“We were doing what you said. Out looking for him and his friends,” Schaffer replies, jerking her chin in my direction. So there were other units in the city besides the one that pulled us out of the subway station. “We thought we’d found a survivor, but we got attacked.”

“Mogadorians did this?” I ask, taking a step towards the injured soldier. The front of his shirt is slashed open and so is the bulletproof vest underneath it. That happened while he was out trying to help me. “Hold him steady. Let me heal him.”

With Schaffer and the other soldier holding their injured partner up, I start to carefully peel off his shredded shirt and bulletproof vest. All the while, Schaffer glares at me.

“You’re not listening,” Schaffer snaps. “We found a kid, looked like he was made of metal. Thought he was one of you Garde freaks, so we told him we’d bring him back here to you. He came at us with a blade. He flew at us. Moved faster than anything should. Took our weapons, and did that to Roosevelt.”

I swallow hard. Only now do I notice that the soldier hasn’t just been slashed up. A message is carved into him.

5

“Where is he?” I ask, my voice like ice.

“He sent us back here to tell you,” Schaffer replies. “He said he’ll be at the Statue of Liberty at sunset. Wants you to meet him.”

“Was there anyone with him?” Sam asks.

“Big, dark-haired guy. Unconscious,” Schaffer says. She turns back to me. “He said to tell you what will happen if you don’t come. I don’t know what this crazy crap’s supposed to mean—he said meet him at sunset or he’ll give you a new scar.”

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

WE STAND AT THE EDGE OF THE GRASS IN FRONT of the Sanctuary, side by side, our backs to the temple. Together, we look out at the horizon, to the north. That’s the direction Setrákus Ra’s warship will be coming from. We’ve got until sunset.

The three of us are the last line of defense.

The day has only gotten hotter. At least that lets me pretend the sweat dampening the back of my shirt is all from the heat.

I point towards the tree line. “The Mogs did us a favor cutting down all that jungle,” I say as I cock my head, trying to gauge the distance. “We should be able to see the ship coming from at least a mile out.”

“They’ll see us, too,” Adam replies, his voice somber. “I don’t know, Six. This seems like madness.”

I’d been waiting for Adam to say something like that. I knew from the look on his face during our conversation with John and Sam that he wasn’t on board with us staying to fight Setrákus Ra and his warship.