But the surviving Talulah Falls residents had worked with the terra indigene, explaining the value of clearing at least one lane of the cars that had been abandoned during the first effort to flee the Falls a few months ago. There were parking lots full of cars that hadn’t been reclaimed—some because the owners had been tourists who had been allowed to leave or had run away in the first chaotic days and weren’t seen again. And some vehicles belonged to people who had been killed outright during the terra indigene’s initial furious response to the explosion that had killed several of the Crowgard.

No one talked about how many humans had died. No one talked about the Harvester who had been brought to the Falls to act as the enforcer and consumed the life energy of anyone suspected of wrongdoing. Instead, the humans presented a list of what they considered vital businesses and industries. The power plant provided electricity for the whole area, including Talulah Falls, Great Island, and Lakeside. It would provide most of the power for the River Road Community. If they could have some reassurance for their safety and that of their families, the men and women who worked at the power plant would remain in the Falls, doing their work to the best of their ability, even making entry-level jobs available to the folks from Ferryman’s Landing to train more workers in all areas of the business.

As far as Vlad could tell, this seemed to be the message the humans wanted to convey: this was their home; they wanted to stay; but they didn’t want to die if they stayed. And they understood that any sign of the HFL movement would mean the end of the citizens and town of Talulah Falls.

From the terra indigene, he heard a different message: they were tired of dealing with humans; they didn’t like feeling enclosed by so many human things; they wanted to go home, go back to limited contact with the clever monkeys. But they also wanted an opportunity to observe humans without the responsibility for so many things they didn’t understand.

In other words, they wanted to play tourist for a day or two in a place like Ferryman’s Landing or the Lakeside Courtyard and then retreat to the land they knew and loved.

<What do you think?> Vlad asked Henry and Ming.

<They see Lakeside surviving and Ferryman’s Landing surviving,> Henry said. <They want to survive too.>

<Yes,> Ming agreed. <I smell no lie-sweat. And Steve Ferryman did not say the words that were the signal that he felt something wrong here.>

An Intuit who was the mayor of his village would have a feeling about any deceit that might threaten his own people.

“The Sanguinati have adapted to living in and around human places,” Vlad said, finally ready to say what Erebus had commanded him to say. “We are willing to take over the rule of Talulah Falls, with the help of other forms of terra indigene.”

He saw fear in the humans’ eyes, but not as much as there would have been a few months ago. After having a Harvester walking among them, the idea of vampires running the town was a relief.

“The Sanguinati who would be the leader is known to many in the Lakeside Courtyard. He also has contact with Governor Hannigan’s Investigative Task Force, so he is in a position to consider the needs of the human citizens as well as the terra indigene.” Vlad looked at the terra indigene leaders. <With others willing to take over for you, you can go home if that is what you want to do.>

<When?> they asked.

<Soon. The problem solver has one more task to complete if it can be done. Then he’ll be on his way to Lakeside and then here.>

Done. Since Talulah Falls was now a town controlled by the Others, there would no longer be a Courtyard as such. Vlad and Nyx, along with a couple of human residents, would take a look around the Falls and recommend places where the Sanguinati might live. The rest of the terra indigene who would settle in the Falls would select their new homes according to their nature.

People were in desperate need of some supplies. Could something be done?

Yes, something could be done. Checkpoints would remain, but an effort would be made immediately to bring in supplies—and find drivers who would be willing to bring a truck into the Falls.

Vlad gave the police captain his e-mail address. Steve Ferryman did the same. Between them, they would do what they could while the transition of leadership took place.

As a last gesture, they all followed Jerry Sledgeman’s livestock truck to the fenced acres that used to be the Falls Courtyard and released the four bison. Maybe the humans would value the meat; maybe not. But the gesture of help was building links among Talulah Falls, Ferryman’s Landing, and Lakeside.

How much human do the terra indigene want to keep? Vlad thought as Henry drove the minivan back to Lakeside. Are the Sanguinati, who can adapt to urban environments better than most forms, going to become separated from the rest of the Others? Or are we going to be the stronghold that maintains the bits of human the terra indigene want while the other forms take care of the land? There’s a storm coming. We all know it, even if humans don’t want to see it. No point worrying about what might be until we see what is left.

• • •

Simon ran through the Courtyard. Ran and ran and ran. Talulah Falls wasn’t his responsibility. If the terra indigene there wanted to yield to the Sanguinati and go home, that was their business, not his. In Lakeside, the Sanguinati and Wolves were complementary predators, and they were strong predators. They made an effort not to quarrel with one another. Okay, they had snarled at each other a bit about Meg, but they were both being protective because she was not only a friend; she was Namid’s creation, both wondrous and terrible.