“Makes it easy for us,” Teddy said. She pointed to the end of the alley, where the sparks veered off to the left.

Emily had to admit she was right. “Let’s go,” she said.

They darted out the back, and across a narrow road set next to an old redbrick building. A factory of some sort, one that looked to be about as old as the city itself.

There were a few more sparks near one side of the building, so they rushed over to that. Around that corner was another old, narrow road set between two rows of old buildings. Some were still in use, though the factories were closed for the day. Still, newer cars were parked here and there, and past some frosted fences were forklifts and semitrailers parked next to stacks of wood and shipping containers.

“There!” Teddy pointed.

A glance that way showed one building, in worse repair than the others. Its heavy wooden door was chained shut, but there were windows next to it, broken and surrounded by shards of glass.

Lights sparked and flickered within, like sparklers going off, but without any of the accompanying noise.

“Good eye,” Emily said as she ran over. One of the windows had a milk crate set under it, and it looked as if a lot more of the glass had been broken to make it easier to jump in. “Teddy, want to go in first?”

“Give me a boost!” Teddy said.

Emily got on the crate, then with a grunt, lifted Teddy over the lip of the window, careful not to let her touch the glass.

Then it was Athena’s turn, with Teddy helping and hindering as best she could.

Emily jumped in last, landing on the dusty hardwood floor and looking around. The factory had a low ceiling with wooden beams running across it, and it smelled like mold and mothballs. A few heavy brackets mounted on the walls and floor hinted at where equipment had been before, but the place was otherwise empty save for some abandoned boxes.

“Come back here, you bastard!” someone screamed. Female, high-pitched, angry.

Emily looked to her sisters.

“I guess we go that way,” Teddy said.

“I guess so,” Emily agreed.

They didn’t quite run. Not on flooring that was so uneven, and in a place where the lighting was so bad. Still, they made good time crossing the main floor and arriving at a loading dock. There was a mechanism in place for a large elevator, though it was missing, leaving the two floors above them visible through the hole.

Sparks flashed from above, racing ahead in complete silence.

“Stairs,” Athena said. She grabbed Emily and Teddy and pulled them forward. “I’ve got the eyes for this, no worries.”