Waddell kept the door shut, which made him the most useful man in the basement for three full breaths.
Jade leaned against the wall near the stairwell and listened to the response team breathe on the other side. Three people stood close enough for their coats to scrape the landing rail. A fourth held farther back, quiet in the way knives were quiet before a hand chose them.
The thread behind Jade's left eye recoiled from all four.
The voice outside came through the metal again.
"Federal response team at the upper door. Open for medical evacuation and security transfer."
Waddell looked at Jade, and she shook her head once before anyone could dress caution as mercy.
Kieran shifted behind him with gold light wrapped around both hands. Tyree lifted the injured boy from the cafeteria table and guided him toward the flour sacks with the other children. He moved slowly enough to look calm and fast enough to matter.
