“The Simurgh,” Cryptid replied, with a note of derision. “Nobody’s behaving.”

Mapwright reached for my hand and touched the forcefield instead.

I opened up the chest, then reached out with the hand that wasn’t currently holding my neck. “Again.”

She touched my hand. Her eyes flashed pink.

My vision flashed. My awareness of the facility expanded out, like I could see every wall, every floor, the damaged sections, the lighting, but when it came to what was actually in that space, it was something like a symbol, a sign with an arcane symbol on it that shouldn’t have meant or implied something, but told me a fuller story than an exclamation point or word might.

Mathers Giant was parked up on the seventh floor, behind and beneath the stairs. The offices just beyond the area that had once had the booths of Teacher’s misinformation teams.

“You made it sound like she in particular might be a problem,” Rain said.

“Anything in particular might be a problem,” Chris retorted.

“Enough, stop,” I said, rubbing my eyelids against the orbs of my eyes. A bit of information overload. “We’re getting slowed down. We need to go.”

“Can you take her?” Sveta asked the Heartbroken girls, almost talking over me, asserting the leadership. “We have to hunt down medical care and track someone down for Dragon.”

“It’s hard enough dragging two grown people,” Juliette said.

“We can,” Chastity said.

“Give me a second, I’ll see if I can make this easier,” I told them. I pulled away from the group, and began saturating the captive villainess Bloodplay with emotions. I pulled on scenes I’d seen recently.

Obeying my mom, curling up against Dean. Tattletale had called it submission. It wasn’t.

You can infuse someone with raw fear, and depending on the person, they might quiver and quake, or they can lash out in violence. I can give Bloodplay acceptance…

She bent her head down, twisting and pulling against the hands that restrained her.

…and if it works, she’ll be willing to work with us.

She raised her head, eyes as wide as they would go, kicked her legs, and screamed with renewed rage.

Then she shrank again, trying to make use of the second or two I didn’t have a firm grip. But I was anticipating it. Other hands were waiting. I grabbed her tiny body and held firm. “Chastity!”

Chastity took a step forward, almost tripping over the stair that connected the hallway to the broader stairwell. Her eyes went wide. “How do I hit her without taking her head off?”

The woman used her lasers, and this time, she was able to hit my forcefield.

“Now!”

Chastity reached out, hesitated, then flicked a finger, catching the two-inch-high Bloodplay across the cheek, knocking her out.

It might have knocked her out if Chastity hadn’t had her power to K.O. anyone with a slap.