Thankfully, it’s not too long until the streetcar pulls up, and I’m able to jump on board. Jinx pays my fare, and we settle into a seat next to a woman with a supercute Maltese terrier baku, all fluffy and white. His innovative fur has spread apart on his back so she can watch a video on her commute. It’s an episode of a popular reality television show—bakus and their owners compete in tasks to see who is most in “tune” with each other.

Jinx and I would totally rock that show.

The streetcar pulls up at a stop outside the old warehouse on West Queen West, almost as far down the street as you can go. But whereas before there was the BRIGHTSPRK logo discreetly on the door, now there’s nothing. The windows look boarded up and broken. The whole place feels deserted.

Jinx leaps from my shoulder up to the windowsill. My breath catches as he balances on the thin ledge, but he maneuvers with effortless grace. Once again, the detail in his craftsmanship absolutely astonishes me. He disappears through a hole in the window, avoiding the broken glass so that he doesn’t scratch himself.

I wait outside, burying my mittened hands into the depths of my puffer jacket, my breath freezing around my nose. Sometimes I can’t believe how cold it gets in this country, and I hope that Jinx isn’t long.

It only takes a few seconds before his face reappears again.

>>They’ve gone. There’s nothing here anymore.

“Is there anything online that might tell us where BRIGHTSPRK have gone, or how to find Mr. Baird?”

>>Derek Baird has disappeared off the Moncha system grid since giving up his owl baku, and he doesn’t seem to have picked up a BRIGHTSPRK Halo.

“That’s because no one uses those,” I scoff.

>>He did say he would have to go into hiding once his secret came out. I bet Moncha want him punished for corporate espionage.

“That makes sense.” I remember how shocked I was when I found out my former companioneering teacher had been a mole for BRIGHTSPRK the whole time he had been working for Moncha Corp. But also I can’t help my disappointment. Monica had trusted Mr. Baird enough to contact him when she attempted to escape from Eric. He couldn’t help her then. Now when she needs him again, he’s gone into hiding.

Jinx pulls up a bunch of news stories, projecting them toward me, showing me scary headlines of what’s happened to those suspected of spying. Moncha persecutes them with the full strength of the law. Monica might be okay with people messing with her source code once they own a baku, but she definitely doesn’t want them getting their hands on her new proprietary technology.