Others moved closer to cover, like the pillars by either end of the station, or even using the kneeling giants that Amy had yet to tend to shield themselves from possible fire.

The ones to watch were the ones who didn’t move at all. Bamet. Seir. The cocoon cape.

A quick check of the kids showed Chicken Little with Darlene at his desk. Kenzie was in her computer chair in her workshop, bundled up in a blanket with a steaming mug of what might have been soup off to one side. Candy leaned in behind her, hugging her around the shoulders while looking at the screen. Candy’s mug sat off to the side.

No murder happening there.

Juggling, juggling, I thought. I felt so out of place, out of my element.

Especially when the prick sitting across the table from me wasn’t letting me have any input.

“You realize,” Seir called out, “if a fight breaks out, I break you in half, Rain boy?”

Rain didn’t respond.

“No extreme violence,” Amy said. “I gave you rules and biological imperatives. Follow them.”

“I am,” Seir said. “Shin set their own rules and imperatives, remember? You struck your deal with them, you gave us the rules they dictated. We can do whatever’s necessary to protect Shin. Including if we think a mass murdering little shit like him might pull something.”

“Dangerous, horrible little shit like him,” Ahrima said, her voice young.

Rain was stone still.

Amy was silent.

She didn’t have nearly as much control over her rotten eggs as she liked to pretend.

Chris turned his back to the scene, lumbering back inside.

“Bamet’s got a trick up his sleeve,” Tattletale said. “People near him need to back up.”

Armstrong signaled. Pearce accepted the signal, passing on the message.

Moonsong gestured to teammates. They backed up, and Moonsong took a few steps back as well. Bamet moved to get closer to some capes at the front line, and Moonsong had them back up as well.

Bamet could give people the features of animals, and vice-versa. It took surgery to fix, unless he cooperated. He hadn’t cooperated, apparently, for the entire time he’d been in the prison. He’d said it was a matter of principle, belief, and making unbelievers appear on the outside as they no doubt appeared on the inside.

I hadn’t heard anything about Amy doing anything to make him come to Gimel and fix people, either.

“Good. You’re going to need to pass on my tips far faster than that in about twenty seconds,” Tattletale said.

“Yeah,” Armstrong said. “Giving you a direct line to Pearce.”

“Was that a literal twenty seconds?” Pearce asked.

“Yes. Two—”

“Brace!” Pearce ordered, leaning into the microphone.

The slouching woman moved, falling to her knees, her hands hitting the ground like dropped weights.