“I called the hospital and spoke to your mom’s doctors. They promised me they would turn on the TV so she could hear you speaking to the crowd. I know we don’t know if she can hear you, but—”

“Uncle Ty, she’s listening. Trust me. And she’s not the only one.” I look out at the massive herd of ancestors who came here with me tonight. They spread out among the crowd. They’ve been guarding us. They’ve been rooting for us all along. This was never just our fight. It’s theirs too.

Nate and the other members work on getting the crowd to settle. Everyone needs to find someplace to put that rage. It’s taken a long time, but I know exactly what to do with it and the power it holds. I plan to share that with them and give them a place to aim their wrath.

I look out at the crowd and see Milton headed for me. He hands me the info I asked him to find. “There’s a lot more, but these seven should start you off,” he says above the chaos of the crowd.

“Thank you.”

“These names are pretty big. I mean, they won’t just go down like that. They will try to fight back. Are you sure this is the direction your mom would go? Do you think you’re ready for it?”

“I’m not sure what she would do. I only know what I am about to do. And for the record, I was born ready.”

He looks me over as if he sees something in my eyes that fascinates him. “Something is different . . .”

“Yes: everything. Everything is different now,” I reply as I look over the notes he has for me.

“So, does that mean you’re coming back to See Us?” he asks.

“Yes. I know you are the president now. That’s fine. I don’t care what my title is. I just want to be a part of it.”

He shrugs. “It’s okay. I never moved up in the ranks. I was just keeping your seat warm.”

“You didn’t announce that I left?”

“No.”

I look at him closely. Wait, is Milton a nice guy? Huh.

“What else you need from me?”

“Hand this to our social media department,” I say. “I need these three words hashtagged and trending. Also, let’s lay claim to the three words by getting the domain name right now. And there’s a handful of members here with extra signs—have them circulate and hand them out, please.”

“On it.”

“Milton . . . thank you.”

The members of See Us who have been pleading and at times demanding that I speak begin to chant my name. The crowd shouts and swears about the grand jury decision and calls for revenge, just as much as they do for justice.