‹Isaac, it’s Talulah. We may have another problem.›

‹Of course we do.› Lena moved in as I stepped away. Bi Wei had vanished. I hadn’t even gotten the chance to thank her. ‹What happened?›

‹We have bombers incoming. I’m tapping into military communications. It sounds like they’ve been ordered to level New Millennium.›

I turned to the others. “McGinley can’t afford witnesses. He’s called in a bombing run.”

“The wards on this place ought to keep any bombs out,” said Charles.

“He’s ordering me to open the main gate,” said Kiyoko.

I stared at her. “How is he—right, one of your clones is with him. Charles, is our military good enough to put a rocket through our front door? I’m going to take your uncharacteristic silence as a yes. They set off that first bomb, bust open our walls from the inside—”

“He has determined I’m no longer enslaved by his programming.” Kiyoko jerked back as if she’d been slapped. “He has now terminated my clone.”

“Are you all right?” Lena asked, moving toward Kiyoko.

“It’s disconcerting.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. I’d killed several of her clones, at least one in a particularly painful way.

The centermost siren cleared her throat. “Would someone explain what the salty fuck is going on?”

“We’re going to get you home,” I said. “Give me a day or two to reconstruct the Gateway Project, and I’ll deliver you directly into the Atlantic or anywhere else you’d like to go. But before I can do that, I have to stop McGinley.”

“I believe I can help with that,” said Kiyoko. “I am, in most respects, a living computer. I have video files of his murder of me just now, along with many other incriminating actions and conversations, including his orders to assassinate Senator Alexander Keeler.”

“Magically recorded evidence won’t hold up in court,” said Charles.

“It doesn’t have to!” I whooped.

‹Isaac, are you one hundred percent sure we can trust her?› asked Charles.

‹Nope. That’s part of how freedom works. Talulah, how long until the bombers get here?›

‹Ten minutes? Maybe less?›

‹Thanks. Stand by.› I clenched my jaw and dialed a number from memory.

“This is Agent Steinkamp.”

“Hello, Agent. This is Isaac Vainio. We met in Lansing.”

“I remember. Where are you, Vainio? You’re wanted for—”

“In nine minutes, the U.S. military is going to drop a lot of bombs on New Millennium. I’m hoping our wards will protect us, but I’d rather not take that chance, so I wanted to offer you a trade. You get in touch with someone who can call off that attack, and in return, I’ll send you a data dump of video files showing DHS Secretary Lawrence McGinley conspiring to commit murder, terrorism, and other war crimes, along with information on his coconspirators.”