Joan Undone

Chapter 43

The message that we've all been waiting for comes at six in the morning. I notice it immediately, because I'm wide awake. For the past five hours, Harriet and I have been downing cup after cup of coffee in the main room of the Bunker, discussing scenarios that might arise in our confrontation with Crew's rebellion with whoever happens to drift through the room.

Crew's message is terse. His face is gray and shadowed. "Joan Fasces, come to the Space Needle, on foot. You will be watched the entire way by a team of ten of my best soldiers. Anyone who comes with you will be shot in the street. I will wait for you no more than one hour, or Justus dies in your place."

Harriet collects our ragtag team from around the Bunker while I forward Crew's message to the governor and Officer Ben. I quickly don my costume for today. Lady Cleo always insisted that a character needs her props, and she's right. I pop in contacts that will send a video feed of what I'm watching to my team at the Bunker. I use my makeup kit, which is considerably more battered now than it was a few months ago when I first cracked it open, to cover up the lavaliere on my wrist. Next goes on a layer of body armor beneath my clothes. Last, I lace up my favorite old pair of boots, perfect for kicking down doors without damaging my feet.

I leave my laser gun and other weapons on the table. I'd never get a chance to use them, and maybe this little show of compliance will ease Crew's suspicions.

Marie, Dennis, Sun, Mason, Alison, Tupac, Flo, and Kat enter the room in short order. Nic must still be passed out, which is probably for the best. It would kill him to watch me leave.

In spite of the minimal sleep my team has had over the past few days, their eyes are shrewd and alert as they watch Crew's vid.

"He seems worried that you might not show," Kat muses. "He probably thought you would have traded yourself in two days ago."

"He needs her for something," Sun says.

"Whatever it is, he's not going to get it," I say, gathering my hair into a high bun so that Marie can equip me with my secret weapon.

Marie inserts the new Mind Manipulator into my neck, making me wince.

"It's Crew who's going to be doing what you want now," Marie says with satisfaction.

Alison shakes her head. "Why is he hiding out in the Space Needle? That place was condemned decades ago."

The Space Needle used to be a major Seattle tourist destination, until it stopped attracting tourists. It fell into disrepair, but it had been designated a historical landmark, so no one can tear it down.

"It's isolated. That could work to our advantage," Sun says. "If we can locate Crew's bomb while it's still a safe distance from populated areas, we can prevent a slaughter."

"Alison, Tupac, are you ready?" Harriet asks.

Alison's fingers fly across the expanse of the nearest tablet. "I've sent a message through every social media channel Tupac and I have about an impromptu concert by some of the most famous musicians in history. Dawn is not usually a great time for a concert, but we have a hell of a lineup to tempt anyone who sees the notice."

"Ida promised to forward our message to all her followers as well," Tupac says.

Marie looks up from her tablet. "I've sent an invitation to all Strand employees informing them of the off-campus team-building activity first thing this morning. It's coming from Lexi's email address, which will hopefully terrify most people into leaving the building and attending the concert."

I send messages to Officer Ben and the governor to make sure everything is ready on their end. Officer Ben instantly replies that he is mobilizing his forces to help secure the concert from any attacks from Crew's team.