“I am not a good man,” Benjamin said sharply. “All I want is to be left alone. I’ve gone my whole life without making a fuss, and I’m not about to start now. I’ll give you a ride into town, but after that, please … please leave me alone.”

Chapter 25

OSCAR MORENO’S HARDWARE STORE was open late on a Tuesday night.

Kelly sat in the warm van with the others while Two snored and farted on the cushions, and they watched a steady stream of customers walk in with cash and walk out with hammers and nails and drills and sheets of plywood. All around town it was happening – stores and businesses being shuttered and boarded up, houses being reinforced. It was like they were preparing for a storm. Or a riot. Or maybe a little of both.

Finally, a little after midnight, Moreno himself emerged. The gang stared at the younger – the much younger – version of Javier Santorum as he locked up.

“This is freaky,” said Warrick. “He looks just like Insidio did in the show. Or Javier, even. His hair’s different, but … wow. Flashbacks.”

“We could take him now,” said Kelly. “The four of us would be enough, wouldn’t we?”

“We’ve never gone up against a shapeshifter before,” Linda said, not taking her eyes off Moreno. “I’ve never even heard of anyone who has.”

“But against all of us …?”

Ronnie shook his head. “We don’t go in unprepared. Ever. That gets us killed. Besides, we’re not here for him. We’re here for Austin.”

Moreno climbed into his car – a nice, sensible Prius – and drove off. They waited a minute or two to make sure he didn’t come back to pick up something he’d forgotten, then Kelly, Linda and Ronnie got out of the van. Warrick stayed with Two for the moment. Out of all of them, Two was integral to what they were about to do – their very own sniffer dog.

They stayed behind the van while three cars passed, then remained hidden as a woman walked by on the opposite side of the road. When the street emptied, they hurried across, but before they’d reached the far sidewalk a truck turned a corner and snatched them in its headlights. It immediately altered course, veering towards them.

“We can’t be in trouble already,” said Linda. “We haven’t broken any laws today.”

The truck pulled up right beside them and a girl jumped out from the passenger side. The girl from the jail. The driver – an old man – kept the engine running.

“Amber,” said Kelly.

“You’ve got to help me,” Amber said. Her clothes were in tatters. “If you’re really not after us, then I need your help. Please.”

Ronnie frowned. “Why would we be after you?”

“Because other people are,” said Amber. “I need to know if I can trust you.”