The Phoenix Project: Book I: Flight by Katherine Macdonald

Author:Katherine Macdonald [Macdonald, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-28T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 32

Henson lets us in through the gates again. I wonder what he risks, every time he does this. Someone must know what he's doing, or they'll figure it out soon. Does he rely on bribery to keep him safe, or are there others that share his views? Does he know he's living on borrowed time?

We enter the city without much trouble, and are a good few minutes in before Mi tries to lighten the mood.

“I can't see anything– are we there yet?”

Abi punches him in the arm.

“Yeah, I deserved that.”

“We could play a game of I-spy, if you're bored?” Scarlet offers.

“I like you. You're funny."

“I spy with my little eye, something beginning with S–”

“Spanner," Mi says, not missing a beat.

Scarlet blinks. “How–? How did you–?”

“There's a tool box banging about in the corner, it was a good guess.”

“I could actually have fun with this...”

Incredibly, Mi and Scarlet do actually partake in a game of I-spy as we crawl through the city, while Abi and I stare at each other, somewhere between incredulous and delighted. Scarlet initially comes off worse in this, giving him far too easy subjects while his are often out of sight. She complains this isn't fair.

“I'm sorry, are your two good eyes inconveniencing you?”

“In this case, yes!”

“Try closing your eyes.”

“You have super-hearing!” She pouts. “You still have a clear advantage!”

She ups her game, and I do manage to find a little amusement in this. Perhaps they're forcing it a little, not just for their benefit, but for ours. We need a little lightness, however fleeting, however brief.

A horrible thought coils inside me. I have a sudden feeling, like this moment is dissolving before my eyes, and it will be a long time before any one of us knows such brevity again.

Nevertheless, there are things to be done. I set to work memorising the layout of the compound, at one point pulling Scarlet over to do the same. We check through our equipment, choosing our weapons. Scarlet slides a pair of goggles onto her head and then packs a small armoury onto her lean body: handgun, throwing knives, dagger, baton, knuckles, grenades. I don't really need or want any of those things. Blunt weapons can't add much to my current repertoire, and sharp ones are likely to lead to fatalities. I take a small knife, more a tool than a weapon, and refuse everything else. Scarlet looks baffled when Mi does the same.

“This may shock you, but I am not a terrific shot,” Mi explains. “I'll take a quarterstaff, if you have one?”

Scarlet raises an eyebrow. “I'll go find a time machine and order you one in the Middle Ages,” she says. “For now, we have batons?”

“That'll do.”

Mi does not need help as a general rule with anything but reading, but he does not complain when Scarlet helps him strap on a couple of batons. She helps me with mine too, and it is a little easier with her assistance to get kitted up.

All too soon, the van is coming to a stop.

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