colonial ruffians."
"Thanks, Prof."
He winked and returned to his typing.
"We've only seen a sixteen percent reduction in the Engine energy," said Professor Mali. "I'm afraid you're not affecting it enough."
"I can't stay in much longer. No matter what I do, events conspire to bring me to battle. It's like his subconscious doesn't want me there," said Aurie.
"That would be consistent with the dreamstalking spell."
"Are we ready to bring others into the Engine?" asked Aurie. "Maybe having more people will convert it faster."
"Can you ensure their safety?"
"Come on, Professor. You know the answer to that one. We need to start trying new things. Bringing people in should increase the conversion, and at the very least, it'll give them a chance to use faez. Not being able to use magic is really messing with everyone. It's like they're constipated."
The professor's lips squeezed tight, then she gave a slight nod of acceptance. "I suppose we don't have much choice, though we must be careful. We don't know if the rules for using faez in the dream state is the same for you, since you're connected to the Engine, as it is for anyone you bring in."
"So that means we have, what, nineteen years and three months left?" asked Aurie.
"I'm sorry, it's not going as fast as anyone wants, but we have to be safe."
Xi Chu came running into the room, hair sweaty.
"Hey, Aurie. Professors. You have to..."
He glanced around the room in wonder. Everyone knew that they were experimenting with Semyon, but not the details. They'd kept that from the rest of Arcanium so no one would try to steal the Engine. They were still concerned about the Cabal getting into the Hall.
Professor Mali cleared her throat. "Xi?"
He suddenly looked embarrassed. "Cannot say. Best come to Map Room."
"Cannot or will not say?"
He paused, pained with indecision. "Please come." Then he ran out of the room.
Professor Longakers spoke up before Mali turned her head. "You go, Joanne. I'll keep an eye on things. I need to work out a solution to the return spell. I can blast my thinking music while you're gone."
Professor Mali rolled her eyes and rolled towards the exit. She was not a fan of his music and repeatedly asked him to turn it down, which Aurie always found amusing since he was her senior by at least a decade.
By the time they reached the Map Room, Aurie had a pit in her stomach. They'd been making progress, small progress but progress nonetheless, and she felt like they were about to be dealt a setback.
The whole Hall was waiting for them. Angry faces turned when they came in, and to Aurie's great disappointment, the anger was directed at her. Professor Chopra stood at the front, lips thin, eyes dark with concern.
"What's going on? Alain, is someone injured?" asked Professor Mali.
"This student—" Professor Chopra began to say, but he was drowned out by the others.
"She lied to us!"
"She's holding back."
Other voices joined the first two. Isabella stepped forward, thrusting her finger at Aurie accusingly. "Why didn't you tell us about the deal?"
Aurie was surprised for two reasons. The first was that she didn't know what Isabella meant when she said "the deal," and the second was that Isabella was the one speaking out, since she was the one who'd gotten four other students killed during the Spring Formal.
Abigail, a big-boned fifth year in thick glasses, brought a laptop forward with a video open, paused at the beginning. As soon as she saw the scene, the inside of Celesse D'Agastine's business Elysium, Aurie knew exactly what they were talking about.
Professor Mali rolled forward and hit the play button while nearly everyone else stared at Aurie. She felt like the smallest person in the world. Only a few of her fellow fourth years gave her sympathetic glances, mostly Deshawn, who seemed genuinely sorry for what his girlfriend had done. But as Aurie thought about it, she understood why Isabella was the one to speak up. If they'd taken Celesse's deal, then the incident at the Spring Formal would have never happened. Plus, this turned everyone's ire to Aurie rather than Isabella, who'd become a pariah in the aftermath.
The professor spun around in her chair. "Aurelia. What do you have to say for yourself? And first, I need to understand why you thought that was a good idea to even go there."
Someone yelled from the back, "You never told us she made that offer!"
"Joanne," said Professor Chopra, tutting his finger at her, "she's violated our trust."
Aurie eyed the exit longingly. "I prepared. It was dangerous, but as you can see, I got out safely."
Professor Mali glanced back at the crowd. "I take it you had coconspirators, which is beside the point. The real question is why you did not bring this information forward."
"You're not seriously considering this, are you?" asked Aurie.
"She brought danger into the school," said Professor Chopra.
"Alain, please. Let me handle this," said Professor Mali.
Chopra crossed his arms and frowned as if he'd been asked to eat a spoonful of sewage.
Professor Mali flared her nostrils, giving Chopra a side-eye. "We must evaluate all options. Even if they are distasteful. It's my duty to you and your fellow students, as much as it is to our patron, Semyon Gray. He would want me to consider this."
"Then those assholes will have control of the Hundred Halls!"
"Might I remind you that if something tragic happens here, not only will they have control of the Halls, but everyone will likely be deceased or lost to faez madness. Don't you think that's something that should be decided by everyone involved, not by a lone student who must think very highly of herself?"
Aurie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She couldn't even think of a response that wouldn't sound self-serving or naive. And maybe they were right. She should have brought it up, but she didn't want to be manipulated by Celesse.
A part of her wanted to be angry, since she was the one risking her life in Semyon's mind, trying to figure out how to use the Engine to speed up his healing. But they didn't know about that.
She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye with a thumb.
"I...I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. I screwed up. Big time."
The lines in their faces softened.
"What are we going to do, Professor?" asked Deshawn.
Professor Mali thought for a moment. "Since this affects all of you, there shall be a vote. Majority wins. This is an all or nothing deal. If we accept, then we invite Celesse to take everyone into Alchemists. If we decline, then we're on our own, now and forever."
"I don't think she should get a vote," said Professor Chopra.
"Everyone gets a vote," said Mali.
Aurie opened her mouth to bring up the Engine and the progress they were making, but the professor shot her a glance, a reminder that she'd agreed to confidentiality about the dangerous artifact. Aurie almost wished Pi was there, because she knew that her sister would violate that promise in a heartbeat.
"When will we vote?" someone asked.
"We can't wait much longer," said Professor Mali. "You have until tomorrow night. On Friday at 4 p.m., we will take the vote. Secret ballot. Is everyone in agreement? Speak up if you disagree."
Much to Aurie's disappointment, no one spoke up. There was going to be a vote. The crowd filtered out of the Map Room, leaving only a small group. Isabella tried to come talk to her, but Aurie marched out of the room. She'd done everything she could to save Arcanium, but it wasn't going to matter. She'd seen it in their eyes. Nearly everyone would vote to join Alchemists. Soon, they would be no more, and the Cabal would have the Hundred Halls.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jade had left a message on her door for Pi to meet in her apartment above the Devil's Lipstick. Pi knew it wasn't a hook-up request, or anything fun like that. Jade had left notes before—they'd been long, meandering messages in flowery scrawl that had clearly been planned out in advance.
This one said, "I need to see you right away —Jade," which felt as cold and impersonal as a request to see the boss, which was pretty much how Pi felt as she approached the bleached white door at the top of the stairs, then hovered her knuckles above the wood.
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