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"A cordon."
"They'd be mad to a
"There's no way there's enough Blues and Greens inSydney to guard every possible route," Pan said. "We've just got to pick the rightdirection to run."
"They've had days to drive cars across every backstreet," Min pointed out. "Along with that they just need spotters, and that dragon. If I were them I'd have spent the day settingup my own webcam network. At least givenGreens a number to call and told them to lurk at all the through-streets."
"Why do they even think Maddie'sstill in the city?" Pan asked. "Gav thought we were leaving. We all thought we were leaving."
"The film from the beach." Fisher reached for one of the laptops, andbegan typing in a search. "Thediscussion of Madeleine fending off one of the Moths has never completely dieddown. The uninfected are doing theMoths' job for them." He turned thecomputer so Madeleine could see her name on the screen. "My fault, ultimately, for posting theSubject M data."
He moved one hand to brush against her back, a gesture ofapology or reassurance.
"Still a big assumption to base one of their challengeson," Noi said. "Though I guessthey might consider Maddie prime suspect in ReasonsRover Didn't Come Home."
"I should go."
The words were faint, finding their way out of Madeleine'sthroat almost against her will. She madeherself continue, facing up to the impossibility of any other choice.
"If I'm there, if I'm – if there's no need to hunt me,then they won't hunt you. I have to go."
During the chorus of protest which followed, Emily burrowedinto Madeleine's side, murmuring something. The words were indistinct, but it was sure to be some variation of 'allfor one'. Then Min tossed a screwed-uppiece of paper at Madeleine, bouncing it off her forehead.
"Sorry to rain on your self-sacrifice parade, but if yougive yourself up, you're giving the rest of us up at the same time. As soon as you're possessed they'll knowwhere we are. Can the melodrama anddrink your damn tea. You're inshock."
"Mi
"Under no circumstances."
Fisher breathed the words into her ear as she lowered themug, and when she looked at him a great many thoughts which fit neither timenor place rushed to the forefront of her mind. She had no idea what her face showed, but the betraying colour of Fisher'sears revealed his mind had followed a similar course.
"Right, as I was saying," Noi said, too serious formore than the faintest smile in their direction. "Ru
"It's the most dangerous option," Fisher said,firmly. "Don't underestimate thedifficulty of finding a route unseen when we're the only cars moving, and everyGreen is primed to expect an escape. I'mnot certain we could even drive off this Wharf without setting off the firstalert. And if we get out of the citycentre, it won't only be the stained we're hiding from. The whole of Australia will now be highlyaware of the probability of Madeleine ru
"We could use that," Nash pointed out. "Create accounts. Post and tweet sightings. Very likely there are already false reports,errors of identity. Add to that to sendMoths ru
"Good idea." Fisher looked approving. "Weshould do that anyway. But camera phoneswill highlight the true trail even if we manage to break the cordon. We have a head start, but we've also had ademonstration of the dragons' capabilities."
"I don't see how that's more dangerous than staying inSydney with a hundred and fifty-five hunters and their Blue-sniffing glowdogs," Noi said.
"We've confirmed the Rovers are used to track. It's a reasonable assumption to believe theyhome in some way on the energy Blues create. That gives us three options: gain distance, obscure like with like, orcontainment."
Fisher paused, and they all looked at the television, whereMadeleine's face was displayed, circled, on her last class photograph.
"Distance is the option the Moths will have preparedfor, and thus where we will face the greatest opposition. But if they track the energy we produce,moving as close as possible to the largest energy source around, a place wherea large number of Blues will be gathered, may have the effect of hiding a lampby placing it in a room full of chandeliers."
"You mean sitting next to the Spire?" Noi's browslifted. "Somehow standing aroundHyde Park doesn't strike me as – oh, I get you. Maddie came out of the rail tu
"St James even has dead-end tu
"And containment would be, what, putting ourselves in abox? Something sturdier than thestudy?"
"Walk-in refrigerators," Fisher said. "Air-tight, insulated, offering anall-round metal shield. What few escapestories there's been from still-free Blues in Rover cities have all shared ashielding factor – those deep in subways, someone hiding in the back of acontainer truck. But again a gamble, andit would be too great a risk to use those at the Wharf restaurants, even ifthey're large enough, since the local Blues and Greens will link you to FingerWharf. Size is a major factor, more thana question of how many of us can fit. We'll need sufficient oxygen for at minimum twelve hours, if nottwenty-four. The previous two challengesdon't give us enough information to know if there's a time limit, but it isclear that the Moths have a territorial, hierarchical culture. The whole challenge appears to be an attemptto steal a..." He paused. "...to steal a highly desirable Bluefrom a clan which hasn't yet claimed her."
"Hot property?" Min offered Madeleine a sympathetic grimace. "I'd ask how it feels to be a penthouseon The Peak, but your impersonation of a Green says it all."
"There is no guarantee containment will block thetrackers, and we would need to reach a suitable place which isn't occupied byMoths," Fisher continued. "Ihave a possibility in mind outside the area they've been using – that new hotelwhich was due to open at Barangaroo on thefifteenth. Like Circular Quay, it'saccessible from the waterfront."
"Well, we're not going anywhere while it's daylight, sowe don't have to decide right away," Noi said, rubbing her forehead. "Driving off the Wharf would be a hugerisk, so we'll strongly consider the boat option first. Pack what you can easily carry and stashanything we can't take with us into the study. Nash, can you take the binoculars and search for movement while it'sstill light, particularly any sign of those navy ships? And also look over our boating prospects?"
When Nash nodded, she went on: "Fisher, if you, Millieand Min can scare up any images on the public webcams of any of the directionswe might head, that will help with our choices. Pan, when it hits early dusk, not dark, go out and see if you can finger-punchthe lights over the north end of the marina."