“It’s nine o’clock,” Theo said. “Apollo and Zed should be here soon. Sol is working till seven.”

“Cool. So what’s the move for today?”

“I’m thinking we’ll just lay low until it’s time for the main event. I’ve got everything set up for tonight. Alibis, van, encrypted laptop, burners. All I need is gas.”

“Are you sure about this?” Kai asked. “This isn’t an ordinary tag.”

“I’m not an ordinary nigga.”

Kai rolled her eyes.

The doorbell rang. Kai jumped up and ran to the door, her curls bouncing in cadence with her strides. She returned with Apollo. “Today’s the day, boss! You ready?” he asked, thumping Theo’s shoulder with his heavy hands.

“I think so. Why aren’t you sweating? It’s hot as hell out there.” Theo threw a light jab, targeting Apollo’s stomach.

Apollo dodged. “Unlike you, I accept that I live in hell, so I dress accordingly.” He slapped his thigh then goofily jumped in place, his nylon shorts swish-swishing around his knees.

Zed walked into the kitchen next. “Shut up, Apollo,” she said. “You know you can only handle heat because you’re Nigerian.”

Kai sucked her teeth. “Zadie, you know Nigeria has snow-capped mountains, right?”

“That was good, but don’t call me Zadie. It’s Zed now,” Zed said firmly.

“Zed, Zee, Zade,” Theo joked. “When are you going to go by something that isn’t Z-related? You’re like the X-Men.”

“Ai ai ai, back to business, people,” Apollo interrupted. “Theo, you never answered my question. You are ready, right?”

“We should be asking you. You’re the hacker,” Theo countered.

“Don’t give me that reverse psychology bullshit. This was your idea. Are you ready or not?”

Theo remained silent, his eyes shirking beneath the bill of his hat.

Kai knew Theo wanted her to chime in, but instead, she idly flicked the leaves on one of the kitchen plants. The plan was definitely going down, but she needed to hear Theo admit it to himself in front of everyone else, not just her. Some secrets were better out in the open.

“Yeah, I’m ready. I just need to get some gas first.”

“Let’s ride, then,” said Zed.

They filed out of the house. Zed drove a black 2013 MINI Cooper, a graduation gift. Kai hated the tiny car. Something about its safety annoyed her. Whenever she rode with Zed, she played with the locks and plucked at her door handle, just to see if the car would somehow express disapproval; she felt it had that kind of vibe.

“I’m riding with Theo,” she announced. No one seemed surprised. She moved Theo’s windbreaker and overstuffed backpack to the back seat before climbing in. Theo started the engine, and they were greeted by KEY!, Theo’s newest favorite rapper. Kai smiled to herself.

Theo used to pride himself on how much Atlanta rap he didn’t listen to. He loved the disappointed looks people gave him when he told them he was listening to Kendrick Lamar and Suga Free and Vince Staples. But Atlanta music had gradually managed to slip past his defenses. He had grown to enjoy Lil Baby, Future, Young Thug, Father, and even Gucci Mane. He had fallen so far, Kai had begun to joke that he was about to start selling mixtapes outside of a Waffle House.