“What happens when the maskless get unmasked?” Hunter asked. She made an amused sound. Black lines stabbed out at diagonals, forming a diamond just in front of her face. She stuck her face through them, and stray hairs were severed on contact.

“That,” Chris said, “is what we’re focusing on, in our own way. On that topic, Red Queen, if you’re not getting right back to work—”

He sounded so sarcastic when he called her that.

“I’m not,” Amy said. I might not be able to do it.

“I’ve been keeping track of our tasks.”

“The refugees? A problem?”

He waved a mangled limb in the air. “No. No problem. Your hapless rescues are getting settled and fed without trouble…”

“Stop dragging it out,” Mark said, annoyed.

“Patience, my friend,” Marquis said, calm. “Interruptions only delay things.”

Mark gave the man an annoyed look. He had to be almost as dejected at this failure as Amy was. She hated this. Hated that Hunter was a link to Victoria, and she’d spoiled it, had ruined her. That she couldn’t fix her.

Hunter just snickered to herself, amused at Mark’s annoyance. “You gotta explain for me. I’m dumb.”

“We’ve been focused on the people who are playing this game at the top level. Focusing on the interdimensional aliens, at a time when not enough people are dwelling on the big revelation of where our power comes from. Wardens, Dragon, Teacher, Mortari, a few others, all paying close attention, all getting our hands dirty trying to steer the unsteerable.”

“And?” Mark asked.

“Teacher’s out of the running. His thralls all got their brains back. According to a very talkative little kid who insists on sending me updates after we’ve parted ways, Breakthrough—that’s ah, my old team, The Red Queen’s sister—are now fully in.”

Amy’s heart sank and soared in equal measure. She knew everyone was watching, and kept her voice level. “We adapt. We promised Shin we’d protect their world.”

“It’s about to need a lot of protecting,” Chris said, coming as close as he ever did to outright agreement or solidarity. “Give me the okay to get my production line going.”

Amy made a face. She felt Mark’s hand grip her shoulder.

It didn’t feel like the move a good person would make. She’d seen the labs, dark and poised to be powered and set into motion. Chris had unveiled them, and she’d told him no. Not unless it was absolutely necessary.