“We can take ’em,” Kit said.
Cass shook her head. “I don’t want to start a riot, Kit. And we’re going to need as many guards alive and well as we can get. Did they just let you walk in here?”
Kit nodded. The guards were still watching them, and Cass was concerned that if they spent any longer talking, Kit might get marked.
“Are they going to just let you walk back out?” Cass asked.
“I hope so,” Kit said. “They better.”
“Do me a favor and get back to Aron and try to talk to Mister Sun, let them know the situation. Maybe they’ll be able to put something together.”
“You got it,” Kit said. She risked turning towards them, and spoke in a low voice as she passed by. “Stay safe, Lady. You too, Governor. We’re not going to leave you out there.”
It was around noon when the order came down to start moving the people out. One of the captains of the guard started giving commands in a loud voice and reminding everyone that it would be an orderly process, and he had the means to ensure it. There were a few scuffles around the edges, but with the overwhelming response from the guard, they neither lasted long nor spread. By and large, the mass of people seemed content to gather their belongings and set off to start a new life in the open.
The lack of protest or struggle was easier to understand when Cass realized that most if not all of these citizens had spent most of their lives outside the wall anyway, under Underdown’s reign and protection. For them, perhaps living inside the city had been the anomaly, not being forced back out. Many of the dwellings that had been established outside still remained, and there seemed to be some kind of unspoken agreement that these people would simply return to where they once had lived. Maybe for some, it felt like going home.
Cass and Wren were near the middle of the crowd, and before they started moving, a guardsman weaved his way over to them. Cass recognized him from the compound. It was Joris. He was carrying Wren’s pack and coat.
He nodded in greeting as he approached, and smiled apologetically.
“Lady, Governor,” he said. “I’m not supposed to be doing this, but I couldn’t stand to see you go out there empty-handed.” He handed Wren his belongings.
“Thanks, Joris,” Wren said.
Joris glanced around quickly, and then produced something else from within his uniform. He handed it to Wren. “And there’s this.”
Wren accepted it and looked at the item laid across his palm. His knife. “Oh, Joris, thank you so much.”
“Might want to hide it for now. I know it’s special.”
Wren nodded and tucked the knife away in his belt.
“Thank you, Joris,” Cass said.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more,” he said.
“It means a lot that you did anything at all,” she answered.
He gave her a sad smile. “Good luck to you,” Joris said to Cass, then he gave Wren a nod. “Governor.”
“Bye, Joris,” Wren said.
Joris turned to go, but as he did so a murmur arose from behind Cass, and there was a commotion. When she looked at the source, she saw a number of guardsmen were forming up in a line, shoulder-to-shoulder, but facing away from the crowd. It was hard to see through the crowd and the guards, but Cass was able to make out what looked like a large group of people approaching.
“Here, Wren,” she said, “come here.” She grabbed him around the waist and boosted him. “Can you see what’s happening?”
“It’s Aron,” he said. “And a whole lot of people. He’s got a gun.”
Cass’s heart fell. She thought she’d made it clear to Kit that a fight wasn’t what she wanted. There was no point in starting a battle inside the city when a war was coming from without. She let Wren down, grabbed his hand, and started pushing her way through the crowd towards the guards. She had to stop it.
But when before she reached the edge, she was surprised to see the line of guards parting. Aron was there, with Mister Sun, followed by many others. They started filtering into the crowd, and she saw now that many of them were wearing packs, or carrying large bags.
When they got close enough, Cass called out to them, and they made their way towards each other.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Comin’ with you,” Aron said. His rifle gleamed in the noonday sun. A bandolier full of rounds hung across his chest.
“What? What do you mean?”
“I told you I was gonna do what I could to protect these people,” he answered. “So we’re movin’ out to stand guard. All of us.”
Cass looked past him and saw Mister Sun and Kit, leading a crowd. If all the Awakened weren’t gathered there, Cass couldn’t immediately identify who was missing, and there were many others besides. People she’d seen guarding Mister Sun’s and staying at Aron’s. She was completely overwhelmed with emotion.