We bound and gagged him. Then, we took his gun and radio. Rae wanted to stuff him back under the saw, but if we did that, a few kicks against the metal would bring everyone running. I didn’t say that to Rae, or she’d feel like she’d overlooked the obvious. Eighteen months ago, I’d have suggested the same thing. Jacinda understood the issue, though, and suggested we haul him deeper onto the shop floor, hidden between pieces of machinery. We did, and Liz found an old oil-soaked tarp that we draped over him.

We had to find a new hiding spot, in case he still managed to make enough noise to alert the others. After a whispered conference, I gave Jacinda the gun. I could handle it, but I had two more tranq darts and needed to keep my attention on Liz as she zipped back and forth. Jacinda also knew how to use a gun and didn’t have any supernatural powers.

Rae took the radio. We kept it on low, and she heard someone looking for the guy we’d disabled, but they didn’t seem to know exactly where he’d been when he went offline, and they were too busy hunting for us. Liz was hunting too—for a good hiding place—when she raced back, calling, “They’re coming! Two of them! Right around the—”

Right around the corner is what I’m sure she’d been about to say, but by that time they were turning the corner. A man and a woman, both carrying guns. We scooted, doubled over, through the machinery, but they’d spotted us, and footfalls pounded as they gave chase and radioed the others. That’s when it finally came: Maya’s catamount scream.

“About time,” Rae muttered.

“That’s certainly an attention-getter,” Jacinda whispered. And it did grab our pursuers’ attention as they skidded to a stop with exclamations of “What—?” and “Jesus!”

We tore off as fast as we could in the direction of the scream. Not exactly the plan, but the others would accommodate when they heard us coming. Except we didn’t get far before our pursuers resumed chase. One of them fired at Jacinda, and I don’t know if they were shooting to kill or just to spook us, but the fact they aimed for her told me they’d decided she was the most expendable, so I wasn’t taking a chance.

“Left!” Liz shouted. “Into the offices! I’ll back them off.”

Something crashed behind us. I don’t know what exactly it was, but it hit one of our pursuers. That’s the advantage of having a Volo half-demon ghost. In life, Liz had the power of telekinesis; in death, she’s a poltergeist.