Rector snorted with exasperation. “Or what if they’re dropping from the sky, hitching rides on crows or dirigibles?”
“Don’t be like that,” Houjin groused back at him.
“Look, Yaozu told me to check the wall. He didn’t tell me to dig through every underground tunnel, pit, shaft, or cave. One thing at a time, all right? Let’s rule out the wall, and then move on to other ideas. ”
Huey conceded, “That’s not the most unreasonable thing you’ve ever said. ”
“God forbid you admit I had another good idea. ”
“It’s not a good idea. It’s a plan someone else gave you, and you’re sticking to it because it’s the easiest thing to do. ”
Zeke rolled his eyes and started walking along the wall. “Can’t you two get along for ten whole minutes? I don’t know what your problem is. ”
“This guy, he’s the problem,” Rector said.
Huey retorted with a “Shut up. ”
This once, Rector did so—but not because of the command. It was his turn to hear something, out in the fog. “Guys? What’s that?”
From back in the fog somewhere in front of them, a voice called back. “Silly boys. You’re making enough noise to wake the dead. Or call ’em to supper. ”
Princess Angeline stepped forward out of the filthy mist, a close-fitting mask covering her face—though her eyes showed, and her silver hair was left to flop around her shoulders. She wore a pair of canvas pants, and a jacket that was buttoned all the way to the top, stopping just under her throat. Slung around her chest was a bandolier that held a row of small throwing knives.
Houjin perked up immediately. “Miss Angeline!”
“Hey there, fellows. You’re a little far from home, ain’t you?”
Zeke said, “Yes, ma’am, but we’re on a mission. ”
“What kind of mission?”
Rector stepped in, since the mission belonged to him. “We’re checking the wall for holes. We think the rotters are getting out, and animals are getting in. We know the men out at King Street have been watching their end of the wall, so we thought we’d start at this end. ”
“That’s either brave of you, or dumber than homemade sin. ”
“A little of both?” Zeke tried. “We were getting ready to head back to the Vaults. We’re thirsty and hungry, and we haven’t seen anything except for one sick fox. ”
“Aw, a fox? That’s a shame. You saw it wandering around up here?”
Houjin said, “Yes, ma’am. We chased it off. ”
Angeline put her hands on her hips and cocked her head thoughtfully. “It’s not a bad idea. Not the bit about the fox, but the bit about a hole in the wall. Should’ve thought of it myself, but I’ve been in and out of town a lot. My grandson is getting married out in Tacoma, so I haven’t been around so much. ”
“Didn’t know you had a grandson,” Zeke said with a touch of awe.
“I do. But that’s beside the point. You think we have a hole?”
Rector wasn’t stupid enough to mention that it was Yaozu’s theory, and the other two boys kept that particular piece of information quiet as well. He’d been warned that the princess hated the powerful Chinese man who ran most of the Station. And even if Rector hadn’t liked her, he didn’t want to anger a woman who wore that many sharp things attached to her clothes.
So all he said was, “A hole, a crack … something that lets things out, and lets things in. ”
Houjin added, “There must be someplace where people see Blight-sick animals more often. Now that I think about it, we really should’ve followed that fox. ”
Rubbing at her chin under her mask, Angeline said, “You’d never have caught him. There’s plenty of strange goings-on here in the wall these days, boys, I tell you what—it gets weirder by the day. ”
Intrigued, Rector asked, “Why do you say that?” But he did so in a normal speaking voice, and everyone else shushed him. “Sorry! Sorry,” he said much more softly.
“That’s right, boy. Don’t ever forget where you are. ” She came in close to the three of them, gathering them around her as if she meant to shield them. “Always keep your voice down low. Always. We can talk between us, but keep it quiet. ”