by Jamie Davis
“What is he doing?” Winnie sounded desperate, even to herself.
“Hold on, Win … ”
Victor jogged back to their car. Danny rolled down the window. “There are roadblocks surrounding the Enclave,” Victor said. “No one is getting in or out without official approval.”
“But you’re the city’s chief inspector!” Winnie shouted.
“Yes, and I can get through. You cannot.” Victor stood, looked around, then leaned back to the window. “Park here. You two can ride inside with me if you follow my lead.”
“We can do that,” Danny agreed. “Right, Win?”
“If we hurry. Mom still isn’t answering. I think they already got her.”
“If they did, there’s a chance I can still get them to turn her over to me,” Victor said. “It depends on who picked her up. Come on. We’d best get moving. I don’t want another unit to spot us talking in the open like this.”
On their way to Victor’s cruiser, Danny squeezed Winnie’s hand. “It’s gonna be alright.”
“How do you know? We could already be too late. You heard the message. She was yelling. And then nothing. If they hurt her, I’ll hunt every one of the bastards down and show them what an angry chanter can do.”
Danny gave Winnie a worried glance, then opened the passenger door.
Victor shook his head. “Get in the back. It has to look like I have you in custody when we go through the roadblock.”
Winnie and Danny got in the back as requested, sitting behind a plexiglass panel. There were slots permitting conversation and air flow, but it was clear that this was for detainees. Winnie tried the door from inside. The handle moved but the door didn’t open. They were trapped in the back with no way out.
“I hope you’re not trying to double cross us, Victor,” Winnie said. “This would be quite a coup, capturing us yourself and bringing us in during the big raid. Seems like that might be a feather in the cap of your career.”
Victor glanced at Winnie in the rearview. “Don’t be stupid. You’re safer back there than anywhere else in the city. Trust me. I’m on your side.”
Winnie didn’t answer. They’d reached the barricade. Several squad cars and officers blocked the road. Victor pulled up to the opening and lowered his window.
“Hello, Inspector,” the sergeant said. “I didn’t realize it was you.”
“That’s alright, Sergeant. How’s the operation going so far?”
“Beats me.” The sergeant shrugged. “We were ordered to choke the perimeter and keep everyone from crossing either way. Your Red Legs and the army are running things in the Enclave.”
“Good work. Give me your card and I’ll drop a line to your captain, tell him I was impressed.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” The sergeant reached in a pocket and handed Victor his business card. Winnie could see the city police logo and the sergeant’s name: Wilson. She was getting increasingly anxious and wanted Victor to cut his small talk short, even though she knew he had to play this on his terms to ease them through without suspicion.
The sergeant waved to one of his officers. A squad car pulled forward to open a path through the roadblock.
“Have a nice day, sir. Good luck on the operation.” The sergeant saluted. Victor returned the gesture, rolled up his window, and pulled away.
Winnie said, “They have the army in on this?”
“Seems that way. I had no idea. It must have come in from the capital this morning while I was at the crater with you, straight from Kane.”
“It did.” Danny was looking at his phone, scrolling through an article. He read aloud while Victor entered the Enclave. “The Director of the Department of Magical Containment this morning ordered all non-essential chanters to be collected and placed in ‘safety camps’ in order to protect the general public from the adverse effects of magic. It is believed that the continued use of magic by the chanter community in the nation’s enclaves has caused the climatological changes and earthquakes. Special units of the United Americas Army Military Police Division and Anti-Magic Warfare Division were attached to Red Leg task forces for this operation.”
They were passing buses being loaded with captured men, women, and children. They must have belonged to prisons and jails. One such bus was being loaded a block from her shop.
Winnie gripped her door and yelled to Victor. “Stop!”
Victor looked around, slowing to see the problem or threat. “What’s wrong, Winnie?”
“They had Cait back there. They must’ve picked her up at the shop. You have to turn around.”
Danny shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’re here to get your mom. We can’t do both.”
“Danny’s right. I only have room for one more of you in the back seat. I can get your mother. They’ll still be loading the buses, so we should be able to get them before they leave. I’m afraid that once they start for their final destination, I’ll be unable to intervene.”
“Cait first. Then Mom. We’ll think of where to put her when we get there. But we have to get Cait now.”
Victor sighed and put on his turn signal to circle the block and retrace their path. The bus was loaded and Red Leg officers and uniformed soldiers were milling nearby when Victor pulled up.
“Stay here and keep quiet. Remember: you’re prisoners. Sit on your hands so it looks like you’re cuffed. I’ll be right back.”
“Hurry, Victor. We can still get to my mom. We just have to hurry.”
“We’ll see. One thing at a time. Sit tight.”
Danny and Winnie sat on their hands as instructed, though Winnie thought it was needless since the windows were heavily tinted and no one could see inside. They watched Victor approach the soldiers. He pointed to the bus then back to his car. There was a brief discussion, then one of the Red Legs walked over to the bus and stepped inside. A few moments, the officer disembarked, leading a handcuffed Cait toward them.
She shuffled forward, her ankles shackled, trying to keep from tripping.
Victor pointed to his cruiser, traded salutes with the group, then led the single officer with Cait back to his vehicle. Danny and Winnie made room as Victor opened the car door.
“This one resisted capture and injured quite a few of our men, Inspector,” said the Red Leg. “You sure you don’t want me to ride along with you?”
“No, I’ll be safe enough with the prisoner barrier in place,” Victor answered. “Besides, she’s cuffed and shackled. She won’t be any trouble.”
“What did you need her for, anyway?”
“She’s a member of this city’s biggest charm running crew, and may be of use in capturing any compatriots who may have gone into hiding during this raid. Throw her in the back with the others. I’ll accept full responsibility.”
“As you wish, sir.”
Cait was shoved into the car. Her face flickered with surprise as she saw them, but she quickly recovered her scowl. Fresh bruises were blossoming on her face, and while she’d never admit to being in pain, she had clearly been beaten badly.
Victor gunned the engine. The bus began to pull away.
They were just in time, but still, had stopping been a mistake? Would they be able to rescue Elaine?
Victor passed something through a slot in the plexiglass — a key to Cait’s handcuffs and leg shackles. Danny grabbed it, then leaned over and removed Cait’s cuffs and shackles while Victor drove.
“You all showed up just in time,” Cait said. “I wasn’t sure what was happening. Red Legs and soldiers came pouring into the shop from nowhere. I managed to fight a few off, but there were too many. Have you heard from Tris?”
Winnie pulled out her phone and tapped out a message. She’d been so focused on her mom, and then Cait, that she had yet to check on Tris.
“She’s probably alright,” Danny assured. “I read that they’re rounding up non-essential magic users. The reporter stated that all Sable techs were being sequestered to keep them safe so they
could repair failing city systems during the current emergency.”
“I can check on that later,” Victor said. “Let’s get to your mother’s. It’s not too far now.”
They drove the final blocks in silence. Winnie’s heart sank when she saw that there weren’t any buses and only a few Red Legs walking the otherwise deserted street.
Victor drove past the building and glanced back at Winnie. “Is there a back entrance that’s hidden from the street?”
“Yeah,” Winnie said. “Turn left on the next street, then take the first alley on the left. That leads back to the rear courtyard.”
Winnie checked her phone tracking app — Elaine’s phone was still somewhere in the building behind them. Victor followed her instructions and soon pulled into a spot beside a large dumpster, behind her mother’s building.
Winnie tried the door handle, forgetting she couldn’t get out from the locked cruiser. She fidgeted, biting her lower lip while waiting for Victor to circle around and open her door.
Once free, she darted from the car and up the concrete stairs. Victor and Danny called for her to wait, but she didn’t listen. She had to find her mom.
Winnie raced up the stairs rather than waiting for the antiquated elevator. Her mother’s door was hanging askew. She slowed as she approached.
Winnie entered her mother’s apartment.
The place was trashed. Whoever had come to take Elaine had obviously been looking for something. She called her mother’s phone and heard it ring from the hallway to the back bedroom.
The phone was on the floor in the hallway. Her mother must’ve dropped it during her capture.
Winnie sank to the floor and started to cry. Sobs wracked her body with violent heaves.
And that was where the others found her.
CHAPTER 17
Winnie watched the now-empty buildings pass as Victor drove his cruiser through the mostly-deserted Enclave. She saw the occasional police officer, Red Leg, or military car or truck with officers and soldiers standing nearby, but the buses were gone, and with them, her mother and everyone else she’d been trying to help.
Winnie felt empty, helpless to do anything to repair the hole inside her. She heard the others talking, but she didn’t really listen to the words.
“So where to next?” Victor asked. “I can’t keep you in my car, so we need a place to hide you while we figure out who else escaped the roundup from our crew.”
Danny held up his phone. “Cricket checked in. He was looking over a shipment at one of the safe houses. He’s holed up there, waiting for Winnie’s orders.”
“Tell him to hold tight. We’ll give him a meeting place soon,” Cait said. “Tell him that Winnie’s busy with something else. Let’s send a general message, get everyone to a safe location, hunker down until the sweep for stragglers is finished. Then we’ll consolidate our crew and figure out what we need to do next.”
“Good idea,” Victor agreed. “Once we’re past the roadblocks and into the city proper, I’ll need to drop you three somewhere safe, then report in to HQ. People are already starting to miss me. Morgan is covering for us, but there’s only so much she can do at her level.”
“Take us to the safe house where Cricket is hiding,” Cait said. “It’s on the outskirts of the entertainment district. There’ll be lots of people on the street. We’ll be able to blend in.”
“Yes, but there will also be alerts to watch for all of you, since you managed to slip through the cordon,” Victor warned. “And there’s nothing I can do to stop that.” He pointed at his dashboard terminal. “This says they’re looking for Artos and other members of his criminal enterprises. That’s all of you. There are probably other lists in New Amsterdam, Philly, and any other cities where the bosses have sworn allegiance to you. They should all be warned.”
“Cricket will warn Cleaver, if he’s still free,” Danny said. “The others should be contacted by Winnie. They need to know she escaped the sweep.”
Winnie rubbed her puffy, red eyes. “You don’t have to talk about me like I’m not here.”
“Sorry,” Danny said. “You were upset. We were trying to give you some space.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine. And you’re right — I need to contact the other bosses, especially Colten. He’s the newest, and most likely to strike a deal if we don’t reassure him first.”
Cait pointed to Victor’s terminal. “Can that thing get local news? I’ve been texting Tris. We were right. She’s been pulled in with a bunch of other techs. They’re all watching the news. She says we have to put on Channel 2.”
“Let me see what I can do.” Victor turned into an alley. “I think I can access the net and pull in local news by going … ” He fiddled with a small keyboard mounted under the screen and tapped a button on-screen — then the video began to play.
“Turn up the volume,” Cait said.
“Hold on … ” Victor fiddled with a dial on the side of the screen. They all fell silent as the reporter’s words filled the cabin.
“—buses are staged here, Gerry. We can see that they’re full, presumably with chanters from the Enclave raids. I’ve been told by a local Red Legs representative that the buses will be departing for the closest safety camp.”
Another voice chimed in — the station’s main anchor. “Vince, has anyone told you how far it is to the camp or the final destination’s location?”
“I’ve been told it’s a secret location, and will not be disclosed to the press or public at this time. We only know that it’s about four hours away.”
“Good reporting, Vince. Please keep us up to date. And for now, we’re on to sports and weather.”
The broadcast switched to commercial and Victor killed the picture. He turned in his seat, looking back at the people assembled in the back of his car. “What do you want to do?”
Everyone looked at Winnie. She fought to clear her mind, conjure a solution. She wanted her mother back, but needed to make sure that she and the rest of her crew got safely out of the Enclave.
“Right … ” Winnie cleared her throat. “Victor, take us to Cricket’s safe house. We’ll go there first, contact the bosses, see who made it into hiding and who didn’t. Cait, do we still have one of the plain white delivery vans? I can’t remember where they’re stashed.”
Cait started texting. “I’ll have Cricket check the garage and get back to us.”
“Then let’s head to the safe house first. If we have time we can take the van, see if we can follow the buses en route to this so-called safety camp.”
Victor nodded, pulled out of the alley, and started towards the safe house. They passed a few patrols while leaving the Enclave, but saw almost no one beyond uniformed officers and soldiers. At one point, Victor was forced to stop as a pair of Red Legs chased a fleeing chanter across the street. He was faster than the heavyset pair of officers in pursuit. But just as he reached the far side of the street, another pair of officers tackled him.
Winnie could hear his screams of fear and defiance as they passed.
They made it through the final checkpoint, with Victor merely having to slow down and press his badge to the window.
Officers milling around the roadblock were smiling, clapping their comrades on the back, clearly pleased with the day’s operation. Winnie thought about what Kane and his cronies had accomplished, finally emptying the Enclaves. She wondered if the devastation had been complete across all the United Americas. Surely they couldn’t have gotten everyone.
On the short drive to the safe house, Winnie was struck by all the middlings going about their lives. Families, businesspeople, and delivery men were all walking down the street as if there wasn’t a human rights atrocity unfolding just a few blocks away. The shock of their apathy angered her — Winnie realized, as she stared out the cruiser window, that her fists were clenched so hard, her fingernails had dug furrows into her palms.
“Look at them,” she said to no one in particular.
“Who
?” Cait had her eyes out for any possible threats. She turned to see what Winnie might be talking about.
“All of them,” Winnie explained. “All the people who we used to think of as our neighbors, customers, fellow citizens. They could care less about what happened this morning. I’m sure some of them are just clueless and don’t even watch the news, but not all of them. So, here they are while the government rounds up every man, woman, and child in the Enclave, then runs them off to God knows where. They just don’t care.”
“Maybe for some of them the reality hasn’t sunk in yet,” Danny suggested. “Maybe they don’t understand everything Kane was saying in this morning’s statement, or what it means to people they know.”
“Don’t make excuses for them, Danny,” Cait snapped. “Winnie’s right. I used to think we were fighting for chanters and middlings alike. No more. We save our own, to hell with the rest of them. They can rot in this place. I hope it all sinks into the ground like Boston.”
Winnie felt some Cait’s ire, but couldn’t take it to such extremes. There were middlings out there who could be trusted, and others who had fallen for Kane’s line of lies and deceptions. Leaders in the Assembly and the Department of Magical Containment and the Director were at fault. It wasn’t the ignorant middling fool on the street who didn’t know any better.
Winnie wondered what they’d do, as the government forced them to live their lives without any magic. It was failing, and no matter what Kane did, it would continue to wane before it eventually faded away entirely. He might be able to somehow corner all the magic for himself, but there were no guarantees that he wouldn’t eventually run out as well.
Victor pulled into a residential driveway. The garage was open, with an open space next to a small white delivery van. He stopped the car and got out to open the rear doors.
“This safe house is blown now that I’ve dropped you all off,” Victor reminded them. “Someone in the neighborhood will wonder who you are, and why a Red Leg is dropping you off. They’re bound to call it in. Luckily, my car is unmarked, so they shouldn’t be able to trace it back to me. But you’ll have to pack up and move again once I leave.”