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were finished here.
    Ronin, the Patriarch, sat and so did his two operatives, flanking him, relaxed but alert. Rick watched the two humans closely, looking for any sign they had been treated badly or were under some kind of compulsion. He couldn’t sense any visible traces of anything like that, which was reassuring.
    “There are hidden enclaves of humans all over the northern continent and other places on this planet,” Ronin announced, shocking Rick’s attention back to him. “They gather in deep caverns—old facilities of your military. I am told many of the locations were once part of the defense agency known as NORAD. There is a large base in what used to be Colorado. I have already dispatched one of my people to make contact with the leader of that group.”
    “To what end?” Davin voiced the question on Rick’s mind too.
    “I believe the separate groups should be made aware of each other. Among my people there are a few with foresight abilities. I believe you are familiar with such gifts, aren’t you?” Ronin sent a knowing look toward Callie. “My adopted clan members with such gifts all foretell of the need for the human enclaves to work together in the coming struggle. The Alvian people will not be changed easily, but they must embrace the change. I have been told, and I believe, that humans will lead the way and help both our peoples heal and eventually become one.”
    “That’s a tall order.” Rick found himself unable to keep silent on such an important issue. “There’s a lot of bad blood between your folks and mine. Your small group of ninjas might be able to live together in harmony, but the vast majority of humans who’ve had any contact with Alvians can tell a very different story.”
    “No one regrets that more than I.” Ronin spoke with enough power that Rick actually believed he felt true regret, or at least the echoes of it.
    “Perhaps,” Rick allowed. “But the question remains, how do you think we can help you achieve your goal?”
    “As I said, I have already dispatched someone to make contact with the group in Colorado. I have suspicions, and a few confirmed sightings, of other locations scattered around the northern continent. What I need is someone willing to assist in their communication. The old facilities were damaged in the bombardment. Some still work, but communication is a problem.”
    “You want secure crystals,” Davin surmised. “I’d be willing to provide a few, on a trial basis. Trust builds slowly, Patriarch.”
    “A wise precaution,” Ronin agreed. “For now, I’ll take you up on your generous offer. Perhaps as we work together, we’ll learn to trust one another more readily. If you permit, I’d like to leave one or both of these Brethren here with you as points of contact. I will not spy on you anymore. Either my people are welcome here, or they will leave, as you desire.”
    “They can stay,” Davin said quickly. “Humans have a saying. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Either way, I’ll be happy to host them while we discover which you truly are.”
    Callie moved a step farther into the room, drawing all eyes. “My brother told me something last week that now makes sense.” She looked at Rick, then Davin, releasing a held breath as if for courage. “I think either he or Papa Caleb foresaw something meant for you. I don’t know which one of them saw it, but Harry relayed it sort of off-handedly while we were talking. That happens sometimes. They don’t always know which visions are more important than others, but the sleepers have a way of making themselves known.” She shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with what she was about to say.
    “Are you okay, sweetheart?” Rick sent her a private telepathic message.
    “Yes. I think this has to be said.”
    “What is it?”
    “He needs to know where to find Jaci.”
    “Shit! Are you sure? That could put a lot of people at risk if we’re wrong about these guys.”
    “I know. But