"It's just me." Bailey appeared to step literally out of the darkness not ten feet away.

"Are you early or am I late?" Sarah kept her voice as low as the other woman's had been.

"Six of one." Bailey shrugged and crossed the space between them. "Is she out?"

Nodding, Sarah relinquished the little girl, who was warmly dressed to protect her against the January chill. "She should sleep another couple of hours at least. Long enough."

"And you're sure about her? Because we can't keep doing this. It wasn't part of the plan, and it's too dangerous. Sooner or later, he's going to figure it out."

"That's what I'm trying to prevent. Or at least delay."

"It's not your job, Sarah. Not the reason you're here."

"Isn't it? He's getting better at choosing latents. Better at finding them and convincing them to join him. Better than we've been." Sarah was aware of a niggling unease that was growing rather than diminishing. "Speaking of, are we covered?"

"Of course. My shield's enclosing all three of us."

"What about more conventional protection?"

"Galen's got my back. As usual. But once we leave, you're on your own again."

"I'm not worried about me."

"Sarah"

"She could be the one, Bailey."

"She's six years old."

"All the more reason. Without the defenses we can teach her, she's vulnerable as hell, especially to someone bent on using her as a weapon."

Bailey shifted the slight weight of the child and sighed. "Look, are you sure you haven't been influenced by what this guy is preaching? All that prophecy stuff?"

"We believe in prophecy stuff," Sarah reminded her.

"Not the kind he preaches."

Sarah shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm not a convert. It's all I can do to keep up the facade of a loyal member of the flock."

"Many more defections and kids disappearing, and that's going to get a lot harder."