Malcolm muted the TV and turned to look at me. “The Cracchiolo Node is near Barga.”
“I know. Benedetto D’onofrio was just made its custodian at the Conference of Neutralities. Oh, Malcolm.”
“So they’re not just striking at named Neutralities.” Malcolm tossed the remote at the couch, where it bounced and slid under a pillow. “This is bad.”
“It’s like they’re tired of waiting for us to capitulate,” I said. “They’re going for total destruction.”
“Interesting observation.” Malcolm strode back to the kitchen and swept up his phone and his dishes. “Can I leave these for you?”
“I’m not an invalid, Malcolm, I can wash a few dishes.”
I followed him through the house and up the stairs to the bedroom and watched him dress. “Does this mean nowhere is safe?” I asked.
“I have no idea what it means. I’ve never been to the Cracchiolo Node and I don’t know what its defenses are—were—like. The invaders may still be choosing vulnerable targets. But if we were wrong about the invaders going after only the biggest nodes like the named Neutralities, we suddenly have an entire world of nodes to protect. And we don’t yet know what purpose the invaders have in total destruction. It might be a new threat to force the Wardens to capitulate.”
“It certainly puts my problems in perspective.”
Malcolm paused in knotting his tie. “I hope you don’t mean that you think your troubles don’t matter.”
“No, just that I can appreciate having survived yesterday’s attack. So much worse could have happened.”
Malcolm came to my side and kissed me. “I can’t imagine anything worse than losing you. Call the node. I’ll be back around six.”
I put my arms around him and snuggled into his embrace. “I miss you already. I love you.”
After I’d waved goodbye to him as he drove away, I went back into the kitchen and cleared my bowl and juice glass. I’d only eaten half my cereal, and it was soggy now, the milk pale pink. I dumped it out and loaded the dishes into the dishwasher. Then I went back into the living room and found the remote. There was a stock photo showing on the screen of a beautiful medieval village on a hill, surrounded by green trees. When I turned the volume back on, the same male newscaster was saying, “—breaking news from Barga, Italy, where local authorities have quarantined nearby towns for fear of the outbreak spreading. No one has confirmed or denied the existence of a super virus, but officials are choosing to take precautions. More on this story as it develops.”
I turned off the television and put the remote away, then stood hugging myself as I looked out at my grassy back yard, where the sun had burned off the morning dew. Five thousand people. It was too big a number to comprehend. How could the invaders have killed so many, so quickly? New tactics were definitely involved. I thought about calling Lucia, but decided it was none of my business, not the way the named Neutralities were.
I went upstairs and dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, feeling another vague flash of guilt at being dressed down on a work day. Then I found my phone and called the Gunther Node, not Lucia and not her assistant Dave Henry, but the number for the node’s switchboard. Though likely it was more complex than that. I pictured it as an old-fashioned board with holes and wires and half a dozen young women making physical connections when people called in, but that was unlikely.
The phone rang twice, and then a cheerful woman’s voice said, “How may I direct your call?”
“This is Helena Campbell,” I said. “I don’t know who I want to speak to, but I…I need to set up an appointment with a therapist.”
“Oh, hi, Helena,” the cheerful voice went on. “This is Marci Pringle. Let me put you through to the infirmary—just tell them what you told me and they’ll set something up.”
“Thanks,” I said, but Marci Pringle had already hung up. I heard the hum of a live connection but no Muzak while I was on hold. I waited. It took only a few seconds before someone said, “Infirmary.”
“Hi, this is Helena Campbell. I need…I want to make an appointment with a therapist.” I felt so stupid saying it, like I’d confessed to some embarrassing personal secret.
“Sure thing,” the man said. “Does today work for you, or do you need something a little further out?”
I swallowed. “Um, today is fine, maybe this afternoon?”
“How does 3:30 sound?”
“I can do that.” The abruptness left me feeling both dizzy and relieved.
“Come to Green 1 then and someone will direct you from there. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Thanks, that’s all.”
After I hung up, I lay back on the unmade bed and stared at the ceiling. Maybe I should have asked more questions. I didn’t even know if the therapist would be a man or a woman. I wasn’t sure I was comfortable talking to a man about my private business, but then I wasn’t all that comfortable with talking to anyone, so it probably didn’t matter. Would they want me to tell them about other things? Hypnotize me? I had so many questions…and in a few hours, they’d be answered. So there was no point in worrying.
I made the bed and tidied the room, which didn’t need much tidying, and then went downstairs and contemplated the TV. I wasn’t sure I could stand listening to more news about Barga, particularly news that had no idea what was really going on.
The doorbell rang, and I found Judy and Viv on my doorstep. “We thought you could use company,” Viv said. “Did you hear about Italy?”
“Yeah. It’s awful.”
“I think it means the invaders are scared,” Viv went on. “They’ve never destroyed anything on this scale before, and I bet it’s because they know the Wardens can take them out. So they’re making it look like they’re more powerful than they are and hoping to bluff.”
“Except that they are powerful if they can do that,” Judy said, rolling her eyes.
“Unless it’s like when the Mercy attacked all the steel magi. That used up most of their resources, and they weren’t able to follow up the attack with another one.”
“Which the invaders just did. It’s only been two days since Berryton.”
“You’re making my head hurt. Do you want water, or something?” I asked.
Both shook their heads. “The Wardens made the wards on the store impenetrable while the construction’s going on,” Judy said. “I’m staying with Mike for a few days. I love him, but he has some appalling habits.”
“Still not interested in living together?” Viv teased.
“Nope. Maybe someday, but I like my privacy.” Judy dropped onto one of the couches in the living room and sprawled, heedless of her dress’s lightweight fabric. “And I think he feels the same. At least, the way he drops his underwear on the floor six inches from the basket tells me he does.”
Viv made a face. “I’m okay with a relaxed attitude toward laundry, but that’s just laziness.”
“Let’s do something,” I said. “The mall will open in about an hour. We can walk around and get smoothies. And then I have an appointment with a therapist this afternoon.”