“Do not get bogged down,” Defiant told us. “Do not get too deep into the facility. If you have questions or need directions, make a phone call, I will be on the other end, provided distortion isn’t too heavy.”

“That’s it! No time for anything prettier or more detailed! If you’re here it’s because we trust you!” Narwhal shouted. “The doors are there. Go!”

Ships were taking off behind us, and the force of their takeoff produced wind and pulses of gravity from behind us. Like a push to get us going.

My team got moving. I flew behind them, wishing doors were taller so I could fly over people’s heads.

Defiant met my eyes, and brought his hand to the side of his head in the universal signal for phone.

Riley. Or Contessa, but I wasn’t holding my breath for that call just yet.

I’d definitely be holding my breath for the call in general, though. A word from Dragon.

“I’ll catch up,” I told my team.

“Good luck,” Precipice told me.

I nodded.

We need it.

Chris hung back as well. He was transforming. Everyone else was disappearing into the facility.

“Are you coming?” Byron called back. “Cryptid?”

“I’ll catch up,” Cryptid said.

Phone at my ear, I listened. There was a lot of rustling. Voices.

“How is the flock, if Valkyrie is…?” Riley’s voice.

I heard my Aunt Sarah, “Gone? She became an extension of the power network. We’re calling them Titans. The flock is disturbed.”

“If you need any attention or touch ups…”

“We might. Thank you.”

“Do you accept it that easily because you trust me, or because you don’t have any choice?”

“Valkyrie trusted you, and she didn’t trust easily. I can’t speak for every member of the flock, but I do trust you.”

“Even though I’m occupying myself with this? Weapons? Do you know what would have happened if I’d pulled this trigger?”

Worrying, if Riley is armed, I thought.

“Booting up,” a man said, before an under-his-breath, “I hope. Get this working.”

“Any guesses?” Riley asked.

Aunt Sarah said, “The weapons don’t matter. We might need weapons. If we don’t extend the benefit of a doubt, then all you have left are the benefits of being dubious.”

“That sounds like a saying,” Riley told her.

“A lesson I had to learn on my own,” Aunt Sarah said.

Benefits of a doubt, dubiousness. I wondered if she blamed herself for what Amy had become.

“You’re on,” another man said.

I resisted the urge to clear my throat, and got straight to business. “Hello? Riley Davis?”

“I’m here.”

I saw Chris’s newly grown fur-tufted ear twitch. He was listening in. Maybe he’d have insights.

“Good. Thank you for taking the call. Things are pretty dire here.”