Wren came over to Cass and stood waiting for her. She saw him check something in his belt, realized it was his knife. He zipped his coat up over it.
Cass tossed her coat on, and made a final check on her pack. Everything seemed to be in order. She slung the single strap up over her head, onto her right shoulder, and then adjusted it tight across her body. She bounced up and down a couple of times to check it for weight and balance.
“We’re really going to do it, aren’t we?” Wren said. His smile was gone, but he didn’t seem afraid.
“Yeah, baby,” Cass answered. She put a hand on his shoulder, and then bent down and kissed the top of his head. “Like old times.”
He reached up and placed his hand in hers. “Not too much like, I hope.”
“Not too much.”
They joined the others at the back door. Gamble lined them up against the wall, and stood in front of them, quickly scanning each of them head to toe, like she was taking inventory. Cass felt a surge of nervous energy. It’d been lingering in the background ever since they’d started making preparations. But now that everything that could be done had been done, now that they were standing at a door, ready to cross the threshold, it was like she’d given herself permission to actually feel the strange mix of emotions. Anxiety certainly, maybe some fear, but also an underlying sense of exhilaration. Maybe life inside the compound had taken more of a toll on her than she’d realized.
“Alright, listen up,” Gamble said from the front of the line. “We need to stay light and fast out there. Wick’s going to lead the way, then I want Cass, Wren, Painter, in that order. That clear?”
They all nodded.
“Just keep your eyes on Wick, go where he goes, don’t worry about the people behind you. Whatever else happens, your job is always to stay with Wick. What’s your job?”
“Stay with Wick,” Wren said.
“Stay with Wick,” Gamble repeated. “Once we walk out that door, I don’t want any talking. We’re going to cut straight across to the nearest point on the wall, and then follow it north to the first set of stairs.”
“How will we g-g-get through the guh-, through the gate?” Painter asked.
“We won’t,” Gamble said. “We’re going over.”
“Over the wall?” Wren asked, with a little awe in his voice.
“Yeah. But we’ve got to get there first, so say your goodbyes, and let’s get moving.” Then, “Sky, Finn, we’re thirty seconds to go.”
Cass waved Mister Sun over and she and Wren both hugged the little man. Kit floated into the back room, tugging at her fingers and looking concerned.
“Thank you for everything, Mister Sun,” Cass said. “We really have no way to repay you for all your kindness.”
“Be safe,” he answered, “and that will be payment enough.”
“Kit, I’m sorry you got stuck in all this,” said Cass. “I hope you understand.”
“I do, Miss Cass, and I’m sorry for any trouble I’ve caused.”
“You were no trouble at all. We’ll just have to trust you to forget everything you saw tonight.”
“Maybe not quite everything,” Kit said, and she looked at Wick then with a sly little smile. “But you can count on me, Miss Cass. You know I’d do anything for you two.”
“How many?” Gamble said abruptly. It took a second before Cass realized she wasn’t talking to any of them. And then she was. “Mister Sun, do you have any other exits besides this and the front door? Preferably something inconspicuous?”
Mister Sun shook his head. “I’m afraid not, my friend.”
“What’s up?” Cass asked.
“Guards in the street again,” Gamble said.
“Same ones as before?” Cass asked her.
“Unknown. But there are more of them this time.”
Wick set his bag of supplies on the floor. “Give me two minutes’ headstart,” he said. “I’ll run interference, try to draw them away from the back so you guys can slip out.”
“Negative,” Gamble said. “I need you to get these people to the right place. I’ll go.”
“Wait,” Cass said, “if it’s the guard, can’t you just go pull rank on them?”
“I wouldn’t trust it, ma’am,” Wick said. “If one of us goes walking out there to talk, they’re gonna guess you’re nearby. And if someone’s looking for you…” He shook his head. “It’s gotta be me, Gamble. No offense, but I’ve got a better chance of shaking them.”
“I said no, Wick. I can’t spare you. And I need Sky and Finn running the wings, so that leaves me.”
“I’ll do it,” a quiet voice said. Everyone looked around. It was Kit. “I’ll do it,” she said a little more strongly.
“I appreciate it, ma’am,” Gamble said, “but it’s too dangerous.”
“What do you need? Just some kind of distraction?” Kit asked.
“It’s a little more complicated than that.”
“Is it really?” Kit said. “Sounds to me like you just need somebody to make enough of a fuss — around the front door — to let you guys slip out the back.”
“Ma’am, we don’t know why those people are out there, or what they’re looking for, or what they might do if they saw someone leaving. For all we know, they might shoot you on sight.”
“So it’s OK for you to get shot, but not me?”
“I’ve been shot before.”
“Well, you can’t afford to get shot now. And I’m faster than I look.”
“It’s true,” Wick said. “She almost got away from me.”
“Almost,” Gamble said. But Cass could see it on her face already. If the girl was willing to try, it just might be the best option, and Gamble was considering it. “There are six of them out there.”
“Let me help,” Kit said. “Please. I can do this for you.” She wasn’t pleading. Just calmly stating a fact. “Maybe it’ll make up for me stumbling in here in the first place.”
“Understand this isn’t something for you to try,” Gamble said. “It’s something you must do. If you go out there and get caught and bring down a bunch of reinforcements on us, it’s going to go badly for a lot of people.”
“They won’t catch me.” Gamble just looked at Kit with that level stare of hers, evaluating. “They won’t,” Kit said again.
Gamble clenched her jaw for a long moment. Then she finally dipped her head forward slightly. “Straight out the front, cross into the alley, don’t look back. Do you know where you’re running to?”
“Not yet.”
“Pick a place. Somewhere away from the compound where you can get lost.”
Kit thought for a moment, and then nodded. She said, “OK, I know one.”
“And a backup.”
“OK.”
“The backup is only for if you get cut off. You got it?” Gamble asked.
“Yeah, I got it.”
“If we had more time I’d have you pick two more.”
“I won’t even need the backup,” Kit said.
Gamble kept looking at her, but said, “Sky, our guest is going to give us a hand… yeah… yeah, she can do it. Front door. Anybody tries to get a bead on her on her way out, you drop him.” And then to Kit, “You sure you want to do this?”
Kit nodded with confidence, but she licked her lips as if they’d just gone dry.
“Alright,” Gamble said. “Pull your hood up. And run like all hell is on your heels.”