Awnya finishes with a shy smile.
I shake my head wordlessly. I’m overwhelmed. I knew the doc loved us, but for him to pin this much hope on me, to keep the faith even though he must have known the odds were stacked sky-high against me . . .
When I was a child, I believed completely in my dad. I thought he’d always be there for me, that no matter what happened he would turn up to save me if I got into trouble. It’s been
a long time since I had that sort of unreserved belief in a person, but Dr Oystein has restored it, made me feel like a kid again, in all the best ways.
‘That crazy, beautiful old saint,’ I croak. Then I remember what I witnessed at County Hall and my happiness evaporates. ‘But he should have been looking out for himself.
County Hall has fallen. Mr Dowling attacked. I saw his troops killing everyone. Dr Oystein is probably dead. He should have focused on his defences, not wasted his time on a stray wretch like
me.’
‘Easy, B,’ Awnya says. ‘The doc is fine.’
‘He doesn’t overlook anything,’ Cian says proudly.
I stare at them uncertainly. ‘But County Hall
did
fall. I saw it, just before I came here. The mutants overran it. There were dead bodies piled outside. Mr Dowling’s crew were throwing them on to a bonfire.’
Cian and Awnya both look downcast.
‘Dr Oystein thought that might happen,’ Cian says.
‘He wanted to withdraw everyone,’ Awnya says.
‘But Master Zhang convinced him to leave a small group of Angels behind,’ Cian goes on. ‘ To make it look like we were still based in the building.’
‘He didn’t want our enemies to know that we’d moved,’ Awnya says.
‘The doc wasn’t keen,’ Cian says glumly.
‘But in the end he agreed to Master Zhang’s plan,’ Awnya concludes.
‘What plan?’ I snap. ‘What are you talking about? This isn’t making sense.’
Awnya casts a disapproving look in my direction. ‘You should know that Dr Oystein thinks of everything.’
Cian nods. ‘He figured we were in trouble as soon as he heard that Mr Dowling had kidnapped you, and he immediately made plans to move us out of County Hall.’
I stare at the twins. ‘You’re telling me the doc upped sticks?’
‘Yes,’ Awnya says.
‘Why?’ I croak. ‘How did he know that Mr Dowling would attack?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Awnya says. ‘Maybe he just had a feeling.’
‘Or maybe he has spies among the clown’s people,’ Cian grunts.
‘Either way, he slipped us out of there,’ Awnya says. ‘We relocated to a base he’d set up ages ago in case we ever needed to evacuate in a hurry.’
‘County Hall might have fallen but the doc hasn’t,’ Cian smirks.
‘He’s safe,’ Awnya agrees. ‘And he’s waiting for us to bring you to him.’
My mind is reeling. I don’t know how the doc saw this one coming! Then again, I shouldn’t be too surprised that he was several steps ahead of me. He’s not a dumb foot
soldier. It’s his job to think things through and make plans in advance, taking all the variables into consideration. Maybe he knew that Mr Dowling wanted to marry me. Maybe he gambled that I’d accept the clown’s proposal for one reason or another, and figured there was a chance that I’d find out where his vial of
Schlesinger-10 was stored and manage to steal off with it. Relocating his base on a hunch was a brave, bold move, but it wouldn’t be the first time that Dr Oystein pinned everything on a gut
instinct.
I’m so happy that I want to hop around like a lunatic and shout for joy until I’m hoarse. But I can’t summon the strength. The best I can manage is a wry smile and a very
weak-sounding, ‘Wow.’
‘Come on,’ Awnya says. ‘We’ll take you with us. Dr Oystein will be sad when he finds out those we left behind were killed, but he’ll be delighted to see you
again.’
‘This is incredible,’ I chuckle. ‘I can’t wait to see him, but how far is it to these new quarters of yours?’
‘Not far,’
I shake my head wordlessly. I’m overwhelmed. I knew the doc loved us, but for him to pin this much hope on me, to keep the faith even though he must have known the odds were stacked sky-high against me . . .
When I was a child, I believed completely in my dad. I thought he’d always be there for me, that no matter what happened he would turn up to save me if I got into trouble. It’s been
a long time since I had that sort of unreserved belief in a person, but Dr Oystein has restored it, made me feel like a kid again, in all the best ways.
‘That crazy, beautiful old saint,’ I croak. Then I remember what I witnessed at County Hall and my happiness evaporates. ‘But he should have been looking out for himself.
County Hall has fallen. Mr Dowling attacked. I saw his troops killing everyone. Dr Oystein is probably dead. He should have focused on his defences, not wasted his time on a stray wretch like
me.’
‘Easy, B,’ Awnya says. ‘The doc is fine.’
‘He doesn’t overlook anything,’ Cian says proudly.
I stare at them uncertainly. ‘But County Hall
did
fall. I saw it, just before I came here. The mutants overran it. There were dead bodies piled outside. Mr Dowling’s crew were throwing them on to a bonfire.’
Cian and Awnya both look downcast.
‘Dr Oystein thought that might happen,’ Cian says.
‘He wanted to withdraw everyone,’ Awnya says.
‘But Master Zhang convinced him to leave a small group of Angels behind,’ Cian goes on. ‘ To make it look like we were still based in the building.’
‘He didn’t want our enemies to know that we’d moved,’ Awnya says.
‘The doc wasn’t keen,’ Cian says glumly.
‘But in the end he agreed to Master Zhang’s plan,’ Awnya concludes.
‘What plan?’ I snap. ‘What are you talking about? This isn’t making sense.’
Awnya casts a disapproving look in my direction. ‘You should know that Dr Oystein thinks of everything.’
Cian nods. ‘He figured we were in trouble as soon as he heard that Mr Dowling had kidnapped you, and he immediately made plans to move us out of County Hall.’
I stare at the twins. ‘You’re telling me the doc upped sticks?’
‘Yes,’ Awnya says.
‘Why?’ I croak. ‘How did he know that Mr Dowling would attack?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Awnya says. ‘Maybe he just had a feeling.’
‘Or maybe he has spies among the clown’s people,’ Cian grunts.
‘Either way, he slipped us out of there,’ Awnya says. ‘We relocated to a base he’d set up ages ago in case we ever needed to evacuate in a hurry.’
‘County Hall might have fallen but the doc hasn’t,’ Cian smirks.
‘He’s safe,’ Awnya agrees. ‘And he’s waiting for us to bring you to him.’
My mind is reeling. I don’t know how the doc saw this one coming! Then again, I shouldn’t be too surprised that he was several steps ahead of me. He’s not a dumb foot
soldier. It’s his job to think things through and make plans in advance, taking all the variables into consideration. Maybe he knew that Mr Dowling wanted to marry me. Maybe he gambled that I’d accept the clown’s proposal for one reason or another, and figured there was a chance that I’d find out where his vial of
Schlesinger-10 was stored and manage to steal off with it. Relocating his base on a hunch was a brave, bold move, but it wouldn’t be the first time that Dr Oystein pinned everything on a gut
instinct.
I’m so happy that I want to hop around like a lunatic and shout for joy until I’m hoarse. But I can’t summon the strength. The best I can manage is a wry smile and a very
weak-sounding, ‘Wow.’
‘Come on,’ Awnya says. ‘We’ll take you with us. Dr Oystein will be sad when he finds out those we left behind were killed, but he’ll be delighted to see you
again.’
‘This is incredible,’ I chuckle. ‘I can’t wait to see him, but how far is it to these new quarters of yours?’
‘Not far,’
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