— CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT —

  Standoff

  -Fritz-

  We rounded a corner and immediately pressed ourselves against the wall of an abandoned flower shop. Ahead of us, a cluster of World Guard peacekeepers crouched behind makeshift barricades, their weapons trained on a small cafe across the intersection. An overturned sign lying out front advertised 'Meet & Greet with Ezra - Today!' Through the large display window, I could see a man with a tattered red bandana wrapped around his head holding a knife to a woman's - not Ezra's - throat, her eyes wide with terror.

  Beyond the man and his hostage in the window, I could make out empty tables scattered throughout the cafe's interior and a small wooden stage in the back. The place was decorated with musical instruments mounted on the walls and star-shaped lights hanging from the ceiling. No sign of the other Fringe or hostages.

  We stayed low as we crossed the street, joining a Guard officer behind a line of overturned market stalls they'd repurposed into cover. Up close, I could see the strain on her face - the tightness around her eyes, the grim set of her mouth.

  "Steel Rage, right?" she asked, glancing at Brian's guild emblem. "Thank the Goddess. I was starting to think we'd been forgotten out here."

  "What's the situation?" Brian asked.

  The officer wiped sweat from her brow. "We don't know how many Fringe are in there. They're holding the hostages inside - eight, maybe nine civilians."

  "What are their demands?" Lucy asked.

  "They want a thousand marks, a list of resources - potions, crafting materials, that sort of thing - and safe passage to the Badlands. They gave us a five hour deadline, but I still haven't heard anything from command and there's only fifteen minutes left."

  "What's your plan?" Percy asked.

  The officer's expression curdled like milk left in the sun. "I was hoping someone in charge would make a decision on what to do, because I sure don't know. Command's been silent since this whole crisis started. We're on our own out here."

  Lucy turned to Percy. "What do we think?"

  Percy tapped his fingers against his thigh, eyes never leaving the building. "If the Fringe are penned in by a dozen Guards, there can't be more than that. They seem to be getting cold feet about the mission if they want to escape."

  "I doubt the Guard will give in to their demands." Lucy said. "Not with the kill order."

  Percy nodded. "We've got to move in fast - the sooner the better. Before they get desperate."

  Lucy scanned the surrounding buildings. "I'll look for a vantage point - you find a way to get in close."

  The officer pointed to a building across from the cafe. "There are some windows on the second floor that would give you a clear line of sight."

  "Perfect." Lucy said. "Where's the entrance?"

  As the officer guided Lucy toward the building, Percy surveyed the cafe more carefully. "I don't think they have roof access from in there - we could drop onto it."

  "You lead the way, man." I said.

  Brian gathered the rest of the Steel Rage volunteers. "We'll storm the front once we get an opening."

  Percy nodded. "Three minutes. Get in position."

  We split up, Percy and I heading a few blocks away to find enough space. Once we reached an empty intersection, Percy called Ashley, and we took off into the smoke. Percy guided Ashley in a wide arc before bringing us to a hover over the cafe. He then lowered us down, landing gently on the roof of the building.

  Percy immediately hopped off and carefully walked down the slope of the shingles to peek over the edge of the roof. I wasn't feeling so brave - I flattened myself against the slope, spreading my arms and legs to maximize contact with the rough shingles and crawled feet-first toward the gutter.

  Percy said, "Yeah, this'll work - I can see the front windows. We'll drop down here."

  "You tell me when and I'll follow you." I said, inching forward like a particularly cautious slug.

  Across the street, Lucy appeared in a second-floor window of the building the officer had pointed out. She had her revolver in hand and was gauging the sightline down to the cafe. After a moment, she gave Percy a thumbs-up.

  Percy waved toward an alley a street down where Brian and the Steel Rage volunteers were hiding. Brian returned the wave, and Percy held up three fingers, starting the countdown.

  Three... Two... One...

  Lucy raised her revolver, taking aim through the window.

  Zero.

  The sharp crack of Lucy's gun split the air. Glass shattered below us. A woman's scream echoed from inside, high and terrified.

  Percy didn't hesitate. He stood, took a quick step, and leaped off the roof. I slid down the sloped surface and fell after him. I saw Percy land in a crouch on the sidewalk below, followed immediately by the blue flash of his Blink spell as he teleported inside.

  By the time I hit the ground, Percy was already gone. Steel Rage exploded into action around us, charging out from their hiding spots and using their greataxe leap to fly in from all angles. They soared through the air, crashing through windows and the front door.

  The man who had been holding the hostage at knifepoint lay motionless on the ground, a bullet hole in his forehead. The woman he'd been threatening was huddled in place, arms wrapped around herself, screaming.

  "Hey! It's okay, you're safe now!" I said, moving toward the woman. "We're getting you out of here. Come with me."

  I put a hand on her back and ushered her outside, where the Guard peacekeepers were advancing to secure the perimeter. One rushed forward to take the woman from me.

  (Percival)?I blinked across the tables on the cafe floor and kicked through the door to the backstage area. A cluster of terrified civilians huddled against the far wall, hands bound, eyes wide with fear. Four figures stood frozen in surprise - still turning their heads toward the sound of shattering glass out front. There was one Fringe directly to my right, next to the door. Another stood guard by the hostages with a knife drawn. Then off to the side, close to the stage exit, sitting on an overturned crate, was Eagle. Next to him was good ol' Frankenstein in his mismatched plates of bolted-together armor.

  I had maybe two seconds before they recovered from the shock.

  I quickly made some hand signs, queuing then throwing out Smelt, aiming for Frankenstein's right gauntlet before he could draw his magic-neutralizing sword. The spell hit with a dull whoosh, superheating the metal around his hand. Orange-red light bloomed where the magical heat concentrated, and the metal began to warp and deform. Frankenstein let out a guttural roar as the burning metal seared into his flesh. The smell of scorched leather and skin filled the air as the behemoth staggered back.

  No time to celebrate. I pivoted and launched myself at the guard by the hostages. He'd just managed to turn toward me, knife raised, when I barreled into him. We crashed to the floor, his back taking the brunt of the impact. The thug's elbow connected with my ribs.

  He bucked underneath me, trying to bring his knife around. I grabbed his wrist. He was stronger than me - I couldn't wrestle it away from him, but I did have one of my own. Throwing my chest onto his blade to keep it away from anything vital, I pulled the dagger out of my belt and plunged it into his armpit. There, all it took was a little wiggling to get the whole arm to come off.

  Behind me, the door burst open. The Steel Rage volunteers poured in. Brian led the charge, his massive frame filling the doorway as he tackled the Fringe member standing guard. The man went down hard, pinned beneath Brian's weight like a butterfly in a collection.

  "Got this one!" Brian called out, his knee pressing into the man's spine as another Steel Rage member moved in to bind his hands.

  Eagle was the only one that was given enough time to react. Seeing me, he shouted, "You little brat!" He grabbed the nearest hostage by the rainbow-colored hair and yanked her to her feet - it was Ezra, looking back at me with wide eyes. All she could do was whimper as he dragged her toward the stage. Her feet scrambled against the floor as she tried to maintain her balance, tears streaming down her face.

  I started to pursue, but Frankenstein, his right hand still smoking, stepped in to block my path. With his left hand, he drew a spear from his back. I tried another Smelt, but he reacted instantly, batting the ball of molten slag aside. On contact, the spell fizzled into wisps of magic - he had two weapons with the magic-nullifying enchantment.

  Brian stepped up beside me with two other Steel Rage fighters. "We'll take this one - get after the skinny guy!"

  I blinked, teleporting past Frankenstein. The spell deposited me just behind him, and I didn't stop to look back as Brian and his team engaged the armored giant.

  The curtain Eagle had disappeared through led to a short hallway and then onto the stage. I burst through the curtain and emerged into the cafe's main area.

  Eagle stood center stage, the spotlight catching his wild eyes and the sweat beading on his forehead. He had Ezra pulled tightly against him, his knife pressed to her throat, her rainbow-streaked hair twisted in his grip. She was sobbing openly now, mascara running down her cheeks in black rivulets.

  "Back off!" Eagle screamed, his voice cracking. "I'm walking out of here, and no one needs to get hurt!"

  The front of the cafe was now filled with World Guard peacekeepers, their weapons trained on Eagle. They formed a tentative line near the entrance, not advancing but not retreating either. Through the shattered front window, I could see more Guards taking positions outside.

  "Put down your weapon!" the Guard officer called out, her voice steady but wary. "There's nowhere to go."

  "I said back off!" Eagle yanked harder on Ezra's hair, eliciting another pained cry. "I want a clear path to the door!"

  The Guards exchanged glances, then reluctantly took a step back, creating a narrow corridor toward the exit. They kept their weapons raised.

  Behind him, I put my dagger in my belt and readied my sword, one hand on the hilt, the other on the blade.

  -Fritz-?In my scramble to follow Percy, I changed direction again, bursting through the side door and back into the main cafe area, immediately dropping into a defensive crouch between the scattered tables.

  Eagle held Ezra in front of himself and pointed his knife at the Guards.

  "Put the gun down, bitch!" Eagle screamed, spittle flying from his lips. "I'm having none of that or this one gets it!" He yanked Ezra's hair harder.

  Across the room, Lucy stepped out from behind the Guard's line, her revolver aimed at Eagle's head. "If you kill her, you have no cards left." she said, her voice calm. "Nothing to keep us away from you."

  "Lucy, this guy's crazy!" I called out, inching forward between two overturned tables.

  Eagle's eyes darted between Lucy and me with wild panic. He waved Ezra around in Lucy's direction, driving the point of his knife into her throat. Ezra's crying intensified, her shoulders heaving as she struggled to breathe through her panic.

  "Listen to your friend, pal!" Eagle shouted at Lucy.

  "Fritz, show no weakness!" Percy shouted. He moved with deliberate slowness, circling wide around Eagle, ready to pounce. "Alright, Eagle. Let's talk about this. If we let you walk out, where are you going to let the girl go?"

  Eagle's breathing had become rapid and shallow. Sweat beaded on his forehead, catching the light from the overhead fixtures. "First, stop aiming that thing at me!" he screamed at Lucy.

  Lucy hesitated, then turned the gun in her fingers, holding it up in a peaceful gesture.

  "Drop it!" Eagle demanded, pressing the knife harder against Ezra's throat. The blue wireframe scar expanded slightly.

  Lucy set her pistol on the cafe counter beside her. "Command Sharp: Equipment: Weapon One: Drop." She then took a step back, hands raised to show they were empty.

  "Good." Eagle said. "Now, I'll let her go as soon as I know there's no one following me."

  "How about at the city gate?" Percy suggested.

  Eagle let out a hysterical laugh. "You think I don't know what's waiting for me out there?! I know you've got those Bedlam maniacs ready to hunt us down! No, she's coming all the way!"

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

  "What about a trade, then?" Percy offered. "Let her go, and I'll go with you."

  Eagle shook his head violently. "I don't know what you're planning, but I don't trust it! Clear a path; I'm walking out of here!" He motioned at the Guards crowding the cafe's threshold with his head.

  The World Guard peacekeepers exchanged uncertain glances, then began to fumble over each other as they backed off, clearing the street outside.

  Eagle jabbed a finger at Percy. "Now you back off a few steps, runt! I want a full block of space between me and any one of you!"

  Percy began to back away, his movements slow and cautious, like a predator retreating but still ready to strike. His eyes never left Eagle's, and there was something in his gaze that made me uneasy. It was too focused, too calculating.

  Then, without warning, Percy disappeared. One moment he was there, the next he had dissolved into filaments of blue magic.

  Before Eagle could react, Percy materialized directly in front of him. He thrust his arm out, impaling his hand on Eagle's knife blade and wrestling for control. As they struggled, Percy kicked Ezra hard, knocking her out of Eagle's grip. Eagle's fingers caught in her hair, ripping free a handful of strands as she tumbled away.

  Ezra screamed as she crashed into a cluster of cafe tables, chairs scattering in every direction. I rushed in to grab her, vaulting over an overturned table and sliding across the floor to reach her. Grabbing her under the arms, I dragged her away from the grappling pair, trying to put as much distance between her and the fight as possible.

  "It's okay, you're safe." I said, propping her against the counter. "You're going to be fine." She didn't seem to hear me. Her eyes were unfocused, tears streaming down her face as she hyperventilated.

  Behind me, Eagle managed to land a solid punch to Percy's head with his free hand, sending the kid staggering backward.

  "Vanish!" Eagle shouted, throwing his arm downward. A puff of grey smoke erupted around him, and when it cleared seconds later, he was gone.

  "Temporary invisibility." Percy said, drawing his sword. He began to move warily through the cafe, probing the air with his blade, searching for his invisible opponent. "Watch for disturbances in the air."

  I positioned myself in front of Ezra, scanning the room for any sign of movement. Lucy stepped cautiously toward the counter to pick up her pistol.

  As she reached out to grab it, a knife appeared from nowhere, stabbing down through the back of her hand and pinning it to the wooden surface. Lucy didn't scream - she was too controlled for that - but her sharp intake of breath cut through the silence of the cafe.

  Eagle materialized behind her, his invisibility spell dissipating as he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. His eyes were wild, darting between Percy and me as he held his second knife at Lucy's throat.

  "Nobody move!" he started to shout, but Percy was already in motion.

  "Telekinesis!" Percy barked, his hand extended toward Lucy. The spell took hold instantly - Lucy's body jerked forward, ripping her out of Eagle's grasp. She flew across the room and crashed face-first into a cluster of tables, disappearing in a tangle of wooden legs and chair backs.

  Before Eagle could move, I twisted my spear around and threw it like a javelin. The spear caught Eagle square in the chest, the impact sending him reeling backward. He tripped over a chair and went down hard, sprawling across the floor with a pained grunt.

  Percy was on him in an instant, leaping across the table tops. He landed beside the fallen Eagle and, without hesitation, swept his sword through the man's shoulders, disarming him.

  Lucy coughed as she crawled out of her pile of tables. "Was that the gentlest way you could have gotten me out of there?!"

  Percy shrugged, unconcerned. "Damage is temporary."

  Before we had even a moment to breathe, a body flew across the room, slamming against the wall behind the counter. It was Brian, impaled on a spear with his right arm cut into a stump and wireframe patches showing all over his body. He tried to speak, but only managed a wet, gurgling cough that spattered tiny blue motes onto the polished wood.

  Behind us, a heavy footfall drew my attention to the stage. Frankenstein's monster came lumbering out from behind the curtain, a trail of blue dust swirling in the air after him.

  The monster's right gauntlet had melted into a twisted, malformed piece of metal. Despite that, he had managed to draw and wield his greatsword. In his other hand, his spear rematerialized. He raised both weapons and let out a low, rumbling grunt.

  I grabbed Lucy's revolver and tossed it to her. Percy and Lucy spread out around Frank, and I turned to where Ezra huddled against the counter. Her entire body shook with uncontrollable sobs. The poor girl was completely overwhelmed.

  "Ezra, come on. We need to move." I reached for her arm, but she only curled tighter into herself. "Ezra, please. It's not safe here."

  We really didn't have the time to wait, so I start to pick her up when something clamped down on my ankle.

  It was Eagle, furiously wiggling across the floor to bite my shin.

  I yelped, jerking my leg instinctively. Eagle held on, his eyes wild with hateful desperation. I kicked out, catching him in the chest, and he finally released, tumbling away with a grunt.

  I staggered backward, arms windmilling before crashing into a table. The wood splintered under my weight.

  Across the room, Frankenstein let out another guttural groan and charged toward Lucy. Lucy stood her ground, revolver raised. She squeezed the trigger, once, twice, three times. Each shot found its mark, striking Frankenstein's helmet, but the bullets only sparked and ricocheted off the metal, not even leaving a dent. The giant didn't even flinch, bashing through the tables and chairs.

  Before Lucy could adjust her aim, Frankenstein was upon her. He swung his greatsword in a horizontal arc, forcing her to dive to the side. The blade whistled through the air where she had been standing a split second before, continuing its path to cleave a table in half.

  Lucy rolled to her feet, squeezing off another shot that pinged harmlessly off Frankenstein's pauldron.

  (Percival)?I quickly cast Blink. Not over to Lucy, but to Fritz - to Eagle.

  I dropped my sword and grabbed the snaky bastard by the back of the collar, yanking him upright and drawing my dagger.

  "Hold it, or your boss gets it!" I shouted.

  Frankenstein froze mid-step, his spear still raised for a thrust toward Lucy. The giant's helmet swiveled slowly in my direction. The greatsword in his melted gauntlet lowered slightly, though not enough to suggest he was surrendering.

  Eagle's face was a mess - his features had swollen where Fritz had kicked him, the blue wireframe damage giving his face an asymmetrical, lumpy appearance. Despite his predicament, rage still burned in his eyes.

  "Don't listen to them!" Eagle spat, a thin string of saliva hanging from his lower lip. "Fuck them and fuck me! You get out of here!"

  I tightened my grip on his collar, giving him a quick shake. "Shut up."

  "That's an order! Just go!"

  Frankenstein remained motionless. The only movement was the slow swirl of blue dust particles around his feet.

  "Mmm."

  Frankenstein began to walk toward me. Each footstep landed with a heavy thud against the wooden floor. Tables and chairs in his path were kicked aside or crushed underfoot.

  I knew my best shot was to get in close and cast Smelt too near for him to intercept the shot. It would need to hit him in the head to knock him out instantly. In order to get that shot, though, I would need to attack from a blind spot. As long as I was holding Eagle, Frank wasn't going to turn his back on me.

  Ten feet away now. Nine. Eight.

  The melted gauntlet on his right hand had cooled to a dull gray, fused with whatever flesh was in there. The grip on his greatsword was tougher, if anything - the hilt was jammed in there. I wasn't going to be able to pry it free.

  Seven feet. Six.

  I dropped Eagle and backed off. It was the only way I could get the opportunity I needed.

  Eagle stumbled to his knees. Frankenstein paused, looking down at his boss. Without warning, he dropped his spear and reached down to grab Eagle by the back of his shirt, hoisting him up and tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

  He turned toward the entrance, where a line of World Guard peacekeepers stood with weapons raised. He leveled his greatsword at them.

  The Guards looked at each other uncertainly. The officer stepped forward slightly. "Drop your weapon and-"

  She didn't finish. Frankenstein took a step forward, and the entire line of Guards scrambled backward, clearing a path to the door. Some retreated all the way across the street, taking cover behind their makeshift barricades.

  With steady, unhurried steps, Frankenstein walked toward the exit. The giant ducked to fit his massive frame through the doorway, the greatsword still extended to ward off any heroes. Once outside, he turned and began walking calmly down the street.

  Fritz, Lucy, and I ran out onto the street in his wake.

  "Should we stop them?" Lucy asked.

  "..." I said, "I don't see any reason to risk another fight; Bedlam'll get 'em."

  Fritz nodded, his attention shifting to the cafe. "Yeah, let's make sure the hostages are safe."

  I took one last look at the armored giant lumbering down the road. "Hey, how'd he get out of jail in the first place?"

  Fritz said, "Well he was only sentenced to six weeks."

  "Six weeks?!" Lucy shouted. "Is that what slavery gets you these days?!"

  Fritz shrugged. "There was no unrecoverable damage, I guess. The Guard don't care about NPCs. Come on!"

  -Fritz-?We ran back into the cafe, followed by the Guards. Behind the stage, the five Steel Rage volunteers were sprawled in various positions against the wall, all sporting blue wireframe patches. One guy clutched his side where a spear had punctured clean through. Another was trying to stand despite a leg bent at an unnatural angle. They were hurt, but alive, somehow.

  In the corner, huddled together like frightened animals, were all seven hostages. When the first Guards stepped through the curtain behind us, a sob of relief escaped from one of them. Then the two Fringe were still knocked out on the ground.

  The Guards reassured and handled the hostages while the three of us moved the wounded players. I helped Percy drag the unconscious Fringe members toward the main cafe area, where more Guards were streaming in, securing the building and checking for any threats we might have missed. We deposited our cargo near the front door, where the Guard officer stood over the Fringe member Lucy had shot through the head.

  "What should we do with these three?" the officer asked, looking at the small collection of prisoners we'd gathered.

  Lucy brushed dust off her sleeves. "Take them over to the evacuation zone and hand them over to the Guard."

  Percy said, "Murdock ordered that no prisoners be taken. Anyone we hand over to the Guard will be killed."

  I shook my head. "We can't let that happen. They're not a threat anymore. Murder now is just killing for the sake of it."

  Lucy sighed, running a hand through her hair. "We could hand them over to Bedlam outside the city."

  "The guys they're afraid of facing?" I asked incredulously. "The same ones they were so terrified of that they took hostages?"

  Lucy said, "Bedlam may be brutal, but they're run by a strict military man that is not part of the Guard's hierarchy. By going out there, we can at least guarantee they would face a trial."

  "Sure wouldn't be a fair one in the Guards' courts." Percy said.

  "Well, it's that or release them." Lucy said with a shrug.

  I tapped my fingers against my thigh, thinking. "What about... the Sewer People?"

  "How could they help?" Lucy asked.

  "I don't know, but they're trying to expose the crooked parts of the Guard - maybe they have an idea?"

  Percy asked, "How would we get them all the way out of the city, through Bedlam's perimeter, into the Capital, and down into the sewers without getting caught? I think the best we can do is surrender them to Bedlam."

  "Anything that happens after is a result of their own actions." Lucy said firmly.

  I looked at the bound Fringe members, then at the hostages still shaking in the corner. I didn't like it, but Percy was right. We couldn't save everyone, especially those who'd put themselves in this position. I nodded reluctantly. "Fine. Bedlam it is."

  The officer signaled to a group of her peacekeepers. "We'll escort them to the edge of the city."

  Four Guards moved forward, hoisting the captured Fringe to their feet and guiding or carrying them toward the door.

  Once they were gone, Percy, Lucy, and I headed back into the cafe. The place was already transforming from a battlefield into something resembling normal. Guards had righted tables and chairs, swept the worst of the glass into piles, and were now serving hot drinks to the rescued hostages. The civilians sat huddled around several tables, clutching mugs of steaming tea and coffee with trembling hands as peacekeepers spoke to them in calm, reassuring tones.

  They'd pulled Brian off the wall and he was slouching in a nearby chair. His right arm ended in a stump just below the elbow, and blue wireframe damage covered much of his torso. It would heal eventually, but for now, he looked like hell.

  The Guards had also managed to get Ezra into a chair. She sat with her eyes closed, following the breathing instructions of a peacekeeper who knelt beside her.

  I walked over to Brian and slapped him on his good shoulder. "How you feelin', Brian?"

  He looked up with a tired smile. "I've had worse; don't worry about me."

  I sat down across from him and reached into my pocket, pulling out a joint of dreamleaf. "Here." I said, holding it out to Brian, who took it with a nod.

  I snapped my fingers, and a tiny flame sparked to life at the tip. Brian took a long drag, holding the smoke in his lungs before exhaling a cloud. He passed it back to me, and I took a hit myself, feeling the tension in my muscles begin to ease.

  "That armored guy is a tough nut." Brian said, watching the smoke curl toward the ceiling. "Shame he's Fringe - imagine having that with us in the Citadel."

  I passed the joint back. "Makes you wonder what Eagle did to get his loyalty."

  Percy, who had been standing nearby, leaned against the bar counter. "He's been with the mob since the start. Maybe they're real-life friends?"

  "Could be." I said, watching Brian take another hit. "It might be hard to ask him if all he says is 'mmm'."

  Lucy appeared beside us, arms crossed over her chest. "If you've got time to smoke, can we get out of the city already?"

  I sighed and stood up. "Fair enough. Y'all got enough people to handle the civilians?"

  I handed the joint back to Brian, who nodded. "Yeah, we can handle it. See you around. And thanks for the help!"

  "Alright, are we going straight out, or cutting over to the evacuation point?" I asked.

  "I don't want to risk getting misidentified by Bedlam if we can help it." Lucy said.

  "Right-o, east side it is - just one more journey."

  As the three of us headed for the door, a voice called out behind us. "Wait!"

  Ezra came running after us, her face stained by tears. The patch of hair that Eagle had ripped out was still missing, and blue corpse dust had gotten caught in her rainbow-colored highlights. The way the dust sparkled actually made her multicolored hair look even more magical - like she'd decorated it with tiny stars.

  "I didn't get to thank you three!" she exclaimed, slightly out of breath. "You saved me! Again!"

  I shrugged. "We just happened to be in the area; don't worry about it."

  "Do you, um, take security jobs?" she asked, her eyes darting between us.

  Percy shook his head. "Sorry, we only work on a contract-by-contract basis."

  "Oh, right, I knew that. Sorry. Silly me." Her face fell slightly.

  "Don't be sorry!" I said quickly. "If you need help, give us a call! We might be free."

  Her expression brightened immediately. "Ok!"

  "Are you going to be ok here? We're going back into the city."

  "Oh, I'll be fine!" Ezra assured us, the sparkle returning to her eyes. "If you ever need tickets to a show, ask!"

  "Count on it!" I said with a grin.

  Percy, Lucy, and I walked out of the cafe and down the street. The air outside felt fresher somehow, despite the lingering smoke from fires burning elsewhere in the district. As we walked, Lucy's interface pinged. She swiped open a notification.

  "'Gubernatorial counterclaim in progress. Time until position change: 5:00.'" she read aloud. "Someone's claiming the governorship."

  She began typing a message to Poe.

  "Could it be one of the Guards setting up the escape portal for the boss?" I asked.

  Lucy's fingers paused as she read the reply. "Poe is saying it's not one of theirs. His people on the scene report fighting is ongoing in the plaza, and some Fringe fled into the tower." She looked up at us, her expression serious. "He wants us to go in and capture them alive for questioning."

  "We got the documentation, isn't that enough for him?" I asked.

  "He wants to know how they know about the system and what their plans are," Lucy explained, "and Murdock's orders are getting in the way."

  Percy nodded decisively. "Alright. Let's move fast and ignore any nonessential fighting."

  "Why are you being such an overachiever today?" I asked.

  "Because I'd like to know what this is about, too." Without waiting for a response, Percy turned and jogged in the direction of the Meteor Spire.

  Lucy and I exchanged a glance, then jogged after him, back toward the heart of the chaos.