Nightshade City (24 page)

Mother Gallo looked seriously at her boys. “Boys, before we go to bed, we need to talk. Now, you all know of the Chosen One, Clover Belancort. Well, she has an uncle, a very heroic uncle, who once fought Billycan before he and Killdeer took hold of the Ministry. His name is Juniper Belancort.”

“The rat that Billycan killed?” asked Tuk. “The one they tell the stories about?”

“Yes, but Billycan did
not
kill him. Juniper is quite alive,” said
Mother Gallo. “As it turns out, Billycan didn’t finish the job, and Juniper is as lively as you and I. He’s built a new city—Nightshade City—buried deep under Trillium, deeper than the Combs.”

“How do you know this?” Tuk interrupted.

“Well—I’ve been there. I’ve been to Nightshade,” she replied.

“You have? When? What’s it like?” asked Hob.

“Yes, what’s it like? Is it as big as the Catacombs?” asked Gage, moving in closer.

Tuk stared skeptically at his mother, unconvinced. “She’s joking. Aren’t you, mother? You’re playing a trick on us!”

Mother Gallo’s voice turned stern. “No, Tuk, I certainly am not. I helped Juniper get his little niece, Clover, over to Nightshade and away from Killdeer.” The boys gasped. They leaned into the circle, their heads almost touching. “Now, listen. Nightshade City is a different sort of place. It’s not run by a Ministry. It’s run by its citizens. Everyone has a say in what goes on there, and no one pays Stipend—ever.”

Gage was aghast. “No one pays Stipend? How do they feed their army?”

“There is no army,” said Mother Gallo. “If there’s trouble, the citizens fight together. They all take care of each other, like one enormous family.” The boys gawked at the thought.

Tuk suddenly looked alarmed. “Mother, what if Billycan finds out you helped Juniper? What will he do to you? He will hurt you or—”

Mother Gallo cut him off. “We won’t be here to find out. We are leaving the Combs. We are moving to Nightshade, all of us. I will no longer have to work for the Ministry, and you boys can grow up in a safe, wonderful place. The kind of place I grew up in.”

Tuk spoke very softly, as if the Kill Army were on the other side of the door. “Mother, how can we escape? The Kill Army is everywhere.”

She studied her boys’ three round faces, all staring nervously at her. “Juniper made me a promise. He doesn’t break promises, and neither do I. I promise we’ll get out safely.”

Hob felt something pushing under his legs, inching him up in the air. “Mama!” he yelled. He jumped across the fire pit, nearly scorching his tail, and leaped into her arms.

Noc’s shiny head popped up through the dirt floor. “Mother Gallo and family, I presume?”

Hob shook uncontrollably. “Oh, Hob, darling,” said Mother Gallo, hugging him as he trembled. “This is Noc. He’s an earthworm. Noc and his fellow tribesmen are helping us to build Nightshade City.” Hob stared at the foreign creature. “He’s a friend, dear. He would never hurt you.” Hob loosened the rigid grip he had on his mother’s neck. Leaning forward, he teetered precariously in the crook of her arm and inspected the worm.

Noc spoke gently to the boy. “I would never hurt you; certainly not. Your mother is a friend, so that makes all of you friends too. Mother Gallo, I gather it’s safe to speak?”

“Yes, Noc, your timing is ideal. The boys and I were just talking about Nightshade.”

Noc addressed the boys as if they were grown. “Now, boys, it seems Nightshade City is once again going to have to call on your mother for help, but this time we may need
your
help as well. Do you think you might be able to assist us in our efforts?”

The boys all nodded their heads in silence, unaware that worms were sightless. “They said yes, Noc,” said Mother Gallo. “They are not used to having visitors, especially those who aren’t rats. I hope you understand.”

“Oh, yes, indeed I do,” said Noc. “We think rats are as strange as you think us. You rats have an odd aroma and all that itchy hair—
horrible stuff!” The boys giggled. “Mother Gallo, we need to request an additional favor.”

“What can I do?”

“Well, our friend Suttor, who is doing much better, by the way, is desperate to have his brothers join him. With your Ministry ties, we were hoping you could track down their location within the Kill Army and find a way to get them back to your quarters.”

“Noc, of course I’ll fetch the boys. I know just what to do.”

“Wonderful,” said Noc. “Now we can move your family and Suttor’s to Nightshade together. All we need is for you to find a way to get Suttor’s brothers back to your quarters. We worms can do a bit of reverse engineering and dig a corridor from here, meeting Juniper and his rats, and then dig straight down to Nightshade—so everyone can leave together.”

“So soon! How exciting!” said Mother Gallo. “Boys, do you understand? We are leaving the Catacombs. Noc, I think I can have Suttor’s brothers here by morning, shortly after breakfast.”

“But how can we help?” said Tuk, who was at the age when helping was most important.

“Well, my young friend,” said Noc, “what I need you to do is of the utmost importance, paramount to our mission’s success. Suttor’s brothers are going to be rather nervous, maybe even afraid. I need you to reassure them that everything is going to be just fine. Can you boys do that?”

Tuk spoke most assertively. “We can, Noc. I promise.”

“Well, then, I hold you to your promise,” said Noc. “Mother Gallo, before I take my leave, I’ve been instructed by Oard to give you the boys’ descriptions.”

“Not to worry, Noc. I remember them well, Duncan and Kar. With their features, they are a hard pair to forget.”

“All the better, then. We are going to start the dig in the early morning hours, so get your rest, the lot of you. I’ll be back soon to help guide you out.”

“Noc,” she said suddenly, “how did you know where to find me? I didn’t pound out the signal.”

“Juniper plans well in advance. He asked Oard to have me stay behind after Clover’s rescue and follow the soldiers who took you to your quarters that night—a silent escort, if you will—making sure you were all right
and
learning the location of your home. Well, I’m off to Nightshade. I will be back soon with Oard and as many tribesmen as it takes to get the job done. Boys, it was a pleasure to meet you.” Noc spindled gracefully back into the earth.

Hob looked down the hole as the worm vanished into the dirt. “Bye, Noc,” he whispered.

“Good-bye, Hob,” Noc’s voice echoed back, already sounding awfully far away.

Morning came quickly to the Gallo household. In order to gain access to Suttor’s brothers, Mother Gallo would have to clear it with Killdeer and Billycan. She was uneasy. It was one thing when Billycan questioned her in her own home, but to go to Killdeer’s compound, to enter his den and lie to his face—well … “Eat up now,” she told her sons. “You’ll be of no good to anyone without a proper breakfast. Now, boys, I must go.”

Mother Gallo unpinned her blue sash from the clothesline. “Now, do not answer the door for anyone, and for Saints’ sake keep your voices down.” She threw her sash over her head and arranged it neatly. “Tuk, you are in charge. Now, that doesn’t mean you can bully your brothers. This is not the time for that sort of nonsense. Lives are at stake. Do you understand me?” The boys nodded as she headed towards the door.
“All right, then, you know what to do. I’ll be back soon, hopefully with Suttor’s brothers. Say a prayer for me—in fact, pray to the Saints very hard. Be good to each other and do everything the earthworms ask. I love you, my little ones.” She slipped into the corridor.

Tuk locked the door behind her. “Hob, Gage, please finish your breakfast. Mother is worried. She is not letting on, but this is dangerous. If we don’t work together, things could go horribly wrong, and it will be our fault.” Hob and Gage nodded seriously and gulped down the remains of their breakfast.

As if timed perfectly, Noc poked his head through the dirt wall, directly over the table. “Well, boys, good morning to you!” Tuk nearly scaled the wall in fright. Gage and Hob giggled. “I deduce your mother has left to gather Suttor’s brothers?”

“Yes, sir,” said Tuk, scowling at his brothers and wiggling his claw at them, just as he’d seen his mother do.

“Young Tuk, man of the house. We’ve a lot of work to do. For now, I need your help getting things prepared for the dig. The rats are already digging from Nightshade. The rest of our tribesmen will be here momentarily to start the excavation. Boys, your mission is to help move the tilled ground out of the way. We have no place to store the dirt, and we won’t until the tunnel is open, so pick a good-sized part of the room and we’ll start moving earth there.”

Tuk directed his brothers. “Gage, let’s start over there. Leave everything where it is. It doesn’t matter if it gets dirty. It will all have to stay behind. Hob, you find anything small you think Mother might want to take with us and put whatever you find in one of her baskets—gently.”

Mother Gallo stood in the corridor outside Killdeer’s den. Trembling, she exhaled a shaky breath and knocked on the massive doors of the compound.

She heard small feet racing from within. They stopped abruptly. A door opened partway, and Texi poked her head out.

“Mistress Gallo,” she said cheerfully. “How are you today?” She slipped out into the corridor, speaking again before Mother Gallo had a chance to answer. “I’m glad it’s you and not another major. They’ve been coming in and going out at all hours—very pushy bunch.”

Mother Gallo acted surprised. “You don’t say? Well, the Minister must be awfully busy, then.”

“Yes, it’s been rather hectic around here. Killdeer and Billycan are in an uproar over the Chosen One’s disappearance. I heard them saying she’s been taken to
another
city.” She whispered, “A
secret
city—they don’t know where it is, but they are having the majors scour the Combs for information on its whereabouts. My brother said he is ‘waging a
war
.’”

Mother Gallo acted aghast. “My goodness, Texi, did you say war? That sounds awfully serious. I won’t take more than a few moments of their valuable time, then, but I do need to speak with the Collector or the Minister—either one will suffice. It’s a Ministry matter, dear.”

“You’re in luck. They just finished a long meeting in the War Room with the majors. It lasted all night. They’re both having breakfast in Killdeer’s den. Follow me.”

Mother Gallo followed behind Texi. Senior lieutenants and sector majors zipped in and out of rooms within the deep workings of Killdeer’s compound.

High Major Lithgo plodded past them as they turned the corner towards Killdeer’s den. “Mistress Gallo,” he said, nodding courteously at her. Mother Gallo nodded back in acknowledgement, hoping her smile covered her panic.

“Here we are,” said Texi as they arrived outside Killdeer’s throne
room. She took Mother Gallo’s paw and squeezed it. “I heard about the blow you took to the head. I’m glad you’re all right.”

“That’s sweet of you, dear. Yes, I’m just fine. Perhaps we can talk a little later.”

“Maybe,” said Texi, “but I am very busy today. Billycan ordered me to get rid of any Oshi or Carro ale I find in the compound. I’m to toss it all away—must have gone sour, I suppose. Bye, now.” Texi skittered down the corridor.

Killdeer’s sudden sobriety concerned Mother Gallo. It was clear that the Ministry was planning something big.

Mother Gallo entered the den. Killdeer and Billycan were seated at a table, both devouring fatty chicken legs. Killdeer set down a newly stripped bone and licked his claws as he addressed her. “Mistress Gallo,” he said, sucking the grease from a claw. “Good to see you up and about. We were all quite distressed to hear of your ordeal.”

Mother Gallo curtsied. Billycan looked up from his fowl and nodded his head in recognition of her presence. As he was still very much involved with his chicken, conversation was not essential. “Gentlemen, I’m so glad to have a short moment of your time,” she said. “I know you’re in a hurry to catch the culprits from the kidnappings and—”

Killdeer interrupted. “I’m just delighted to know you’re all right. Why, we would be inconsolable if our enchanting High Mistress was snatched from us. Now, how may we be of service, dear Mistress?” He leaned back on his chair and stretched out his packed belly.

“Minister, I thank you for your concern. I’ve come for a favor, a mission of goodwill. I’m hoping you will allow me to take Lieutenant Suttor’s brothers back to my quarters for the day. Spending some time with my family might just take their minds off Suttor, at least for
a while. Suttor’s brothers are far too young for active duty, and I can only imagine what the poor dears must be going through after hearing the dreadful news of Suttor’s kidnapping.”

Killdeer turned to Billycan. “Well, Collector, what do you think? Should we allow Mother Gallo this good deed?” Billycan shrugged indifferently and ripped into another chicken leg, stringy meat dangling from between his stained incisors.

Mother Gallo was well known and respected, and Killdeer hoped word of his generosity would spread. “Mistress Gallo, thank you for thinking of these forlorn boys. It is not in the boys’ best interests to be left to their own devices at a time like this. Go retrieve them with my blessing. If you hurry, you may still be able to catch them in the mess hall at breakfast. Be sure to have them back to their barracks in time for head count. I wouldn’t want the sector majors pushing down your door, terrifying you and your boys.”

“Thank you, Minister,” said Mother Gallo, clasping her paws together. “This is a wonderful favor you grant me. I will have the boys back by curfew, I promise.”

“Very well, then, off you go. Do give those brave boys my deepest sympathies,” he cooed unctuously. “And feel free to let others know I was all too happy to grant you this favor.” He smiled a slippery grin, his teeth glossy from the greasy bird.

“Thank you, Minister, I certainly will,” she said. “Thank you, Collector.”

Killdeer nodded to her. Billycan waved her off, still focusing on the chicken leg, making sure every speck of flesh had been stripped from it.