“I know,” he says. “Levi told me. Hopefully we can save them when we find Zan.”
“Are you joining the attack?” I ask.
“We all are,” Jon says. “Every one of us.”
“We all have someone or something to fight for,” Harry says as he joins us. David is behind him and Lucy comes over and everyone fills in the empty places on the benches.
“Of course Harry is excited,” Alcide says. “He gets to drive the tank.”
“We all have something we’re good at,” Harry says with a big grin. “Yours is eating. Mine is driving the tank.”
“Alcide is good at talking too,” Peter says.
“I’m also good at looking good,” Alcide says. I can’t help but agree. He looks more and more like his cousin Alex, who I had a crush on, every day. We all laugh at his comment. It is such a good feeling. We are all together in a way that I never thought we would be when all of this started. I really did not know what to expect when we got out, except that I hoped it would be better than the life we had below. To see where we are now compared to a month ago amazes me. I look at the people around me, at this table and the other. All are smiling, chatting, passing food around, and helping one another. I see the underlying worry on the faces of some of the women. Rosalyn, Nellie, and Lucy, all in dread of the coming battle. I know we can get through it. We truly have a chance to be happy here and to build a home and a life, all of us together.
James and Levi come in, both with wet hair and clean clothes. Levi glances my way briefly and smiles sadly.
I promised Jane I would talk to Levi. It is not something I am looking forward to.
23
Our dinner is much simpler fare than what we had before. The strain of feeding so many people must be wearing on the stores aboard the Quest. The Hatfields have been so generous with us, sharing food, clothing, medical supplies, and their endless knowledge of the world. Even without the fancy settings we enjoyed before, the meal is still cozy and comfortable. There is a fire in the stone fireplace that warms the room and fat candles are set about. I decide then and there to talk to Adam later about using water to make power for the enclave. We had a waterwheel below and it provided us with light. I do not see why we can’t do the same with the nearby stream.
The dogs, Belle and Beau, lay before the fireplace. Pace has brought Pip’s cage inside and it hangs by one of the windows that face inside the enclave. Pip has his head tucked beneath his wing, resting up from his travels. How much does that little bird see, I can’t help but wonder. Jonah lies in the windowsill behind him, looking outside and flicking his tail.
When we are done eating, Lyon stands. He is at the opposite end of the long table. Jane sits to his right, Dr. Stewart to his left, and Levi beside Jane, then Peter, James, Adam, and Jilly. Harry sits beside Dr. Stewart, then Lucy, David, Alcide, and Pace. Jon and Bess, Tobias, George, Sally, Nellie and Joe, and Rosalyn and Colm sit at the other table. If the children were here they would fill in the rest of the spaces. By now the giggles and thumping from the loft above have subsided, and the children are either asleep or quietly spying on us. If it were me up there, I would definitely be doing the latter.
“The first thing I would like to say is that no one here should feel obligated in any way to participate in this attack.”
“We are all going to help,” Adam says. “To the last man.”
And woman, I want to add but don’t. There will be time for that later. Right now I want to hear Lyon’s plan.
“Thank you,” Lyon says as he places his hand over his heart. Jane bows her head and dabs at her eyes. I am amazed at how well they hold themselves together, even though they are worried sick about Zan. Yet they have carried on, still helping us, even risking their lives to save us from the rovers. I hope the rest of the world is made up of people like the Hatfields instead of those like Wulf and my father. My little bit of experience has taught me that it is not likely. There are all kinds out there, I am certain of it. I can only hope that those who do good are stronger than the ones who do evil.
Dr. Stewart stands and Jane moves the plates aside. Lucy sees that they need more room and moves to help, along with David and Harry. Dr. Stewart unrolls a large piece of paper and places it on the table and those of us on the end and everyone at the other table gather round, with Harry insisting that I sit in his place.
The large piece of paper has a drawing of the dome with the interior bits filled in. There is not much detail; it’s just an approximation of where things are, like the hole blown in the mines over the river, the promenade, the door that leads out, the stockyards, and my father’s building.
“Thank you, Pace, David, and Harry, for giving us the layout inside,” Lyon says. “From this we have formulated our plan of attack.” He points to the spot where the promenade ends. “This leads to the royals?” he looks at Jilly, who nods. “This is where we are going to break the glass. Jethro has found the remnants of the road on our side of the glass. So it is just a matter of driving right through. Harry and Jethro will man the controls of the tank, Alcide and Peter will take the guns, along with two of my men.”
“How long to you think it will take to break it down?” Pace asks.
“Not long at all,” Dr. Stewart says. “I have examined the place thoroughly and have found a weakness that should lead to complete breakage after a few well-placed blows.”
We grin. Every single one of us.
“The tank will enter and the cycles will go along to provide cover,” Lyon continues. “We expect their main force to concentrate on this attack. Levi, Pace, and David will be on the cycles since they are the best shots and excel at hand-to-hand combat.” Lyon looks at me. “I don’t suppose there is any way we can convince you to stay out of this, is there?”
“No sir,” I say.
“Wren will go in with the cycles. I expect her father will show up, so her presence should be helpful.”
I seriously doubt that, after our parting, but I don’t want to say so. Besides, if my father is there, Findley should be also, and I think I can bring him to our side when he sees the force we bring to the fight.
“Adam, Jon, Colm, and Joe will go in here.” Lyon points to the glass tunnel that leads inside. “Adam and Colm are familiar with explosives. If charges are set here and here,” he points, “They should be able to enter and set another charge at the door into the dome and get inside. Jon. Your people are imprisoned there. Can you convince them to join in the fight?”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Jon says. “They will gladly join in.”
Lyon nods and smiles. “From there you go to the stockyards and free every animal there and drive them through the dome. They should cause enough confusion and distraction that James and I can get to Zan here.”
“How are we going in?” James asks.
Lyon points to the hole on top of the dome where we came through before. “We will fly, just like we did the first time.” James grins. “Everything will be coordinated by time, to give James and me a chance to get into position to move when the animals are released.”
“You will come off the catwalk here,” I say, pointing to a place close by to where my father and I were attacked by the frustrated workers. “This is where the workers live. They could be convinced to fight. But they might just decide to attack you. We have no contact there, no one to help. They are frustrated and hungry.”
“We can try to convince them after we release the animals,” Adam says.
“The animals will likely need to be convinced,” Lyon says. “They have spent their entire lives in pens, they might not know how to run.”