The griffin, all twenty-three of us perched on his back, skids to a stop in the same woods that were my refuge after Henry. We clamber off. The bird coos before shrinking to the size of a normal bird, then stretching—this time in the shape of Ari. “All right.” I channel my inner general. “You see that section of the building jutting out—just past that rock, with the red bricks? That’s the section we’re gonna burn. You’re gonna burn, I mean. I say that because I’m going to the front of the building, to steal a file from the office. They’ll be distracted by the chaos you’re gonna cause and won’t notice me. But, this all depends on whether they’re eating dinner. If they are, they’ll be on the complete opposite side. If they’re not, most of them will be in their rooms, just on the
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I open it. “We’re here. Send out the forces,” I say. Meyer bolts up from his desk. “You! I made it clear---“ “Wait… You haven’t prepared for the raid?” He marches toward me, red-faced, clutching something in his hand. “I’ve already heard this story, this… fabrication from Natalie. I don’t believe one word of it.” “There’ll be an attack if—“ Bang! I duck, shielding my head with my hands. Oh, Jesus. It wasn’t me, at least it wasn’t me. I turn in the direction of the gunshot. A hawk lies broken on the floor in a pile of feathers. How did I miss Ari following me? Meyer relaxes his grip on the gun and sets it on his desk with a shudder. He turns to address his closet. “Now!” His son pads out, a coil of rope in hand. “What are you doing?” I back toward the door, careful of where I step. Meyer pounces at me. He snatches my wrist, jerking me around so my back is to him. I’m torn between the impulse to fight and the fact that I’ll look guiltier if I do. “Listen to me!” I say. Meyer yanks my hands together and winds the rope around my wrists. My hasty lunge for the door is blocked by the kid. I kick backward, but forget how short I am and hit only
I open it. “We’re here. Send out the forces,” I say. Meyer bolts up from his desk. “You! I made it clear---“ “Wait… You haven’t prepared for the raid?” He marches toward me, red-faced, clutching something in his hand. “I’ve already heard this story, this… fabrication from Natalie. I don’t believe one word of it.” “There’ll be an attack if—“ Bang! I duck, shielding my head with my hands. Oh, Jesus. It wasn’t me, at least it wasn’t me. I turn in the direction of the gunshot. A hawk lies broken on the floor in a pile of feathers. How did I miss Ari following me? Meyer relaxes his grip on the gun and sets it on his desk with a shudder. He turns to address his closet. “Now!” His son pads out, a coil of rope in hand. “What are you doing?” I back toward the door, careful of where I step. Meyer pounces at me. He snatches my wrist, jerking me around so my back is to him. I’m torn between the impulse to fight and the fact that I’ll look guiltier if I do. “Listen to me!” I say. Meyer yanks my hands together and winds the rope around my wrists. My hasty lunge for the door is blocked by the kid. I kick backward, but forget how short I am and hit only