bricks. So Nick pulled Johnnie-O aside and whispered to him. âActually, Iâm more worried about Charlie panicking. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on him.â
The grin left Johnnie-Oâs face, and he nodded, accepting this new security detail. âOn second thought,â he said loudly, âmaybe Iâll stay here and keep my buddy Charlie company.â
Charlie seemed relieved to know he wasnât being left alone.
Nick opened the door and stepped down from the engine. Around him the Afterlights of Atlanta backed away, cautious and guarded. He didnât know whether they had heard of the so-called Chocolate Ogre, but even if they hadnât, seeing a face such as his gave him a psychological advantage. A kind of authority of the uncanny.
âWhoâs in charge here?â Nick asked them.
No one answered right away.
âCâmonâa group this big has to have someone in charge.â
There were murmurs in the crowd, and then someone spoke, Nick couldnât be sure who it was. âYou mean in charge of
us
, or all Atlanta?â
Interesting,
thought Nick. That meant that there was some sort of structure here. Maybe even a government.
âWhen I say in charge, I mean in charge,â he answered.
The crowd murmured again, and once the murmurs had died down, Nick said, âIâll be waiting.â Then he strode back to the train, and prepared for a meeting with the eminent ruler of Atlanta.
They kept Nick waiting in the parlor car for more than an hour. It could have been intentional, or it simply could have taken that long to retrieve the kid in charge. Nick gave them the benefit of the doubt. The kid who finally climbed into the parlor car was a tall and gangly African-American Afterlight, about sixteen or so. The torn, shabby clothes he wore made Nick wonder if perhaps he had been a slave when he was alive, and yet there was a confidence to his stride that bristled with powerful independence. Whatever this boy had been forced to endure in life, he had certainly risen above it here.
He looked Nick over and said, âWhatâs wrong with your face?â
Apparently stories of the Chocolate Ogre had not reached Atlanta after all. He didnât know whether to be grateful or annoyed. Either way, he didnât feel like answeringthe question. âPlease sit down,â he said. âLetâs talk.â
The Afterlight introduced himself as Isaiah. He didnât offer to shake Nickâs hand.
âTell me about Atlanta,â Nick said. âHow many of you are there?â
Apparently Nick wasnât the only one reluctant to give answers. Isaiah crossed his arms. âFirst tell me about your train,â he said. âIâve never seen an Everlost train before.â
âMy train is my business.â
âWell, maybe it wonât be your train anymore.â
Nick wasnât sure whether this was an actual threat, or just a show of force. He decided to match Isaiahâs confidence measure for measure.
âYou wonât take my train.â
âHow can you be sure?â
âBecause,â said Nick, âif you meant to steal it from me, you would have done it already. Besides, you donât strike me as the type. I think youâre honorable. I think thatâs how you got to be in charge here. You probably overthrew some bully, and had everyoneâs support, because the kids here trusted you.â
Isaiah smiled. âI took down a whole lot of bullies, actually.â He didnât let the smile linger for long. âHonorable or not, youâre trespassing.â
âItâs not trespassing if we stop the train, and ask for permission to pass.â Isaiah was not impressed, so Nick added. âBesides, I have something you need.â
âAnd what might that be?â
âNews of the world,â Nick told him. âNews from the north.â
âI didnât think there
was
a north in