“—I didn’t think you meant a three hour round trip, with barely any firepower.”

“We had five capes and a mercenary. And my eagle.”

“Not enough,” she said.

“You had a migraine and wanted to be left alone in the dark, Imp is trying to catch the people who are after us.”

“We aren’t supervising you enough, is what you’re saying.”

“I don’t need supervision,” Aiden said, setting his jaw. “I’m an Undersider.”

“Junior.”

“You said you would be pretending to be in a coma for the next ten hours. Imp was gone for the day. We took precautiouns. I’m doing my best and we ended up fine. Lookout doesn’t get flack.”

“Lookout got shot twice. Bad example, kiddo.”

“I’m working with the Heartbroken—”

“Playing with fire.”

“I had protection!”

“A twelve year old was your best protection.”

“And a mercenary. I’m making alliances!”

She winced at the volume.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“Alliances like that are not helping. If we receive a job to go after Breakthrough, and you’ve made a deal with them, what happens?”

“We shouldn’t go after them.”

He was heated enough that Darlene and Candy roused a bit, paying attention. He waved a hand in their general direction, and the half-asleep Darlene cut the connection.

“Did she cut it?” Tattletale asked. “Yes. Okay. Listen, we can’t rule out any options. We may have to go after Breakthrough or these other allies you’re purporting to make.”

“Why?”

“That, buddy, is a topic for when my head isn’t pounding.”

“I think you’re avoiding the question.”

“Because my head is pounding. Please. We’ll talk about this tomorrow. For now, can you put your bird in its cage?”

“Already done.”

“Then get changed and go to sleep.”

“Tattletale?” he asked.

“What?”

“On our way in, I scouted. Birds were acting funny in the distance.”

“Trouble.”

“One of the lizards that have been homing in on us.”

“It takes them less time to find us each time,” she said. “I’m not going to get to sleep tonight, am I?”

He felt a small measure of satisfaction as he saw her lurch to her feet, heading to the door where mercenaries were standing guard.

“You’re grounded, by the way,” she said.

He spun around, “You can’t ground me. I’m not your kid.”

“You’re grounded,” she said, again, rubbing at her temples. “I’ll tell Charlotte and Forrest. They’ll agree with me.”

Was it because he’d been smug? Had she sensed it and decided to get back at him? It was hard to tell sometimes.

He rankled. He’d done nothing wrong.

“She wouldn’t have wanted you to do this,” he said.

“Cute, but no cigar,” Tattletale said, half-turning.

“She would have agreed with me. She would have been disappointed you fought me on this.”