"We're safe," Anton replied, and although he was turned partly away from Renn and--Gabe?--the sorcerer still kept his eye on them both. "Renn Teleported us somewhere which looks remarkably like China Sorrow's apartment. Professor Grouse is unconscious, but ..." With long strides he crossed to Kenspeckle, bending down to give him a cursory inspection. "He'll be fine."

He glanced over his shoulder again, hearing the hesitation in Renn's voice but not knowing what it was for. He still marked it as Gabe replied, turning his head enough so his voice wasn't muffled. "Yes. Please."

"Your always-altruistic-but-only-sometimes-benevolent friend looks as though he could use Kenspeckle's services, however." The description rolled ironically and pointedly off his tongue. "And we have a problem. If you're answering, I assume Scarab is dealt with. Please tell me you found both Engines. Apparently three hours was long enough for the Remnant."

Anton had always known Kenspeckle was a genius, but this ... was more than that. This took an intimacy of knowledge even a genius wouldn't have been able to attain in three hours.