I stepped out.
I adjusted my bag on my shoulder. I patted my back pocket, checking for the Exit Card. Still there.
I walked toward the bus.
The door was open. Standing on the bottom step, guarding the entrance but looking for all the world like he was just enjoying the drizzle, was Cal.
He wore a thick knitted jumper that looked soft enough to sleep in. He held two steaming mugs.
He saw me. He didn't wave. He didn't shout. He didn't call out to the others.
He just extended one of the mugs.
"Earl Grey," he said, his voice low, almost indistinguishable from the hum of the engine. "Two sugars. Splash of milk. It's about sixty-two degrees, so mind you don't wait too long or it'll drop below optimal."
I stopped at the foot of the stairs. I looked at him. I looked at the dark windows of the bus where I knew, with synesthetic certainty, three neon-bright souls were vibrating with the knowledge that I was close.
"You knew I was coming."
"Rowan tracks flight paths like she's air traffic control," Cal said mildly. "And Euan saw your phone connect to the bus Wi-Fi three minutes ago."
Of course.
"They're inside?"
"In the lounge. Waiting."
"Are they... hovering?"
"Vibrating, mostly. Alfie is trying to sit on his hands. Kit has reorganized the kitchenette four times. Euan is staring at a wall pretending to be calm." Cal offered the mug again. "They know the rules, Z. They won't come out until you go in. Or until you ask."
I took the mug. The warmth seeped through my cold fingers. I took a sip.
Perfect. It was absolutely perfect.
"The schematic," I said. "The Neutral Zone."
"Euan installed the curtains himself," Cal said. "Velvet. Heavy. Sound-dampening."
"And the lock?"
"Digital. You set the code. No overrides."
I looked up at the open door. It was a dark mouth. But it was also a way in.
"Two constraints," I said, testing the words on the damp air.
Cal nodded, his expression serious. "We're ready to build."
I took a deep breath. The diesel smell mixed with the faint, warm scent of the tea.
"Okay," I said.
I stepped up.
The bus interior was dim, lit by low-running LED strips along the floor. It smelled of coffee and expensive leather and... them.
A mix.
