The vehicle pulled up near Hope Street where they had begun the journey. Hayes and Robinson jumped out first, grabbed the tools from the boot and carried them inside the storage unit. Jenny stayed with Ben and Isobel in the car.
Robinson returned with something in his hand. He climbed inside the car and closed the door. ‘Before we do this, are you happy for me to proceed?’
Isobel nodded. ‘Let’s do it.’
‘Turn your head to the side and lean forward.’
She did, and Robinson ran a scanner over her neck. He rubbed his finger along a small area and cut her skin with a laser scalpel. Isobel flinched as Robinson pressed the sides of her skin together and eased out the small disc preventing her from communicating telepathically with the other Indigenes. Jenny watched as her skin healed over.
Robinson shook his head. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing that. With the disc gone, you should hear thoughts a lot easier. And it’s quite possible someone’s keeping tabs on you with this.’ He held up the disc. ‘But there’s nothing we can do about that.’
Isobel rubbed the already healed spot. ‘I know. The quicker we get a handle on this situation, the better.’
She fell silent, leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes.
‘I can feel the captured Indigenes resisting me.’
‘Do what you can to get through,’ said Jenny.
Isobel nodded.
☼
A short while later, the vehicle stopped close to the black market in a road concealed from the main thoroughfare. Ben, Isobel and Jenny got out; Hayes, Olsen, Robinson and the driver sped off toward Harvard. Jenny had almost reached the front of the markets when Isobel stopped her.
‘Something’s happened. At Waverley. They vendors are anxious about it.’
Jenny could see no criminal vehicles or associates shaking down vendors. But she heard the chatter, fraught with tension.
‘Wait for me here.’ Jenny entered and found Greyson at their stall trying to reason with two vendors who looked ready to bolt.
‘Calm down. There’s no proof that Marcus will come here next.’
The hard lines of his face softened when he saw Jenny. He excused himself, and she met him halfway. ‘Please tell me it’s not what I think it is.’ She recalled her recent run-in with Marcus; the beating she’d endured over two missing apples.
Greyson shook his head. ‘Much worse. Marcus went on a killing spree in Waverley neighbourhood. Several residents are dead. He kidnapped a bunch of others.’
‘What?’ She covered her mouth with her hand. ‘Shit. I thought we had until at least tomorrow.’
‘Seems that Marcus lied about that,’ said Grey. He rubbed his hand over his stubble. ‘I’m sorry, I tried to get there before... You know.’
Jenny pulled him into a tight hug. ‘I’m just glad you’re okay. I know it’s selfish, but if anything happened to you...’ She released him. ‘I’ll see to it personally that Marcus’ days are numbered. I’m heading to Waverley now. Come with me. We can talk about what we found in DC on the way.’
‘What about the others?’ Greyson gestured to the agitated vendors.
Jenny glanced at them. ‘There’s nothing more we can do here. What happens next does not directly involve them.’
She and Greyson met up with Ben and Isobel.
‘Isobel,’ said Jenny, ‘take Ben back to Waverley now. Check on your people.’
Ben’s eyes widened. ‘What’s happened? Is Albert okay? Is it Kevin? Shit, tell me.’
‘There’s some trouble at Waverley. I don’t know what.’ Jenny gripped Ben’s shoulders. ‘Explain to Albert, Sal, whoever you trust. Tell them what we plan to do with the communication devices. If Isobel succeeds in convincing just one of the Indigenes to drop them off, Albert will need to arrange for someone trustworthy from each neighbourhood to collect them.’
Ben frowned. ‘You’re not coming?’
‘We’re right behind you, but don’t wait for us. I need to speak to Greyson in private. Don’t delay. Go.’
Ben hesitated. ‘When you get inside Waverley, head to a junction and take a left. The tavern is just up the road.’
Jenny nodded and watched as he ran after a fast-moving Isobel.
Greyson walked with fists clenched as Jenny filled him in on everything that had happened in DC. He only unclenched them when she finished.
‘Do you think Isobel can convince the others?’
‘It’s safe to say we no longer have the protection of anonymity anymore, so I hope so, Grey. I really do.’
☼
Jenny and Greyson arrived at Waverley to find the gates unmanned. The guards beyond the gates wrestled with people attempting to leave. As they neared, Jenny overheard the guards talking to each other.
‘Marcus doesn’t want anyone leaving. Just keep them occupied. They’ll run out of air soon enough.’
While the guards were distracted, Jenny and Greyson slipped through the gates. They came to the split in the road that Ben had mentioned, and took the left road. A short distance later, a medium-sized red-brick building came into view with a sign saying Lee’s Tavern. A frozen Isobel stood outside. A small crowd had gathered close by, and Ben’s shock of black hair stuck out from the middle.
Jenny spotted Sal close by. ‘What’s going on? What happened here?’
Sal seemed to have aged since the last time they met. ‘I’m afraid you’ve caught us at a bad time.’
‘Albert. Where is he?’ said Jenny, but she had her suspicions.
‘Marcus has taken him and the lad Kevin.’ Sal tried to keep her voice even.
‘Where?’
‘To the old Deighton Mansion in Astoria Park. He referred to them as “collateral” for the debt.’ Sal slipped her arm around Ben’s shoulder. ‘And up to a few moments ago, we all thought he had taken Ben, too.’
Isobel was staring at something on the door. Jenny stepped in for a closer look but Greyson identified it first.
‘There’s blood on the door frame.’
Ben broke free from Sal’s embrace. ‘Is it Albert’s blood? Tell me!’
Isobel shook her head. ‘I don’t know.’
Jenny turned to Greyson. ‘We need to get them off the streets. We need to move to Plan B.’
‘Plan B?’ said Sal.
‘Is there somewhere private we can talk?’ said Jenny. ‘We may have a way to get the factions off your back once and for all.’
‘I’m all ears,’ said Sal. Jenny sensed her anger beneath the poise. Sal urged the crowd to go home or wait inside Albert’s tavern where there was air. It didn’t matter where, she said. As long as they didn’t waste precious oxygen from their canisters by standing out on the streets.
Jenny, Greyson, Ben and Isobel followed Sal across a large square with an obelisk to a small cottage nestled between two giant apartment blocks. They followed her inside and stood in her tiny kitchen. Sal offered them something to drink, but they all refused. Everyone sat down, except for Ben and Isobel. Ben and Jenny took turns to explain what had happened at the World Government offices.
‘I had hoped Albert could coordinate the dissemination of the communication devices to the other neighbourhoods,’ said Jenny. ‘After Isobel has had a chance to convince the devolved Indigenes to help, that is. If we are to take control, we will need their help. So far, we only have access to the criminal factions’ life support in the New York area, but if we can let others know about our success here, we may be able to replicate the efforts elsewhere. We didn’t have a lot of time at the World Government offices. We had to divert control to whatever we could in the short time we had.’
Sal rested her chin in her hand as she listened. Her gaze slid over to Isobel. ‘You said you received a message while you were in DC. What did it say?’
‘Nothing specific,’ said Isobel. ‘It was from one of the Indigenes near the World Government offices, letting me know they were listening. I think they’re waiting to see what we do.’
‘Taking control of the life support for the buildings occupied by the criminals is only a temporary solution,’ said Greyson, leaning forward. ‘As soon as we switch it off, the factions will know we have access and target the neighbourhoods.’
‘So we stop them,’ said Sal.
‘It will only work if we have a coordinated effort. We need the other neighbourhoods in New York to act fast and cut off the places the factions might go to seek refuge. That’s why we must gain their trust, get the communication devices out to them, so they’re prepared for when they come calling. The criminals will be after supplies, oxygen, residential properties unaffected by the attack. If we can cut off all access routes, their oxygen supplies will be depleted.’
‘Then what?’ said Sal.
‘Well, that’s up to the people who live here,’ said Jenny. ‘Either they allow the factions to die or weaken them enough to capture them. That’s a decision for the residents to make.’
‘Nothing would make me happier than to see every last King dead,’ said Sal.
‘Then there’s the Fortress,’ said Greyson. ‘It will need our protection now. Hayes will speak to the other medical facilities, tell them how to connect remotely to the World Government computer and take control of the life support in their areas. Now that the virus is inactive, it will be a lot easier. But this plan will only work if the neighbourhoods are on board.’
Jenny nodded to Isobel. ‘Isobel will try to convince the Indigenes to take as many communication devices from the factions as possible and drop them off in secure locations where a trusted volunteer group from each New York neighbourhood will pick them up. If our plan succeeds, then we pass on the details of the plan to other regions. Olsen, Robinson and Hayes have gone back to the medical facilities to confirm they have control of the life support. When everything else is in place, Hayes will send instructions through the DPads to advise the neighbourhoods when she will initiate the shutdown.’
‘A good plan, if it works.’ Sal nodded. ‘You did more than we could have on our own.’
Jenny glanced at Isobel who appeared deep in thought. Ever since Robinson had removed the disc from her neck, she’d been slipping into regular trance-like states.
‘What are the other Indigenes saying?’ said Sal.
‘I’ve tried to talk to them but they don’t trust me, yet,’ said Isobel. ‘I need more time.’
‘Stop!’ Ben pushed off from the counter. ‘We’re wasting time talking about this. We need to get Albert and Kevin back.’
‘He’s right, Jenny,’ said Greyson. ‘That’s our first task. Waiting around for the Indigenes to get on board, for the neighbourhood to get up to speed or the Fortress to confirm they have control... It will take too long. They’ll be dead long before that. Marcus will see to it.’
‘Isobel, can you sense anything?’ said Sal. ‘Where Albert and Kevin might be?’
Isobel concentrated for a moment. ‘They’re in the mansion in Astoria Park, that much is clear. I can sense the thoughts of the Indigenes there. There’s a lot of commotion. They are confused.’
‘You should stay here with Ben and try to convince the Indigenes to help,’ said Jenny. ‘Let’s use the confusion to our advantage.’
Isobel shook her head. ‘It won’t work. They already think I can’t help them. If I got close to another Indigene trapped inside the mansion, I might convince them that my promises are more than words. When they sense my presence and realise I risked my life to contact them, they’ll know it’s more than an empty gesture.’
Jenny considered that idea. It was a risk to let Isobel come, but if there was a chance to succeed with her, she needed to take it.
‘Okay. We’ll get some volunteers to come with me, Greyson and Isobel. Ben should stay here with Sal.’
‘Sorry, not happening,’ said Ben. ‘If it wasn’t for me, Isobel wouldn’t even be helping you.’
Sal rocked with laughter and touched Jenny’s arm. ‘Lady, I know you’re new to Waverley neighbourhood, but clearly you don’t know how far Ben will go to get his way. Albert gave in to his demands a long time ago. And to be honest, he couldn’t function without his help. None of us could. So if he’s decided to go, he’ll find a way.’
And didn’t Jenny know it. Finding Ben in the back of the car had been a shock. Greyson laughed into his fist, and Jenny threw him a withering look.
‘Fine. I guess we’re all going, then. Any strong people in Waverley who can help us?’
Sal laughed louder. ‘You’d be lucky to get old men and women, or teenagers. Stick with the older generation. The teens are not trustworthy. They work for the Kings, mostly.’
‘We’ll take what we can get. How quickly can you assemble a team?’ said Jenny.
‘We’ll start straight away,’ said Sal. ‘We should pick carefully. Nobody with ties to Marcus.’
‘Well, I can help on that front,’ said Isobel. ‘My senses are sharper since Robinson removed the disc from my neck.’
They settled down in Sal’s kitchen and devised a plan to rescue Albert and Kevin.