Whoever was behind this, they subscribed to a philosophy of equal-opportunity terrorism. Trolls in New York, werewolves in Michigan, wild chupacabras in Oklahoma, and nagas in California. I wondered if Nicola knew anything about the chupacabras. She raised chupacabra hybrids, and loved the ugly things as much or more than most people.

Three of the chupacabras in Oklahoma had escaped, as had every one of the four nagas. Had they all been mentally pushed into becoming assassins, like the Lansing werewolves?

I composed a short email on my phone, letting Nicola know about the werewolf and the traces of mental manipulation I’d seen. I hesitated, but finally added another paragraph explaining that I’d traced that manipulation to Deb, and we had her under guard. As soon as I got back to New Millennium, I intended to follow up on a lead she’d shared.

It couldn’t have been five minutes after I clicked send before the phone in my jaw went off.

“When I told you to assist with the aftermath in Lansing, I didn’t mean for you to withhold evidence from the FBI and harbor an accessory to assassination and terrorism.”

“Hi, Nicola. What are you doing up this late?”

“Damage control. Which will be completely pointless when word gets out about what you’ve done. Why, Isaac?”

She was singing under her breath, something she tended to do when she was angry or upset. But at least she was giving me the chance to explain. “Because I can do a better job of finding whoever orchestrated these attacks than the police or FBI, and we both know it.”

“And because she used to be your friend.”

I didn’t deny it. “What’s more important, making nice and playing by their rules, or stopping the people behind this and saving lives?”

“Then why tell me at all? Why put me in a position where I’m forced either to turn you in or to join your conspiracy?”

One nice thing about talking to Nicola: she didn’t mind silence. She was content to wait while I pondered that question and dug at my own motivations. “Because you have a different perspective on things, and I trust you to rein me in if I go too far.”

“I notice you didn’t give me the chance to rein you in before you confronted Ms. DeGeorge.”

“Yah, well, I tend to get caught up in the moment.”

“You don’t say.”