“I was hoping you might know someone,” Michelle said with a thread of panic in her voice. “Because of Ghost.”

Wally shook his head. “I don’t think the doctor I used would help. She’s a psychologist who deals with joker kids and trauma. But she’d have to talk to Adesina. And I don’t see how she could.”

They went into the living room. Joey was watching the TV with the sound turned down low. The same film of Talas was playing, but now there were drone photographs of the city. These showed a thick cloud almost completely obscuring the buildings below. And then a banner saying “Breaking Footage” appeared below shaky video of people running out of the fog. Most of them looked terrified, but some, well, Michelle knew what jokers looked like. Yet another PPA situation, she thought. And more people will suffer. She tried hard not to care, but she didn’t succeed.

The scene cut to a man dressed in military garb standing in front of a group of soldiers. Even with the sound off, Michelle could tell he was doing a PR spin on the situation.

And that was where they wanted her to go. Well, whatever was happening, Babel and Lohengrin could handle it without her. But despite everything going on with Adesina, she couldn’t just ignore that something wrong was happening in Talas. Something messy and bad.

“Got any ideas how to help the niblet, Wally?” Joey asked, snapping Michelle back.

Wally shook his head and eased his weight onto the sofa. It gave a groan as he sat. He looked at the TV and said, “Have you been watching this? It’s very strange.”

Michelle glanced back as the camera panned across a broad swath of land and came to rest on the city in the distance. The puke-green miasma was obscuring much of the city now.

Michelle’s phone rang. She looked at it and saw Babel’s name on the screen. Shit, she thought. For a moment, she considered letting it go to voice mail, but she picked up.

“Michelle here,” she said.

There was a brief pause, then Barbara began talking. “Have you been watching the news?” she asked.

“Sort of,” Michelle replied. “I have bigger things on my plate. As you know.”

“It’s not bigger than this,” Barbara snapped. “I’m not sure exactly what’s happening—that’s why we need you there—but whatever it is, it can’t be good.”

A bubble began forming in Michelle’s free hand. It quivered there with a promise of destruction or beauty. She’d been Johnny-on-the-spot for the Committee since joining. It was only when she had adopted Adesina that she’d backed off some of her duties. She popped the bubble, absorbing its energy.

“I can’t go. I told you yesterday.”

“Michelle, don’t make me beg.” There was a thread of real anxiety in her voice.

“Jesus,” Michelle replied with exasperation. She rubbed her forehead with her index finger. “I’m not pulling some power play here. I just can’t leave. I’m not sure how much clearer I can make this.” And then she disconnected the call.