Feargus

  With Quinn still crying on the floor in the abandoned house, I spared Zack a quizzical glance before going back inside. He responded with wide, disbelieving eyes, a head shake, and a helpless shrug. Clearly, whatever happened to Quinn when he’d introduced himself wasn’t what he was going for, but we’d have to make it work.

  For now, Zack had some errands he wanted to take care of before getting back to Jakob, so I thanked him for the assistance, and promised I’d catch up with him later.

  Back inside the house, I sat on the floor beside Quinn.

  “I don’t understand,” she repeated quietly to herself.

  Frankly, I really didn’t understand either. “Can I do something for you, mate? Would you like a cuddle or a cracker?”

  Quinn sniffled and swallowed back a sob. It took her a moment, but she composed herself and climbed to her feet. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting the day I’d finally meet one of the special Partisans—maybe that they’d be wearing fancy clothes, or that they’d have been raised like prim and proper little soldiers. But Quinn wasn’t that. The lass was dressed similarly to myself and Rhian, and her attitude wasn’t much different, either. I had so many questions.

  She didn’t want a cuddle or a cracker.

  “I’ve got friends at the Gander,” I said.

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Right, well, it’s a decent spot to work. Some of my best times. You’ll still have to be careful, mind you. Faust is known to pop in and out. Would she recognize you?”

  “Probably not. Faust rarely uses us.”

  “All right, well—if you do run into her and she has questions, tell her you’re part of Emerich Bach’s crew.” I didn’t want to use Rhydian’s name, because I didn’t want her knowing Rhydian’s name at the minute. I couldn’t totally control what she found out on her own, but I wouldn’t be the one to let it slip. And since Bach was sadly no longer with us, his name could be used to safely suggest to Faust that she’d come from the lair.

  Quinn shrugged. “Sounds good. Anything else?”

  “We can go over details while we walk, if you’re ready. I can’t help but notice you haven’t got much in the way of possessions, but you haven’t got to worry. They’ll have a bed for you, drinks, three a day, clothes, whatever you need.”

  No harm in a little test, was there?

  Quinn hesitated. “Yeah,” she trailed off, picking up her map, blank pieces of paper, and then stepping over to the fireplace. She shoved her hand up the chute and pulled the bag out, stuffing everything inside before tossing it over her shoulder.

  “Okay, now I’m ready.”

  And that was a pass. I nodded, still dying to know what the whole crying thing was about, but we’d have a chance for a chat on the way to the Gander.

  “What’d you do with him?” she asked. “Tag.”

  “I couldn’t honestly tell you. That’s for the clean-up crew to know.”

  “You have a clean-up crew?”

  “Apparently.” I reached into my jacket, pulled out my hat, and tugged it over my head. “If you really need to see him, I’ll see what I can find out, though.”

  “How’d he die?”

  “Chest stabbing.”

  Quinn nodded. “So, uh—Zacharias Vonsinfonie…?”

  “I reckon I’m the one who ought to have questions on that front.”

  “Yeah, sorry. That was embarrassing. It’s just—he’s actually real? And now I’ve… I don’t know, I never believed, and now? Well, there’s no going back now.”

  I won’t lie: I was a bit nervous with Quinn worrying about having made a mistake. But I also understood it was only natural to feel that way after going through whatever she’d been through, which I reckoned was similar to what we’d all been through—if not worse.

  So, I’d reserve judgment for now, and I’d get a better sense of where her head was when she had her feet planted more firmly on the ground.

  “Did Zack say something to upset you?” I asked. “I can have a talk with him.”

  “Have a talk with—what? No, he didn’t say anything to upset me. He just introduced himself, and welcomed me to the—why are you acting so casual about this?”

  “I’m a fairly casual fellow.”

  “I mean, you just walk around with God in your pocket?”

  The idea of Zack being worshiped wasn’t entirely foreign to me after my time in Leberecht and my visit to the Vonsinfonie exhibit. But I’d assumed that was Avis honouring her husband, and I still wasn’t convinced that wasn’t the case. But Zack as a religious figure in the context of Palisade’s secret underground? I could only speculate, mates.

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  “God?” I asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “Look, I don’t know—this is all a bit too much for me right now.”

  “That’s completely understandable,” I said, because it was.

  So, we turned down the alley, the one in which Adeline was accosted by Quinn’s brother. If not for the fact it had snowed since, the blood would probably still be visible. Around the corner, we reached the door with the goose in the glass. I wasn’t keen on her knowing I had a key, so I knocked the special knock.

  Getting Quinn situated at the Gander was the same old song and dance it had been getting myself situated, and Adeline after me. Tanis and the rest of the staff were welcoming as ever, and between the recipe cards I’d made, and the ones Adeline had put together, I was fairly confident the lass could follow instructions well enough to make it work.

  I told her I’d see her in a day or two.

  Before leaving the city, I checked in with Vivienne at the Steel Needle to learn if she’d heard or seen anything that could be related to Tag or Quinn, but she said everything had been business as usual lately—nothing to report. Otherwise, I barely knew what day it was anymore, mates, and I was exhausted.

  I made my way back to the base.

  Days Until Rhian Returns: 5

  Crew and Company Placement:

  The estate ? Peter

  The base ? Adeline, Michael, Strauss, Evelyn, Alex, Teeth, Everleigh

  The lair ? Rhian, Rhydian, Riz, Bells, Sebastian(?)

  Old theatre ? Jakob

  Lawing ? Zack

  Gander ? Quinn

  Back at the base, I wanted nothing more than to take a nap, but Evelyn had more questions for me about Rhian, and who was I to deny her the answers? We chatted for a couple hours on the couch while the others buzzed about, taking care of their restoration chores and whatnot.

  Eventually, we all got to talking about Alexander after Strauss asked a fair but rather socially awkward question: “Alexander, how do you sustain yourself?”

  “Orphaned boys,” Alex replied.

  We all had a good laugh, because obviously that wasn’t how.

  Following that, Everleigh shared her own little secret with the crew, that she was a mercy killer who sent her victims off with a personally curated song capturing their happiest memories and their wildest dreams. Everyone thought that was nice, and nobody judged her.

  I knew her subtle facial tells well enough by then to know she was surprised, and a bit touched, actually. I smiled in her direction, and she rolled her eyes.

  Not long after Strauss excused himself for a nap, I did the same. But while he went into one of the master bedrooms, I carried on toward the bunk room. Like always, I kissed my fingers, pressed them against V’s basket, got undressed, and got into bed. I remember counting to six hundred and twenty-seven before I fell asleep.

  I woke up to a loud crash, again, followed by a squeaky curse. Only, this time it was coming from inside the room. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been sleeping, but my eyes weren’t ready to wake up yet. It took me a good forty-seven seconds listening to Adeline struggle, not able to open my eyes or move straightaway. When I finally got myself together, I rolled out in my skivvies, gave myself a good scratch, had a big stretch, and tried to make sense of what was happening on the other side of the room.

  Adeline was crouched beside her trunk, which seemed to have cracked open, her belongings spilled out all over the floor. The frilly underwear were real, mates.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I was trying to be quiet, and of course the exact opposite happened.”

  I chuckled. “I’m not fussed. What are you trying to do?”

  “Well, I was trying to find something to wear on my date with Captain Kavelin tomorrow night. I just haven’t been able to find the time.”

  Right, I’d almost forgotten about that. For a second, we locked eyes and it was a bit weird because I’d seen that look before. She was checking for a reaction. I ate my truth and grinned instead. “And are you planning to call him Captain Kavelin all night?” I asked. “I mean, I’m not judging.”

  Adeline hesitated a beat before she laughed. “Maybe.”

  “All right, well, I’m by no means a fashion expert. Do you know where you’re going?”

  “He’s making me dinner.”

  “At his office?” I asked.

  “Remarkably, he does actually have a home.”

  “Why don’t you ask Evelyn to borrow one of her dessert-looking dresses? You’ve got a similar colouring, haven’t you? I reckon you’d look nice in yellow or green.”

  “That’s an excellent idea. You don’t think she’d mind?”

  “Mate, I reckon she’d be more than happy. But before you go run that past her, I was hoping to have a chat.”

  “Were you? Well, I’m all yours, Agent Finlay.”

  Now, why did she have to go and say something like that at the same time she was stuffing her rainbow knickers back in the trunk? I stared at the wall behind her.

  Eventually, Adeline sat on the edge of the nearest bed, patted the space beside her, and suddenly I was very aware I was still standing around in my undies.

  I found my pants, put them on, closed the door, and joined her.

  That’s when I told her all about Quinn and her strange reaction to Zack.

  “Your life really is endlessly absurd,” she mused. “I can’t believe I missed everything.”

  “I wouldn’t fret—plenty more where that came from. I’d take you to meet her tonight, but I reckon she could use a few days to settle in. She seems like a tough cookie, but you know how it is.”

  Adeline nodded. “It sounds like she knows my mother. I’d be curious to speak with her.”

  We traded thoughts on the matter for a few minutes more until we heard the hatch opening.

  “That must be Everleigh and Father Strauss,” Adeline answered without me having to ask. "They left together while you were sleeping."

  “That’s an interesting combination of people,” I commented.

  Adeline laughed and nodded. “Shall we go see?”

  I hadn’t had nearly enough sleep, but I reckoned a wee check-in wouldn’t hurt.

  I threw my shirt on and we left the room together, making our way down the hall. From the sitting room, Strauss’s tone was smooth and relaxed as ever.

  “Everyone,” he said. “I’d like you to meet Jakob Adler.”

  Trying to reconcile why Jakob was at the base right now felt like a sharp poke in the eyeball. Or maybe that was just the lack of sleep. Either way, what?

  We turned around the corner and sure enough, there he was. Standing next to Strauss, it was black on black on black, both of their eyes blindfolded with more black. More interestingly, there was no Zack.

  The room exploded in a flurry of excited chatter.