The two mei thugs skidded to a halt a short distance from us, their worn and dirty faces twisted with greed. Not Jin’s men. His were better fed. One held a short wooden staff, and the other a filthy dagger, thrust at us. They were thin, but desperation gave strength. I knew.

“Give us your cashcards,” the one with the long, stringy hair shouted.

“That’s useless,” I said. “We’ll just block access before you can cash out.”

The one with shifty eyes waved his staff at me. “Take off your helmets,” he screamed. “They can’t do anything without their stupid fishbowls on.”

I could hear Daiyu’s rapid breathing in helmet, and her hand had moved from my back to my shoulder, gripping it tightly. I flicked out a knife from a hidden pocket in my sleeve and threw it. It thudded dead center in the narrow staff, an inch above the thug’s fingers.

“Don’t come closer,” I said in a quiet voice. “I’ll aim for between your eyes next time.”

He jumped back in shock, shaking his staff, then tried to pull out the knife, which had embedded itself in the wood. “You useless arse,” the other thug shouted and lunged at me, brandishing his rusty dagger.

Daiyu let out a startled cry, which sounded loud in helmet. Before I knew what was happening, she had lunged in front of me, neon red taser glowing in one hand. She pointed it at the man with the dagger, her finger on the trigger.

“Daiyu, don’t!” There were two settings on a taser: instantaneous death or fried eggs for brains for the rest of your life. The reckless thug charged at us. Pushing Daiyu out of the way, I pulled another throwing knife and cast it—this one struck the center of the man’s forearm and he let out an enraged howl as he buckled to his knees, his dagger clattering to the ground.

“Just go,” I said, once his cries lowered into gasping curses. “Before you both die.”

The other mei thug flung his staff aside and went to pull his partner up, shouting obscenities, before they stumbled away, disappearing down a narrow side alley. For a few moments, the injured man’s cursing still reached us, echoing. Daiyu was leaning against the uneven wall, arm still extended rigidly, holding the taser. I touched her wrist and lowered her arm. “Give it to me,” I said.

She shook her head. And I heard her panting breaths.

“Turn it off and put it away, then. Before you kill someone.” The only “someone” left would be me.

Daiyu clicked the taser off, and it made a low whirring hum before the red lights dimmed. She slipped the weapon into a pocket in her suit leg.

“Hey.” I put a hand on her shoulder, searching for her eyes. But she stared at the ground. “It’s okay. They’re gone.”