I saw Barfbat take flight. Tumor-ridden wings and a head with pustules and fluid-filled sacs ringing his neck. They had to insulate him, because it was chilly and they made for a lot of exposed skin.

He flew straight in the direction of Chugalug.

Because they were friends. Fuck.

A solid minute passed as Rain and I remained silent, crammed into a corner with metal barrels around us.

Chugalug’s squad wasn’t leaving. They were staying where they were, and Barfbat’s squad was joining them. Complicating factors that made the pain in the ass people into even bigger issues. Schedules in disarray…

“Moose—” Rain started, barely audible. I tensed at his voice, looking up. I motioned for him to continue. “Moose said Barfbat has enhanced hearing and smell.”

I nodded. I was aware.

“What do we do?”

“You stay. I’m putting Foil and Sveta on it. I think this is the final leg of the journey. We won’t have long to do our thing.”

“Fuck.”

“Shh. It’s fine. Try to focus on the rooftop, stay quiet and still.”

“I’ve been keeping my head down for all my life, why stop now?” Rain asked.

I wasn’t sure how to answer that, so I nodded.

Foil first. I made my way around the building, and saw light from above. Drei and her flashlight again. She walked with the end of the gun resting against the lip of the roof, the flashlight beam extending down, but not flush to the wall. She had company, now, going by the murmurs I heard.

Two squads patrolling the fields and woods around us, twenty in total with two capes. Two squads above us, another twenty. Two capes who are flying around, due back any minute.

I let the beam pass me by, then rounded the corner. Two guys sat on the roof’s edge, feet dangling. Sieben was with them, her back to the space below.

Tense, to pass so close by, to see a flick of white dart through my peripheral vision—a loogie, bit of spit, or a fleck of ice that had been knocked free of the roof.

But they seemed to be looking out, not down.

Foil was up the wall, having used spikes to ascend. She spotted me, and made her way down, stepping on inch-long protrusions.

I approached her, and with secrecy in mind, we put personal space aside, our toes almost touching, my mouth by her ear. “Barfbat and Chugalug. They can’t come back.”

“You sure? When they don’t return—”

“I’m sure. Be careful, Bat has enhanced hearing and smell.”

“I’m short on darts.”

I winced. I drew the extra decorations from my costume out of my pocket, and held it between us as I used a bit of strength to pull one free. I didn’t want a telltale glint to give us away.