I remembered Alexis’ words.
Don’t trust your instincts.
I drew in another wind-whistling-through-the-woods breath, then exhaled.
Be calm.
Alexis had a reason for saying what she’d said.
“Okay, so I’m busy thinking, even if my brain is only the size of the eraser on the end of a pencil,” Evan said.
“Your brain is not that small,” I told him.
“My bird brain is about that small. But whatever size my brain is, I gotta know, what do we do if we find one of the council members?” Evan asked.
“We catch them by surprise,” I said. If I could find Sandra while she was driving somewhere, break the windshield at an opportune moment…
Everyone had moments where they were weak or vulnerable. A moment where someone was hurtling down the road at sixty kilometers an hour qualified.
“You can’t catch Sandra by surprise, or Alister. She can sense connections and he can see the future. And with Johannes it doesn’t matter if you catch him by surprise because he’s so strong he can wipe his butt with your face,” Evan said.
“Wipe his butt with my face?”
“I dunno,” Evan said. “I wanted something better than ‘mop the floor with you’. I tried. Geez.”
“There’s always a way,” I said. It’s why I haven’t completely given up hope about my friends and crumbled. I just feel like utter shit that there’s nothing I can do to help them now.
The anger flared.
“So we just gotta find a way,” Evan said. “I’m ninety-five percent sure there’s nobody home, wait, wait, shit, don’t wanna lie, it’s not really exactly ninety-five, but whatever the word is for when you’re talking in specifics… Um.”
“I think you’re safe,” I said. “Damn it, though.”
Every second that passed was a second that the house remained under attack.
“What now?” Evan asked.
“Extension of the same plan,” I said. “They’re united against us, right?”
“Right.”
“It would be great if we could handicap Sandra or make her look weak, and get the other two to capitalize on that weakness, distracting them all from Hillsglade, but we might have to go after another viable target,” I said.
“Maybe breaking the rules and attacking during daytime?” Evan asked.
“Maybe,” I said, “With all the dangers involved, we might have to. I really wanted to go after the head of the serpent.”
“The serpent’s a hydra, isn’t it?” Evan asked. “Cut off one head, another pops up. Laird, Duncan, now Alister?”
I frowned.
“It is,” Evan said. “I came up with that all by myself, I’ve been doing my reading. So ha.”
“You’re right,” I said.
“Damn straight. Wait, why am I happy about it? That sucks. We’ll never get past all of them if they keep getting new leaders.”
“We can if we destabilize things, or somehow deal with Johannes, who isn’t the succession sort… but it is a problem,” I said.
“Pooh,” Evan said.
“Unless we turn things around,” I said. “Do the opposite of going after the head of the serpent.”
“Go for the feet!” Evan said.
I was currently within a car window, parked by the side of the road, and gave him a look, where he was perched on the side view mirror of the vehicle.
“Some snakes have feet,” he said, “probably, somewhere.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” I said, checking the time by looking inside the car. “We’ve got a plan.”
“Sweet! Operation’s Snake’s Foot is a go!”
“Sure,” I said. “In thirty minutes.”
“In thirty minutes!”
■
If I couldn’t go after the head of the serpent…
The bell tolled in the background, joined by a shrill ring.
I lurked, waiting, one hand on the Hyena.
The school day was over.
I watched as the children filtered out of the school. The elementary and high schools were close to one another.
My eye watched every student in turn, looking for details. Behaim? Duchamp?
I saw the Briar Girl.
From my vantage point in the window of an empty storefront, I whistled.
The Briar Girl approached a short distance, saw me, and stopped.
“Your like has come for me before,” she said.
“I doubt that,” I said. “I’d like to think I’m one of a kind.”
“Ah, you’re not enforcing the laws?”
I shook my head.
“Good. Because I hold to the laws, as I’ve said again and again. Hi bird.”
“Hi,” Evan said.
“Prey bird,” her rabbit spoke.
Evan shuffled a bit further away.
“We’ve actually talked before,” I told her. “Back when I was human…ish.”
She frowned. “Should I be more bothered by the idea that you’re lying, or that you’re telling the truth and I’ve somehow forgotten?”
“It’s not that important. I’m not here for you.”
“Of course not. I’m a bystander, this time around.”
“I want you to do me a favor” I asked.
“I’m not committing to anything.”
“You might like the idea,” I said. “I need you to convene the young Behaims and Duchamps. Get the junior council together. Things need to change, the status quo needs to be challenged, and I think I’m not the only person who might feel that way.”