Love Lost’s expression had changed. It always did when kids were involved. She even changed her attitude when it came to Colt.

“They talked about where the major players are, and who’s involved. They have a good guess about the attacks that took the Navigators and some of the Advance Globs out, thanks to Tattletale.”

Love Lost nodded, very cavalier about that fact.

“Matter of time, huh?” Sidepiece asked.

Love Lost nodded again.

Love Lost didn’t like using the phones to communicate, which meant that half the time she was leaving things up for others to infer or guess. If someone could fill in the blanks, then Love Lost allowed it. Screw up too many times or put the wrong words in her mouth, and that someone would get sent to do a shit errand and kept out of the way.

The inner circle mostly had it figured out, now. Disjoint stayed quiet rather than guess. Nailbiter only guessed in the middle of a fight. She worked well with Love Lost in an all-out fight.

“They’ve been working out who’s who. Shin’s quiet, Teacher overreached and some of his mercs from Cheit are rebelling, doing their own thing. Apparently, Bitter Pill isn’t leading the thinkers from the Point,” Disjoint said.

Love Lost typed in the air.

“Follow you, follow you, into the rage…”

Nailbiter’s fingers extended into points, perilously close to Sidepiece’s throat.

The scene remained utterly still for a few seconds.

The phone started up its ringtone again. “Follow you, Foll—”

The points of Nailbiter’s fingers touched skin. Sidepiece set her phone to vibrate.

“Yeah,” Disjoint said, looking at his phone. “That’s their best guess. Pill is the face, or a partner in leadership.”

Sidepiece looked at the phone to see what the guess was.

Love Lost (is the muthafuckin baws):
BLUESTOCKING

Love Lost nodded. She drew to a stop, then looked around.

“Trouble?” Disjoint asked.

“No, not trouble,” Nailbiter said.

Love Lost pressed a claw to the fanged mouth that was molded to her lower face, covering nose, mouth, and cheeks. A single finger to mime ‘silence’. Her other claw went up in a ‘stop’ position.

The group was quiet and still as Love Lost extended a claw point skyward. Love Lost tilted her head.

The hand came down, pointing, then motioned again, quick.

Hurry, was the intent.

The group hurried. Sidepiece’s legs hurt from all the walking, especially the uneven walking through the forest, their shortcut to avoid being seen as they made their way to their vantage point at the edge of the mall parking lot.

“New security measures. Extending her sensory ranges, and feeling out for tech. It takes a minute,” Nailbiter hissed.

They entered the hideout. Love Lost activated the door’s locks, both mechanical and mundane.

“Breakthrough knows you won’t deal with them, so they asked the Undersiders to. Undersiders know March is prepared for them, so they’re asking Breakthrough to alleviate the pressure.”