Yamanu
Number One stepped away from the line, and the other three followed as if accepting the call required all of their attention.
"Lord Losham," Number One said.
"I've just ended a call with the sector commander in charge of the breeding enclosure," Losham said. "Some of the women and children have been reported missing by the Sacred Mothers."
That shouldn't have happened so soon. The Eight had said that they'd thralled the residents of the enclosure to ignore the missing women and children. It should have held for at least a day, but it had failed after only a few hours.
"An escape from the enclosure is not likely," Number One said.
Losham continued to say that he'd ordered a curfew and a recount but didn't mention a lockdown. The guy didn't want to react before he was sure there was a real reason for alarm, which meant the ship could still sail if it slipped away before the recount was done.
"The missing dormant women are just a pretext," Losham was saying.
So, he thought it was a coup. Yamanu had to concede that it made sense for him to think that even though it wasn't true, and Number One was playing his part, confirming Losham's suspicions.
"I will have no choice but to issue an island-wide lockdown and start a search," Losham said.
Their window of opportunity to salvage the situation was limited. The recount would confirm the missing women, the lockdown would come, and the harbor activity would be suspended.
When the call ended, Number One lowered the phone, and he and the other three stood motionless with the same impassive expressions plastered on their faces that Yamanu had learned to identify as their internal communication.
Losham had just handed them the run of the island to investigate the very thing they were responsible for, and they were no doubt debating how to best utilize the few hours' grace they'd been afforded.
"It should have held much longer than this," Number One said. "It shouldn't have frayed in just a few hours."
"The Sacred Mothers were already suspicious," one of the other three said. "Something must have triggered that, and they were more watchful than usual. The thrall we used didn't take into account pre-existing suspicions."
"It's irrelevant now," Number One said. "The recount will confirm that the women are gone, and Losham will lock down the island and the harbor, regardless of him thinking it may be a coup. We have until then."
Yamanu activated his earpiece. "We have a situation."
As Onegus acknowledged that everyone in the war room was ready, Yamanu summarized Losham's phone call to them.
"The enclosure thrall failed early, and someone raised the alarm.
Losham ordered a curfew and a discreet recount, and he's holding off on a full lockdown until the count confirms. He's handed the Eight the authority to investigate because he suspects that this might be a prelude to a coup.
We have only a few hours before the recount is completed, after which he will lock down the island and seal off the harbor. "
"Can the ship sail right away?" Kian asked.
Yamanu relayed the question to Number One, then handed him one of his earpieces. "Here, so I don't have to be the intermediary."
"Thank you." Number One fitted the earpiece in place.
"The ship is at the quay, scheduled to sail at the end of the day, and we can't make it sail early.
A supply ship that casts off six hours ahead of schedule, on the same morning women have gone missing from the enclosure, will immediately get flagged.
There is no way to explain that, and the harbor master will hold it before it clears the breakwater. "
Yamanu nodded. "An early departure is not an escape. It is a confession."
"That's correct." Turner joined the conversation. "The ship has just turned into a holding cell. We need to get the people off."
"And take them where?" Number One asked. "There's nowhere on this island we can hide them. At this point, we can't even return the women and children to the enclosure because it's being actively searched. We might be able to return the scientists back to the lab, though."
"Take them to the cove," Turner said. "Through the mansion and the tunnel, and they leave the same way as the chests. Underwater."
"There are two problems with that plan," Number One said.
"We have two small children. I'm sure you didn't bring diving gear that can fit a two- and five-year-old, and even if you did, they are too young to be taught how to use the gear.
We also have laboratory equipment that the scientists insist is necessary to keep producing what we need to keep functioning until the clan can provide them with a proper lab.
Perhaps a better way is to compel Losham not to lock down the harbor even after the women are confirmed missing.
We can do it ourselves. We don't need the help of your compeller. "
"That's a bad idea," Turner said flatly.
"Why?"
"Because Losham lifting or withholding a lockdown after confirming missing persons will make no sense and will undermine his authority.
Every junior brother and commander in the Brotherhood's army is watching his every move and judging him.
This will ruin all the efforts we have all invested in cementing his rule of the island so he can hold the seat after you leave.
The same goes for compelling the harbor master to order the ship to leave.
It will put him under immediate suspicion and point at outside influence. "
"You are right," Number One said. "The cost is too high.
But we are still facing the same obstacles, and once the search starts, it will also be discovered that the scientists are gone along with a lot of lab equipment.
Losham will know that whoever took the women also took his chemists, and he'll know it's us. "
Yamanu had been running his own arithmetic, and he had another objection that Number One wasn't aware of.
"We don't have enough room in the sub," he said.
"I'm aware of that." Turner sounded put out by Yamanu's assumption that he hadn't thought of it.
"That's why we will divert the pickup ship that was going to collect the escapees and the lab crew at sea after the supply vessel sailed.
It can wait for them next to the sub. The people board the ship.
The chests and the gear go onto the sub.
We can use the waterproof casings to transport the equipment, and Guardians will help the children. "
The plan wasn't pretty or slick, but it was workable, and Yamanu grinned.
"The Fates are looking out for us. We took eight casings for five chests out of an abundance of caution, and the team brought the three empty casings back from the sub instead of leaving them there because Julian had a feeling they would be needed. "
"What about the children?" Number One asked. "Can they be transported in those casings?"
"We can rig something up," Julian said. "We put a guardian with each child to keep them thralled and asleep and making sure they are getting oxygen."
Number One regarded the doctor for a long moment and then nodded.
"If you say it can be done, we trust you can make it work.
The rest of our team is already organizing the people to move.
We will return to the ship to help them.
" He glanced at the excavation site and the two remaining chests.
"Let's hope nothing else collapses until you clear these two. "
Yamanu followed his gaze. "We can't rush this and risk another collapse."
"We can make it," Drova said. "They are almost clear. We all have to leave this place together before the confirmation arrives and all hell breaks loose."