“We are not preparing for war!” Linus said for what felt like the hundredth time in the last thirty minutes.
“Then why am I wearing a battle helmet?” Chauncey asked.
“That’s the colander you nicked from the kitchen,” Linus said.
The children had decided to use Linus and Arthur’s room as a base of operations, each of them bringing what they considered necessary to face the days ahead. David wanted to wear a cape. Phee helped with it, tying the ends in a knot around his throat. Phee had a crown of flowers in her hair, made up of blooms from Talia’s garden. Talia fretted over the state of her beard until Sal brought her one of her creams to help smooth it down while leaving it with a healthy sheen. Theodore hung from the ceiling like a bat, checking in with Linus every five minutes or so to ensure a particular brass button was still hidden on his person. Calliope watched them all coolly from her perch in one of the windows, green eyes bright.
Arthur sat in his high-backed chair, shaking his head each time Lucy came out of his room with a new idea on how to greet the inspector. The first time he came out, he was over nine feet tall. It’d been disconcerting, seeing as how his body was still that of a child and his legs were now three times longer than they usually were. The second time he came out, he was back to regular size, but wearing a shirt with red lettering that proclaimed him to be DADDY’S LITTLE DEVIL.
“Get it?” he asked quite loudly. “Get it?”
“We get it,” everyone said, and Lucy beamed.
When he came back out of his room for the third time he asked, “Has anyone seen a scorpion? No worries if not. He’s one of the tiny ones, which means he’s really poisonous while also being hard to see.” Arthur sat upright in his chair, looking toward the open door that led out into the hallway.
A moment later, Zoe appeared, looking grim. She wore tan slacks and a billowy blouse, the sleeves of which hung over the backs of her hands. Arthur rose from his chair. Linus must have seen his movement out of the corner of his eye because he looked at Arthur, arched an eyebrow in a silent question, then followed Arthur’s gaze toward the door.
“What is it?” Arthur asked as the children fell silent around them. An unnecessary question because he knew. They all did.
“She’s here,” Zoe said. “Just got off the train. Helen’s picking her up. She’s going to take the scenic way around town to give us a bit more time, but it won’t be long.”
“We’re ready,” Arthur said, though it felt like a lie. He hated how easy it was to speak untruths when he wanted to protect others. “We’re going to stab her with so much kindness, she’ll thank us for it.”
“Really should work on the phrasing,” Linus muttered as he stood up, knees popping. “But I like your spirit. Yes. We’re ready.”
“I guess I have to hide now,” David said, shoulders slumped as he tried to untangle the knot Phee had tied in his cape. “Just let me get this stupid thing off and I’ll be quiet. Promise.”
“It’s not stupid,” Chauncey said. “I think you look amazing. I tried to wear a cape once, but it made me look like a superheroic gumdrop.”
David laughed, but it faded quickly. He scowled at the knot, claws tearing into the fabric. Arthur stepped forward, pulling David’s hands away as he crouched before him. “Do you understand why this is necessary?”
David wouldn’t look at him, gaze firmly planted on his bare feet. He shrugged half-heartedly. “Yeah, I guess. I’m not registered, and she could try and use that against me.”
Arthur brushed a short string of hair out of David’s face. “Exactly. And that’s the only reason. We’re not ashamed of you. We’re not embarrassed by you. You are wonderful, David. And soon enough, everyone will get to learn what we already know.”
Then Sal said, “No.”
Arthur looked over at him with a frown, still hunkered before David. “What was that?”
Sal stepped forward, looking determined. “Hiding away solves nothing,” he said as Theodore nodded from his shoulder. “The only thing it does is make us used to staying in the shadows. That’s not fair.”
“It isn’t,” Linus said carefully as Arthur stood. “And you won’t hear us trying to argue otherwise. But this is different. Since David is unregistered, he runs the risk of being removed immediately. We can’t take that chance, especially since it might affect the rest of you.”
“I don’t want to be any trouble,” David said, sounding like he was starting to panic. “I can hide!” His mouth twisted down as he scuffed a foot against the floor. “And besides, it’s not the first time I’ve had to do it. I’m used to it by now.”
Sal shot Arthur a pointed look before moving to stand in front of David, gripping his shoulders. “We don’t want that for you. That’s why we all talked about it and came to a unanimous decision.” His expression softened. “Sorry we didn’t tell you about it. We didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. But we want to help.”
“David doesn’t hide,” Phee said, crossing her arms and glaring up at Arthur and Linus. “We know it could mess things up for the rest of us, but if he can’t be seen, then the rest of us won’t be either. We’ll go on strike.”
Chauncey pumped his tentacles in the air. “Strike! Strike! Strike!”
“If she has a problem with David, I’ll use her for fertilizer,” Talia said.
Lucy nodded. “And I’ll open up a dimensional doorway in the fabric of reality and send her to a place where even demons fear to tread. What is this evil place, you might be asking? Great question!” He spread his hands wide in a practiced display of showmanship. “It’s called … Florida.”
Arthur studied each of the children in turn and found a united front. Though a trickle of unease wormed its way through his chest toward his heart, it was no match for the fierce pride that burned through him. Without Arthur or Linus, the children had held their own congress and come to a decision on something they perceived to be unreasonable.
“David?” he asked gently. “What do you want?”
David jerked his head up, wiping the ice crystals that had formed in the corners of his eyes. He fidgeted, wringing his hands, causing his knuckles to pop loudly. Theodore tittered, spreading his wings and jumping from Sal’s shoulders to David’s. Calliope—never one to pass up an opportunity—jumped down from the window and brushed against Sal’s legs, meowing loudly until he picked her up. She took Theodore’s place, tail wrapped around the back of Sal’s neck.
David growled at her but subsided when Theodore laid his chin on top of David’s head. The yeti froze, eyes rolling up. “Uh. He’s … what’s going on? What do I do? Nothing? Something? Oh my God, tell me!”
“He’s showing you that he trusts you,” Sal explained. “And that he’s got your back. Same as the rest of us.” Calliope raised a paw to Sal’s chin, forcing him to look down at her. She began to purr loudly as he pressed his nose against hers. “Because we don’t hide. Maybe we did, once, but no more. We have the right to exist. Registered or not. If DICOMY has a problem with that, well.” He smiled, and in it, Arthur saw his strength, his purpose. “Then maybe it’s time we took on the government. Show them what we’re really capable of.”
“Anarchy!” Lucy shrieked, eyes burning red. “Chaos! Buffets with a never-ending supply of macaroni and cheese! Hellfire!”
“David,” Linus said, “you haven’t answered Arthur’s question. What is it you want?”
David looked at the other children, Talia and Phee giving him a thumbs-up. He hesitated. Then, “I don’t want to hide. I won’t cause trouble, I promise.”
“He could stay with me until she leaves,” Zoe offered. “No one can find my home unless I invite them to.”
Sal shook his head. “We thought about that. It’s no different from hiding him here.” He took in a deep breath, letting it out slow. “We know it’s a lot to ask, but this is important. And it’s not as if we didn’t think things through.”
“We have a plan,” Lucy said, clapping gleefully.
“Oh dear,” Linus whispered. “Tell us.”
