Michelle leaned forward and kissed Joey on the forehead where it wasn’t covered in bandage.

She didn’t care that she stank and was covered in gore. For now, she was happy that Joey was here and that her daughter was in good hands.

“You’re right, he’ll protect her—as long as anyone can.” He’d protect her right until they were consumed by the fog.

“And what on earth happened to your face?” she said, stroking Joey’s unwounded cheek.

Joey shrugged. “We were trying to find you. Mollie had a portal open near Talas, and then we both went pretty batshit insane. She cut off one of my fingers, with her fucking portal, then bit off my left eyebrow.” Joey lifted up her bandaged hand. “Then this joker kid grew it back. The finger, not the eyebrow.”

“I bet you gave as good as you got,” Michelle replied with a tight smile. Then she had a moment where she thought about killing Mollie, but her joy at seeing Joey stamped it out. For now.

“I’d like to say I gave as good as fucking got,” Joey said, shaking her head. “But that bitch is crazy. She’s insane and in a very bad fucking way. I’d be careful around her, Bubbles.”

“I’ve never been so happy to see you,” Michelle said, ignoring Joey’s warning. She noticed that the other people in the room were staring at them, but she didn’t care.

“Of course you’re happy to see me,” Joey said. Suddenly, the scowl she constantly wore was replaced with a mischievous grin. “You’re my bitch.”

Michelle laughed. “Yes. Yes, I’m your bitch. And you’re mine.”

Joey reached up, pulled Michelle’s head down, and began kissing her. It was urgent and hard, then soft and sweet.

Tasting Joey again made Michelle feel dizzy and alive and sane. It was perfect.

“Are you two done?”

Billy Ray.

“Director, always a pleasure,” Michelle said without turning around. She pulled Joey closer. “And no, I’m pretty sure I’m not done.”

“Well, you have to be. Babel is waiting for your debriefing.”

Michelle dropped her head. The last thing she needed was to have a conversation about what had happened in Talas.

“Let’s go,” Joey said, pushing Michelle away. “For once those dicklickers are doing something good. We gotta figure out how to stop this.”

“I don’t want to…”

Joey crossed her arms. “Don’t think anyone has a choice about it now.”

“Balls,” Michelle said dejectedly.

“Not into them.”

Michelle smiled wanly.

“Lead on,” she said as she turned to face Billy Ray. “But first you’ve got to feed me.”

Babel was standing at a fold-out table. Behind her, flat-screen TVs took up part of the wall.

“Have a seat,” Barbara said. There were circles under her eyes, and she looked exhausted. “Have you had something to eat and drink?”

Michelle nodded. She held up the water bottle in her left hand and the sandwich in her right. It was her fifth bottle of water since she’d gotten to the Cosmodrome. She felt as if she could drink five more.