“First of all, we’re going to need bleach,” Ronnie stated, looking at the layer of dust coveringeverything.
Mr. Hansen nodded. “And some groceries so I can make breakfast in themorning.”
I groaned. “Okay, but I meant like long-term.”
Damien strode over to Jeremy. “Could everyone gather around,please?”
Using my crutch, I hopped over to lean on the sofa. Standing was making the blood rush to my leg, which made it throb. Maxine came over with a tray of shots and placed them on the table. I chuckled when Josephine and Mr. Hansen both grabbed one, and clinked the glasses together before slinging themback.
Damien clasped his hands. “Okay, so what the government is about to find out is that Jeremy invented the plasma band by running a current through a rare earth metal, only recently discovered lastyear.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline. “Okay, so how is the average citizen supposed to get this rare earthmetal?”
Damien smiled. “Because it’s right here in Bisbee. We’ve been mining it quietly for the past year. Mr. Hansen, you own thattoo.”
Mr. Hansen raised his empty shot glass. “I’ve always wanted my own miningcompany.”
Josephine looked at Damien over her glass. “I’m feeling left out. What did you get me?” shejoked.
Damien smiled at her like she was a treasured family member. “You, my dear, own the patent to the plasma band. My lawyer filed it lastweek.”
She looked impressed. “I knew when you were sixteen and managed to forge my signature so well, that you’d be up to no good oneday.”
He shrugged. “The government can do what they want with me, but Josephine and Daniel own everything and can keep things moving if I’m arrestedor….”
Killed. He didn’t have to sayit.
“So, what’s the plan?” Excitement ran through me. These plasma bands could change the game. If the government thought they could lock down the technology and only disperse it to the higher classes, they were sorelymistaken.
Damien looked at his brother. “Jer.”
Jeremy was typing away, not listening to anything around him. “Jer!” Damien said it louder this time and clapped hishands.
Jeremy looked up athim.
“You have six days to make nine plasma cuffs. Can you dothat?”
“Yep,” Jeremy said, and went back totyping.
Damien looked a bit skeptical. “You’ll have to rewrite the latest code. It didn’t back up to the cloud server before theytook—”
“I’m almost done with that.” He shushed his brother with a wave of his hand and pulled out a pair of noise-canceling headphones from his backpack, placing them over hisears.
Damien smiled. “I wish I had your brilliance,” he said softly to his brother, who couldn’t hear him. Then he shook off the moment and looked at me. “I have a theory that the sentries know what we’re doing. That’s why they come for me more and more each time. The next time we go in… it’s going to be bad. We’ll need the bands and something else I’m workingon.”
“That beacon device thingy?” I askedhim.
He shook his head. “No, it’s the same technology Jeremy is using, but they’re plasma bricks to set up a perimeter of defense so we aren’t draining our small band batteries all thetime.”
Brisk made a noise in his throat. “Impressive.”
“So we all stay awake for six days?” Mr. Hansenasked.
“That’s not necessary.” I didn’t want them all staying awake just for me. That wasstupid.
Damien addressed the butler. “You and Jo can take Jeremy if he or you need rest, but I’ll be staying out with Kit until she’s healed and the bands are done. I can’t afford to go in and get you all killed until we have thebands.”
Brisk nodded. “If Jeremy, Josephine or Mr. Hansen need sleep, I’ll go in with them to protectthem.”
