Simon looked more timid—and a lot older—than the man they had talked to the previous day on this same balcony. And his fear was showing.“The Cobbe is more than just a big bird,” he said. “It is a power—you would be wise not to underestimate it.”“And you would be wise not to underestimate my big brother,” Alan said. John acknowledged that with a grin, lighting up a fresh smoke as Simon continued.“You’ve all seen it—Galloway and the Cobbe are intertwined, and together they have control of the gateway. Without that, we are stuck here—and this place will not sustain us for long. There is precious little to eat but berries—there’s fish in the sea, but the Cobbe controls the cliffs. Whatever your plan, you’d best do it soon, for we will only get weaker as they get stronger.”“I’ve seen Galloway’s idea of strength,” John said, angrily stubbing his cigarette out on the surface of the table. “If killing kids is its source, then I call it a weakness. And it’s one I’m going to exploit.
