by Jay Posey
And Aron. One of the few remaining elders. If he had their blessing, then Wren’s was truly a hollow power in the city. She thought back to the conversation with her son in the courtyard, just a few days before. The idea of leaving the city had seemed like a fantasy then. How quickly life could change.
“We can’t just leave. Wren most of all,” Cass said. “If he disappeared, there would be utter chaos.”
“Not if we conceal it. Security has already been tightened. We will simply spread word that the Governor must remain within the compound for his safety. No one need know otherwise.”
Cass tried to think it through, though her mind was fogged with fatigue and stress. A week, maybe two. Just long enough to get clear of the immediate danger. So much would need to be rebuilt over the coming months, but North was right. Ensuring Wren’s physical safety was their highest priority, and there was nowhere inside these walls they could trust for any length of time.
North leaned forward and touched Cass’s hand. “I do not mean exile, Lady. Only a temporary retreat, until we can be certain of your safety again.”
“Gamble,” Cass called. “What do you think?”
Gamble hopped off her table and approached. She didn’t sit at the table though, just leaned over it, with both hands on the back of a chair. “I think getting you out of the city is the smartest thing to do for you and your son. That’s my one and only concern. All the rest of it, I can’t say.”
“It might not be a great plan,” North said. “It might not even be a very good one. But I fear if we wait for a better one, it will then be too late.”
“It’s not really a plan, sir,” Gamble said. “But I agree. I think we move you to a secure location, and figure the rest out from there.”
“Gamble,” Cass said. “You do understand I’m not asking you to come with us?”
“Doesn’t matter if you ask us or not, ma’am,” Gamble said. “We’re coming.”
“Look, I appreciate the sentiment, but this isn’t what you signed up for.”
“Cass, what we signed up for was to do whatever it takes to keep you both safe. There’s not one of us that would let you walk out there on your own, whether you wanted us to or not.”
“We spent a lot of time out there on our own before we came here, Gamble.”
“And now you don’t have to.”
Cass didn’t know what to say. The circumstances were so far outside the boundaries of their professional duties, she couldn’t possibly expect them to stand by her side. But Gamble made it sound like she couldn’t expect anything less.
“Once you leave, you’ll have to assume we’re all traced,” North said.
“It’s alright, we’ve got Finn–” Gamble said, but cut herself off. She stood up straight, and Wick and Able both reacted in the same instant.
“What is it?” Cass asked.
“Alert just went out over wide broadcast,” Gamble explained. “They found the bodies.”
Swoop appeared from the back room a few seconds later, looking even more intense than usual.
“You want me back out front?” Wick asked.
“Stand by,” Swoop said.
“Do they know we’re gone?” Cass asked.
“Didn’t say, but we better get ahead of the curve on that,” Gamble answered. Then she added, “Finn, Gamble… need you to bounce a message…”
“Sir, you need to leave,” Swoop said to North.
“I don’t think we’re quite done–” North said.
“Right now.”
North looked at Cass, but there really wasn’t any question. Swoop didn’t stand on ceremony and he certainly wasn’t above throwing a Council member out in the street if he thought it was necessary. And even as big as North was, there wasn’t much doubt Swoop could do it. North got to his feet, and Cass stood at the same time.
Gamble was still talking to Finn. “Let the guard know that the governor and Lady Cass have been moved to a secure location… yeah, wide net but scattered, I don’t want anyone localizing it.”
“Good luck, Lady,” North said. “Give me three days, and then check in.”
“Thank you, North. Watch yourself.”
He bowed his head slightly, and then turned towards the front door.
“This way, sir,” Swoop said. “We’ll go out the back.”
North nodded and returned, and Swoop escorted him into the back room. Gamble waited until they’d left the room to start talking again. “City’s going into lockdown, no doubt about that,” Gamble said. “If we’re going to get you out of here, we need to do it soon.”
“How soon?” Cass asked.
“Wick?”
“Depends on where we’re headed.”
Gamble looked at Cass.
“I think Wren knows a place,” she said.
“Better go wake him then.”
Cass nodded and went upstairs to Painter’s room. She knocked softly on the door and then opened it and peeked in. Painter was sitting up on the floor, his eyes glowing back at her. Wren was snoring softly. Painter got to his feet and motioned her in.
“Sorry to wake you,” she whispered. “I need Wren.”
“Wasn’t asleep any, ennnn, anyway,” Painter whispered back.
Cass entered the room and sat down on the bed next to her son. He was asleep on his stomach, slightly sweaty, mouth open. She rubbed his back.
“Wren,” she said softly. His eyes floated open immediately, but otherwise he remained completely still. An old habit she had trained him in. “Baby, we need you downstairs.”
He sniffed and rubbed his eyes and then nodded sleepily. He sat up and stifled a yawn.
“Do you want me to carry you?” Cass asked.
He shook his head and got to his feet.
“Should I come tuh-too?” Painter asked.
“Yeah,” Cass answered. “I think you better.”
They all returned to the main room together. Gamble had gathered Swoop, Able, and Wick around her in conference.
“What’s going on?” Wren asked.
“We’re leaving,” Cass said.
“Back to the compound?”
“No, baby, we’re leaving the city.”
He looked up at her with his big sea-green eyes, still glassy with sleep. There was surprise on his face, but a little smile formed on his lips, one he tried to suppress.
“Where are we going?” he asked, and she could hear hope in the question.
“Somewhere safe,” Cass said. “Where no one will find us. Do you know a place like that?”
Wren let himself smile then, and nodded.
“Then we need you to tell Wick where it is.”
“I have it marked,” he said. “Should I just ping it to you?”
“No, hold on,” Wick said. And then he said, “Hey, Finn.” He waited a moment, and then said, “I need to pull a grid off the Governor. Can you hook him in secure…? Alright, check.” He looked back at Wren. “Finn’s going to patch you in to our secure comms channel. Just to be safe.”
Wren nodded and waited. A moment later his eyes lit up, and he said, “Yes, I hear you… OK… Just like normal, though…? OK.”
Wren looked at Wick, who nodded. “Got it. Thanks, Finn.” And then Wick’s eyes rolled up slightly, almost like he was looking at the ceiling, and his brow furrowed for several seconds. “Whew, looks like that’s all the way out on the edge of the Strand.”
“It is.”
“Not sure how safe that’s gonna be.”
“It’s safer than you’d think. I stayed there for a few weeks. Before I came here.”
“What do you think, Wick?” Gamble asked.
“Yeah… yeah, I reckon it’d work. Probably see trouble coming from a mile off out there.”
“Alright, how long?”
“We did it in a day,” Wren answered.
“But in a straight shot?”
Wren nodded. “I think so.”
“Yeah,” Wick said, “I could see that. Maybe eigh
t hours or so straight. But we’re going want to take a long way, I think.”
“Agreed,” Gamble said. She must’ve seen their confused looks, because she looked at Cass and Wren and added, “In case they send trackers out.”
“Alright, I’ll work it out,” Wick said. “Gimme, I dunno, an hour?”
“You can have forty-five minutes. Less if someone comes knocking,” Gamble said. Cass had always admired Gamble, but she’d never really seen her in this role before. Watching her bring a plan together was truly impressive. “Swoop, what about gear?” Gamble asked.
“How many days?”
“Pack heavy.”
“Might be tough if the compound’s all stirred up.”
“You can take food and drink from here,” Mister Sun said from across the room. He was standing in the doorway of his side room. Kit was behind him, looking over his shoulder. “Take all you need.”
“Thank you, Mister Sun,” Gamble said. “That would make things a little easier.”
“Anything is yours, my friend.”
“Alright, Swoop, Able, get back to the compound, strip out what you can. You don’t have to empty the cage, but think long-range profile.”
“You got it,” Swoop said.
“There’s no telling how long we’ll be out there. Where’s Mouse?” Gamble asked.
“Out on watch,” Swoop said.
“Round him up and take him with you. I want to keep Finn and Sky posted up until we leave.” Swoop nodded. “And I don’t think you should come back here. We’ll have to rally up somewhere.”
We’ll take the tunnel, Able signed. Meet you outside.
“If you can do it without compromising it, yeah.” Gamble held up one finger to her teammates and then said, “Sky, you have your linerunner with you? Alright, check.” And then she was focused on the group again. “Alright, yeah, plan on that. If you’re sure it’s clear, take the tunnel out. We’ll go over the wall and rally up. Wick will find us a spot, and let you know. Questions?”
Cass surveyed the team; they were all switched on, ready to move. It didn’t seem to faze them in the slightest that they were talking about heading outside the wall for some unknown length of time. They were just focused on the job. Not a single one had asked why.
“Alright, let’s roll it up. Check with Finn and Sky to see what they need, and then get out of here. I want to be outside the wall by… oh-three-hundred GST. Forty minutes.”
“On it,” Swoop said. He and Able swiveled and headed towards the back room.
“Thought I had forty-five,” Wick said.
“Less every minute you fuss,” Gamble replied.
“I’m just going to sit back there,” Wick said, pointing to the far back corner. He moved to a table, and Cass saw him throw a little wave at Kit as he passed by. Kit didn’t wave back, but she smiled a little and looked at the floor.
“Governor,” Gamble said, “Painter, and Miss Cass, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get your help pulling some supplies together.”
“Sure,” Cass said, “of course.” Wren and Painter both just nodded.
“This way,” Mister Sun said. He headed towards the back room and motioned for them to follow.
“What about me?” Kit said. “Do I need to stay?”
Gamble stopped and looked back at her. “Yes, ma’am, I’m afraid so. Just until we’re gone.”
“What do I do in the meantime?”
“Keep Wick company,” Gamble said, flashing a smile.
Sky watched the streets below with an anticipation that bordered on nervousness. Patience usually wasn’t a problem. But knowing they were planning to leave made every minute they had to wait seem that much more painful. Each extra moment they stayed inside the city brought a chance that they might be discovered, and the way things had been going lately, there was really no telling what might go down if that happened. He’d never had to hide from his own people before. And the thought of things going sideways, of having to shoot their way out… he shook his head. It wouldn’t come to that. He wouldn’t let it.
He checked the time. 02.48 GST. Gamble had said she’d wanted to be outside the wall by oh-three-hundred, and unless she was planning to make them all sprint to the closest point, they were running late.
“Sky, Finn,” Finn said over the channel. “How’s your angle on the east side of the building?”
Sky checked. He didn’t have a full view, due to an overhang from another building. “Partially obstructed. What’s up?”
“Maybe nothing.” That didn’t sound promising. “Just picked up a little traffic spike from somewhere out that way. I can’t see anything over there though.”
“Alright,” Sky said, “stand by, I’ll check it.” He drew up his rifle and swept the area with his optic. As far as he could tell it was clear. Ever since the three-man patrol had quit poking around and moved on, they hadn’t seen another soul in the streets. “I can’t see anything down there from here, Finn. You want me to reposition?”
“No, that’s alright. Just keep an eye out.”
“Check.” Finn was the cautious type, so it might very well have been nothing. But that didn’t really make Sky feel any better.
They had reconvened in the main room, and laid out supplies in a few meticulous piles across several of the tables. It’d taken them longer than Gamble had anticipated, mostly because Mister Sun’s storage room wasn’t arranged with efficiency in mind. It was clear she was becoming increasingly anxious to get moving.
Cass had dumped the contents of her go-bag out to see what she could contribute. She couldn’t help but feel a little proud when Gamble had complimented her on her preparedness. Cass didn’t mention how much she’d learned from her first flight into the open.
“Alright, I think we’re good enough,” Gamble said. She was doing one final survey of the supplies. “Anything we don’t have, we’ll just have to make do without. Let’s get all this loaded up and get moving.”
Cass quickly repacked her go-bag and reorganized it so she could fit as many of the new additions as it could carry. Mister Sun had provided them with a couple of large storage sacks as a temporary solution until they could meet up with the others and redistribute everything more evenly. Painter and Wren were loading one, while Gamble worked on another.
“Wick,” Gamble said, “we’re out of time.” Then to the others, “Don’t worry about trying to keep it organized. The piles were just to make sure we had enough for everyone. Wick?”
“Yeah, I heard you,” he answered from the back of the room. Cass noticed Kit had joined him at the table. She was sitting across from him, resting her head on her folded arms. “I don’t have a full route worked out yet, G. It’s a tricky run.”
“You got us a place to stay for the night?”
“I think I found a spot, yeah, but–”
“Then figure out the rest on the way, we need to move.”
“You know I hate that.”
“You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.” Gamble switched over to the team’s channel. “Sky. Finn. We’re wrapping it up in here, make ready to move.”
Wick exhaled in obvious frustration, but he bounced up out of his chair and helped the boys finish stuffing the supplies in their storage sacks. Neither Wren nor Painter had spoken much since Cass had brought them downstairs. They both looked exhausted, though neither of them had complained at all throughout the entire process. The boys slipped their coats on, and Mister Sun buzzed around making last-minute gestures of good will, trying to be helpful and reassuring any way he could. Wick grabbed one of the supply sacks, and Gamble took the other, and with Painter they started towards the back door. Mister Sun lingered by the entrance to the back room, half in and half out, seemingly at a loss for what more he could do.
Wren came over to Cass and stood waiting for her. She saw him check something in his belt, realized it was his knife. He zipped his coat up over it.
Cass tossed her coat on, and made a final check o
n her pack. Everything seemed to be in order. She slung the single strap up over her head, onto her right shoulder, and then adjusted it tight across her body. She bounced up and down a couple of times to check it for weight and balance.
“We’re really going to do it, aren’t we?” Wren said. His smile was gone, but he didn’t seem afraid.
“Yeah, baby,” Cass answered. She put a hand on his shoulder, and then bent down and kissed the top of his head. “Like old times.”
He reached up and placed his hand in hers. “Not too much like, I hope.”
“Not too much.”
They joined the others at the back door. Gamble lined them up against the wall, and stood in front of them, quickly scanning each of them head to toe, like she was taking inventory. Cass felt a surge of nervous energy. It’d been lingering in the background ever since they’d started making preparations. But now that everything that could be done had been done, now that they were standing at a door, ready to cross the threshold, it was like she’d given herself permission to actually feel the strange mix of emotions. Anxiety certainly, maybe some fear, but also an underlying sense of exhilaration. Maybe life inside the compound had taken more of a toll on her than she’d realized.
“Alright, listen up,” Gamble said from the front of the line. “We need to stay light and fast out there. Wick’s going to lead the way, then I want Cass, Wren, Painter, in that order. That clear?”
They all nodded.
“Just keep your eyes on Wick, go where he goes, don’t worry about the people behind you. Whatever else happens, your job is always to stay with Wick. What’s your job?”
“Stay with Wick,” Wren said.
“Stay with Wick,” Gamble repeated. “Once we walk out that door, I don’t want any talking. We’re going to cut straight across to the nearest point on the wall, and then follow it north to the first set of stairs.”
“How will we g-g-get through the guh-, through the gate?” Painter asked.
“We won’t,” Gamble said. “We’re going over.”
“Over the wall?” Wren asked, with a little awe in his voice.
“Yeah. But we’ve got to get there first, so say your goodbyes, and let’s get moving.” Then, “Sky, Finn, we’re thirty seconds to go.”
