“In other words, lead, follow, or get out of the way.” Tonia shrugged. “To keep it simple.” When he gave her a curled lip, she pushed forward, slapped a fist on the brick wall of his chest.

“Let me tell you something else, asshole—”

“Tonia—”

“No, fuck diplomacy. Skinny girls, my ass. That skinny girl led this skinny girl and an army of people who aren’t big, giant dicks to Arlington, and won.”

“Bullshit” was Kilo’s response as others muttered and murmured.

But someone else shoved through. He, too, bore scars, and limped as he leaned on a staff. But the hand that gripped Fallon’s arm had strength.

“Arlington? They took my sister. They left me for dead, and took her. The PWs. They took her to Arlington.”

“When?”

“We found Sam last winter,” Liana said. “He was badly hurt. We didn’t think he’d live.”

“But you didn’t leave him behind. You helped him.”

“Maybe not a complete asshole,” Tonia mumbled.

“Your sister? Is she magickal?”

“No. Please. She’s Aggie. Agnes Haver. Please, they took her.”

“If she was there, we freed all the slaves. I’ll find her, and I’ll bring her to you. I have the names of everyone we got out. We took Arlington,” she said to Kilo. “And more than sixty who fought with me died to free those like his sister. They fought and died to take a place of torment and cruelty and bring the light. Do not dishonor the dead. If you can stand here and do that, you’re not worthy to lead or follow. So you can get out of the way.”

She stepped back, drew her spirit animals to her. “I’ll send supplies, and if they held Aggie in Arlington, I’ll bring her.”

She nodded to Tonia. They flashed.

“The man’s a freaking giant,” Tonia said the minute they stood behind Fallon’s house. “And a total dick.”

“Still, he’s kept over thirty people alive, including kids, and when he came across a half-dead stranger, didn’t just move on. One way or the other, the location works. We’re going to start building it a lot sooner than I’d thought. Gotta follow the signs when they smack you in the face.”

“Who do you figure to send up there?”

“Poe and Kim. Their kids are old enough to go, or to stay in the barracks for a few weeks. Or months, depending. Poe and Kim? They’re tough, smart, experienced, and they won’t take any crap.”

“You got that. Plus, Poe?” Tonia shot out a grin. “He’s not a freaking giant like that Kilo, but, man, he’s totally ripped. That gets respect from dicks. And Kim’s logic-genius brain will do the rest. So. I’ll talk to them.”

“If they don’t want to go—”

“I have a feeling they will. It’s just the kind of challenge they’d go for.”

She thought the same, and since Tonia’s connection with the couple went all the way back, she’d leave the approach to her friend. “We’ll need to send a healer and at least twelve skilled in fighting and building. Three to help establish plantings, a greenhouse.”

“Let me talk to my mom. She’ll know.”

“They don’t all have to come from New Hope. I can pull some in from other bases. But yeah, ask her who she thinks would work best in that kind of situation. I need to go check my names for Agnes Haver.”

“You’ll find her. Trust the signs. Hell of a trip, Fallon. Thanks for the lift.”

* * *

The setting sun burned red through the trees when Fallon came back to the clearing. This time she came with four other magickals, a former slave, and supplies.

Kilo rose from his seat around a campfire, spear in hand.

He said nothing when Sam let out a cry, stumbled forward to embrace his sister. “Aggie. Oh God, Aggie.”

“You’re alive. I thought they’d killed you. Sam. Sam.”

“She should sit, have water,” Fallon told them. “Flashing, even with the tonic, can leave NMs—non-magickals—a little dizzy and shaky.”

“Take her in the cabin, Sam.” Liana rose as well. “Let’s get her inside.”

With tears streaming, Sam turned to Fallon. “I’ll fight for you.”

“Take care of your sister for now.”

Kilo watched them help Aggie into the cabin. “You keep your word.”

“I do. I’ve brought you some basic supplies as well as a healer. Magda’s also a skilled soldier. You have three other skilled soldiers. Buck can help you build a greenhouse and plant if you choose to stay. Carolyn and Fritz can help begin to fortify your shelters. More are coming, but it’s going to take several days, more likely a couple of weeks for them to get here.”

“They can’t just—” He snapped his fingers, made her smile.

“Poe and Kim will be in charge. They survived the Doom, are fierce warriors, and helped build a community. They’ll build one here. Their sons are coming with them—good soldiers. Young, but good soldiers. They’ll help train any who stay. They’re bringing horses, a milk cow, chickens, more medicines. Kim’s also an herbalist.”

She looked around. “In time, if you don’t already have them among you, you’ll have teachers, weavers, farmers, technicians, fishermen. Until you can self-sustain, we’ll bring what you need. And in time, instead of being the target, you’ll be the arrow.”

Liana came to the cabin door. “Could we have the healer? Kara’s water broke. I’ve helped deliver before, but—”

“Be right there.” Magda tapped the kit she carried. “New life. The best part of the job. Bright blessings on you, Fallon.”

“And on you, and the new life you help bring. Carolyn, why don’t you take a couple of the blankets in there, and some of the tea and honey. Where would you like the rest?” she asked Kilo.

“The rest?”

“Bread, butter, cheese, eggs, some grains, vegetables, and so on. More blankets, socks, sweaters, some cooking gear, knives, swords, arrows. Basics,” she repeated.

“You might want to, for now, designate one cabin for the foodstuffs and the other supplies, and another for weapons.”

“You bring all this, say take it whether we fight with you or not.”

“Fighting’s a choice. Food, shelter, clothing are necessary for life. The weapons? If you go, they stay, but the rest? You can take whatever you can carry.”

“If we stay, if we fight, this is our land? Our place, one you’ll help us build and defend?”

“Yes.”

He stepped to her, held out a huge hand. “Deal.”

She helped organize the supplies, stayed for a meal of stew holding some of the vegetables and herbs she’d brought with her.

Recognizing the accent of the old man beside her, she spoke with him in Spanish as they ate.

When she offered a bottle of wine, the bottle passed from hand to hand around the fire. She supposed they’d make use of the cups she’d brought later.

The cry of a newborn carried from the cabin, so the bottle passed around again.

Liana came to the door, called out, “A girl. A beautiful, healthy girl! She’ll be called Saol, in honor of the light.”

“Light for life,” Fallon murmured, and took the bottle Kilo passed her. “To new life,” she said, lifting the bottle in toast. “To the light in her.”

And drank.

CHAPTER TEN

With fall riding chilly winds, Fallon traveled to both emerging bases. When needed, she brought supplies, personnel, drawing from New Hope, Arlington, even what Mick had dubbed The Beach.

With Poe, Kim, and Kilo’s people, she set up Bayview. With Flynn and Starr, Forestville. As October waned, she had bases on three sides of D.C., and plans to cover the fourth.

“Rock Creek Forest.” She showed her father on the map.

“Close, and without the river as a natural boundary. D.C. gets wind you’re moving in there…”

“It has to be a covert operation. It’s forested, mostly uninhabited. Most who escaped D.C. kept going. There’s game, a strong creek, nearby houses. This? Was a school, a good-sized campus, with its buildings largely intact.”

“You’ve scouted?”

“A few times now. Strategically, it’s tailor-made for a scouting base. Here?” She moved her finger over the map. “A small city, deserted, wasted, borders D.C. We’ll leave it for now, but it’ll be useful after.”

“After we take D.C.”

Not if, she thought, not from her father. “Right. Thomas has nearly a hundred and fifty at his camp now, the faerie bower more than sixty, the shifter’s den nearly the same. I’ve asked for who they can spare, and we could put a hundred. A hundred,” she repeated, “skilled at blending into forests, living in and from them in Rock Creek. Nobody moves faster than an elf, and shifters and faeries aren’t far behind.”

“When we’re ready, we attack from all directions.”

“All.” She pulled out her map of D.C. and went over the tactics and timing, the troop movements with him.

Then she drew in a breath. “And with Duncan’s forces, less those who’ll stay back to defend Utah, Troy’s, and forces from New Hope, we hit here.”

Simon stared at her when she jabbed a finger at the map. “Jesus, Fallon, from inside? Pennsylvania Avenue?”

“We flash. Five thousand soldiers.”

He had to sit back. “You can do that? Five thousand?”

She smiled. “It’ll take a lot of tonic for the NMs, but yes, we can do it. Five thousand from inside the lines, another five thousand breaking the lines from all directions.”

“We’d have them outnumbered, when you add in whatever resistance forces are in or around the city.” As he considered, Simon rose to wander the kitchen. “Still, it’s their turf, the structures, the roadways. They’ve got tanks and armored vehicles, and access to some serious weapons. But…”