"Psalm 91," Father Patrick said weakly. "As my brethren . . ."
"Consider it done," Imam Asula said and he bowed his head in unison with the others displayed on the monitor, and before long they began the solemn prayer in a monotone chant.
"Send it," Rabbi Zeitloff said.
J.L. nodded and pushedSEND . The tension in the room made the static over the system microphone crackle. The three clerics looked up at once, having received J.L.'s transmission that day-walkers were afoot.
"Bring that man toBrooklyn !" Rabbi Zeitloff shouted into the mic. "We have something for them here that they will not soon forget!"
"Done," Carlos said, walking back toward the window. "End transmission, brother. We're out."
J.L. nodded. There was no reason for him to repeat the command; the clerics heard it, and each signed off with a silent prayer. J.L. could feel each one literally coat his skin with a low, buzzing blue charge of protection.
"Point of order," Big Mike said, drawing Carlos's attention. "If we've got a daywalker problem, and the real McCoy is strolling topside-y'all can go toBrooklyn , I'm heading south with 'Nez like I told her to go get the baby and her momma."
"Right now they're inAtlanta , D," Inez said, looking away from Carlos, whose expression hadn't softened to her plight. "When the flooding hitTexas , the Covenant sent them there to higher ground-remember, girl?"
"I feel you," Carlos said in a sullen tone, "but here's my issue. Right now, they are flying under radar. The Ultimate Darkness doesn't know where they are, and just like he can't see where we are, due to the white-light barriers in full effect, they can't see Ayana and your momma. We go splitting the team up, thenthere's four of you at risk, not to mention it weakens the hub here." He shook his head."Too dangerous, y'all."
"They went intoa church, Carlos," Inez said between her teeth, pointing at Father Patrick. "They got toa priest ."
Carlos rubbed his palms down his face. "They breached a parish and a specific cathedral that had issues. That's how they were able to attack a seasoned veteran . . . so if they did that to him, you've gotta know, 'Nez, that my stomach is twisted up just thinking what they can do to a three-year-old and your mother-I don't want them anywhere near this compound.Comprende? Your baby girl and momma are probably in the safest place, with Covenant members who don't have the issues that cathedral did, so their haven can't be breached."
The team's focus followed the slowly escalating debate like it was a tennis match, but no one was ready to jump in. Each member held the line, standing firmly in the neutral zone, agreeing with both sides, not sure who was right or wrong.
"I want you to listen to me, Carlos," Inez said, her hands finding her meaty hips."Youcomprende this, brother. You said the word 'probably.' Ain'tno such f**king word acceptable when it comes to my kid-or my mother. Second thing you said which is giving me the hives, you said you don't want to think what they could do to a three-year-old or my momma. You, brother, who done been to hell and back telling me some shit like that means I'm out this gotdanged door right now, you clear. I don't care if all three councilmen show up inAtlanta , they will get they asses beat the f**k down."
Mike shrugged and pushed off the wall, then flipped open his cell phone. "I'll see y'all inNew York ." He turned to Inez. "You pack whatchu gonna take, I'll get the flight . . . calling for a Covenant lift outta here so's I can bring my shit."
"Oh, Jesus H. Christ!"Carlos yelled. "All right, all right, look . . . if we do a fold-away toAtlanta , full team, then what happens when we get to your momma's, 'Nez?" He began walking and talking with his hands. "I've got a sick Covenant cleric who needs immediate evac. That means, once inAtlanta , I'd have to fold-away your momma and Ayana with us toBrooklyn -because once they're out of the safe house seals, they're targets. They've gotta get with the supernatural real quick, might be in a firefight up inBrooklyn , and gotta be able to hang. I don't want that shit on my conscience-got enough that'll keep me up at night till I'm a very old man."
"What if you dropped us off?" Big Mike said, aiming for an obvious compromise. "We get there, roll up on mom like everything's cool-you know, take a Hummer fully loaded with ammo. Collect her and the baby and drive on up toNew York . . . we'll be there to protect 'em, and can break the news to them real easy on the way. The baby's too young to know, so she ain'tno problem."
"Mike, listen toyourself , man," Carlos said with his arms outstretched. "How long a drive is it fromAtlanta toNew York , barring traffic and any drama you might run into on the road? What . . . twelve, fourteen hours . . . longer 'cause you're with a little kid and an elderly passenger that has to stop and eat and pee? We can anoint the Hummer, bro, but what about that eighteen-wheeler they send to crush you in a multicar pileup? What about the bridge they make collapse? How many ways can they kill a Guardian with a baby on board in twelve to fourteen hours, huh!"
"What if I go with them?" Damali said quietly. "Each squad would have a Neteru with them, baby."
Carlos paced away from her, dragging his fingers through his hair. "You were there in the church, right? You saw who's up to bat-or is it just me that has a healthy respect for this particular adversary?"
"I know how to do the fold-away now," Damali said, undaunted. Her voice was serene, just like her gaze. "Ayana knows Auntie Damali. So does Mom Delores. If they see me coming through the door with Mike and 'Nez, for them, it's all good."
"And after you get them, then what, D?" Carlos whirled on her, his eyes blazing silver. "What're you gonna do, show them your wings!"
"Yeah . . . if it gets crazy," Damali said. She didn't blink and didn't stutter and slowly folded her arms over her chest. "I hear you loud and clear, I know your concern is for their safety-but this is a woman type of thing. . . . Carlos, Inez is going to go get her baby; right, wrong, no matter if it's strategic or not. And, if they see some heat in a battle, I'd rather that baby confuse me with an angel and feel like that's what helped her momma, step-dad, and nana . . . than to have you bust in there with silver eyes and fangs. The poor woman would faint dead away."
"D's got a point, Carlos," Juanita said, pushing off the love seat she'd been leaning on. "I know for a fact that, if they saw Damali's wings come out, they'd be in awe, not in fear, and would be able to hear anything she gotta say after that. But,hombre, for real,for real -if you battle bulk and drop fang to fight something off, by the time you got back to the innocents you was supposed to rescue, they'd be dead of a damned heart attack . . . sheeit, I know my momma would. An angel, hell yeah, she could deal with that. But the grille you got when you pissed off, Carlos, no way."
"Aw'ight, fine. I don't know what I'm talking about. But what about the drive, the-"
"I'll sit them down," Damali said softly. "I'll explain things in degrees, and since Inez's momma is a praying woman, I'll break it down straight from Scripture . . . then I'll do the fold-away, Hummer and all, to the Big Apple. It will be a miracle."
"And once inNew York , outside the seal . . . and when they see the rest of the team?Marj, how'd you handle it in Heathrow airport, huh?"
"I thought I was having a nervous breakdown," Marj said quietly, but folded her arms in defiance. "I cried, I screamed, I freaked out-but my children and husband were with me. And if they had not been, I would have stabbed Richard to death to get to my babies if he thought he was going to keep me from them once I'd learned what was really out there . . . the stuff of nightmares."
Berkfield shrugged. "Give it up, Carlos.Me and Marj been taking bets on how long Inez would last without her kid, anyway. Far as I can see it, she beat the odds making it this long."
Inez walked over to Berkfield and slapped him five."My point, exactly."