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The route we took this time was different still from the last couple of trips I’d made We used a new doorway to the basement level--this one a wooden panel in a side hallway in the --and descended a narrower, steeper staircase Once ere in the baseinning to think the labyrinth on the floor was ood sy it was, Scout clearly knew the route, barely pausing at the corners, her speed quick and h the hallways and tunnels like a woman on a mission I stu to keep up My speed wasn’t , both because ere actually going into the base there

Because I was her mission

Or so I assu doouldyou keep up," she said, but came to a stop as we reached the dead end of a limestone corridor that ended in a nondescriptme?"

Scout reached up, pulled a key from above the threshold, and slipped it into the lock When the door popped open, she put back the key, then glanced at me "Um, you abandoned me for the brat pack?"

"Abandoned is a harsh word"

"So are they," she pointed out, holding the door open so I couldout with them, they put you in the hospital"

"That was actually your fault"

"Details," she said

My feet still on the limestone, hand on the threshold of the door, I peeked inside She was leading , the entire tunnel paved in concrete, narrow tracks along the concrete floor Lights in round, industrial fittings were suspended fro every dozen yards or so The half illumination didn’t do much for the ambience A couple of inches of rusty water covered the tracks on the floor, and the concrete walls were covered with graffiti--words of every shape and size, big and so Tunnel Co lad I’d worn boots for lad I still had on a jacket It was chilly, probably because ere underground

"It’s an old railroad line," Scout said, then stepped beside me Cold, musty air stirred as she closed the door behind us Somewhere down the line, water dripped "The cars used to s to deliver coal and dump ash and stuff Parts of the tunnel run under the river, and some of those parts were accidentally breached by the city, so if you see a tsunami, find a bulkhead and make a run for it"

"I’lland pulled out two flashlights She took one, then handed me the second While the tunnels were lit, it hts in hand, alked We took one branch, then another, then another,so many turns that I had no clue which direction ere actually erly through murky water "What is it, exactly?"

"They’re called darkenings We all have the as she moved "All theher hands, flashlight and all, to gesture some air quotes "That’s what soic Elite, I guess, because we’re gifted They think we’re special, better, because we have s are supposed to appear when the ic appears Well, except in your case" She stopped and looked at ht?"

"Not that I’ to prod ure out if I have secret powers? Like a chick on an alien spacecraft?"

"And you think I’ to probe you We’re just going to talk to the Adepts and see what they have to say about your new tat No bigs" She shrugged nonchalantly, then started walking again

Ten or fifteen iant wooden bea across it, an arch in the top A large nuantly carved into the lintel above the door And on the door was the same symbol I’d seen in the model room--a circle with a Y inside it

This was Enclave Three, I assuht, then held out her hand; I pressed ht into her palm She flicked it off and deposited the over at me "I suppose I should prep you for this The other seven Adepts in ET should be here Katie and Smith are our Varsity Adepts You ree kids," I answered "And Junior Varsity is high school You just told me on Friday"

"You’ve brat-packed since then," she ave her a snarky look

"Anywho," she said, ignoring the look, "Katie’s a uratively You know, in history, when they talk about the Saleirls and boys were convinced to do all these horrible things because solish last year (probably just like every other sophomore), so I nodded

"Yeah, well, they probably were convinced That stuff wasn’t a ot the sa," I said

"Yeah" She nodded, then patted ht Anyway, Katie manipulates, and Smith--and, yes, that’s his first nas in the air As for JV, you know me, Michael and Jason, obvs, and there are three more Jamie and Jill, those are the twins Paul’s the one with the curls"

"You said you were a spellcaster?"

"Binder Spellbinder"

"Okay So what are these guys? Michael and the rest of them What can they do?"

"Oh, sure, u as she itemized--"um, Jamie and Jill have elemental powers Fire and ice"

"They have firespell?" I wondered aloud

"Oh, sorry, no Jamie can manipulate fire, literally--like a firestarter Set stuff ablaze, create seneral pyro burned Firespell is different--it’s not about fire, really, but about power, at least we think There aren’t any Adepts with firespell, so we kind of go off e’ve seen in action Anywho, you put Jaether, and we’re one h "Paul is a warrior Afu movie Michael is a reader"

"What’s a reader?"

"Well, I bind spells, right? I take words of power, charms and I translate them into action, like the house I showed you"

I nodded

"Michael reads objects He can feel the about things that happened, conditions"

"Well that’sweird I ed "Unusual, but handy Architecture speaks to him Literally"