They had to set Kellan down at the transport junction.
The officer there had a line of carts, one narrow outbound lane, and a map whose corners were coming apart in his hands. He had already lost a driver to an emergency transfer and a movement window to the blocked second route. When Tessa told him that the wall group had cleared, he looked past her at the covered board and understood enough to lower his voice.
“That’s Kellan?”
“Yes.”
He took off his cap, held it a moment, then put it back on because somebody behind him was asking where the next passengers should stand. Tessa gave the child with the injured ankle to the receiving care worker for the junction crossing. The child refused the unfamiliar hand until her friend went with her. The guide spoke to both children, then came back to ask about the next shelter.
“Guarded collection point,” the officer said. “Everyone from this junction.”
The guide shook his head.
“Two families have relatives at the other shelter. They were told we could check the route here.”
