“I know, it’s a little tight. You’re a lot bigger than the folks it was made for. I hope it’s not too uncomfortable, though—and trust me, it’ll be for the best. The seal is snug, but it’s sitting against all that hair…” Zeke’s voice trailed off apologetically.

Houjin mumbled, “I guess we’ll find out.” He was poking at the scrapes on his torso, doing his best not to scratch them. He realized he was being watched, so he quit worrying the minor injuries and closed his tattered shirt, then crossed his arms over his chest to hug himself. “Well, now what?”

The sasquatch stared out at them, his head filling the fishbowl-shaped object to full capacity. His chest rose and fell with a little more difficulty than before, but he did not appear to be in any pain—or even, Rector noted, serious distress.

Angeline observed this, too. “Now, we let him be. The sun’s down, or close enough to it, and we have trouble waiting tonight.”

Zeke frowned. “We’re leaving him?”

“Only for now, sweetheart. We’ll come back for him in the morning, but it’s best to keep him out of the way for now. Things are going to get messy inside these walls. Better he’s safe in here than roaming out in the park.” She paused, and said the rest as if she feared it was a terrible omen.

“Or out at the tower.”

Chapter 28

Twenty-eight

As night fell, the city grew more anxious with every stretch of every shadow.

Hanging over everything was the knowledge—the absolute certainty—that violence waited on the other side of that bleak horizon when the sun was lost and the walls held only darkness. Together, the whole underground held its breath. The men at the Station, the Chinese in their district, the Doornails in the Vaults, the former pirates up at Fort Decatur … everyone took the logical precautions, stocked the necessary weaponry and supplies, and waited to hear that it was time to go.

Houjin had disappeared upon returning from their adventure with the sasquatch.

Rector assumed he’d gone to lie down or find Mercy Lynch to see about some salve for those scratches; but Zeke reminded him that, no, Houjin had business back at the Station with his alarm clocks and dynamite. If he was scratched up at all, he’d see Doctor Wong or work right through it. He was tough, that’s what Zeke said.

Angeline had left them to pursue some interest of her own, though she hadn’t specified what. So it was only the two boys for the moment, killing time inside Maynard’s with a number of other men who were likewise waiting for word.

When word came, it arrived from down below.