Scavenger Alliance

by Janet Edwards

  Major made a noise of disgust. “Since Wall has failed in his duty to present his man for trial, Wall should stand trial in Cage’s place. When Cage attempted to commit murder in Sanctuary, Wall was there with him.”

  I turned on my microphone, leaned forward to speak into it, and was startled by the volume of my voice. “I’ve repeatedly explained that Wall discovered Cage had escaped from his prison cell, and followed him to Sanctuary to stop the murder attempt.”

  I switched off my microphone again.

  “Wall should still stand a formal trial so we can hear all the evidence against him,” said Major.

  “You’ve already tried calling general justice against Wall, and failed to get support from any alliance representatives outside your own division,” said Donnell. “My daughter has stated that Wall went to Sanctuary that night to defend her, not to murder her. I’m fully satisfied that’s true, and I don’t want to waste any more time on this issue. I didn’t call this general conclave to discuss Cage, but something far more important.”

  “What could be more important than a murder attempt in Sanctuary?” asked Major.

  “The Resistance held a meeting last night,” said Donnell. “We will be leaving New York this spring.”

  There was a shocked reaction from all sides of the room. All four division leaders were on their feet now and shouting questions. Donnell waited a moment for people to settle down, but they didn’t, so he resorted to yelling into his microphone.

  “Shut up and listen to me!”

  Everyone finally went quiet.

  “Six years ago, London was destroyed by a massive firestorm,” said Donnell. “The same thing is going to happen to New York this summer. I know you all thought it was a good thing when we got the power working again, but it wasn’t. We could only manage it because the power grid is overloading and all its control systems are breaking down.”

  That wasn’t entirely true, but I thought it was a plausible explanation that didn’t involve admitting things about Tad that could get him killed.

  “Once the long summer days begin,” Donnell continued, “and more solar power floods into the power grid, it will explode and trigger a firestorm.”

  I expected more frantic questions, but instead there was a deathly silence.

  “The Resistance will be leaving New York this spring,” repeated Donnell. “I hope the whole alliance will come with us. Our plan is to head to Fence and trade the off-worlders in exchange for safe passage alongside the defences. That will allow us to take the shortest route to working portals in Philadelphia.”

  There was a murmur at the mention of working portals, but Donnell kept talking. “The plan is to use the portals in Philadelphia to reach one of several, carefully selected, small towns. They’re all good places where we’ll be able to fish, hunt, and grow crops, with the added benefits of warmer winters and no falling stars.”

  “I thought it was bad enough when you foisted your daughter on us as deputy leader,” shouted Major, “but now you’re ordering us to start a settlement and become farmers!”

  “I’m offering you the option of coming with the Resistance to start a settlement,” said Donnell. “If you preferred to make a new home in Philadelphia, then you could. That city has a different, simpler type of power grid that shouldn’t cause problems.”

  “I’m sure Philadelphia’s streets are paved with gold too.” Major’s voice was heavy with sarcasm. “Do you expect us to …?”

  Ice’s voice drowned Major out. “Blaze, is there really going to be a firestorm this summer?”

  I turned on my microphone. “Yes. There were far more fires last summer than in previous years because of power surges.”

  “Power surges caused by what exactly?” asked Ice.

  A whisper from Tad prompted me. “Sections of the power grid safety overflow system breaking down.”

  “They were caused by sections of the power grid safety overflow system breaking down,” I repeated. “Next summer it will fail entirely, and there’ll be a firestorm.”

  “I might take that seriously if there had been five or ten times the number of fires,” said Major, “but there weren’t. We’d be fools to run screaming from a good home on the basis of an extra fire or two. I …”

  Ice interrupted him again. “I never understood what happened in London, why the whole city erupted in flames that summer, but the power grid exploding would explain it.”

  He turned to glance at the faces of his people, before nodding and facing forward again. “London division will leave New York with the Resistance.”

  Major laughed. “So easily persuaded, Ice? Donnell just had to whistle and you obediently follow.”

  Ice swung round to glare at him. “My people were in London when it burned. We all remember the buildings bursting into flames. We all remember the screams of family and friends who were trapped in those buildings. We all remember how the walls around us were smouldering as we fought to get a portal working and escape.”

  He paused. “If you’d lived through that, Major, you wouldn’t be making remarks about being easily convinced, but packing your bags ready to leave right now. If there’s a firestorm in New York, there’ll be no way to make a last minute escape, because there are no working portals here.”

  “There are no working portals here because of his son’s betrayal.” Major jerked a thumb at Donnell. “A demonstration that we can’t trust Donnell’s judgement.”

  “Whether there’s a firestorm coming or not,” said Ghost, “a move could have advantages. I like the sound of warmer winters and no falling stars. I like the sound of a proper settlement and crops too.”

  Wall joined in the argument. “You weren’t old enough to be in the battles on the barricades, Ghost, but I was there. The citizens had weapons and numbers on their side, but we drove them out. We fought like heroes for this city, and we won, but now you want us to give it up and walk away for the sake of warmer winters.”

  I looked at the four division leaders, each standing in front of their people. Ice had announced his decision that London division would leave with the Resistance. The others hadn’t made a formal announcement yet, but I could already see they’d made their decisions too. Ghost would lead Brooklyn out of New York. Wall would keep Manhattan here for the sake of old glory. Major would keep Queens Island here out of pride and egotism. There was every chance that Manhattan and Queens Island divisions wouldn’t die in the firestorm, because they’d kill each other the moment the rest of us left.

  I stood up. I knew I couldn’t say anything to change Major’s mind, but Wall might listen to me. I remembered what Cage had said about me being the weak point in Donnell’s armour. Wall’s weak point was his nephews and nieces, and all the other children of Manhattan division.

  “Many of you sitting here were at the barricades,” I said. “I wasn’t born then, but I’ve heard all the proud tales about how you fought like heroes. You won a glorious battle, but there’s nothing glorious about the life we lead here now. You conquered a city, but that city is falling apart.”

  I waved my arms to gesture round the room. “Look at all the children here. They never knew the glory of your battles. All they have is a life of hunger, cold, and hardship. Their lives are ruled by fear. Fear of falling stars, fear that something will happen to the one or two adults they can trust to protect them, fear that one day there’ll be nothing to eat.”

  Major started to say something, but I had a microphone and he didn’t. I used that advantage and kept talking over the top of him.

  “I know the lives those children have, because I was one of them. I’ve lived with their fear. I’ve watched my best friend betray me because of that fear. No one can change the past, but I want the children in this room to have a different future. If we leave New York and make a new start, we can give them security and replace their fear with hope.”

  I continued in a bleak voice. “Staying in New York will end the children’s fear too. Permanently. I know
what the New York firestorm will be like, because I’ve seen it in London. The children may die the kind death from smoke, or the agonizing death from burns, but they’ll die. I’d rather give them hope than death, but it’s your decision not mine.”

  I turned off my microphone and sat down.

  There was a long silence before Ghost spoke. “Brooklyn will leave New York with the Resistance.”

  There was a still longer silence before Wall called out. “Manhattan will leave New York with the Resistance too.”

  I had one brief second to rejoice before Major said the inevitable words. “The cowards will flee from shadows, but Queens Island will stay in New York.”

  I bit my lip as I looked at the anxious faces of the people in Queens Island division. They were all going to die.

  Donnell sighed. “If Queens Island change their minds before the spring, they’re welcome to come with us. We’ll end this meeting now and have dinner. Those of us who’re leaving New York will meet here again tomorrow evening to discuss details of possible new homes.”

  There was the usual end of meeting chaos as all the divisions tried to leave at once. Machico turned to smile at me. “You talked Wall into bringing Manhattan division with us, Blaze. You fought with words and won.”

  I shook my head. “I fought with words and lost. Queens Island will be staying. I know most of their women from days fishing and working in the gardens. I know every single one of the babies and children from my time working with the crèche and the school. I nursed some of them through the winter fever, stopped them dying of that, but now they’re going to burn to death instead.”

  Luther’s voice startled me. “You can’t blame yourself for that, Blaze. You got Wall to listen to you. I admit that Machico was right about you being a better deputy leader than me. I could never have said all that soppy stuff.”

  Oddly enough, it was the grudging way he said it that convinced me this was a genuine offer of peace. “Thank you,” I said.

  “It wasn’t easy for me being Kasim’s son,” he added. “People would never believe I’d achieved anything on my own merit, they always assumed it was because of favouritism, and kept comparing me to the impossibly high standard of my father. When he died, I was torn between grief at losing him, and relief that I’d be judged on my own merits at last. Everyone still kept comparing me to my father though, and deciding I’d never match up to him. The worst thing about it was that I knew they were right.”

  “Is that whining self-justification your idea of an apology, Luther?” asked Julien. “Do you imagine Blaze had an easy time being compared to her traitor brother?”

  “Don’t cause trouble!” I pointed my right forefinger at Julien, wondered why Luther was laughing, and then realized Julien was staring at my flashing gun in panic. I hastily lowered my hand. “Sorry, I’d forgotten about my gun.”

  “Please try to remember it in future,” said Julien, in a slightly higher pitched voice than usual.

  Luther patted him on the shoulder. “Calm down, Julien. If you’d paid more attention to what the gun’s flashing lights mean, you’d know Blaze has the gun in safety mode.”

  “Don’t patronize me!” snapped Julien.

  “Luther, Julien, go and argue somewhere else,” said Donnell, in a depressed voice. “Blaze and I are too worried about what’s going to happen to the Queens Island people to bother with you now.”

  Tad appeared from behind us. “Is there any chance Major will change his mind?”

  “No.” I stood up. “Once a division leader takes a position on something, changing his mind is seen as a sign of weakness. Wall has the courage to do it anyway, but not Major. I’ll take you back to the hospital room now, Tad.”

  He pulled a face. “Can’t I eat in Reception with you and Braden tonight, instead of staying in the hospital room with Phoenix? I’m feeling much better now, and I’m tired of Nadira fussing over me.”

  “Nadira is being careful because you’ve had the winter fever very badly,” I said. “Are you sure you aren’t tired after the meeting?”

  “I’m fine,” said Tad.

  Tad and I fetched Braden from the hospital room and then went to Reception. We sat with Donnell and Machico at one of the Resistance tables, and ate a silent meal. Donnell and I were depressed, Machico was deep in thought, Braden never said much anyway, and even Tad wasn’t talking for once.

  We’d just finished eating, when there was a shout from the London division area. “What’s that?”

  I looked round and saw Ice was pointing at the front glass wall of the building. It was past sunset, so it should be fully dark out there except for the lights of New York, but there was an ominous red glow in the sky. Donnell stood up and hurried towards the glass wall.

  “Stay here,” I told Tad and Braden, and joined the mob rushing towards the windows. I pushed my way through to stand next to Donnell, and gazed in horror at the view. That was definitely a fire. A massive fire. I tried to hold back a sob of panic, smothering it to a faint squeak.

  The four division leaders had fought their way through the crowd to reach Donnell too. “Is that fire in Newark?” asked Ice tensely.

  “It’s hard to tell,” said Donnell, “but it’s definitely over the other side of the Passaic River.”

  “That fire’s covering a huge area,” said Ghost. “Is the firestorm starting already?”

  “I don’t think so,” said Ice. “If it was a firestorm like in London, we’d see chains of fires exploding all across the city. What we’re seeing must be just another warning sign of what’s to come.”

  “That’s a pretty big warning sign,” said Wall. “I’m starting to believe you’re right about this firestorm, Donnell.”

  Major shrugged. “That’s just an unusually large random fire. If it’s across the Passaic River, then it’s no danger to us.”

  A woman’s voice called out from behind us. “Queens Island, gather on me!”

  I turned and saw Raeni running towards the Queens Island area. Rogue met her and put his hands round her waist, lifting her up to stand on a table. Major cursed, and thrust people aside as he strode across to stand looking up at her.

  “Get down from there!” he ordered. “I’m the leader of Queens Island, Raeni, not an arrogant, loud-mouthed girl who doesn’t know her place.”

  “Really?” Raeni looked at the Queens Island members crowding round to watch the confrontation. “Newark is burning already. The whole of this city will burn this summer. Major would keep you here to die in the flames. I’d take you with the Resistance to a new home.”

  She paused before shouting at the top of her voice. “Make your decision now. Die with Major or live with me. Queens Island, gather on me!”

  Major climbed on another table. “Let the other divisions run like cowards, and we will rule New York alone. Queens Island, gather on me!”

  I held my breath as the crowd shifted position. A few went to stand by Major, but the rest were clustering around Raeni’s table. Rogue climbed up to join her, and gave her a triumphant hug.

  “I lead Queens Island division now,” cried Raeni, “and we will go with the Resistance in the spring.”

  I heard myself make an odd, sobbing sound of relief. The whole alliance would leave New York in the spring.

  Raeni turned to nod to Donnell. “I deeply appreciate you giving me a safe haven, Donnell, but you’ve always allowed your Resistance members the freedom to leave, so I’m sure you won’t object to me returning to my own people now.”

  Donnell gave a dazed wave in acknowledgement, and went back to our table. Once we’d all sat down again, he turned to raise his eyebrows at Machico.

  “Did you see that coming, Mac? I certainly didn’t. I thought it was Rogue bidding to take the leadership from Major, but it must have been Raeni all along.”

  Machico gave a bewildered laugh. “I leapt to the wrong conclusion too. We were both feeling sorry for poor Raeni, being discarded by Major just because she was Rogue’s girlfriend. I
n fact, we should have been sympathizing with Rogue. Major was pressuring Raeni to behave by setting up her boyfriend to be punished.”

  I remembered when Rogue was being dragged to the punishment post. Raeni had called out his name in an odd way, and he’d shook his head in return. She’d been asking if she should surrender to Major, and Rogue had been telling her that she shouldn’t.

  Donnell abruptly buried his face in his hands. I gazed anxiously at him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He lifted his head again. “There’s nothing wrong,” he said, in a shaky voice. “Nothing wrong at all. I was just suffering a bit of reaction.”

  Machico smiled at him. “You told me you could never get them all to leave with us, Sean, but you managed to convince them after all.”

  “I didn’t convince anyone,” said Donnell. “Ice and Ghost didn’t need convincing. Blaze convinced Wall, and the freak luck of that fire starting convinced Queens Island to overthrow Major.”

  “The fire wasn’t entirely luck,” said Tad.

  “What do you mean?” asked Donnell.

  I turned to stare at Tad. “He means that he started the fire. I thought he was unnaturally quiet during dinner.”

  Donnell gave Tad a stunned look. “You set Newark on fire? Chaos take it, Tad!”

  “I was very careful,” said Tad. “I couldn’t be sure exactly where a power surge would cause a fire, only the rough area, so I picked somewhere well away from us and on the other side of a river. You have to admit it worked beautifully.”

  “Oh, it did work beautifully,” said Donnell, in a strained voice. “I’m even grateful to you, but I wish you’d warn me before doing these drastic things. First you light up New York, and now you set fire to it. What are you planning to do next, Thaddeus Wallam-Crane the Eighth?”

  “I don’t know.” Tad turned to frown at me. “I’m still trying to work that out.”

  Chapter Thirty-seven