Seb looked quickly down at me. Neither of us spoke. I couldn’t sense much from him; my own emotions were in too much turmoil. Everything seemed so surreal, like a dream I’d wake up from any second now: the plastic blue and yellow awnings around us; the bodies on the cathedral floor; the fight with Alex.

Alex. My mind flinched away like I’d jabbed a bruise.

Don’t go there, I thought as we continued through the rustling tunnels of Tepito. Just...don’t.

Somehow Sophie battled her rented 4 x 4 truck through the centro – almost a full square mile of riots, cars on fire, howling gangs. Alex scanned non-stop as they drove, searching for Willow’s energy. There was no sign of it anywhere. None.

Finally they reached a street where everything was quiet, apart from a single car that sat smouldering. Sophie pulled over and killed the engine. “What are you doing?” demanded Alex. “We’ve got to get Wesley home.”

“No, I don’t want to know where you live,” said Sophie. “It’s safest, in case I get caught.”

“I’m okay,” said Wesley from the back. He sat stiffly against the seat; his voice sounded tense. “It doesn’t really hurt. It’s just numb.”

“Come on,” said Sophie, opening the truck door. “This is for your ears only, Alex.”

He started to protest, but she was already striding away up the dark street. He swore under his breath and followed, banging the truck door shut after him. She stood waiting in a nearby doorway. She’d just lit a cigarette; its tip glowed red in the darkness.

“What’s going on?” he demanded, joining her. “How did you find us?”

Sophie blew out a stream of smoke. “Ever since the Second Wave arrived, I’ve been putting out feelers, trying to locate you. A rogue angel down here heard about it, and got in touch with me.”

Alex leaned against the doorway, watching her. “A rogue? I haven’t seen any signs at all of rogues in this city.”

Sophie shook her head. “No, most of them have been assassinated by the angels – apparently there was a mass execution just after the Second Wave. But there’s at least one left who they don’t know about; she’s working covertly with the Seraphic Council. Her suspicion was that you might be down here with a new team, because of all the recent angel deaths.” She offered a tight smile. “Well done.”

“Yeah, go me,” said Alex shortly. “So why didn’t this rogue get in touch with me herself?”

“She hasn’t been able to find you yet; it’s difficult for her to get away without raising suspicion. But I had a feeling you might be in the Zócalo tonight, with that demonstration going on.”