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were overrun
through no fault of my own.”
    I nod, trying
not to pass judgement. There are six black crosses and maybe
another twelve gold stars.
    “How did you
get all this information?” Kean asks.
    “It’s not an
exhaustive list, by any means. I knew of the idea of facilities
from my time in the army, but the actual locations were all gleaned
on the go.” He smiles plainly. “Just like I gained the door code
from you.”
    “Why not go to
the city first, then?” I say.
    Jacob makes a
raspy sound with his throat. “Good question. I didn’t know about it
until I overheard Doctor Harding communicating with them via
radio.”
    I look to Kean.
I have no more questions and it doesn’t seem like Jacob will be
around long enough to bother us. Kean nods in the silence.
    “Well,” I say,
“good luck, I guess.”
    “I can’t offer
you two and the Chinaman a front row seat to saving the world?”
    This makes me
smile. Not because it’s funny, but because of one thing I am
absolutely certain. “Jacob, there is nothing in this world that can
make us leave everything we have here. Nothing at all.”
    Jacob stands at
the end of his driveway and covers us as we make our way home. And
by cover us, I mean he stands there with his gun hanging loosely in
his hand, watching us.
    Trouble is
still sitting at the table when we arrive, watching the flame of a
lonely candle. Kean sits and I lean on the back of one of the
dining chairs.
    “What happened
to good cop, bad cop?” I say.
    Kean runs his
hands through his sandy hair. “It was the Milo. My one weakness. My
kryptonite.”
    “I thought I
was your one weakness.”
    “I’m going to
stop digging this hole right now. Before we realise how many
weaknesses I have. But I don’t think that went badly, you know. I
don’t think he’ll be a threat. It’s like he’s having a holiday or
something.”
    “I think so
too. I hope so, anyway.”
    Trouble clears
his throat, watching us with expectant eyes.
    “Would you like
to do the honours?” Kean says.
    “Oh, no.” I
grin. “This mime is all on you.”
     
     

Chapter
5

    I SLEEP IN
late, almost until midday, and I do it partly because I’m tired and
mostly because I can. I think about Jacob’s plans, covering his
kitchen like the inside of his brain. I mean, he knows exactly what
he’s done and where he’s going next. He’s the knight on a
chessboard, forging forward in leaps and cutting strategies, while
I’m hanging back all king-like where it’s safe.
    Finally it’s
Liss that drags me from my oven of a bed. It’s like if you don’t
get up when the heat first descends you’ve no chance; you’re just
stuck forever in a sleepy state, too weary to move, too overcome to
care. I could lie there all day and all night, but Liss won’t
relent. First she stands in the doorway, hands on her hips just
staring like she can telepathically communicate with me. Next thing
I know she’s jumping on the bed, jolting me around and making
enough noise to raise the dead.
    “Alright.” I
use my foot to push her off balance and she collapses onto the bed
with a squeal.
    “Are we being
attacked?” I ask.
    Liss goes still
and frowns. “No.”
    “Then why the
urgency?”
    Her eyes go
wide. “I made you breakfast.”
    “Really?”
    Liss bites her
lip and nods. “Yes, because Kean said we’re going to the park, but
we can’t go until everyone is up, and everyone is up but you.”
    I rub my eyes
like that will somehow help me to keep them open. “Oh, I see.”
    “Come on, Flo.
We never go anywhere .”
    “Sure we do. We
go to the balcony and the kitchen and the living room and the roof.
What more do you want?”
    Liss crawls
onto the bed and tries to squish me, but she’s too light and I feel
sorry for her, so I don’t bother pushing her off.
    “I want to go
to the park,” she says, getting her face right in mine. “Come on.
Get up, get up, get up,” Liss chants. “Get up, up, up, up, up.”
    “I’m up!”