The White Assassin (16 page)

“Nor do I,” replied Cole. “But you know as well as I do that the news will shake everyone to the core, especially those closest to you.”

“I want to tell Maddy, but the very thought of her face, her reaction … I don’t know if I could take it. How will she ever look at me the same again? I don’t know if I can tell her … or anyone.”

“Juniper, you don’t
have
to tell anyone. I will take this secret to my grave if need be.”

Billycan started muttering in his sleep. Juniper approached the bars of the cell and listened. “Lenore,” Billycan called out in a cracked voice. “Lenore!”

Stunned, Juniper looked wide-eyed at Cole. “Her name!” he said, his mind spinning. “Every time I’m convinced I’ve done the wrong thing, something pulls me in the other direction, confirming that I’ve made the right choice.”

“It’s the Saints,” said Cole, “guiding you.”

Juniper shook his head. “Or the devil himself.”

Vincent stood in the corridor, bewildered by what he’d just overheard. He’d gone looking for Juniper, hoping to talk further about the possible list of conspirators. He thought that a few suspects Nightshade Security deemed innocent still demanded more investigation. Rather
than barging in on Cole and Juniper, he stood in the corridor and waited. He couldn’t help overhearing them, and what he’d heard was disturbing indeed. What was this secret they shared? What could be so dreadful that Juniper would hide it from everyone in Nightshade City, including his own wife? And
who
was Lenore?

B
ILLYCAN’S RESTLESS NIGHTS
seemed to grow longer. He wrestled with the knowledge that he must have done something very bad, or he wouldn’t be here. No one would tell him anything. Juniper just kept saying in his stern and steady voice, You’ll
remember in due time.
Well, he hadn’t remembered much of anything other than bits of his childhood—of Lenore, whose name he was so glad to finally remember, the rat who’d unlocked his cage the night of the break-in. Perhaps she was still alive. Maybe she could help him, as she had all those years ago.

He stared at the ceiling and steadied his breathing. He thought of her face, her dark fur, her warm yellow eyes …

Billycan and his female rescuer bounded down the wrought-iron stairs of the fire escape. They stopped in the alley below to catch their breath.

“What is your name?” Billycan asked.

“Lenore,” she replied. “I heard a lab tech call you Billycan. I like it. It’s unusual. It suits you, for you seem to be quite an unusual rat.”

Billycan smiled, pleased. He liked her name, too. Lenore—it sounded soft.

Just then a screaming noise erupted in the alley. Billycan jumped backward in a panic, clawing for the fire escape.

“Don’t be frightened,” said Lenore gently as the blare faded away. “It’s all right. It’s only a siren. It’s from a Top-sider’s car.”

“What’s a car … and what’s a Topsider?” asked Billycan, his back curved into an arch like a terrified cat.

She looked at him thoughtfully. “Come with me. I’ll show you. This is something you need to learn.”

He followed her to the end of the alley, just before it spilled out into the street. Wheeled metal boxes flew past them, tearing down the street. Billycan took a step back, his eyes wide, as a black truck barreled down the road, dousing the sidewalks with rainwater.

“
That
is a car,” she said softly. “While roaming the streets, you must be on the lookout for them at all times. And when I say Topsiders, I’m speaking of the humans. They make their way around in these monsters with no concern for the creatures around them. We are invisible to them.”

“Invisible?” said Billycan.

“Yes,” answered Lenore. “And it
must
stay that way.” She gave him a firm look. “They must never see you. The moment they take notice, they’ll try to kill you. You must never forget that. It is their way.”

“But why do they want to kill us?”

Lenore paused for a moment and shrugged. “I suppose … because they can.”

Just as Dorf had told him, thought Billycan. Great leaders take what they want because they can. Destroy the weak, for they are useless.

“C’mon, then,” said Lenore. “We’ve a lot of ground to cover if we want to make it to the Catacombs before dark. We’d best get to it. It’s going to get much colder tonight.”

“What are the Catacombs like?” asked Billycan.

“Well, it’s a wonderful place, my home.” She smiled at him. “Your home, too, if you’d like. The Catacombs are safe and warm and you’ll meet lots of other rats, all wanting to be your friend—just like Dorf. It’s deep underground, far away from the Topsiders.” She gave him a serious look. “It’s a
good
place, Billycan.”

He considered for a moment. He glanced at her as they rounded a corner, a slight smile on his face. “I think I’d like to go there, very much.”

“Then it’s settled. Down this alley,” said Lenore. Billycan gazed up at the building towering above them. It seemed to go on forever. “That’s the Brimstone Building. The Topsiders call it the heart of Trillium City.”

Billycan’s blood pumped. The heart of Trillium City, he thought, as if Trillium were a massive creature, a force of nature. A surge of rage suddenly swept through him. He was angry, angry with the humans—these Topsiders—who could so easily take control of the rats, of everything. And he was angry at himself, at his own kind, for allowing it to happen. He looked back up at the building—the heart. This city
would be his one day. He would be one of Trillium’s great leaders—a king. He would become the heart of the city.

“C’mon, then,” called Lenore again, already a few steps ahead of him, “time for your new life—your real life—to start.”

They bounded down the winding alley and into the dark.

“Wake up!” shouted a voice. “You heard me, wake up. I will not be made to wait for the likes of you,
rat
!”

His mind firmly in his dream, Billycan thought he was still with Lenore. He heard the impassioned voice shouting from somewhere in the alley. Finally pulling free of sleep, he focused on the dingy bars of his cell. He saw the dark figure of a rat standing on the other side. His heart sank.

“That’s it,” coaxed the voice derisively. “Wake up and face me.”

Slowly Billycan lifted his aching body and got to his feet. He grunted softly, his wound still painful. He homed in on the rat, immediately recognizing him. It was the green-eyed black rat—the one who had glared at him with such disgust. Cautiously he took a few steps forward. So did the black rat, leveling his gaze on Billycan.

“Who are you?” asked Billycan.

Vincent laughed. “Oh, that’s amusing. Did you really think
I’d
fall for your little act? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“I doubt very much you’re an idiot,” said Billycan. “I can’t remember you, but you know me—and you hate me. I can see that. I’d like to know why.” He eyes wandered nervously to the ceiling and then to his feet. “This way perhaps we can talk about things equitably. I’m quite useless, not knowing anything about you.”

Vincent smiled wickedly. “Oh, you really are a talented fellow, aren’t you? Your mild manner, your choice of words,
equitably
and
useless.
Why, you’re perfect! Quite believable. For a split second, I almost wanted to believe you myself.”

“Believe what?”

“That the serum has temporarily changed you—wiping out your memory, your badness. But it’s all a farce, isn’t it, a sick but brilliant deception? The moment you gain the slightest trust from one of us, you’ll slit open his throat and make one of your famous escapes.”

“I’m not pretending.” Billycan looked down at his bruised body and twisted shoulder. “I do not have the strength for make-believe.”

Vincent took a step closer, glowering at those red eyes. They did look different, as though their bulbs had gone out, turning the eerie red to a darker crimson. “Juniper and the others may think their little serum is working and you will soon reveal the truth, but I know better.”

“Oh dear,” said Billycan, his face falling in disappointment. “There will be no getting through to you, will there?” Vincent stayed silent, stewing with rage. “I cannot make you believe me. I’ve a small piece of my past right now. That’s all. I’ve done a great wrong, or else why would I be here? Your friend Juniper, he won’t tell me my crimes, but
you
can.” His voice suddenly grew pleading and frantic. “Please, tell me what I’ve done! I want to know. I have to! Tell me—please. I beg you.”

Vincent opened his mouth, ready to spew out Billycan’s many crimes, but he quickly shut it. Juniper insisted they let Billycan remember on his own. Instead he asked flatly, “Who is Lenore?”

Billycan took a quick step forward, and instinctively Vincent jerked back. Billycan held up his paws. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said.

Vincent cringed, angry that the rat still struck panic in him. How foolish he must look. He should be braver.

“Lenore,” said Billycan. “She’s someone I remember. It excited me for a moment. I’ve been thinking about her all day.”

“Who is she?” Vincent asked again.

“I don’t know for certain. She rescued me … helped me out of the lab the night of the break-in. She saved me, led me to safety. She saved my life.”

Maybe
she
was the conspirator, thought Vincent. A rat who would save Billycan could only be a bad one. Could this Lenore still be alive, maybe even living in Nightshade? “What do you remember of her?”

“Well, she was very kind,” said Billycan, “with soft, dark fur.” His neck bristled, remembering the feel of it when he touched it for the first time—so warm. “She was going to take me to her home, the Catacombs.” He looked hopefully at Vincent. “Do you know that place?”

“Where is Lenore now?”

“I don’t know. I was hoping she was still in the Catacombs. Maybe she could be found.”

“You know quite well the Catacombs are no more—a vacant city, a ghost town. All thanks to you.”

“To me?”

Billycan’s ears drooped. His mouth fell open. Could he really have done such a thing, destroyed an entire city? Could Lenore have been there?

“Who are you working with?” asked Vincent. “Who gave you the blueprints we found in the swamp? Give me a name.”

“I don’t know,” replied Billycan. He rubbed between his eyes. “I remember the swamp, being there, the snakes, the heat, but I don’t remember what happened there.”

“You’re lying! Now give me a name!”

“Please, listen to me,” said Billycan. “I don’t have a name to give you. I have
nothing
for you. I wish I could help you.”

“Who
do
you remember, then? Start there.”

“Lenore, I remember her. My friend Dorf, from the lab, but he’s long since dead.” Billycan began pacing agitatedly. “There’s someone else. A name keeps coming to mind, someone I
think
was a friend, but I can’t seem to put a face to it.”

“And what is that name?”

“Killdeer.”

The Belancort household was asleep—well, for the most part. Julius and Nomi squirmed under the covers, reaching over to poke and prod each other, giggling in little bursts with each nudge.

Silently Mother Gallo got out of bed and crept over. “That’s enough,” she whispered, wiggling a claw at them sternly. “You’ll wake your father and brothers. Now go to sleep, both of you.”

“Sorry, Mama,” said Julius, “we can’t sleep.”

Mother Gallo’s vexation quickly evaporated. “All right, then. Come here, little ones,” she said, taking a seat in her rocking chair. “Come sit on my lap.” Julius crawled out of bed, awkwardly carrying Nomi in his arms. He hoisted her up to his mother and climbed on her lap.

One child in each arm, Mother Gallo rocked slowly, humming softly as the pair finally drifted off. She felt the most at peace when all her family was asleep around her. She kissed each child on the forehead and laughed quietly as Nomi began to snore. Just like her father, she thought. Julius moved in closer, nuzzling his mother’s warm fur and wrapping his thin white tail gently around Nomi’s middle.

Mother Gallo looked at her children. It was odd. She had one child who looked so much like Nightshade’s mortal enemy and another so uncannily similar to her husband, Nightshade’s founder and protector. It was like having Billycan and Juniper as infants.

She glanced over at Juniper, tossing and turning in his sleep. She worried for him. Something had changed. He was distracted. Billycan was captured, locked up tight. The constant weight on his shoulders should finally be lifted, yet it seemed heavier than ever. Maybe it was the serum. It had been days now, and it had still not done its job. She supposed that must be it.

Julius woke for a moment. His eyes barely open, he raised his white head and beamed blearily at his mother. She smiled back. He once again rested his head on her shoulder and tenderly squeezed his sister with his tail. Nomi giggled in her sleep. She instinctively reached for the tip of her brother’s tail and tucked it under her chin. With both paws she held it tight.