“Henry?” she pleaded. She was soaked through and smelled like a garbage dump, but she was by his side.
“Theta,” he croaked.
“Henry!” Theta hugged him. Henry gagged. “Whatsa matter? You sick?”
“No.” Henry coughed. “You smell bad.”
Theta was laughing and crying at the same time.
“How’s my best girl?” Henry asked.
“Everything’s jake,” Theta said, holding tightly to him.
Memphis stood back, leaving them be. After all, didn’t he have a brother, too?
“Ling,” Henry said, reaching for her. Theta went to pull Ling into the circle, even though she looked uncomfortable.
“I don’t hug,” Ling said, sandwiched between the two of them.
“Sam!” Sam said, hugging himself. “You’re welcome. Don’t mention it.”
Evie wasn’t right. Her eyes were glassy and she seemed unsteady on her feet.
“Evil?” Theta asked, concerned.
“Did one of those things get her?” Ling asked.
“Evie,” Sam said. “Hey. You okay?”
Evie turned and threw up.
It was nearly dawn. Filthy and famished, Theta, Memphis, and Sam crowded around the long table, wolfing down the limp watercress sandwiches. Theta offered Henry half of hers. Jericho handed Ling a cup of broth.
“It’s not fancy, but it’s warm,” he said, and she thanked him with a nod. “Could I use your telephone, please?”
Jericho brought her the phone as well, and a moment later, he could hear Ling speaking Chinese in hushed tones to someone.
Across the room, Mabel poked the dying fire into flames to chase away the chill. Evie sprawled in a chair, nursing a cup of coffee. She looked rough. The remnants of the scuttled Diviners exhibit were still everywhere.
Theta took out a cigarette.
“There’s no smoking in the museum,” Jericho said.
Theta glared up at him as she struck a match. “There is now. Hand me that ashtray, will ya, Mabesie?”
“I thought I was the only one who called you Mabesie,” Evie said.
Theta shrugged and kept smoking. Mabel folded her arms across her chest and looked away.
Ling hung up the telephone and took a sip of her broth.
“Everything copacetic with your parents?” Sam asked.
“There was a protest. People surrounded the mayor’s office, and he gave the order to bring everyone back to Chinatown. But I wouldn’t say everything is copacetic. It’s only one battle.”
o;Did I hurt you?”
She laughed through tears. “You could never hurt me.”