Titans of Chaos

I paused a moment, glaring down at him.

Well, he had chucked an Atlantis guy overboard for me, after making him praise me. That wasworth something.

Besides, I wasn't sure what "do a Boggin" meant, but it did not sound decent, so I was inclined toavoid the matter.

"Fine," I said, "the Dark Mistress is appeased. For now. What happened is this. Grendel's momreally was about to kill me at one point. The curse of Mavors went off. Instead of sending onevulture, he sent his whole fleet. Since they had Atlantis people with them, the same paradigmVanity has, they arrived in a few minutes. But Lamia was not here. False alarm. Mavors is the guywho told Boggin to let us escape, so he could follow us and trap Lamia when she came to kill us.

Remember? Mavors had to let us go; we still are the only bait he can use to lure out Lamia, andwhoever sent her."

Colin got to his feet and brushed off his knees. "Great. So we are all still about to be killed. Thatmakes me feel so much better."

Vanity pointed and yodeled, "Yoo hoo! Land! Land ho!"

Vanity pointed, and we saw the Golden Gate Bridge, rising, shining and splendid, from out of thewaters of the San Francisco Bay. In the cherry light of the newly risen sun, tall buildings of steeland glass rose up behind it, a textured green at their feet. Climbing up the slopes beyond themrose, rank on rank like rectilinear cloud banks, a crumbled mosaic of white and pale gray squares,as red-tiled houses and buildings of stucco caught the glancing dawn-light. The hills rose upbrown and tawny, like sleeping lions with bunched muscles.

I murmured, "I've never seen so many houses."

Colin said, "I guess that's why they call it a 'city.' Um- aren't we on the wrong side of the world?

How did we get to the Pacific? That's not New York."

Vanity, her green eyes wide and innocent, said, "Sure it is-that's the Brooklyn Bridge rightthere..."

Victor turned his head toward me. "What are your orders, Leader?"

I said, a hint of surprise in my voice, "But we made it. This is it. We can go off and do whateverwe like. Get jobs, raise kids, fund a private space-venture to Mars---Right? We won. Game over.

Right?"

Within Sight of the Land of freedom

All three boys exchanged glances, a look of mingled superiority and worry on their faces. A lookthat said, Oh, come on. How come she doesn't get it? I guess she is more tired than we thought...

Vanity said, "Why don't you sit down, Amelia... ? You look a bit overwrought."