Creem smiled and turned to Eph. Gus looked his way, as did all the others. “Is there something else we don’t know about?” asked Gus.
Eph said, “The Master came to me through your mother. It offered me a deal for my boy. And I was crazy or weak or whatever you want to call me. But I considered it. I … I kept my options open. I know now that it was a no-win, but—”
“So your big plan,” Gus said. “Your brainstorm to offer the book up to the Master as a trap. That was no trap.”
“It was,” said Eph. “If it was going to work. I was playing both sides. I was desperate.”
“We’re all fucking desperate,” said Gus. “But none of us would turn on our own.”
“I’m being honest here. I knew it was reprehensible. And I still considered it.”
At once, Gus charged at Eph with a silver knife in his hand. Mr. Quinlan, in a blaze of movement, got in front of him just in time, holding Gus back with a palm against his chest.
Gus said to Mr. Quinlan, “Let me at him. Let me kill him right now.”
Goodweather has something else to say.
Eph balanced himself against the motion of the boat, the lighthouse end of Roosevelt Island coming into view. He said, “I know where the Black Site is.”
Gus glared around Mr. Quinlan at him. “Bullshit,” he said.
“I saw it,” said Eph. “Creem knocked me out, and I had a vision.”
“You had a fucking dream?” said Gus. “He’s finally snapped! This guy is fucking insane!”
Eph had to admit it came out sounding more than a little crazy. He wasn’t sure how to convince them. “It was a … a revelation.”
“A traitor one minute, a fucking prophet the next!” said Gus, trying to get at Eph again.
“Listen,” said Eph. “I know how this sounds. But I saw things. An archangel came to me—”
“Oh fucking hell!” Gus said.
“—with great silver wings.”
Gus fought to get after him again, Mr. Quinlan intervening—only this time, Gus tried to fight the Born. Mr. Quinlan took the knife from Gus’s hand, nearly cracking his bones, then broke the knife in two and threw the pieces overboard.
Gus, gripping his sore hand, stood back from Mr. Quinlan like a kicked dog. “Fuck him, and his junkie bullshit!”
He wrestled with himself, like Jacob … like every leader ever to set foot on this earth. It is not faith that distinguishes our real leaders. It is doubt. Their ability to overcome it.
“The archangel … it showed me … ,” said Eph. “It took me there.”
“Took you where?” said Nora. “The site? Where is it?”
Eph feared the vision had started to fade from memory, like a dream. But it remained fixed in his consciousness, though Eph did not think it wise to repeat it now in great detail. “It’s on an island. One of many.”
“An island? Where?”
“Nearby … but I need the book to confirm. I can read it now, I’m positive. I can decipher it.”
“Right!” said Gus. “Just bring him the book! The same one he wanted to turn over to the Master! Just hand it over to him. Maybe Quinlan’s in on it too.”
Mr. Quinlan ignored Gus’s accusation.
Nora waved at Gus to be quiet. “How do you know you can read it?”
Eph had no way to explain it. “I just know.”