“I know where and how. Mom, the Book of Spells is in me. I know how. This is necessary, and it’s a show of power, of strength, of commitment to the light. We’ll start with five locations tonight.”

“ ‘We’?”

She glanced toward Duncan and Tonia, then back to Katie. “I’m sorry. I need them.”

“Whatever your powers, you’re three teenagers going up against nuclear weapons. We need to find an expert, someone with experience on nuclear weapons, on disarming—”

“I said before, we won’t disarm, but eliminate. They’ll cease to be.”

“Radiation poisoning—”

“Mom.” Duncan cut her off, gently, before addressing Fallon. “Magick’s still a science. You can’t eliminate matter without replacing it. Magick 101.”

“But you can alter the matter.”

“An alchemy spell?” Intrigued, Duncan hooked his thumbs in his front pockets, considered. “Now you’re talking postgrad work.”

“They’ll cease to be and become something else, something harmless, and we destroy the harmless. We’ll also eliminate the means to launch them, or fire them.”

“Wait, wait.” Chuck waved a hand. “Computers, electronics, components. Oh, baby, and the data in them. We can use those. You can’t just change them into daisies or puppies. Take me along, I can shut them down, then we need to bring them back. Jesus Christ, what I could do with … Sorry, ladies, but it gets me hot.”

“You could tell us what’s most useful, what to bring back—and we could transport some of it to the other bases. Would you help set up communication centers outside New Hope?”

“I’m your man. I got a couple people I’d want with me once we have the goods. In fact, you’d save time if you spread us out. They’re not as good as me, but, seriously, who is?”

“You’re in,” Fallon said. “Mom, he’ll need an energy tonic. Poe and I found out—”

“Boy, did we,” Poe confirmed.

“Flashing’s draining and disorienting for non-magickals,” Fallon finished.

“Ton … holy shit.” Grin spreading, Chuck did a chair boogie. “This is freaking awesome.”

“Prepare for a head rush,” Poe warned him.

“You need me, too.”

Will’s jaw dropped as he turned to Arlys. “Why? Come on.”

“On-site reporting. With my own eyes. People trust me, Will, to tell the truth. People here and wherever we can broadcast. Fallon’s right, this is a huge show of power—and intent. Will, this is what I do, just like you go out, take on Raiders, PWs. You need to do this, Fallon, but you also need people to know and believe you have.”

“Yes, you’re right. But some of what we do will have to be kept out. Like the details of the spell itself.”

“Off the record. Absolutely agreed. Make that tonic a double, Lana. Chuck and I will split it.”

“On the road again.” He winked at her.

“I’ll get the tonic.” Pale, Lana rose. “You’ve calculated the risks?”

“I promise you.”

“You’ve calculated the risks,” Lana repeated, “factoring in that without you, the dark wins?”

“I promise you.”

“I need to go to the office, get a couple things. Video recorder, which will be off,” Arlys assured Fallon, “during your spell, and whenever else you say.”

“I need a few things myself. Give me a lift?” Chuck asked.

“I’m walking you out.” Will pushed to his feet. He had some things to say to his wife.

“I need to talk to Duncan and Tonia for a minute.” Fallon gestured toward the back, then walked all the way through and out onto the patio.

“You could have mentioned we’d be on a mission tonight,” Duncan began.

“I wanted it contained.”

“You think we’d go blabbing about something like this?” Tonia snapped.

“No, but the sooner we can go after the words are said, the fewer who know they’ve been said, the better. I have what we’ll need in my pack, but I wasn’t expecting to take a couple of civilians or bring anything back but some supplies and weapons. The computer equipment—I see how valuable it’ll be, but it’s a challenge. It’s going to take more time, more power.”

“A couple more witches? Your mother?”

“No.” Fallon shook her head. “It has to be the three of us. That’s something I know. The logistics are more complicated now, but it’s doable. The spell itself? I need to pass it from me into you for it to work. All three of us have to know, and you have to understand that knowledge will be in you not only tonight but always.”

“How’s that done?” Duncan asked her. “ ‘From,’ ‘into,’ that doesn’t sound like talking it through.”

“Through the blood. Here and now.” She drew out her knife. “Blood to blood, power to power, light to light. You have to be sure, because—”

“Blah blah blah, blood magicks, serious shit, blah blah. Let’s do it.” Duncan held out a hand. “And get this party started.”

Tonia mirrored his gesture. “What he said.”

“It is serious shit,” Fallon replied. “Both hands, for all.” She scored her own palms first, then his, then Tonia’s. “Hands clasped.” She gripped Duncan’s, Tonia’s, breathed in.

“A circle of three, a circle of trust, grant knowledge from me to do what we must. We are your children,” she said as their blood mixed and heated and glowed. “We are what was written. One, two, three, three, two, one, with knowledge shared the dark is undone. Through the blood this gift from me, and as I will, so mote it be.”

It came with a jolt, through the gut, the heart, the mind. For a moment, Duncan swore his blood burned with light. Then it banked, quiet and calm. And he knew.

“It’s so damn simple. Once you know, it’s so damn simple.”

“Logical,” Tonia agreed. “On the other hand? I feel like I just stuck my finger in a live electric socket. Is my hair doing the Einstein?”

“It does half the time anyway,” Duncan said.

“It looks fine. We should go back in. The sooner we start, the better.”

“Hold on.” Duncan still had Fallon’s hand, and yeah, his tingled. His whole body tingled. “Are you going to tell us where we’re going? Tell them?”

“Only the first place. It’s too far away to matter. Nevada.”

It took time. She had to show Will precisely where on the map she intended to go, work out where they’d transport the computer equipment, the weapons, and other supplies.

And she had to hope her mother’s tonic would prevent the civilians from having too extreme a reaction.

“You’re sure it’s empty?” Simon pressed. “No holdovers inside? No military? No booby traps?”

“I’ve been there, through the crystal and otherwise. It’s been empty for years. Some remains,” she added, glancing at the civilians. “I should’ve told you.”

“We’ve seen remains before. Don’t worry.” Arlys gave Will a quick, hard kiss. “I’ll be back with the biggest scoop ever.”

“Take hands,” Fallon ordered. “Breathe. It’ll be fast,” she said and, with a glance at Duncan and Tonia, flashed.

“They’re going to be fine.” Hannah slipped an arm around her mother, then one around Lana. “Just fine.”

“Beam me the fuck down, Scotty.” Swaying some, Chuck tried to catch the breath the flash had stolen. He could’ve sworn his eyes jiggled in their sockets. “Okay, hot stuff?”

“Am I all here?” Arlys wondered as the floor rocked under her feet like a ship in high seas. “I feel all here.”

“Every smoking bit of you. Hell of a ride, kids. Hell of a ride. And oh, oh, come to Papa!”

He rushed toward the monitors and equipment.

“I thought here first,” Fallon said. “So he can tell us what we should take back.”