The girls looked up at her, eyes filled with naive curiosity.

“When we arrive, we need to slow the Hero down. She thinks we’re Heroes. So we ask questions, and we try to lead her the wrong way, and we do our best to stall her. Give Alea Iacta time to run away and escape.”

“We could beat her up? That’ll give him plenty of time to run,” Teddy said.

Emily shook her head. “No. Not . . . not unless we don’t have any other choice. In fact, don’t beat anyone up unless I specifically tell you to, okay?”

Teddy nodded. “Sure thing, Boss.”

“I think I could use my power to confuse her,” Athena said. “I can be really subtle when I want to.”

“That’s probably okay,” Emily said.

Her phone rang. She had to hop as she fished her phone from the tight pockets of her costume’s pants.

The moment she pressed the phone to her ear she heard Jacob panting. “Where the hell are you?” he hissed.

“I’m near campus. Where are you?” Emily asked.

“You know the Sleep Late station? With the gas and that little corner store? Cute redhead at the counter? I’m behind there. Hurry! I’m nearly out of juice and this girl just won’t stop.”

Emily picked up the pace a little. She knew where he meant, more or less. “Who is it?”

“I don’t know!” Jacob said. “Oh, crap. I have to go. Look, there are a bunch of old factory buildings, like, two blocks down. I’ll be there. It’s quiet. Less people. Hurry!”

Emily stuffed her phone in a jacket pocket and reached her hands down. Both of her summons grabbed on without having to be told. The people ahead of them were dodging out of their way. She supposed that was normal. Seeing Heroes running by meant there was trouble ahead.

They arrived at the gas station Alea Iacta had mentioned, and Emily jogged to a stop on the edge of the parking lot and looked around while letting go of her sisters to place her hands on her knees. There was no sign of any Heroes or, for that matter, Alea.

That didn’t mean much.

“I think it’s that way,” Emily said as she pointed.

They moved around the side of the gas station, and through the alley at its back. There was trash tossed around, and a few bags of it looked like they’d been slashed open where they were stacked next to some dumpsters.

All across the ground were faint, glimmering sparks, most fizzling out with little wisps of smoke, others still burning bright.

“Pretty,” Teddy said.

“That’s someone’s power,” Emily said. It had to be. That, or someone had been setting off fireworks in the alley just before they arrived.