“God I hate dealing with Tattletale,” I grumbled as Joy passed me a cigarette. “Just rotten.”

  “Can’t say she impressed me,” Joy said with a shrug. “But I get it. My dad got beat up by the mob when he was working in New York. Not that different, probably.”

  “Shit, sorry,” I said, taking a puff.

  “It’s whatever,” she said, shaking her head. “Not like he didn’t enjoy using his fists too, you know?” I winced.

  “Sorry.” I sighed and passed the cigarette back to her. “Anyway, what do you think about it? We need more people right, and these guys are already on board with our work.”

  “Fucked up she just...kidnapped them,” Joy commented.

  “Well it was her or Werwolf,” I countered. “What would you prefer?”

  “A bullet,” she replied flatly.

  “Okay, granted,” I sighed. “But I mean about them joining. Can’t just let them wander around on their own and get hurt right?”

  “I guess not,” she said. I snagged the smoke from her as she shook her head. “Think they’re legit ANTIFA?”

  “I don’t even know what that means,” I groaned, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “The fuck is an ANTIFA anyway?”

  “Anti-Fascist Action,” Joy answered, cocking her head. “You never heard of them?” I pursed my lips, thinking, then suppressed a sigh.

  “I haven’t exactly,” I said. “But it uh, it rings a bell.” Just not mine.

  “Basically what the name says,” she explained. “Bunch of people getting together to beat up Nazis.”

  “So like what we’re doing?”

  “We’re actually doing stuff so I’d say we’re better,” Joy retorted with a snort. “But sort of, yeah.”

  “Okay.” I stubbed out our cigarette and stuffed my hands in my pockets, staring at the grey sky overhead. “Then we should bring them in, get them working with us. With how outnumbered we are, we need all the help we can get.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “We don’t know these guys, they could be just as bad.”

  “I doubt that,” I scoffed. “But if you’re worried, I’ll lead them myself, put you in charge of our people. Is that okay?”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Joy hedged. “You should at least bring J-Dog, or maybe Reese. I know you can handle yourself, but going alone with people like that…” She shrugged.

  “It should be fine,” I countered, but her stony look didn’t break. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. “I’ll bring J-Dog, okay? But you shouldn’t worry about me too much. Honestly, I think it’s more likely they cut and run that try stabbing me in the back.” I was hopeful, at least. After all, being outnumbered was just the order of the day.

  “Either way, better you have someone you can trust,” she said. “After all, it’s easier to kill them when they don’t see it coming.”

  “What?” I balked, shocked.

  “It’s easier if you’re not looking over your shoulder.” Joy frowned and cocked her head. “Are you okay?”

  “That’s not— No, what’d you say before?”

  “Uh, that it’s better to have someone you can trust?” she said hesitantly. I narrowed my eyes, studying her face. “What’s wrong?” Why the fuck was she lying, why the fuck had she said that?

  “She’s a little fucking freak, obviously.” I snapped my head around, gripping my pistol.

  “Lia what’s up?” Joy asked, agitated.

  “Stop it,” I growled.

  “Go walk off on your own and get more people killed, it’s what you’re good at.”

  “Hey fuck you,” I spat, face burning as I glowered at Joy.

  “Lia I didn’t—” Joy stopped herself, taking a step back and raising her hands. “Hey, look, not doing anything okay? Can you tell me what’s happening?”

  “You’re...you’re calling me a freak,” I said, hands clenched.

  “Because she knows what she’s talking about you little monster.”

  “Everyone knows, it’s obvious, just look at all that blood!”

  “Shut up!” I snapped, lashing a fist out at Joy. She caught it on her arm and slammed her palm into my chest. It didn’t hurt, but it jarred me hard enough that I shrank back. “Sorry, sorry Joy I—”

  “Calm down,” she cut me off, voice gentle. Her hands gripped my shoulders and forced me to face her. She looked scared, like she should be. “Sorry about hitting you I...just sorry, okay? But I’m not saying any of that, it’s not me, Lia.”

  “Liar,” I choked, stumbling back.

  “I swear on my life,” Joy continued, taking a careful step forward, hands at her sides. “Tell me what you’re hearing, I can help.”

  “Freak.”

  “Murderer.”

  “Dyke!”

  Her arms wrapped around my shoulders as sobs wracked me and screaming voices read off lists of my sins.

  “Sorry again,” I said quietly as Nadir and I walked up the street.

  “It’s fine, seriously,” Nadir said firmly, intense gaze making me look away from her after a moment. “I mean it. I’m your friend, I’ve got your back...whatever it is.”

  I gave her a silent nod. I wasn’t hearing anything besides her and the streets, a blessing after a few hours of torture. No time to rest either. Almost as soon as I’d calmed down, I got a message from a number I didn’t recognize: a capital ‘U’ with exaggerate serifs and an address. Cauldron, no question about it. Luckily Nadir had some time, so I wasn’t going in alone.

  I wasn’t sure what she could actually do, if it came down to a fight. Contessa wasn’t invincible, technically, but she could probably beat us both handily. We were supposed to be on the same side but I was getting used to allegiances shifting and breaking like half-frozen ice. Nothing I could do but get ready to fight like hell, and die badly if I had to.

  “Here,” I said, jerking a thumb at a burnt out building across the road from us.

  We’d come deep into the Docks, a quiet area that used to be a hotspot for junkies. Empty now, and there was even still debris clogging the alleys. Forgotten felt like the best way to describe it. I walked up to the charred door, glancing over my shoulder and getting a curt nod from Nadir before she turned around to watch the street. I drew myself up and rapped my knuckles against the frame. Seconds later, the door opened and—

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Come in,” a hissing, clicking voice echoed out. I flinched back at the sight of an empty, white hallway.

  “I heard it too,” Nadir said, gripping my shoulder firmly. “In there?”

  “I— Yeah,” I said, swallowing the churning bile in my stomach. I scratched at a tickling on my arm and gripped my pistol, not taking any chances. “Stay close.”

  We headed through and my ears popped loudly, and I fought a brief wave of dizziness. A faint breeze blew against what little skin I had exposed, and turning my head I saw a hallway identical to the one in front of us stretching behind as well. Nadir gasped and I whipped my head around, suppressing a flinch at the sight of Number Man standing there with a folder in his hands.

  “Intelligence,” he said flatly, holding it out. “A collection of points where Werwolf member congregate, businesses affiliate, and profiles on their parahuman forces.”

  “Just like that?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

  “It was not easy to acquire,” he replied. “But you agreed to a favour. We will collect on that in the future, for now.” He pushed the documents towards me. I eyed him for a moment, then took them from his hands. “We appreciate your silence.”

  “And if you didn’t I’d find out pretty quick,” I muttered.

  “Indeed,” Number Man agreed. “Do you have any other requests to make of us?” I blinked and considered it for a moment.

  “Who was that?” Nadir asked out of the blue. “I mean who talked to us, before we came in?”

  “Someone spoke to you?” he said, a slight wrinkle appearing on his brow. “When?”

  “When the door opened,” Nadir said. “It wasn’t you guys?”

  “At the moment, I am the only one in this facility,” Number Man said, his flat tone taking on a mild tinge of worry. “You should leave quickly. I will have a door opened somewhere else in the city, just in case.”

  I agreed and soon enough we had been deposited in an alley, miles away from where we had entered Cauldron’s facility. Both of us changed out of our costumes and back into regular clothes, relatively light since it was a nice day. Minutes later, we were heading back to the West End, a long walk from just outside Captain’s Hill. I slapped at a tickle on my neck and looked at my hand, frowning.

  “Huh, mosquito,” I said flatly, glancing over my shoulder at the alley we’d come through. “Little early.”

  “It has been kinda warm lately,” Joy commented. “Ugh, if they come out this early here I might just go back north.”

  “Colder up there I guess,” I replied, brushing my hand off on my pants. “Maybe I’ll join you.”

  It still didn’t sit right. It was barely February, way too early, and it wasn’t like there had been a ton of other bugs around. Plus the voice...but Number Man said he was the only one there. Not that I was about to take Cauldron at their word, but there hadn’t been any bugs around the hall we’d been in.

  Tattletale...she couldn’t be right. That voice hadn’t really sounded like Skitter’s either, too buggy which was weird to say. Oh, wait, Cauldron had another member didn’t they, the invisible one. I vaguely recalled something like that from somewhere near the end. During the fight with the Slaughterhouse Nine-Kay? There was some kind of raid on Cauldron’s base, Sveta had been there.

  Fucking jumbled up shitty memories. Obviously the variety of...percussive maintenance I’d had since becoming a hero didn’t help, but why couldn’t I just remember a straight scene? Maybe I really was just a dogshit precog and I was just coping by pretending it was just something I’d read. After all, I’d pretended I was someone else for months. Who knew what other delusions I was coming up with.

  “Hey,” Joy said, elbowing me. “You’re grinding your teeth.” I flinched and unclenched my jaw, wincing at the soreness of the muscles. “I don’t see anyone, and I’ve been keeping an eye out since we head that voice back there.”

  “I don’t see anyone either,” I mumbled. “And you don’t have to humour me, I know I’m crazy.”

  “So am I,” she replied, shrugging. “So is Zeke, so is everyone in our crew.”

  “Not like that,” I groaned.”

  “I know,” Joy said gently, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “I still mean it. Can’t grow up like them and not be a little crazy, you know? Can’t go through last summer here…”

  “Yeah, I...I guess,” I sighed. “But they don’t see things, or hear things, or whatever. It’s different.”

  “Sucks more, probably,” she said. “Sorry.”

  “No, you’re right, it does.” I leaned some of my weight against her as we walked. It probably looked weird, but it felt nice. “And like...I told you about my memories right?”

  “The precog thing, or not that but…” She wagged a hand and grimaced.

  “Yeah that,” I nodded. “Just, I keep thinking about what Tattletale told me, about Skitter being alive. But then I remember something that makes me think she’s full of shit and it’s like, how do I know what’s real? Fuck I barely know what’s real half the time anyway.”

  “Wish I could help,” Joy said. “You could tell me if you want. Um, no promises I’ll really understand but…”

  “Yeah, maybe,” I said, scratching the back of my neck. “Maybe just get really fucking high and yap.”

  “I’m down if you are,” she said. “Maybe we check this info out first though, come us with a plan.”

  “No rest for the wicked,” I sighed.

  Settled on a plan for the evening, we headed for home and I tried to put that chittering voice out of my mind.

  “That’s a hell of a schedule,” Zeke said as I finished laying out the plan. “Shit, no way we can do this on our own. Even if we got a few more boys…” He shook his head.

  “I’ll be leading the ANTIFA guys,” I said. “They texted me last night, we’re meeting tomorrow. Two teams, one under Nadir, one with me. J-Dog, I want you with me too, make sure I’m not alone with strangers.”

  “Cool,” J-Dog said, ever unflappable. “Hey Jeep, didn’t you used to beat those guys up?”

  “Yeah, weird right?” Jeep said with a laugh, then his smile fell away. “This don’t feel like gang shit no more. My cousin joined the marines, it’s...it sounds like what he talked about.”

  “And we ain’t getting payed,” Reese said lowly, eyeing me. “What’s the deal?”

  “Same as ever, split the loot,” I replied simply. “If we come back empty handed, I’ll figure it out, pay myself if I have to. More places we hit, the more we’ll take anyway.” In theory.

  “We got lives, you know,” Wick said.

  “And that’s why we’re here to figure out a schedule.” I grit my teeth in a snarl behind my mask. “But frankly? This is more important. The quicker we do this, the quicker we annihilate them, the sooner everyone gets back to their lives. When it’s all over, you’ll probably have a bunch of cash and a city where you can walk down the street without worrying about getting lynched. That’s worth it.”

  “It wasn’t that bad,” Jeep countered. “Just had to stay out of their lines.”

  “Don’t you get it? They shouldn’t have lines!” I panted, face hot, throat pained from screaming. Everyone stared at me, eyes wide. I wanted to back off but...no, I was supposed to be the captain here. “This is always how it was going to go. If you want to get out, then you go right now. I sold my soul to get this intel, I’ll be damned if I don’t use it to clean this fucking city up.” There was a long, heavy silence and I knew I’d fucked up.

  “Your soul?” Wick asked shakily. “For real?” I shot him a look and rolled my eyes.

  “She made a deal with some shady assholes,” Nadir explained. “I’m not sure who they are or what it was, but if Amaranth thinks it’s worth it...I’m in. My rakshotha thought it was worth leaving his family at sixteen to fight Nazis. I think he’d want me to do this, want us to do it.”

  “You know I thought you were just some dumb cracker bitch,” J-Dog said slowly. “Coming into our ‘hood, getting hammered like that. This shit…” He sighed and shook his head. “Man, I was dead wrong. You just plain old crazy.”

  “Shit talk ‘em all we want, they’re some hard fuckers,” Jeep said. “Like this ain’t a game anymore, you know?”

  “It never was,” I said grimly. “In or out, choose now.”

  I folded my hands and sat back, ready to have everyone but Nadir walk out the door. They were right after all, I was crazy. Everyone knew it, even if I’d only talked to Nadir. Until now, they’d been payed enough to look past it, but this was the Rubicon. Past here, they’d be signing up for a war under the command of a seventeen year old. After a few minutes, Reese let out a deep sigh and leaned forward.

  “We’d better be making bank,” he said gravely. “If not, I’m bouncing.”

  “What do you want?” I asked, crossing my arms.

  “Twenty grand per house, bare minimum,” he replied. “We don’t make it up in cash, shit, we’ll make it up another way.”

  “I told you I’d pay,” I said flatly.

  “You can pay that much?” Wick said incredulously.

  “Can and will,” I said, trying not to worry about falling numbers in my bank account. I could get it back, maybe. Reese and Wick shared an odd look, then both sighed and nodded.

  “Job’s a job,” Reese said. “We’re in.”

  “Me too,” J-Dog said, leaning forward. “If there’s that much money, can’t skip out.”

  “Guess I am too,” Jeep agreed. “These boys are solid, I think I trust them.”

  “Zeke?” I asked, turning my head. His eyes flicked to me, then to the floor.

  “Look Amaranth, not for nothing, you saved my life,” Zeke said shakily. “You too Nadir but...man, I don’t know. I’m no shooter, never have been, I ain’t that hard.”

  “Seriously Zeke?” Nadir said as a cold pit formed in my stomach. “I...come on, don’t joke.”

  “I’m not joking,” he said. “This...I been thinking about it, and this is just too much for me. I’m sorry guys, you’re gonna have to find another driver.”

  “Fine,” I said icily. “But you know my face. If that leaks, I’ll kill you.”

  “Never would,” he snapped. “I ain’t a snitch and if you say that again I’ll bust your ass.”

  “Try me,” I growled, then took a deep breath and let it out slowly, unclenching my fists. “Go. Take a walk. We have shit to plan.”

  “I...fine,” Zeke said, rising from the couch, shoulders slumped. “Look are...are we cool? No hard feelings you know, I’ll still hang out.”

  “Later Zeke,” I said firmly.

  I had bigger pieces of shit to deal with.