Despite our doubts, we followed Jerome, probably because that was all we had been doing since he’d sprung us. As we stepped into the clearing I felt a sharp crack, like static electricity—at least they had some kind of surveillance going on. He led us to the largest tent, then motioned for us to wait while he entered alone—we heard hushed tones as he spoke with whomever was inside. A moment later, Jerome darted out from under the flap, then held it aside for us. Max took the lead, and Sadie and I followed him into the tent.
A short Hispanic man stood behind a folding table, playing solitaire. For a moment I wondered why he looked familiar, then I recognized him as the radical Mirlander that had spoken at the political rally Max and I attended a month or so back—he’d even gotten pelted with a few vegetables. I remembered what he’d said to Max and me while we were in the crush of the crowd—that Mike Armstrong wanted to create an army of human soldiers with Elemental attributes—and how he had admonished us to learn our history. I wondered what Lopez thought we were supposed to know.
“Welcome, Corbeaus,” Lopez said, dropping the cards as he stepped around the table. “Please, sit and rest. We have much to discuss.”
“Are you an Elemental?” I asked. Sadie glared at me, surprised by my rude question. I’d tell her later how Max and I had seen Lopez pretending to be a politician at Mike Armstrong’s rally.
Lopez narrowed his eyes, but his reply was polite. “Yes, I am an Elemental. I take it you remember me?”
“Yeah, we do,” Max said. “So, if this is the almighty resistance, where’s my father?”
Lopez cleared his throat, then he replied, “Commander Corbeau is not here at the moment. He was, but he moved on three days ago.”
Three days ago. That meant that Dad had slipped from the Peacekeepers’ grasp shortly after he’d been captured, stopped by this glorified scout camp, and was now long gone to parts unknown. I hoped that he’d gone on to the Whispering Dell and given Micah and Mom a few leads as to where we were. But where was Dad now? And why had he sent Jerome to rescue us instead of getting us himself?
“The commander did tell us to expect you,” Lopez continued, turning back to the table and selecting a manila folder from the many papers scattered across the surface. He held the folder out to me, “He left these instructions for the Inheritor.”
I shook my head. “Sadie’s the reader of the group,” I said, jerking my chin toward my sister.
“My apologies,” Lopez murmured, then he extended his arm toward Sadie. “Please. Your father wanted you to read this.”
The four of us stared at Sadie while she made up her mind. Finally, she sighed and accepted the folder. “These are schematics,” she murmured after riffling through the papers. “Schematics for the Peacekeepers’ main operation in Capitol City.”
Max peeked over Sadie’s shoulder, then he grabbed a sheet of paper to study it more closely. “Are you guys seriously thinking of mounting an attack against the Peacekeepers where they’re strongest?”
Lopez bristled, but he kept his tone even. “Commander Corbeau made it clear that the Inheritor would be fully capable of executing this mission.”
“Oh, I’m capable of quite a few things,” Sadie muttered as she thrust the folder at me. I flipped through it and noted the plan was to decimate the military branch of the government with nothing more than some assorted Elementals, one Inheritor, and a few dozen resistance members.
“This is not Dad’s work,” Max hissed in my ear, his back turned to Jerome and Lopez. “He’s cautious, not suicidal.”
I nodded, pretending to look over the plans. “Exactly how many members of this camp are Elementals?” I asked.
“Fourteen,” Lopez replied, his eyes darting between myself and Sadie. “Seven metal, two water, three earth, and two air.”
“What sort of metal?” I pressed.
“Copper,” Lopez replied. “We are all of copper.” Brows drawn low over his eyes, he asked, “Forgive me, but which of you is the Inheritor?”
My shock at finally encountering another copper Elemental was quickly snuffed by Lopez’s inquiry. Sadie and I looked at Max, both of us silently asking if he’d like to be in charge. “Nah,” Max said, shaking his head. “Everyone who matters knows I’m just a copper man. You need to step up, kid,” he added with a nod toward Sadie.
Sadie swallowed hard and said, “I’m the Inheritor of Metal.” When Lopez gaped, she added, “At your service,” punctuated by a yawn.