He was handsome, even Sam noticed that. He had dark hair and dark eyes, not much different from Sam himself. But this boy’s face seemed to glow with an inner light. He radiated confidence, but without arrogance or condescension. In fact, he managed to seem genuinely humble even while standing alone, looking out over everyone else.
“Hi, everyone,” he said. “I’m Caine Soren. You probably figured out that I…we…are from Coates Academy. Either that or we all just have the same bad taste in clothing.”
There was a bit of a laugh from the crowd.
“A self-deprecating joke to loosen us up,” Astrid said, continuing her whispered commentary.
Out of the corner of his eye, Sam noticed Mallet. The boy was turning away, crouching down, acting like he was trying to hide. Mallet was a Coates kid. What was it he’d said? That he didn’t get along with the kids at Coates? Something like that.
“I know there’s a tradition of rivalry between the kids of Coates Academy and the kids of Perdido Beach,” Caine said. “Well, that was the old days. It looks to me like we’re all in this together. We all have the same problems now. And we should work together to deal with our problems, don’t you think?”
Heads were nodding in response.
His voice was clear and just a little higher, maybe, than Sam’s, but strong and determined. He had a way of looking at the crowd before him that made it seem he was meeting every person’s eye, seeing every person as an individual.
“Do you know what happened?” a voice asked.
Caine shook his head. “No. I don’t think we probably know any more than you. Everyone fifteen and over disappeared. And there’s the wall, the barrier.”
“We call it the FAYZ,” Howard said loudly.
“The phase?” Caine appeared interested.
“F-A-Y-Z. Fallout Alley Youth Zone.”
Caine considered that for a moment, then laughed. “That’s excellent. Did you come up with that?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s vital to keep a sense of humor when the world seems to have suddenly become a very strange place. What’s your name?”
“Howard. I’m the Captain’s number-one guy. Captain Orc.”
An uneasy ripple moved through the crowd. Caine read it instantly. “I hope you and Captain Orc will join me and anyone else who wants to sit down and talk about our plans for the future. Because we do have a plan for the future.” He emphasized this last sentence with a chopping motion, like he was cutting away the past.
“I want my mom,” a little boy cried out suddenly.
Every voice fell silent. The boy had said what they were all feeling.
Caine hopped down from the car and went to the boy. He knelt down and took the boy’s hands in his own. He asked the boy’s name, and reintroduced himself. “We all want our parents back,” he said gently, but loudly enough to be overheard clearly by those nearest. “We all want that. And I believe that will happen. I believe we will see all our moms and dads, and older brothers and sisters, and even our teachers again. I believe that. Do you believe it, too?”
“Yes.” The little boy sobbed.
Caine wrapped him in a hug and said, “Be strong. Be your mommy’s strong little boy.”
“He’s good,” Astrid said. “He’s beyond good.”
Then Caine stood up. People had formed a circle around him, close but respectful. “We all have to be strong. We all have to get through this. If we work together to choose good leaders and do the right thing, we will make it.”
The entire crowd of kids seemed to stand a little taller. There were determined looks on faces that had been weary and frightened.
Sam was mesmerized by the performance. In just a few minutes’ time, Caine had infused hope into a very frightened, dispirited bunch of kids.
Astrid seemed mesmerized too, though Sam thought he detected the cool glint of skepticism in her eyes.
Sam was skeptical himself. He distrusted rehearsed displays. He distrusted charm. But it was hard not to think that Caine was at least trying to reach out to the Perdido Beach kids. It was hard not to believe in him, at least a little. And if Caine really did have a plan, wouldn’t that be a good thing? No one else seemed to have a clue.
Caine raised his voice again. “If it’s okay with everyone here, I would like to borrow your church. I would like to sit down with your leaders, in the presence of our Lord, and discuss my plan, and any changes you want to make. Are there maybe, oh, a dozen people who could speak for you?”