“Less of a good showing.”

“The Four?”

“They’re around. They haven’t done much,” Bar said.

“They were active in New York for a bit,” Angel said. “They’re freaky.”

“I’m scary too,” Ashley said. “I’m not worried.”

“If they didn’t have any powers at all, I’d be scared of them,” Angel said. “They’re into bioweapons. Their mindset is to poison everyone, and have their guys recover faster. They use healing powers and equipment to reduce the damage to their side.”

J spoke up, “They’re weirdly popular, I think it’s the style. There are galleries of art online with them surrounded by their colorful plague clouds.”

The idea nettled Ashley. It made her want to go right after the Four.

It wasn’t a good impulse. She shoved it down deep inside her, and she looked in the direction of Blastgerm’s claimed neighborhood. Blasto and Rotten Apple.

“You have a plan?” Bar asked.

“Yeah,” she said. “For now, hang around Blastgerm’s area. Figure out where they’re going and where they hang out. If they’re selling anything, figure out where things come from and where they go.”

“How long?” Bar asked.

“Until evening. I don’t want to waste time.”

Bar nodded slowly. “I guess this is where I bring up money, then.”

Damsel stood up straighter. Her eyes narrowed.

“You haven’t paid us anything yet. You said you’d pay what Marrow was asking for. Two thousand or five percent.”

“This is part of that.”

“This is a full day of our time,” Bar said. “For promises?”

“I showed you what I can do last night. I’ll show you something tonight, and you’ll be glad you helped when it comes together.”

“I don’t get it,” he said. “This plan, the long-term goal.”

“You don’t need to get it. You need to listen,” she made her voice cold.

She watched as his expression rotated between three different emotions.

She couldn’t put a name to each emotion, but she could imagine what sort they’d be.

“Yeah,” Bar said. “Two thousand or five percent of the take?”

“And a better position when I take power and territory for myself.”

Bar’s eyes moved as he seemed to engage in some mental calculations. “Yeah. Okay, fine, we’ll go take a look around.”

He signaled his friends.

Damsel thought about making an example of him. She couldn’t be sure if he was leaving and not coming back or if he was going to go through the motions while putting little effort in.

She looked at the two who remained. J and Angel.

“Are you going to run too?” she asked. “You’ll regret it later.”