Like, how picked-over were the city blocks around our new den? Yankee Stadium might be uninhabited, but it was in the Bronx, which was actually the Mainland. The coastal Bronx was under water, but there’d be dry ground not too far north. Which meant more people, more competition, local posses and militias. In reality, moving to the Stadium was moving to the Mainland. A good argument to give Jenn for leaving. Had to get to it. The take-down crew would be here soon, though Jake had yet to clear his bunk, and he had more gear than most of us.

Footsteps rounded the corner, and there he was. Still in his uptown duds, but the neat row of stitches on his forehead vanishing into newly damp hair.

My eyes widened. “It’s raining already?”

“Not yet. Had to wash off the uptown grease. Even better once I get out of costume.”

“Are you avoiding Empire Will?”

Jake smirked. “They don’t need me listening to Will trying to talk us out of going early.”

“Why? ’Cause you might agree with him?”

“It’s all shoulders to the wheel right now.” Jake tugged at his ear and left it at that.

His loyalty to Rousseau was like a fixed star. I did up the smooth brass buckles on my pack and climbed down with it slung over one shoulder. “You need help packing?”

“Nah. Oughta leave most of it behind. Travel light.”

My picker’s instincts went into gear. “Not if someone else can use it!”

“Right. Waste not, want not. How’d you make out with Jenn?”

“Just heading her way. Sorted my bunk out first.”

He gazed at his own bunk gloomily. “Makes sense.”

“Any regrets? I mean, about leaving?”

Jake scanned the tier as I had done, a slow 360 turn like he was dragging a weight behind him. “Two minds. Always. It’s a problem I have.”

The sawing and hammering in the next tier was broken by a pained bellow, followed by the clatter of wood falling and some serious cursing, then silence.

“Everyone okay over there?” Jake called.

“Yeah. Shit. Yeah, sort of.”

“We’re fine,” another voice chimed in.

Jake sighed. “Better get to it, or they’ll be pulling the place down around my ears.”

“I can help.” I started hauling gear out from under his bed.

“No, really. Go see to Jenn.”

“Okay.” I got up, picked up my pack. But I wanted more from him. “You have your doubts about this, right? Like, it’s so . . . sudden?”

He nodded. “It’s a risk, but it had to happen. I tried to think otherwise, hoping for a sure thing. Which you never get. In the end, we got shoved along by Mother Nature.”

“And Rubio.”