I sat in my bed, staring at the dark ceiling above. It was quiet, everyone else had gone home to get ready for class tomorrow. I had the place to myself, and god I wished to hell I didn't. I was stuck here alone with the knowledge that, tomorrow afternoon, Taylor Hebert's life was going to be utterly destroyed. Skitter would survive, or Weaver eventually, but there was no going back. Tagg's gambit cost her everything that wasn't cape life. She deserved to be arrested, she deserved prison, arguably the Birdcage.

  She didn't deserve this.

  What was I supposed to do? I was a Ward, hell I'd probably be on the team taking her down. I could, and would, tell them to call it off tomorrow. I would lay it out, how badly it would go. I didn't exactly remember it well, but I knew the students would take Taylor's side. That alone should be enough to put a stop to whatever idiot ideas Tagg had about taking a warlord down in a single stroke.

  But what if they wouldn't listen? It was a real concern, since they probably didn't listen to the capes who'd objected in the story. Of course this wasn't that, not anymore, but I couldn't shake the fear. My interventions hadn't prevented much so far, and even with a warning about Echidna everything had still gone to hell while I'd been in her belly. Would this be another time like that? Could I afford to risk it?

  I rose and paced the short length of my room, back and forth. I fucking despised her, that fucking bitch. I didn't want to know about this, didn't want to be forced to choose in a situation where whatever I did, I was going to be in the wrong. If I helped the Protectorate, I'd be unmasking a sixteen-year-old, and if that happened to me... My stomach churned.

  But if I helped her, helped the worst warlord of the bay? The heroes would hang me out to dry, shun me, any friendship I had with Amy would be ground to dust. Thinking about it made me sick. And the worst part was, I couldn't even say joining the crowd of students would be wrong. But I couldn't lose everyone to help Taylor, I wasn't that much of a hero...

  Did I have to lose everything though? Did I have to lose anything? Warning the heroes ahead of time may not work, and siding with Taylor to stop the arrest in the middle of school was an idiot's plan. What if I tried to prevent it entirely though? My heart beat a little quicker as I considered it. Dangerous, stupid, with no guarantee of success.

  That wasn't too different to how I'd thought about going after Amy. That plan had worked, and even though it had been ill-informed by a certain bitch's memories it was my sole shining moment of success. This would be different, not a headlong charge into a city infested with serial killers but a peaceful walk by the beach. Right into the jaws of a warlord...

  I groaned and bonked my head against the door. I pulled back, moved my projection, and did it again, wincing at the sharp pain from my forehead. What the fuck was I thinking, going and warning a villain about her just deserts? Well, I wasn't really. This wasn't justice, it was humiliation. And sure I wanted the Undersiders gone as much as anyone else in this building, but this was just the wrong way.

  I pulled off my mask and hood, stuffing them in the cabinet next to me. I took out the light-blue tracksuit the Wards issued me and slipped it over my costume; sure as hell wasn't going into villain territory without it. I grabbed a bandana from the cabinet instead and stuck it in my pocket. After that it was my stun gun and pepper spray, both concealed at my belt under my jacket. As ready as anyone could be to try and change the future, I left my room and made my way out of the PRT headquarters. It wasn't like that was the hard part. I took the connector between the HQ and neighbouring building, nearly having an heart attack when I met Vista on her way back.

  “Hey you didn't head home?” I asked when she stopped in front of me. I stuffed my hands in my pockets to hide their shaking.

  “Was on my way but forgot something,” she said with a shrug. “Mom wasn't happy about turning around but...well, wasn't like we got far.”

  “Ah, sucks,” I said, nodding.

  “You going out for a run?” she asked, eyeing my tracksuit.

  “Yeah I was thinking about it,” I answered vaguely. I was sure I'd need to do some running tonight... “Maybe just getting dinner somewhere other than the mess though, you know? Got to spend that bounty money.”

  “Wait, is that what Dennis kept you back for?” Vista's eyes brightened. “They actually paid out for Shatterbird?”

  “Yeah I was surprised too,” I replied. “Like, I don't get all of it, but I guess I can buy us a team dinner now?”

  “Hell yeah,” she said with a grin. “Congratulations, by the way. I didn't say it back then because...you know, but taking down Shatterbird is crazy.”

  “Thanks,” I said flatly. “I'm uh, gonna head out. See you.”

  We passed by and I walked on, wiping my hands on my pants and cursing under my breath. It really hadn't been that close a call, no way Vista knew what was going on in my head. Still, it felt like a bad omen to walk out under. Oh well, I had a mission. I shielded my eyes against the early-evening sun as I left the building and took a deep breath. Then I turned towards the water and started walking on shaky legs.

  My stride grew easier the further I got from the PRT building. At least out here, there was almost no chance of being recognized. I slipped past the police checkpoint that had been set up at the edge of the Protectorate's control, no one cared about a little kid with her head down. Good thing too, since I was pretty sure the hero with them was one I'd seen fighting Leviathan. Unlikely he'd recognize me, but I wasn't going to take chances.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  And then I was free, relatively speaking. Overhead, I could see distant dots of flyers on patrol. That would be New Wave, unless we'd gotten more reinforcements I hadn't been informed of. I considered waving, then instantly thought better of it and lowered my traitorous arm before it had extended all the way.

  It was a surprise, how quiet the city was outside the Blue Zone, as people were calling the fortified city center. There were other pockets of control outside, but most space was either contested or firmly under the villains' boots. I'd expected that to mean active fighting, or at least a lot of crime away from the downtown. And yet things seemed...peaceful.

  It wasn't all sunshine of course, some streets were still flooded, and dozens of buildings had been destroyed or damaged beyond repair. Demolition crews would be working here, if not for the warlords. They probably had their own contractors, but there sure weren't here. A lot of this stuff was recent too, from the Nine or Echidna. God...I really hoped things would get better soon.

  When I crossed into the Red Zone, the places the Protectorate called 'contested' and where the National Guard didn't patrol, it was obvious. Skitter was a criminal, a warlord, but she'd obviously been trying to do at least some of what we were. Even with the sun going down, construction crews were hard at work putting together places for people to stay. Plenty of streets were still flooded, but that was a city-wide problem.

  The people surprised me too. There were more on the streets than the no-man's-land I'd just walked through, or even the relatively safe downtown. They seemed to be in relatively good spirits too, chatting quietly in small groups as they rested or wandered. I supposed, with a warlord making sure any and all threats came from her alone, it was safe enough if you weren't in Skitter's bad books. Like me.

  I turned down an alley and found an alcove out of sight. After a few minutes, making sure I hadn't been tailed and anyone who'd seen me go here was long gone, I wrapped my bandana around my face and tied back my hair. Couldn't cover it up, so I just pulled it into a low bun and tied the ends of my makeshift mask around to keep it in place. Not perfect, but good enough to be taken for a new cape instead of an existing Ward.

  People gave me a wide berth when I returned to the streets and continued towards the old boardwalk. Fair enough, I'd avoid an obvious cape and/or gangster too. I shifted my right sleeves down, just in case anything was peeking; really didn't need to get jumped because of that fuckup. But I was well hidden, or at least the stuff that would make all this risk worthless was.

  Lower Water, the last street before the beach, was surprisingly the best off. Even though everything here had been swept away, it was already back to some semblance of a normal neighbourhood. Well, at least not counting the brace of big, armed dudes approaching led by a guy who was three of me wide, with a bushy, black beard and thick-rimmed glasses. I paused and crossed my arms, waiting for them to come to me. Didn't want them thinking I was making a move.

  “Hello there,” the big guy said when he stopped, about six feet away. The others stopped behind him, wielding chains, baseball bats, even an honest to god flintlock pistol. “Welcome to the neighbourhood. I'd ask you to identify yourself, but I don't think you'd be wearing that mask if you were willing.” I grinned even as my heart beat a little faster.

  “Call me 'Innominate',” I replied. “I'm here to see Skitter, got a message for her.”

  “From who?”

  “It's 'whom', boss,” one of the grunts hissed, earning a glare from the leader and a cuff on the ear from another gangster.

  “A message from whom?” he boomed, crossing his arms.

  “From me, to her,” I replied evenly.

  “The answer is no.”

  “It's not a fucking question,” I snapped, narrowing my eyes. “I have information for Skitter that she needs to hear. Give her a call and let's get a meeting going. This is kind of time sensitive.” I eyed the sun, already beginning to set.

  “You can tell me,” he said. “I'll make sure Skitter hears what you have to say tonight.”

  “Won't happen, Mr. Teach,” I retorted. “I need to talk to her now. Can't play a game of telephone with some flunky who'll probably forget half of it.” Bad enough that I'd forgotten until now.

  “That's not gonna happen either,” he countered. I sighed.

  “Then I guess I'm going to start knocking on doors until she answers, hmm?” I started walking again. When one of the gangsters reached out his bat to block me, I just bumped it aside with my hip as I passed.

  “Hey, stop!” one of them yelled as I walked towards a squat maisonette with bars over the windows.

  “I'm just knocking,” I said, and did just that. The goons bristled, and I turned my head when the door opened,

  “Yes?” An older woman with curly, greying hair.

  “Sorry to bother you,” I apologized. “Is Skitter home? We need to talk.” I didn't remember her hiring an old woman. I didn't remember a lot.

  “I'm...sorry she isn't here?” The woman sounded confused, looking from me, to the men behind me, and back. “I-- I don't want any trouble.”

  “No trouble,” I said, keeping my voice even. “I just want to know where she is. And since these guys aren't helpful, I figured I'd do some...community outreach.”

  “No, I'm sorry, I can't help.” The door shut in my face and I shrugged, turning to head to the next door.

  “You need to stop that,” Blackbeard said gravely as I approached the next house.

  “And you need to call Skitter,” I said, knocking on the door. “I literally do not have time for this, and neither does she. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when she finds out you stopped her from getting this info.” This time a kid who couldn't be older than Vista. “Hey buddy, you know where Ski--” The door slammed. “Fuck.”

  “I don't know if you're with the Fallen, or Haven or--”

  “I told you, I'm here with a message from me.” I whirled and strode up to him, glaring. It didn't matter he had ten or so feet on me, I could break his knees in a heartbeat. “Not from the Teeth, the Fallen, or any other dime a dozen trash you keep company with. Now fucking call her or--.” There was a loud humming and the light around us seemed to dim.

  “Forrest,” a buzzing, awful voice from all around. “Is this the trouble you mentioned?” I sighed.

  “Hey Skitter,” I said, turning to the swarm clone that had formed behind me. “I'll assume Eddy there already told you I have information for you.”

  “He didn't.” It turned its 'head' to Forrest. “Bring her in ten minutes.” Without another word, the clone vanished and her lackey put a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off.

  “Follow me,” he said, sounding a little tired. “It seems the boss wants to meet you.”