‹I’m rather happy about it myself. Before we go any further, I need to make something clear. I’m not your boss anymore, and I won’t order you to do this. You’re free to say no, and you’ll probably be a lot safer if you do.›

‹The hell with that,› spat Charles.

‹What he said,› Vince added a half-second later.

‹We don’t know exactly where they’re working to bring the IAS project online. The code has to be pulled out of several books, then compiled through a program Talulah wrote. Kiyoko can’t run it herself; she needs additional hardware, probably a group of high-speed servers. Talulah’s going to work on finding those servers. Once she does, Lena and Deb will try to physically destroy them. Talulah will do what she can to fry them remotely.›

‹Where are the sirens?› asked Vince.

‹That’s one of several potential flaws with our plan. We don’t know yet. I’m hoping to get to Babs so I can use her security cameras and other Big Brother tech to find them. Talulah should be joining you in research shortly. She’ll help take out your babysitters. Your job is to keep her safe and give her time to get into the network.›

I took out the potions Jeneta had created from H. G. Wells. “Don’t try to run or move too quickly. Magic gives us some leeway from friction, but this potion isn’t as forgiving as some. If you push it, you’ll burn your clothes and skin right off.”

“How long do those last?” asked Deb.

“Maybe twenty minutes, subjectively speaking. Only a second or two will have passed in real time.”

“Stay away from any guards wearing those magic dampers,” said Talulah. “Minimum safe distance is about three feet before they interfere with your mojo.”

“Invisibility?” suggested Deb.

Talulah answered before I could. “It would block us from cameras and mundane vision, but it won’t screen our thoughts and emotions, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve set up infrared scanners at the doors.”

“We’ll be moving too fast to see anyway,” I said.

Lena unsheathed Excalibur. “Ready when you are.”

“Everybody remember Newton’s second law.” I handed out the potions. ‹On my count. One . . . two . . . three.›

We walked out from beneath the truck. I put the few remaining drops of potion onto Smudge’s mandibles to bring him into synch with me. I stripped away the magic of Wonderland, restoring all of us to normal size. The guards stood like statues frozen in time.

Talulah set off in a slow jog toward research while I headed for the front doors of Scot Tower. I circled around the guards and applied a gentle kick to the edge of the door. The metal hinges shattered.