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do about the larger issue.
    The gel was on Porthos’ hand. That would have a disastrous impact upon the invasion plan. She had to figure out what to do.
    The light flared red, and the guard’s face turned purple. She knew her duty: call in the red light violation. And yet her mental programming wouldn’t allow her to do anything of the sort.
    Porthos smiled. “Call it in.”
    The woman nodded with great hesitation, and picked up the red phone attached to the back side of the palm reader column. She held the phone to her head and spoke quietly. She finally nodded, hung up the phone, and faced the Hunter. “I’ve been told to tell you that everything worked as designed and to let you board, Mr. Sebastian.”
    Porthos nodded. “Splendid, my dear. Sorry for the trouble.” He flashed a smile, and the woman’s face went from purple to red. The barrier door opened, and the Hunter sauntered through, glancing at the train. The Hunter moved to the back of the train, and Hope used the nanos to float above him, watching.
    He moved to the last car on the train and glared around at the occupants. “Clear out.”
    The humans in the car scurried out and moved to different cars, their faces registering a combination of surprise and mild annoyance. Hope shook her head.
    Moments later, the chime sounded, announcing the closing of the doors and departure of the train. Hope settled down atop Porthos’ car, “listening” to his Energy. He was nervous, but not panicked. There was some anger, and much to her shock the mental image associated with that anger was Arthur. She also sensed fear, and concentrated on that emotion. He was worried about the Alliance. No, not the Alliance. He was mildly worried about Will. But his greatest fear in any impending invasion of the Island was a confrontation with someone called the Destructor. She thought about that and realized who he meant.
    A wry smile cracked her invisible face. Fil’s devastating release of Energy in the wake of the terror inflicted by Abaddon had struck terror in the heart of at least one Hunter. “That’s my boy,” she whispered. And she pumped her fist.
    The train pulled away from Headquarters Plaza, moving south for a tantalizing view of the Aliomenti residential area. Filled with opulent homes and restaurants serving the most decadent of foods, the Aliomenti area existed in marked contrast to the human settlement on the opposite side of the Island. The train glided along in smooth silence. Hope wasn’t fooled. The silent ride didn’t exist for the comfort of the humans. They’d made the investment because the residents in the village complained about the noise level when the train rolled by.
    The train moved beyond the Aliomenti residential areas into the unpopulated, forested areas on the southern portion of the Island before swerving to the northeast on a course for the human residential areas. Hope enjoyed the sensation of the wind whipping through her invisible hair, closing her eyes and imagining she was sailing along the river on Eden rather than initiating a war.
    Thirty minutes later, the train slid to a noiseless stop.
    Hope peered over the top of the train, watching as the humans emerged. They seemed far more cheerful than the batch she’d seen emerge at Headquarters Plaza, no doubt owing to the fact that this group had completed its workday. She watched, and waited, as everyone left the train and station. Just when she wondered if Porthos had teleported back to Headquarters without notice, he emerged from the train. Hope floated above him as the next batch of passengers queued up to board the train.
    Porthos put his hands in his pockets and walked lazily through the village, nodding at the confused humans who wondered why Mr. Sebastian might be there. He seemed to walk in a random pattern, but Hope realized he was moving in an indirect path toward a target.
    The edge of the village. The forest. Where every member of the Alliance began any trip to