“What did you mean in the plane?” Saracen asked. “When you were shouting, ‘What are they doing?’ Almost sounded like you couldn’t believe they’d attack us while you were with us. Like that wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Uh,” said Wilhelm. “No. What? What are you talking about? I was right there. We’re all in this together. Brothers in arms. And sister. Brothers and sister in arms. United we stand, yes? I didn’t tell anyone. I’m not a traitor. I swear. I hate traitors. I hate them so much. They make me so mad.”

“Sanguine’s moving,” Saracen whispered.

“Wilhelm,” said Vex. “Step over here a minute, would you?”

Wilhelm licked his lips. “Actually... actually, I don’t think I want to do that.” He took a step back.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” said Vex.

“You look like you’re going to hurt me. You all do. I thought we were friends. I thought we were a team, like the Musketeers, or the Avengers.”

“We are a team, Wilhelm. And now we just want to have a team hug.”

Wilhelm’s eyes widened, and he started shouting. “They know! They know I’m a double agent! Help me! Request extraction! Please help—”

Sanguine’s hand burst up, grabbed his ankle and yanked him into the ground before anyone could reach him. He screamed all the way down.

“They’re gone,” said Saracen. “Moving fast, heading east. Wilhelm’s still screaming.”

“Let them go,” Vex said, his leg giving out. Saracen grabbed him, lowered him to the ground. “Hopefully, Wilhelm will be as much of a hindrance to them as he was to us. But we may have another problem. Gracious, could you bring me the bow?”

Gracious disappeared into the plane, emerged a few moments later with the long case. He opened it, handed Vex the weapon. Vex took an arrow, nocked it, pulled back the string.

“Careful with that,” said Frightening.

Vex scanned the sky until he saw a bird, high above. He aimed, drew the string tighter and released. The arrow flew, then started to dip, and hit the ground somewhere behind the chain-link fence.

“I thought the bow never missed,” said Aurora.

“The real bow doesn’t,” Vex said. “This isn’t the real bow.” He threw it to one side. “Johann’s dagger, the real one... I’m pretty sure Tanith has that as well. She’s in the lead here, and now she has the spear. The score is three nil to them.”

The others stared at him, but not one single shoulder sagged.

“OK,” said Donegan, “so we know they’re going after the sword, which means we know where they’ll be. And assuming Gracious and I can make the repairs to the plane in time, we won’t be lagging too far behind. So we’ll finally be on equal footing.”