Halfway to the landing, Daniel was on his feet in Sprite’s cockpit, shouting for a medic. I didn’t see how the docs could be that organized, but a serious-eyed woman pushed through the crowd, searching out the source of the call. Not one of Unca Joe’s. Her blue scrubs were already darkened with the day’s injuries. She had a brisk, Empire State look to her. Leave it to Empire to be on the ball already. Like, could they have saved Rubio, if he’d got to them in time?

I must have been shaking my head.

“What?” Jenn asked.

“Just thinking about Rubio. I hate that he’s missing all this.” I shooed her toward the landing. “Grab a plant and get uplevel!”

“Grab two!” Peeto nosed through the crowd, one fist around Ellie Mae’s arm to keep her from the edge. “As many as you can carry! This whole tier is going to flood.”

“Quickly!” Elsie Mae was as agitated as I’d ever seen her. “Get these plants upstairs before they freeze!”

I glanced over at Sea Sprite, then to Breakers, wet and wind-buffeted on the dock. “Can you manage Melville? I need to . . .”

“Go take care of him. I’ll figure it out.”

“We can help!” Rivera was already directing her throng of Macys into Melville’s stern. Jandi ran to open the cabin door. Small bodies ducked around me as I vaulted onto the dock.

Daniel pulled in near Rousseau and shut down his sputtering engine. The water level along the inner wall dropped abruptly as a huge wave sucked back and crashed against the arches, flinging arcs of spray across the atrium like a round of punches. Sprite knocked hard against the edging. Pushing through the crowd in the medic’s wake, I staggered and spat salt water. My ears rang.

“Everyone inside! Upper levels! Now!” Rousseau herded people away from the landing.

I darted against the crowd to grab up Sprite’s rope, then found nowhere to tie it. The medic volunteered two nearby Smiths to bundle Julian’s limp body out of the passenger seat. “Upstairs,” she ordered. “Sick bay.”

Daniel clambered out, dripping rain and seawater, his bruised face livid with chill and salt. “I can carry him.”

“No, you can’t,” the medic barked, waving the Smiths into the crowd. “This way.”

Daniel staggered past me, dogging her heels. I watched after helplessly, Sprite yanking on my arm like a leashed dog, till an older Tommy, a stranger, took the rope from me.

“You go on. I’ll see to this.”

I flashed the guy a grateful smile and plunged after Daniel, staying a pace behind in case he collapsed but also out of his way. No room in his mind right then for anything but Julian. I couldn’t even ask: where is Hannah?