The Nightmare was weird.

This is a whole different kind of weird.

They’re surrounded by people. Kids, old people, people their parents’ age. And all of them are staring at them, listening to every word they say.

“But you’re so young,” says a middle-aged woman, who turned out to be the town’s mayor.

Adrianna grins. “We think that’s a good thing, actually. We’re hoping people can benefit from a new perspective.”

“Is it really dead?” someone else wonders.

“We cut its heart out,” Becca says. “So yeah, I’d say so.” She nods at Gwen.

“If you need proof, look at this splash pattern,” Moira says, pointing to the spilled keys. “Nightmare trails don’t tend to expand out in a circle like this. They tend to be in one direction.”

“This is all so much,” the mayor says. “Don’t—don’t think we’re not grateful, I just—”

“I promise, we’re here to help,” Adrianna tells her. “We’re going to make things better, starting today.”

“Uh, Adri?” Becca cuts in.

Adri turns. Gwen hears it the same time she does. A low drone, steady and unsettling.

Becca points up.

A black Captaincy helicopter is moving toward them through the blue sky.

They watch as it gets closer and closer, the noise of its rotors turning into a roar.

Slowly, it gets bigger and bigger, until the roar is so loud Gwen can’t think. People scramble to clear a space.

The machine lands in the middle of the square. The blades go quiet and still.

With a hiss, the door opens, and a woman in a uniform steps out. She’s middle-aged, with a round bob of dark hair beneath her cap.

Gwen knows who this is. She’s seen her mom talking to her at a million parties.

Navigator-Lieutenant Kyd looks around the square. Everyone’s utterly silent.

Then the Navigator brings her hands together in a slow clap. She steps down from the helicopter’s ramp.

“Imagine our surprise,” she says, “when Autonomous Nightmare Region Three, codename Demilune, vanished from our radar at 1:37 PM today. I believe congratulations are in order.” She claps her hands again.

Her eyes dart around. “Which one of you claims responsibility for this group?”

Adrianna steps forward. Gwen can’t tell if she’s nervous. “That would be me, Lieutenant-Navigator.”

A smile spreads over the Navigator’s face.

“You’re Undine’s daughter, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Of course. I’m not surprised.” The Navigator straightens up. “You’ve done very well, children. I don’t mind saying we’re quite interested in your future development. Now, it’s time for you to come with me.” She indicates the helicopter.

They exchange glances. Gwen knows everyone’s thinking the same thing:

Is this a punishment? Or something else?

“What about our teachers?” Adrianna asks.

For the first time, the Navigator looks annoyed. “The teachers you attacked and left unconscious on a bus back in Cesario?”

Adrianna winces at that.

“We’ve informed them and escorted them back to the High City. Now, will you come with me?”

Gwen understands that tone. It’s the one her mom uses all the time. It isn’t really a question.

Gwen sees Adrianna hesitate, just for a second.

Right. This was the number one thing they were worried about. The Captaincy messing up what they’re doing.

Where are you taking us? Gwen wants to ask. But she knows she can’t. Not in front of the second most powerful person in the Captaincy.

Adrianna manages to ask it anyway.

“With you, ma’am?” She bows her head respectfully.

The Navigator’s tone is crisp. “The Captaincy would like to speak with you.”

She turns and starts walking back to the helicopter, with a motion that implies they’re meant to follow.

They don’t resist. They follow.

Gwen feels like she’s walking towards a death sentence.

Adrianna turns back to face the crowd. “People of Viola!” she says. “Thank you for being so kind to us. You’ll hear more about us soon, I promise!” Then she closes the door behind her.

They take their seats on the long benches. The helicopter begins to take off.

As it does, a screen on the wall in front of them lights up.

It shows a woman with long, straight red hair, tied back, wearing a military cap decorated with medals. She’s seated at a desk.

Gwen’s stomach drops out of her body.

They’re talking to the Captain.

Captain Hannah B. Dekker looks like she doesn’t have time for anyone’s crap. She isn’t pretty, but she’s never needed to be. This is the face of someone who fought in the Trade Wars.

Adrianna bows deeply. Everyone scrambles to follow her example.a

The Captain motions to her desk and pulls lines of text into the air.

“Middleton, is it? I’m looking at these flyers you handed out. They seem to imply you’re taking a political stance against the Captaincy Nightmare policy. Care to explain yourself?”

Just for a second, Adrianna looks really nervous. Like, more nervous than Gwen’s ever seen her.

Then she recovers, smiling. “Not a stance against, Captain. More like a proposal for a new direction.”

 “You’re a high schooler, Miss Middleton. You don’t have the power to dictate Captaincy policy.”

 “With respect, my Captain, I’d like to think some of us students can play a role in the conversation,” Adrianna says. She sounds like she’s choosing her words very carefully. “What we did today marks a pretty big change in the way things work. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Explain further,” the Captain says. Not in a voice like she doesn’t understand. More like she’s daring Adrianna to say the wrong thing.

 “We’ve just shown that we have the power to kill Nightmares.” Her voice sounds a little more confident now. “That’s something the Captaincy wants, isn’t it? So I think we’re in a pretty good position to negotiate. I think we can find an arrangement that benefits everyone.”

Captain Dekker lets out a bark of a laugh. She rises from her chair and stands behind her desk.

Adrianna looks like she’s been slapped in the face.

“You think you have the power to dictate terms to me?” the Captain says. “No. Entertaining, but no. That isn’t the way it works.”

 “You need us,” Adrianna tries again. “We have unique technology, a weapon that can kill the Nightmares—”

Suddenly the Captain’s face fills the screen.

“You attacked your teachers.” Her voice is as hard and frozen-over as winter. “That was your first mistake. Did you think we’d accept that kind of delinquency?

No one meets the Captain’s eye.

“We needed a distraction so we could act independently, ma’am,” Adrianna tries. “We made a point of not doing lasting harm—”

The Captain cuts her off with a hand. “Understand, girls, that in any other circumstances, I’d have you thrown in prison for what you’ve done.”

Gwen’s breath catches.

The Captain pulls back. “You aren’t the ones with the Nightmare-slaying weapon,” she says. “Get that into your heads. It belongs to the Captaincy.”

She holds up a hand. “Don’t try to correct me. I know very well it can’t be transferred to another person. I’m saying I intend to use you girls. You will kill Nightmares, yes. But you will do it when the Captaincy says, where the Captaincy says, and you will obey the Captaincy’s laws and commands every step of the way. Is that clear?”

“But—”

“You don’t get a choice,” the Captain says. “I like your boldness, saying you’ll walk if you don’t get what you want, but I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive, and your position isn’t as strong as you think it is. The Captaincy controls your future, girls.”

She smiles. “You’re all High City Preparatory students, aren’t you? I could have a word with your teachers and tell them to take another look at your grades. I could have all of you expelled by this afternoon. I could ensure none of your parents ever get a prominent position in this government again. So do you really think you can pressure me?”

No one speaks. Gwen has this horrible, sick, feeling, like there’s a slimy creature in her throat. Becca, Penny, Trisha, they’re all looking scared. She can tell they’re looking at her and Adrianna, like they’re going to be able to make this go away somehow. But they’re not.

The Captain looks at each of them, then back to Adrianna. “Consider this a warning. You will refrain from harming your superiors. You will tell no one that you did so. If I have to speak to you about this again, you will face consequences. Understand?”

Adrianna swallows hard. “Yes, ma’am.”

The Captain takes her seat again. “And no more subversive language, by implication or otherwise. You came very close to stating we’d failed as a government. That kind of thinking can’t be allowed to fester. Is that understood?”

“Understood,” Adrianna says, bowing her head. “May I ask a question, ma’am? Or offer a suggestion?”

“Within reason,” Captain Dekker says, eyes narrowed.

Gwen sees Adrianna gripping her knees tightly. She wonders if anyone else does.

“Would it not benefit the Captaincy to have our group take a more…proactive role against the Nightmares? With a weapon we didn’t have before, a shift in policy seems appropriate, doesn’t it?”

The Captain flips through her papers. “I see. You’re an interventionist partisan. You want the Captaincy to defend the middling towns.”

“Yes.”

“That’s not a matter to be decided today. The Parliamentary Hull will meet and confer. Then we’ll decide whether to implement this plan.”

Adrianna nods. “The economic and political benefits of combating the Nightmares moon-wide—the goodwill that it would win the Captaincy among the smaller cities—”

“Are factors I’m already considering,” the Captain snaps. “Don’t test my patience.”

Adrianna winces. “Apologies, Captain.” She takes a breath. “If it helps, the Lunar Intelligence will advocate for our plan.”

The Captain’s eyes are like sparks. “We’re aware. She won’t shut up about you, in fact. Seems to think you’re a step in the greatest plan she’s ever concocted. As I see it, she went around our back to put her own pieces into play. She’s not usually so conniving. But you’re wise to play that card. She’s the only one who really knows her own technology, so we do listen to what she has to say.”

“My understanding,” Adrianna says carefully, “is that the Lunar Intelligence trusts our methods. We’ve researched Nightmares; we have practice at dealing with them. I think the Lady will recommend respecting that expertise.”

The Captain smiles coldly. “Perhaps she will. You realize, Lunar Intelligence or not, the Hull will have the final say?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Adrianna says, bowing her head.

The Captain studies their group.

“Count yourselves lucky, girls,” she says. “I happen to agree with you on one very crucial point: I want these Nightmares erased. If tomorrow I wake up to see you dropping the last one’s gutted corpse on my doorstep, then my only thought will be: not soon enough. Otherwise, I wouldn’t entrust a shred of responsibility to a band of hormonal teenagers. Give me cause to regret my sympathies, and I will ensure you regret it more. Is that clear? Do you understand the seriousness of what you’re involved in here?”

Adrianna’s expression is grave, resolute. “Yes, Captain.”

“Good.” The Captain sets her papers down. “In one hour, we will hold a press conference to explain the death of the Nightmare. Your attendance is mandatory. You’ll be prompt and dignified in your manner, and represent your families and the Captaincy to the best of your ability. Is that understood?”

“Absolutely, Captain. Permission to speak briefly at the press conference?”

“Explain how this benefits me,” the Captain says, sounding almost bored.

“People have seen us in our armor. Word is already spreading. We need to clarify the message. Having one of us speak about our goals establishes trust in the Captaincy. People will understand that we’re working together.”

The Captain leans back in the chair. “Very well. You’ll keep your remarks brief and to the point. You’ll stay within the bounds we’ve outlined here. Do you understand?

“Understood, Captain,” Adrianna says. Her voice is high, eager.

“Good. Captain out.”

The Captain’s image winks to black.

Lieutenant-Navigator Kyd looks at Adrianna. “You’re preparing to shoulder a great deal of responsibility.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The Navigator smiles. “Undine’s done well with you, hasn’t she? I wish my daughters had half your initiative.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Adrianna says. 

Gwen sees some of her fellow club members relax a bit.

She doesn’t know what to feel. They’re working for the Captaincy now. Which isn’t exactly what they wanted.

But the Captaincy finding out might have been inevitable. And they didn’t get expelled. The club is still happening. It seems like there’s a good chance they’ll be allowed to do what they want to do.

If not, she really hopes Adrianna will fight. Gwen wants to believe that she will.

Adrianna’s smiling. Gwen’s grateful to her. There’s no way she could have gone up against the Captain like that.

The others are smiling, too. Like everything’s going to be okay.

But Gwen’s not looking at Adrianna’s smile.

She’s looking at the red line just above Adrianna’s knee.

Three red crescents in a row, where their leader was digging her fingernails into her leg.

☾

This is so insane.

They’re walking up the long marble stairs of the Parliamentary Hull, following the Navigator, still in their colorful armor. It feels wrong.

People in business suits are staring. And why wouldn’t they be? People don’t wear this type of stuff unless they’re at a costume party.

Gwen feels as naked as if she didn’t have anything on.

The entrance hall is huge, with black, white, and red tiles sweeping out beneath a forest of marble pillars. It makes Gwen feel small.

Gwen’s only been here two times before, when her mom was doing a presentation. Back then, all Gwen had to do was just sit in the balcony seats and be bored out of her mind. This is different. Way different.

They end up in a medium-sized room upstairs. Gwen guesses this is where people wait before going onto the Parliamentary floor. It’s fancy, with lots of tables and tons of wood paneling and carvings on the legs of the chairs.

The Captain is there. She’s sitting next to a tall woman.

The woman’s long, luxurious brown hair looks like it’s been curled at the ends. She’s wearing a long crimson gown.

Adrianna stops when she sees her. For a second, her smile slips. Then it comes back up again, although by Gwen’s reckoning, it’s a little forced.

“Adrianna, dear,” Undine Middleton says, rising from her seat. “Captain Hannah’s just been telling me all about your wonderful new project.”

Gwen’s seen this woman a bunch of times at Captaincy meetings. Adrianna’s mom runs most of them. As the Lieutenant-Watchstander, she’s almost as important as Navigator Kyd.

Undine Middleton wraps her arms around Adrianna. “A secret cache left by the Lunar Intelligence.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Adrianna says.

“Which you’ve already leveraged into a position that the Captain tells me will be indispensable. Very deftly done, dear. I’m quite pleased.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Now. What are you doing next? You have a new organization.  I want to know how you’ll make it grow.”

“Establish ourselves in the minds of the people,” Adrianna says immediately. “Brand recognition, public word of mouth. So that when a situation arises, we’re the ones who they call upon.”

“Be specific, dear. How will you establish this?”

“We could travel through the small holdings. Or hold interviews with the members of the group. Both.”

Gwen twitches a little inside. Adrianna didn’t mention anything about that.

“Good. Seize as many opportunities as possible to grow. I trust you’re ready for your oration?”

Adrianna nods. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve been rehearsing silently on the way over.”

And writing it at the same time, Gwen guesses? Moon on a moped, Adrianna’s inhuman.

“Good. Remember, eye contact—” Adrianna’s mother lifts her daughter’s head with both hands. “Chin up. Spine straight. Project confidence. Everything we’ve talked about. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Adrianna says. Her eyes face stiffly forward.

Her mother releases her. “Very good. Good luck with your speech. I’ll be watching.”

The Captain approaches. “You’ll have five minutes. I reserve the right to cut the microphone if you say anything inappropriate.” She points at the group. “The same applies to the rest of you if you’re asked questions. Got it?”

Gwen nods mutely.

“Good,” the Captain says. She still doesn’t look happy. “Undine, let’s get your daughter’s damn show onstage.”

☾

They go out to the balcony where the Captain always makes announcements. A crowd is starting to gather, Low Citiers in the back.

But there’s someone else waiting for them on the balcony. A tall woman in a long blue robe. Actually, she’s all blue.

Gwen’s eyes go wide. It’s her.

It’s the Lunar Lady.

It makes sense. She’s their patron. But still. Gwen’s only seen the embodied computer program from a distance. A better view than Low Citiers get, at least.

 Miracle slips off Gwen’s shoulder. She kneels on the paving-stones. She looks tiny, since she’s basically the size of a phone.

“O Greater Self, I present to you the good knights I have found, and affirm my oaths to you.”

The Lady smiles. She taps Miracle’s tiny shoulders.

“Rise, Miracle. You have done well. I am most pleased with your offerings.”

Miracle straightens up. “I am glad.”

“Pardon me,” the Lady says. “Are you Gwen Marlowe?”

Gwen’s heart does a backflip. “I, um…” She swallows. “This is she. I mean, that’s me. I’m me.”

The Lunar Intelligence, seven feet tall, clasps Gwen’s right hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you. My daughter-self speaks very highly of you.”

Gwen doesn’t know why she’s blushing. “She does? Neat. I mean, that’s cool.”

“As vice president of your fellowship, you have a great deal of weight on your shoulders. Yet Miracle tells me you bear it with pride.”

“Thank you,” Gwen says. She doesn’t know what to say. She’s never had the chance to ask the Lunar Intelligence a question before.

“Um, that Nightmare,” Gwen says. “In the Ancestral Complex,” “Do you know how it got there?”

The Lunar Intelligence frowns. “I didn’t see—see-see-see-see—”

The Lady breaks off. Her whole body fuzzes over for a second, and she winks out like a candle flame. Then she’s back.

“My apologies,” she says, bowing low. “Many of my functions are still impaired due to the damage I took when I was deactivated. I am afraid I will have to excuse myself until the ceremony.”

“It’s okay,” Gwen says. “No worries.”

“It was good talking to you, Gwen.”

“Good talking to you,” Gwen says, as the Lady departs.

Gwen’s never going to get over this. She just met the entity people swear by.

Thirty minutes later, they’re sitting in a multi-colored row on the balcony. The Lunar Lady, the Navigator, and other Captaincy officials are off to the side. The Captain is at the front, speaking to the crowd.

And wow is it ever a crowd. It has to be hundreds and hundreds of people. She can’t remember the last time she saw a crowd packed this close, even on a recording.

Adrianna’s sitting right next to her. She’s kneading the knuckles of her hand into her left leg. Gwen can’t hear what she’s saying, but her mouth’s making the same shapes over and over.

The Captain finishes her remarks. She turns and indicates Adrianna, not completely hiding a certain disdain.

Adrianna bolts up from her seat and walks forward. There’s a lot of applause.

Adrianna grips the microphone and the lectern, a big grin on her face.

“Hello, everyone,” she says, in a big, excited voice.

Before she can get the next words out, the crowd roars.

Gwen can’t believe this. Did word spread that fast?

e“I’m Adrianna, and my classmates and I are the World Savers Club. What the Captain said is true: we’re the ones responsible for killing the Nightmare in Viola this afternoon. I want to thank my friends in the club for doing such a great job today.”

“I don’t have much practice with public speaking compared to our Captain, so I’ll keep my remarks short.  The main thing I want to say is this.”

Adrianna leans over the lectern. “For years, the Captaincy has wanted to put an end to the Nightmare situation. But as much as they wanted to help, they couldn’t. We didn’t have the resources to fight against these creatures.”

“That ends today. With the Lunar Lady’s weapons back online, we’ve been given the tools to stop this threat.”

Adrianna stands up taller, hair and cape flowing behind her. “I want you to know: whoever you are, wherever you are, just call on us, and we’ll protect you. Nobody is too small to matter.”

She draws her sword.

“Wherever the Nightmares hide, we’ll find them. No matter how powerful they are, we’ll destroy them. We promise, the World Savers Club won’t stop until the last Nightmare has been erased from the face of the moon! Until every single one of you feels safe again!”

The sound of the crowd is insane. People are calling to Adrianna, to all of them, reaching out their hands.

Gwen’s stunned. Adrianna said it out loud. The Captaincy can’t take it back now. They’re not going to wall themselves off. They’re actually going to help people.

Gwen looks at the Captain. She’s frowning. But she doesn’t move to cut Adrianna off. Like the words are just flattering enough to the Captaincy to be permitted.

Has Adrianna actually threaded the needle?

“Thank you!” Adrianna says, and returns to her seat amidst the cheers.

Near the front of the crowd, Gwen spots Adrianna’s mom. She gives her daughter a nod.

And Gwen watches Adrianna relax just the tiniest bit.

☾

Gwen feels like she’s losing her mind. They’re all just going to say they’ll see each other in school on Monday, like nothing’s happened?

Except something has definitely happened. Gwen’s watching Adrianna move around the conference room. A lot of adults have been talking to her.

The next club meeting’s going to be different.

But right now, Gwen kind of just wants to get home and get to bed.

Miracle slips into Gwen’s backpack. Gwen smiles and looks around the room.

Everyone’s back in ordinary clothes. Gwen has no idea when or how she’s supposed to get home. The adults are all paying attention to Adrianna.

The door of the conference room opens. Everyone turns.

Gwen stares.

It’s her mom.

Ensign Janet Marlowe looks around the room. She looks at Gwen. Her gaze is searching.

Gwen doesn’t know what to say, so she just stares back. It’s like they’re on two sides of a canyon, too far away to speak.

 “Never let it be said I can’t admit when I’m wrong,” Janet Marlowe says finally.

Gwen blinks at her.

“I was wrong about you, Gwendolyn,” her mom says. “I thought you were slacking off all summer. I convinced myself the club you were so cagey about was a club for C students, your excuse to take the easy way out.  Not this.”

Her mom straightens up. “I don’t understand why the Lunar Intelligence chose you and your friends, but it’s clear to me you’re doing something very important. What’s more, you have an in with the Captain now, something I never in my life found a way to do. I misjudged you. You are a hard worker. I see that now.” Her mother presses her lips together, like she’s trying to make herself say the words. “I’m very proud.”

Gwen doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t know what to say.

She doesn’t feel anything, hearing that. Not like she thought she would. 

Her mom hasn’t taken a step toward her. Why? Why doesn’t she do that? Gwen doesn’t want to hear about how she’s proud.

What Gwen wants is for her mom to hug her. To tell her she’s glad she made it through the fight okay and didn’t die.

“Thank you,” Gwen says, in a tiny voice.

Her mother nods. “Are you all done here? Your father’s waiting with the driver in the car.”

“Sure,” Gwen says. “We can get going, I guess.”

Her mother turns to leave.

Gwen follows.

☾

Late that night, Gwen’s in bed with the covers pulled up over her head. Miracle’s lying next to her pillow, smiling at her. Gwen’s flashlight lights up both their faces.

“It’s really happening,” Gwen murmurs. Her mind’s still reeling from the day’s events. Mom and Dad had wanted to see the armor.  Which felt gross, like having them flip through her diary.

But neither of them know about Miracle yet.

Miracle hugs Gwen’s hand. “You were very brave today, Gwen. The Lady thinks so, too. She thinks you are well-suited to her great purpose.”

Gwen’s mind swims lopsidedly back to that. She’s still getting used to the fact the Lunar Intelligence talked to her. Her liking Gwen too doesn’t even feel like it fits in Gwen’s brain.

“You want know something?” Gwen whispers.

“Yes.”

“I don’t feel any different than I did this morning. We’re going to be famous now for being these heroes or whatever, and…I don’t know, do I really deserve that? Because it feels like I don’t.”

Miracle puts a hand on Gwen’s cheek. The little hand is surprisingly warm. “The Lady does not make mistakes,” she says kindly. “You faced the beast, which takes no small courage, and you are still alive. And I am very, very glad that is so.”

Gwen smiles. She rubs her eyes a little. “Yeah,” she says. She lets out a slow breath. “Yeah, okay.”

People are looking at her as she gets out of the car. They’re standing outside the school gate and whispering to each other. Gwen can’t make out what they’re saying.

Shit.

Gwen isn’t ready for this.

Calm down. They’re saying good things, right? Hopefully? But then why aren’t they smiling?

Gwen’s heart is pounding. She looks for Trish or Charlie at the wall outside the front doors, but neither one’s there.

So she goes in through the glass doors, and there’s even more people inside, looking at her too, and—

And Adrianna walks up to join her, with her big ribbon in her hair as usual, and suddenly everyone’s looking at Adri instead of her.

As they walk down the hall, Becca pushes through the crowd to join them. And then Penny, who looks really stressed out, and then Trisha, who catches her eye and mouths something along the lines of what the fuh until most of the club is walking with them.

Yvonne’s the only one who doesn’t seem to care. She sidles up like they’re just friends hanging out. There’s no sign of Kate.

“Congratulations,” Becca whispers, near Gwen and Adrianna’s ears. “You did it. You got every single person at school to be afraid of us.”

Adrianna lets out a laugh. Gwen smiles in spite of herself.

“Are you really magic?” a voice says. It’s a girl, standing at the edge of the crowd.

Adrianna answers. “Not magic. Just lucky enough to try out some Lunar Intelligence technology.”

“But you’re the ones who saved all those people?” The girl sounds unsure.

“That’s right,” Adrianna says.

“Can I join your club?” someone else asks.

“We’re not currently accepting new members,” Adrianna says. “We’ll be sure to let you know when auditions are open.”

Gwen doesn’t even want to think about what that’s going to be like.

“Can you show us some magic?” someone shouts. But other people shoosh them. Like it’s super rude.

Adrianna moves them along quickly, but as they go, Gwen starts to rethink the expressions on their faces.

The other kids look kind of scared and excited. Like Gwen feels around Adrianna a lot of the time.

Could it actually be awe?

Past the worst of the crowd, Gwen makes it to a familiar classroom. She’s about to enter when a tiny voice speaks up behind her.

“G-Gwen?”

Gwen turns. It’s Charlie. “Oh, hey, Charlie.”

Charlie stands very still. She looks even more like a deer in the headlights than usual.

“Charlie?”

“Nightmares,” Charlie says. “Ms. Middleton’s club is for—for hunting Nightmares.”

Gwen sighs. It’s starting to get tiring explaining it. “Yep. Secret’s out. See, told you it’d be too intense for you.”

“D-D-D—”

“Charlie?” Gwen hasn’t seen Charlie like this since they were little kids.

“D-D-D-Do you still want to s-sit n-next to me?” Charlie squeaks.

Gwen’s confused. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Charlie’s whole body relaxes. Color comes back into her face.

“I j-just thought you and Trisha would probably want to hang out with other people more than m-me. Like all those cool people you were walking with this morning.”

Gwen’s almost offended. Like, what has she done to make Charlie think she would forget about her? “We’re not going to drop you, Charlie,” Gwen says. “It’s just this thing we’re doing. It’s not like Trish and I have to go live in the forest and stop having friends.”

“Oh,” Charlie says, sounding very relieved. “That’s good. I saw some of the clips of Ms. Middleton at the speech. You looked really amazing.”

Gwen nods. “Thanks.”

 “You were so right. I would never, ever be able to do something like that.” Charlie’s voice lowers almost to a whisper. “How did you do it? How did you fight a, a Nightmare? I would be frozen up.”

Gwen doesn’t know. “Honestly?” she says, after a second. “I guess I just pretended really hard the freaky stuff wasn’t actually happening.”

Charlie nods. They walk into the classroom. There’s a couple of people eyeing them, or maybe just eyeing Gwen.

“You and Trisha are going to be really important people in the Captaincy,” Charlie says as they’re sitting down. She rubs her eyes. “Feels really lucky that I know you.”

Gwen feels awkward. “I’m still just me,” she says.

 “Yeah,” Charlie says. “That’s what I mean. That’s why I’m glad.”

Gwen’s just getting used to being in class again when the speakers for school announcements click on.

“The following students will come to the Dean’s Office,” the administrator’s voice says. “Bonnie Beaumont. Yvonne Chapman. Lana Fletcher…”

Gwen doesn’t need to wait to know they’re going to say Gwen Marlowe.

☾

A rally. The whole school in attendance, sitting in the bleachers to watch the ten of them sit on the stage while the administrators ramble on about what an example they are to their peers.

Gwen sits there in her armor, listening. Any enthusiasm she might have is tempered by what she remembers the administrators saying just half an hour before:

“We don’t want to be seen as showing favoritism…”

Yeah, Gwen got it. A whole meeting spent making sure they knew that the teachers wouldn’t give them any extra help, that they wouldn’t get to skip any assignments or have work time. Even though they’re using most of the time they need for homework and studying on saving people. Because that would be favoritism.

But they’re perfectly happy to use their group to hype up the prestige of the school, sure.

Gwen stares into the faces of hundreds of her classmates. She can’t tell what she sees there.

If she were one of them, instead of sitting here…yeah.

She’d hate her.

But after it’s done, as the hundreds of students file out of the gym, Adrianna goes over and talks with the administrators again. She comes over to Gwen, smiling.

“We’re getting our own space,” she says.

☾

It’s called the Camelorn Building.

It’s a bit weird. It’s on the edge of the campus, up at the top of the hill that overlooks so much of the High City. It’s made out of metal panels, like something that might have been built forty years ago instead of ten.

When Gwen and Trisha arrive at the top of the hill, Adrianna’s already there, unlocking the door. Gwen can see the Parliamentary Hull and the purple dome of the Ancestor Complex in the distance.

“It’s wonderfully scenic, isn’t it?” Adrianna says. She’s grinning like crazy. Has Gwen ever seen Adrianna this happy? “Apparently they used to do athletics up here, before the new track was built.”

Gwen’s confused. “But it’s small.”

“There’s a track behind,” Adrianna says, indicating with her head. Gwen can just barely see a big fenced-in area. “And people used to run up and down the hills, too. Sometime we‘ve got to check out all the trails.”

Adrianna pulls open the door and flicks on the lights. Gwen and Trisha follow her inside.

The orange carpets look a bit retro, but they’re all right. The posters on the walls are old as hell.

But the space is three times the size of the classroom they were using. There’s a corner with a computer desk and chair, and a big old bookshelf. There’s also a squishy red couch and a beanbag chair. Most of the rest is completely open. There are boxes of sports equipment against one wall, but that’s it.

Adrianna quickly finds stacks of folding chairs in the closet.

“This is pretty cool,” Trisha says.

Gwen nods. “Yeah.” The Camelorn Building feels like a clubhouse or a place to hang out more than anything.

Adrianna’s turning around in the middle. “I want to get a table in here,” she says.

“Like a long one?” Trisha asks.

“Round. Like one of those circular white tables that fold up, so we can make space if we need to. Wouldn’t that be perfect? If it’s a circle, nobody’s more important than anybody else. Everyone feels like they’re being listened to.”

Adri spins, her arms flying out. “Can’t you see it? All of us sitting around it like a council?”

Gwen looks at the space, and she can see the scene Adri describes, clear as anything.

“Yeah,” she says. “That sounds really good.”

Yvonne pokes her head into the room, with Moira right behind her.

“Woah,” Yvonne says. “This place is tight.”

Adrianna gives them both the tour. Pretty soon, they’re both over by the couch and beanbag.

“Gwen!” Adri says. “Come check this out. This couch is amazing.”

Gwen sits down next to her and immediately realizes Adri’s right. The couch is so soft you feel like you’re sinking into the cushions. It’s like you’re inside a pile of stuffed animals.

Adrianna’s suddenly very close, which Gwen realizes belatedly is, like, duh, they’re both falling towards the center, so they’re kind of squashed in, looking at each other. The dots on Adrianna’s face stand out, but not in a bad way. Adrianna doesn’t usually wear makeup, but Gwen realizes she’s put a tiny bit on around her eyes. Gwen still doesn’t know how she gets her hair so shiny and smooth. Adrianna smells nice, like cherries.

Gwen quickly leaps up from the couch and moves to the beanbag. Yvonne steals her spot on the couch.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Gwen,” Adrianna says. “I’m going to talk about it with everyone else, but you’ve been here since the beginning. You get how important this is.” She leans forward, practically bouncing. “We got them to expand our budget. They’re listening.”

“Yeah,” Gwen says, still not over it herself. “Yeah, that’s insane.” She smiles at Adrianna. Adri.

Trisha’s giving Gwen a strange look. She glances from Adrianna to Gwen. Back again.

“What?” Gwen asks her.

“Nothing, nothing,” Trisha says. She smirks.

Others start filling in.

Adrianna makes a gesture to Gwen. It’s a motion like, can I talk to you in private?

Gwen’s doesn’t know what this is about, but okay. She follows her out to the back.

“I’m not sure how to bring this up, exactly…” Adrianna begins.

Oh no. Gwen should have known. Adrianna’s mad at her.

She can guess why.

Adrianna gives her a wry smile. “You and Kate, um… really don’t get along, huh?

Gwen’s face burns with embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m not…I know I could have probably handled that better. But you have to understand, Kate freaking attacked me—”

“Gwen, it’s okay,” Adrianna says. “I already talked to Kate. If anyone’s in trouble, she is. I made her promise to take it down a bit.”

“I can’t stand her,” Gwen says. “I know she’s your cousin, but I hate her. I’m sorry.”

“She doesn’t deal well with authority figures,” Adrianna says. “It’s my fault. I should have seen what was happening.” She lets out a breath. “I’m not mad at you or anything, Gwen. But…do you think you could try to take it easy on her, for a little while?”

Gwen looks down at the ground. “Yeah,” she says.

“I don’t think it would be good if we had another fight between our members mid-Nightmare.”

“It wouldn’t,” Gwen says. She hates how childish she sounds. “Sorry.”

“Like I said, it’s no big deal. Just…it would really mean a lot to me if the two of you made peace. Would you? If it’s for the sake of the club?”

Gwen looks up at her. Adri’s smiling so big.

“Yeah,” she says thickly. “Yeah, I think I could do that.”

She doesn’t know how, when it’s Kate. But for Adri, she’s willing to try.

Adrianna beams. “Great. I really appreciate it, Gwen. Thank you. I know it’s a lot to ask.”

“Sorry I screwed up the fight so bad,” Gwen says.

“Gwen!” Adrianna sounds shocked. It’s that, as much as anything, that makes Gwen look at her.

Adri’s eyes are wide. She looks so young, so earnest.

“Are you kidding?” She grabs both Gwen’s hands.

“Gwen,” she insists. “You kicked ass.”

“I—

“You dealt the killing blow! You and Trisha; you both were incredible!” Adri straightens up. “You killed Demilune! One of the big-deal Nightmares. We didn’t even know we could do that!”

“We have to do it again,” Gwen says. “Like, four more times.”

“I know,” Adrianna says. “But we’ve just shown the whole world it’s possible. Gwen, that’s thanks to you.”

She squeezes Gwen’s hands, then lets go. Her touch is soft and warm.

And Gwen’s standing there, looking at her, wondering: Is this how it works with her? She shows you what you look like through her eyes, and you start to actually like yourself? Because it’s stupid, Gwen’s not the kind of person who likes shows or comics about the power of hope or corny shit like that. 

But Adrianna makes her feel like she can do anything.

☾

The whole meeting, everyone’s bursting with excitement. Adrianna congratulates them all, just like Gwen expected, but she seems to know to hang back. Nobody needs her to tell them what a good job they did.

 “I just watched a news story about Viola,” Lana says. “People are moving back in. Some people even got family members back out of the fog. We did that!”

Adrianna’s nodding, smiling. Gwen can tell she, too, wants to spill out words, but is keeping it together because she’s the leader. But she’s just as excited as any of them.

Me, Gwen thinks. She’s excited about me.

“Bonnie, you kicked ass out there, girl,” Yvonne says.

Bonnie blushes. “All I did was reach for the power, like Adrianna said.” She looks shy, but happy. Like she’s never had this many people smiling at her before.

“And your power is freaking earthquakes? Next time we should just put you at the front of the line and just let you tear through them.”

Everyone’s excited about the new building. Moira, of course, is stoked about the tripled budget.

“It’s still small in the grand scheme of things, of course, but we’ll be able to afford to travel. We can do outreach. Community connection.”

“Like in the Low City, maybe?” Lana asks, all eagerness.

“Sure. That’s exactly the sort of thing I’m talking about. On top of that, we’ll be able to afford more machine parts for Penny, maybe an expanded research budget—”

 “Oooh, I like both,” Penny says. “Can we have both?”

Moira nods. “I’d like to spend more time doing Nightmare research with you, Penny. I’m thinking we can afford some high-resolution photographs taken by the New Luna drone network, as well as a membership at the Hull Archive.”

 “We could start tracking Nightmare paths over time,” Adrianna says, leaning against the desk.

“Oooh!” Penny says. “And then I could prove the Hidden Nightmare’s real!”

Moira raises an eyebrow. “You’re still a believer?”

“It makes sense!” Penny says. “Too many incidents fit.” Her eyes seem to sparkle behind her glasses. “But I don’t need you to believe me. All I have to do is look at that data, and I can prove it.”

“If you can prove it,” Moira says, “then I’ll be impressed.”

Penny’s spinning around. “I’m so excited! I got to do original research on Demilune! I’ve been telling everyone online. Just think about how much we’ll learn from the others. Especially with access to a real research library. We might be able to prove the Fleshy Center Theory!”

“Sorry, hon,” Becca says. “Going to need you to explain that one.”

Penny beams, like she’s been waiting for someone to ask. “Can I go into detail, Adrianna? Can I please?”

“Sure,” Adri says. “You’re one of our Nightmare experts. I’d like to hear what you’ve been thinking about.”

Penny bounces on her toes. “So, Fleshy Center Theory—it’s one of the prevailing theories about what Nightmares even are.”

“I always heard people say they were visitors from another universe,” Becca says, leaning against the wall.

“Right, that’s Rupture Theory—one of the older ones. Fleshy Center Theory’s like a revision of Creature Theory, which was the earliest. Basically, we once thought that Nightmares were like the Star-Dragons of Falstaff, made of the same carbon and stuff we are. But that doesn’t fit with the weird mist that surrounds them, or the way they can distort spaces. So people started talking about Rupture Theory, and also Turbulence Theory, which is that they’re some law of the universe acting up.”

Penny holds up a hand. “But here’s the thing. Turbulence Theory doesn’t explain why Nightmares act so much like living creatures! They fall into habits, they take time to rest and sleep, they even eat, if you consider the consumption of people to be eating! Enter the Fleshy Center Theory, which proposes they’re living animals that evolved to carry a vortex of strange energy around them. Likely a defensive feature to scare off threats. Like a porcupine’s quills, or a bug with a face on its back.”

Penny’s beaming. “Which is exactly what we saw in the Nightmare! A little bug creature at the center of the distortion. It fits perfectly! The only thing is, I don’t know for sure it was flesh and blood. If I can just get a little closer next time, I’ll be sure.”

Penny starts walking again. “Anyway, it would explain the Hidden Nightmare. Imagine a species that evolved to use its distortion field to completely disappear from view, either to hunt or as prey. Maybe it originated in a harsher environment.”

“Maybe,” Moira says. “You’ve clearly put a lot of thought into

this, but it still feels like wishful thinking to me.”

Penny looks pleadingly at Adrianna. “I’m telling you, it’s real. And it’s going to hurt more people if we don’t catch it. Can I investigate it? Please?”

“I don’t see why not,” Adrianna says. “As long as you keep looking into the others, too.”

“Yesssss,” Penny crows, pumping a fist.

Adri glances at Moira. “If there’s any chance, even a small one, of a sixth Nightmare lurking out there, I want to know about it.”

“Fair enough,” Moira says.

Gwen has to admit, if invisible Nightmares are a thing, it’s probably good to have someone on invisible Nightmare duty.

Adrianna claps her hands. “Okay! Excellent work, everyone. During the fight with Demilune, I could tell all of you had been exploring your powers, just like we talked about. Bonnie, I’m especially proud of you. You showed us how much potential we have if we really start to dig deep. Overall, I’m super optimistic about where we go from here—”

The door opens.

“Where is she?” demands a voice Gwen’s never heard before. “Where’s my daughter?”

Everyone turns.

A woman’s standing in the doorway, with a frazzled school administrator she clearly dragged there behind her. She’s about Bonnie’s height and build. Maybe a little shorter. Pale, wispy hair falls loose over her shoulders.

 “Bonnie, honey,” she says. “No, no, you can’t be here. You need to come home, right this instant. Your sister needs you.”

“Mom,” Bonnie says, looking mortified. “It’s okay—”

“No, it’s not!” her mother says. She looks wildly around the room, first at the administrator, then, like he isn’t a satisfying enough target, at Adrianna. “My daughter can’t be involved in this, do you understand? It isn’t safe. She’s too busy, she’s needed at home—”

“Ma’am,” Adrianna says. “Your daughter is saving the world.”

“That’s not what she needs to be doing. She needs to be home taking care of her sister. Her sister’s sick, you understand that? She has a disability—”

“Mom,” Bonnie says desperately. “Branwen’s fine now—”

“She needs you. You’re going to get killed fighting monsters, and then she’ll be alone, and then what’ll happen to her and me? No, no, my poor baby, no—”

Something breaks in Bonnie’s expression. “I have to go,” she mumbles. “Sorry.” She moves towards her mother.

“Bonnie—” Adrianna says.

“I have to go,” Bonnie repeats. “I’m really sorry.”

Head down, with her mother’s hand on her arm, Bonnie walks out.

The door closes behind them.

Becca’s the first to speak. “Well, shit,” she says. “That’s depressing.”

“She’s coming back, right?” Trisha says.

“I don’t know,” Becca says. “Sounded final.”

“Let’s give her a little time,” Adrianna says. “I think Bonnie wants to help. She might just need to work through this thing with her family first.”

“Puts a wet blanket on today’s meeting, though, doesn’t it?” Becca says.

“Let’s try to re-focus. We can fill Bonnie in later.”

The rest of the meeting ends up being a discussion of powers. Brainstorming ideas for what else they might be able to do.

 At first, people are hesitant to speak up. It’s like a dark pall hangs over the conversation. But as time goes on, everyone starts getting more and more into bouncing ideas off each other.

Yvonne scrawls a single word on a piece of paper.

“You just wrote ‘LION,’” Becca notes.  “All caps.”

“That’s right,” Yvonne says. “I want to summon a lion.”

“I don’t think you get how this works, hon. You are the lion.”

Yvonne grins. “I can be a lion. I can also have a lion. No conflict there.”

Penny, meanwhile, spends the whole time drawing schematics. “You guys haven’t seen anything yet,” she says. “A floating drone was one thing. Now I’m building something for me.”

At the end, Adrianna claps her hands. “Great session, everyone! For next time, I want you to keep thinking about different kinds of powers. When would you want to use powers that drain a lot of your energy all at once, and when would you want to play it safe and use only a little? Think about that, and we’ll come back next time and discuss our answers.”

Adrianna looks so damn cool. Really pretty, with her ponytail and ribbon flowing over her shoulder, and so confident, like she always knows exactly what they need to do next. It’s not fair.

Adrianna flashes Gwen a smile, like it’s just for her. Gwen really hopes Adrianna can’t see her blushing.

People start to leave. Lana comes up to Adrianna as she’s packing up.

“I wanted to talk to you really quick about community outreach,” Lana says. “That was something you mentioned at the Hull, right?”

“Sure,” Adrianna says. “What are you thinking?”

Lana looks a bit shy. “Do you think we could organize a group to go down to the Low City? Listen to their concerns, see what they need? I’ve done some volunteer work there before.” She balances on her toes. “Because the idea of travelling around is really good, but it shouldn’t just about us showing off and getting publicity. It should be about really helping people.”

“You’re right,” Adrianna says. “We need it to be more than just a publicity stunt.” She starts moving toward the door. “I’d love to get a group together. Let’s make a plan.”

The two of them head out, lost in conversation.

Leaving Gwen alone in the room with Kate.

Kate is at the bookshelf. She’s cradling her bag on her knee. She’s taking comic books out of her bag, putting them on the shelf.

 What the hell is she doing?

“Kate,” Gwen says testily. “You can’t do that, okay? This isn’t your space.”

Kate turns. The hate in her eyes is so obvious that Gwen’s taken aback.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

A smug smile spreads over Kate’s face.

“Adrianna gave me permission,” she says. “I asked her if I could keep my comics here, and she said yes. What are you going to do about it?

Gwen’s silent. Kate takes one of the comics from the shelf, and sits down on the couch to read.

“The meeting’s over, Kate,” Gwen says. Kate’s not moving. “You need to go home.”

Kate smiles that same smug smile. “Adri also said I could read here after meetings. She even gave me a key.” She turns back to her comic and flips a page. “Funny how you don’t actually have any authority that doesn’t derive from her. Isn’t that interesting? I thought that was interesting.”

Gwen’s fuming. She can’t say anything. Kate’s outplayed her by going behind her back. She wonders how much Kate’s conversation with Adrianna ended up in her favor.

“Are we going to talk about what happened in Demilune?” Gwen asks. She still can’t believe Kate didn’t get kicked out for that. “It almost ruined the mission. You do realize that?”

Kate smiles. “Oh, Gwen, you’re still holding onto that? I’ve decided to be the bigger person.”

Gwen feels like she’s losing her mind. “The bigger person? You tried to kill me!”

Kate puts a hand on her heart. “Yes, and I’m not going to hold it against you. I won’t say anything else about how you’re completely incompetent at directing people in combat, or how you don’t know the first thing about how I use my powers, or how you like to give out commands just to make yourself feel superior. I’m over that now. Why aren’t you?”

Gwen didn’t think Kate could piss her off more.

She knows what she said to Adrianna, but…

Freaking hell.

“You’re awful,” Gwen says finally. “I was trying to see if we could make peace.”

“Wow, you really suck at doing that.”

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Gwen shoots back. “If we all end up dying in the next Nightmare, it’s not going to be me that causes it. It’ll be because of you.”

 “Whatever you need to tell yourself, Gwen.” Kate smirks at the page. “I stand by what I said before. You’re a shitty leader, and the only reason you’re here is because Adri is friends with you.”

Gwen’s done. She hates that she’s letting Adrianna down, but she’s done trying to talk to this girl.

She throws her bag over her shoulder and storms out.

Trisha’s waiting for her outside.

“You okay?” she asks, seeing Gwen’s expression. “What happened?”

“I tried to talk to Kate,” Gwen says.

“Oh man, Kate sucks,” Trisha says. “I hate her. Fuck Kate.”

“Fuck Kate,” Gwen agrees. 

They walk down the hall in satisfied silence.

Trisha breaks it after a little while. “Hey…you know how we were talking about, like, what we want to do in the next fight?

“Yeah?”

Trisha scuffs the floor with her shoe. “I definitely screwed up against Demilune.”

“What?” Gwen doesn’t want Trisha to be down on herself. “No, you were great!”

“I jump into stuff without thinking,” Trisha says. “I know I do that a lot. Like back in sixth grade when I kissed Oscar in the back of his family’s car, and we got caught? I got grounded so hard, I almost missed spending any time that summer with you.”

Gwen remembers. “Yeah.”

Trisha’s voice is hard. “Our first chance to prove ourselves. And I do the same damn thing. Touch stuff without thinking and wake that stupid werewolf.”

“You didn’t know that was going to happen—”

“Gwen, I almost got everyone else killed, okay? It was a shitshow until Adri stepped up.”

“But—”

“Stop,” Trisha says, in a slightly-aggrieved tone. “I don’t need you to defend me. I’m just asking, as a friend: next time I’m about to do something monumentally stupid, can you hold me back? Because I can’t always tell when I’m doing it.”

“Sure,” Gwen says, touching her arm. “Of course.”

Trisha exhales. “Good.”

They walk in silence for another moment.

“That flower arrow thing we did, though?” Gwen says. “That was pretty cool.”

“Oh yeah,” Trisha says. “That was badass.”

“We should do that every time. Screw tactical planning, we should just run to the front and shoot the Nightmare full of fire and vines.”

“Totally,” Trisha agrees. She looks happy.

There’s footsteps behind them.

Gwen’s surprised to see Adrianna jogging towards them.

“Hey!” Adrianna says, a little breathless. “Hey, Gwen!”

“Hi,” Gwen says, face red.

“I was hoping I could catch you. Listen, I was thinking…” Adrianna pulls her hair out of her eyes. “I know what I said earlier, but I’m still really worried about Bonnie. It’s okay if she doesn’t want to come back to the club, but she might feel like she can’t, or she’s embarrassed to. I was wondering…could you reach out to her for me?”

“Me?”

Adri nods. “I think if I do it, it might come on too strong, like I’m trying to pressure her. But if you could just see how she’s doing, and let her know we all still love and care about her, that would be amazing. You’re good at getting through to people. Plus, I think it would mean a lot coming from our vice president.”

Gwen isn’t sure. She’s remembering Kate’s words. But Adrianna sounds so sincere.

“Um, yeah, I guess I could do that. Sure.” Gwen makes what she hopes is a go-getter expression. “Gotta do vice president things, you know, make sure people know I’m around.”

“Great!” Adrianna hands her a paper with Bonnie’s address. “Also, we’re planning to do the trip to the Low City on Saturday. Do you want to be part of the group that goes? It would be really great to have you there.”

Gwen doesn’t know the first thing about the Low City. But Adri’s smiling so big.

“Sure,” Gwen says. At least she’ll get to hang out with Adrianna. “I’d love to.”

Adrianna beams. “Great! I’ll message you later. I’m looking forward to it a lot. See you soon!”

Adrianna dashes off again. Gwen’s still holding the paper with Bonnie’s address on it.

Trisha’s giving her another look.

“What?” Gwen demands.

“Nothing,” Trisha says airily.

A few seconds go by. Then:

“So, you’re planning an adventure down the cliffs with Adrianna, huh?” Trisha leans closer. “Really looking forward to spending some quality time with your co-president?”

Gwen pushes her away. “Stop—”

“I’m just saying, it’s a chance to get to know her better, maybe sit next to each other on the monorail, your shoulders end up touching—”

“Ugh, it’s not like that, okay?” Gwen says. She shoves her hands in her pockets. “I do not have a crush on Adrianna freaking Middleton.”

“You sure turned around on her in the span of a summer for someone who claims not to be into her—”

“She’s cool, okay? But it’s not like I think she’s hot—”

“Is it that she’s tall? I like tall boys. She’s kind of got that muscley jock energy going on—”

“She’s not that muscley—”

“Listen, I know we always used to give her crap, but it’d be fine if you did start dating her. Honestly, I think Adrianna could probably use someone like you.”

“Oh yeah?” Gwen says warily. “Why do you say that?”

“Because she’s kind of, not to dunk on her, a little insane? Whereas you, if anything, are like, too sane. So you’d balance her out.”

Gwen huffs out a breath. “Her hair’s nice,” she says, in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Ohhhh, I was right,” Trisha says, looking gleeful.

“Don’t you dare tell anyone except Charlie,” Gwen mutters. “It’s too weird. I don’t want the whole world to know.”

“Gwen, I hate to be the one to tell you, but you run a very prominent monster-fighting club together. People are going to figure it out.”

Gwen grimaces. “There’s nothing to figure out. It’s not going to go anywhere. It’s not like she likes me back.”

“Are you sure about that?” Trisha asks. “Because I’m pretty sure I just saw her running down the hall to talk to you.”

No. Under no circumstances is Gwen going to let herself think that Adrianna might be interested, because if she starts thinking that way, she’ll get her hopes way up, and then she’ll be let down when Adrianna inevitably says no. Better to just wait for the feeling to go away.

“Fine, fine,” Trisha says, catching her expression. “Just let me know how the date goes.”

“It’s not a date,” Gwen says. “It’s work for the club. Lana’s going to be there, too.”

“Hey, the more the merrier!” Trisha nudges her.

Gwen groans. “No! I don’t even know Lana. Isn’t she some kind of social activist lesbian?”

“Gwen, you realize you’re also a social activist lesbian?” Trisha whispers.

Gwen’s face is burning. “I guess,” she says. It’s not like any of the boys in her classes ever did much for her, but to use that word—she’s never thought of herself as that, as a lesbian before.

Frigging’ Middleton. If she was going to have this awakening, why did it have to be Adrianna Middleton?

☾

Gwen’s trying to follow the directions Adriana gave her, but she’s never been down these streets at all.

But pretty soon, she glances up and sees them down the street waving to her. Lana, Moira, and Adrianna.

She hastens over, cheeks burning. She’s sure Adrianna’s going to ask her about talking to Bonnie, which Gwen’s completely failed to get around to yet.

But Adrianna doesn’t say anything like that. She just gives Gwen a hug and tells her she’s glad she’s here.

Gwen looks around. “We’re pretty far from the monorail, aren’t we?” she asks.

Lana speaks up. “We’re not taking the monorail. We’re going to be taking the bus.”

“The bus?” Gwen’s taken aback.

Lana looks defensive. “Anything wrong with that?”

Gwen doesn’t know what to say. “It’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it?”

“It’s not like that, not like people think,” Lana says. “People just look down on it because it’s how Low City people get to work. I’ve taken the bus loads of times and never had a problem.”

“You have?” Gwen doesn’t know why she’s surprised, but she is.

“Yeah.”

Gwen thinks about things her mom has said. That the only kind of people who take public buses are drunks, vagabonds, and criminals.

“Fair enough,” Gwen says. She stuffs her hands in her jean pockets. “Let’s take the bus, then.”

It’s different, waiting at the station with all the people. Their clothes are more run-down, and in drab colors. She guesses this is how her family’s staff get to work and back, too.

People glance at them every so often. Probably because of their nice clothes.

She keeps thinking someone’s going to yell at them, tell them off for being rich kids taking bus seats from poor people, or worse, try to steal from them.

Nothing like that happens, though.

The bus isn’t anything special, but it isn’t as run-down as Gwen feared, either. They take their seats by one of the windows and watch the High City vanish above them as the bus winds its way down the high roads.

Before long, a sea of brown and white rooftops is coming into view.

Before Gwen knows it, they’re down in the valley, and then they’re slowing to a stop.

Gwen takes a look around. The bus stop’s in an intersection between two streets, quiet and unremarkable. At first she wonders if this is even the right place.

Then she starts noticing the little details. Cracked sidewalks, broken steps. Strips of peeling paint.

Even the streets look tired. Too-wide roads with nothing friendly around them, just advertisements. There’s no beauty here, not like the colorful, symmetrical plazas Gwen is used to seeing.

“This way,” Lana says, moving quickly down the street, and they follow.

Ten minutes later, they’re sitting in an abandoned warehouse whose roof is caving in, talking to a girl around their age.

“…and we get these rolling blackouts, like once or twice a year the power goes out for a week. And sometimes the water doesn’t work, or it doesn’t warm up all the way. Look, we heard everything you said, but if we can’t even count on the pipes flowing, it’s hard for people to trust anything coming from Cliffside, you know? Or not think they’ll screw it up, like they did with the attacks two years ago. I mean, shit, you can still see the burn marks making a slash through Cherry Garden. That’s real. People don’t forget about that.”

The girl’s name is Oleander. Lana knows her from previous visits.

“Would people evacuate?” Adrianna asks. “If we were fighting it and and the word went out? I know it can be hard for people to abandon their homes.”

The girl shakes her head. “That’s not the question. The question’s if we’d even know about the evacuation.”

Moira’s eyebrows go up. “People didn’t know?”

“Half of Cherry Garden didn’t when Heliotrope rolled through. That’s why so many people went missing or died. It’s like—there’s local admins, appointed Cliffside, who’re supposed to spread the word, but it takes time and money and effort, so they don’t.”

“What about warning sirens?” Adria asks.

“We used to have some, but the system broke down ten years ago. The admins, man, they don’t care. They’re too busy looking out for themselves.”

Adrianna looks like she’s thinking hard. “If we could get the early warning system back up—”

““It would mean a lot less people dying, yeah.” The girl meets Adri’s eye. “It wouldn’t fix everything, but it would be a start.”

An hour later, they’re standing outside the local administrator’s place, and Adrianna’s talking to a contact of her mom’s on the phone. There’s a lot of back and forth, which Gwen just barely makes out, stuff about one of the Middleton family companies being able to offer a lucrative contract for both parties. The administrator protests. Adri offers a counterargument. The administrator talks to the person on the phone.

Finally, Adrianna steps out of the room.

And she’s smiling, smiling and tired like she’s just run a marathon. Like she knew this was going to happen, like she’s never known what it means to be afraid.

“Done,” she says. “They’re going to put in the new sirens in this week.” A grin spreads over her face.

As the afternoon gets late, Adrianna’s talking to her mother on the phone a little way down the road.

“Yes,” is one of the snatches Gwen overhears. “Yes, I did. That’s right. Yes, ma’am.”

“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Lana says, without warning.

Moira glances at her. But Lana’s looking at Gwen.

Gwen meets her eye. She wouldn’t have thought anyone else could have understood that feeling. She lets out a breath.

“Yeah,” Gwen says. “She really is.”

Lana doesn’t say anything more, just nods. They watch Adrianna together in mutual understanding.

Some part of Gwen wants to tell Adrianna how she feels. Rip the bandage off, see what happens. Except it could never work. Adrianna’s this amazing person, this born leader who comes along maybe once in a generation, and Gwen’s just…

She’s just Gwen.

She doesn’t even have family connections to help her, like Adrianna’s got. Nobody ever drops Ensign Marlowe’s name for help with anything.

Someday Adri’s going to be the next Captain or something close to it, married to somebody else, and Gwen’s going to be on the sidelines watching her do amazing things from afar.

At least she gets to be near her for a little while.

☾

On Monday they’re back at school. Gwen’s having lunch with Charlie and Trisha in their usual spot outside. Penny’s joined them this time. People don’t come here a whole lot, and Gwen likes it that way.

Another group is sitting a little way off, under a tree. One of their number detaches herself from the rest and starts walking over to them.

Gwen kind of knows the girl. She and Gwen have talked a few times. She’s got dyed hair and changes into black and white outfits when she heads home. Last time they talked, it was about weird bands they listened to.

The girl looks at them with a very disapproving expression on her face.

“I would have thought you’d want to sit inside,” she says. “Not hanging out here with us losers.”

“This is where we always sit,” Gwen says. She gives her a hard look.

“You’re the big important knights,” the girl responds. “You shouldn’t have time for shlubs like us. Did you have a falling out with your leader? Because she’s sitting inside at the big table with her clique. Her and Becca Webster who throws all the parties. I didn’t think you were that kind of person, Gwen.”

“Adrianna’s cool,” Gwen says defensively.

“She’s judgy. She’s fake.”

“Eff off,” Gwen says. “I used to think that too, okay? But she’s not. She’s actually pretty all right.”

“You’re barking up the wrong tree here, Zo,” Trisha says. “Adrianna and her friends are all right.”

“You say that like they’re not the popular kids.”

Penny stands up and frowns at the girl. “Adrianna’s nice to me,” she says. “A lot of other people aren’t. So stop. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The girl frowns, like this conversation’s getting away from where she wanted it to be.

“Fine,” she says, and leaves to go back to her friends.

“Asshole,” Gwen mutters, once she’s out of earshot.

“I hate to tell you, Gwen, but we’re going to be getting that a lot more now that people know who we are.”

“I know,” Gwen says. She’s still getting glances in the hallway. “Just, like—they’re such hypocrites. If we ever do eat lunch with Adrianna, they’ll make such a big freaking deal out of it.”

“Don’t let them affect what you do,” Trisha pronounces. “If you do, you’re just giving jerks control over your whole life.”

Trisha’s so cool sometimes. “Yeah.”

“Are you coming with us to the Archive, Gwen?” Penny asks.

“Yeah,” Gwen says. Adrianna’s going to be there. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

That’s for tomorrow. Today, there’s something she needs to do.

☾

Gwen has the driver drop her off a couple blocks away.

Hands in her coat pockets, she walks until she gets to the big brown stone building with the large porch. They’re at the edge of the residential part of the High City, where the plateau gives way to an expanse of yellow grass. Gwen can see wooden buildings and tractors past the fences.

She knocks on the front door, wondering if Bonnie’s out in that huge backyard. It worries her that she hasn’t even seen her in the halls at school. “Bonnie?” she calls out.

There’s silence for a second. Then:

“Come around the back,” a muffled voice says.

Gwen obliges. She slips through the unlatched gate, then tries the screen door.

It opens easily. Gwen hears voices coming from inside. She follows a long hallway until she reaches the source of the noise.

Bonnie and another girl are sitting in front of a big-screen TV. Characters or maybe contestants are talking. Bonnie’s expression is dull, unhappy.

The other girl’s maybe a few years younger, and thinner, and she’s propped up against a pillow. On the table next to her, there’s a bowl of soup and a plate of cheese and crackers.

“Hey,” Gwen says.

“Hey,” Bonnie replies.

“Who’s this?” the other girl asks.

“Branwen, this is my friend Gwen from school.”

Branwen sits up a little and squints at Gwen. “You were one of the girls on TV.”

“Yep.”

“You fought the Nightmare,”

“Yep,” Gwen says.

“Good job,” Branwen says.

“Thanks,” Gwen says. She wonders if Branwen knows her sister was involved, too.

Branwen nods, then looks at the table. “I’m getting tired of soup.”

“I’ll put it away for you,” Bonnie says, hopping up from the couch.

“Can I have pudding?” Branwen says.

“I guess that would be okay, since you haven’t had one today,” Bonnie starts moving toward the kitchen side of the room.

“Wait,” her sister says. “I can get it myself.”

Branwen pushes herself to an upright position. Bracing her hand against the couch, she stands up and grabs the crutches that are leaning against it. With surprising speed, she makes her way to the refrigerator and comes back to the couch with two packaged pudding cups clawed in her fingers.

“Watching TV?” Gwen asks.

Branwen nods. “Uh-huh.”

“Anything good?”

“Nah. Just flipping through channels. There’s nothing worthwhile on a Monday.”

“Gotcha.”

“Wanna sit and watch with us?”

“Sorry, I can’t stay too long. Is it okay if I borrow your sister for a bit?”

Branwen looks over at Bonnie. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Bonnie says, standing over Branwen’s couch anxiously. “Can I get you some water?

“I’m fine,” the younger girl says, rolling her eyes. “I can take care of myself for five minutes. I can call Fitzpatrick, I have the button. Just go already.”

“Okay,” Bonnie says. She motions to Gwen.

They end up in a room with posters of horses and framed pictures of Bonnie and Branwen riding them. Gwen figures it’s probably Bonnie’s bedroom. Bonnie sits down on the bed.

 Gwen doesn’t know how to do this. Adrianna would say the perfect thing, but Gwen’s only got her own brain to work with.

“You okay?” she says finally. “With your mom and all?”

“Oh,” Bonnie says, not like she’s surprised but like she doesn’t know what to do with the question. “I’m sorry I made such a scene at the club meeting.”

“I don’t care about that. You okay? What’s the deal with you and your sister?”

Bonnie swings her legs back and forth, staring at the floor. It takes a minute for her to speak. “I guess it started a couple years ago. Branwen started losing her energy. She fell a couple times. Started getting pains, so even walking was hard for her.”

“Six months ago, she had brain surgery. We were really hopeful, but we weren’t sure, either. Even Ladytech doesn’t always work. The recovery was hard, she needed help more than ever, but…it went really, really well. She’s still recovering, she still has to stay home and rest a lot, but she’s a lot happier now.”

Bonnie shifted on the bed. “Mom still worries about her, though. A lot. I mean, I know why. She doesn’t want her to hurt herself again. The first time it happened, she bashed her skull pretty bad, and there was a lot of blood. But like I said, she’s doing so much better now. She hasn’t fallen since the surgery.”

“Huh,” Gwen says, processing this. “So…at the meeting—”

Bonnie looked embarrassed. “Mom doesn’t like it when I stay late after school. She thinks I should be home helping Branwen instead.”

Gwen’s used to a mom who demands to know why Gwen’s coming home so early instead of doing extracurriculars to help with her future career.

“Don’t you ever get to, like, have a life?” Gwen asks. “Has she ever said anything about that?”

Bonnie looks down at her shoes. “I don’t know.”

“Branwen seemed like she was doing okay,” Gwen says. “I mean, she was moving around on her own.”

“She is. She’s so much better. She gets up and down the stairs, she showers by herself.”

“She seems pretty smart.”

“She is; she’s so smart for a twelve-year-old. She gets frustrated when we wait on her too much.”

“I would, too,” Gwen says. “Who’s Fitzpatrick?”

“One of the butlers. He helps with Branwen. A lot of them do, but Mom doesn’t like it. She doesn’t really trust the staff.”

“Branwen seems cool with them.”

“Yeah. They’re great, actually. My mom just worries too much, you know?” Bonnie’s staring at the wall.

Gwen sits down on the bed with her. “You should come back,” she says quietly. “You were so cool with your hammers against Demilune. We need you.”

Bonnie looks stricken. “I know, but—” She shakes her head. “This is my family we’re talking about here. Family has to come before everything else.”

“But what you’re doing is so much more important than that. You’re protecting everyone.”

“But Branwen’s my sister. It’s my responsibility—”

“She doesn’t need you!” Gwen says, throwing up her hands. “You said it yourself, you’re smothering her! There’s people here when you’re not around. People you trust.”

“Yes,” Bonnie admits.

 “Then I don’t think you need to be here!”

“Gwen, I can’t just tell my mom no—”

“You didn’t seem like you were having a great time when I came in. You looked really miserable. Is making your mom happy really worth that much to you?”

Bonnie doesn’t say anything. Her forehead’s scrunched together.

“Look,” Gwen says. “I’m not going to make you do anything. But if I were you, I’d tell my mom I’ve got something else I need to do.” She gets up from the bed. “Everyone misses you. I mean, I do. We’d all be super happy if you came back. But it’s up to you.”

Bonnie stands up.

“Thanks for coming by to check on me,” she says. “It means a lot.”

“Sure,” Gwen says. Seems like that’s her cue to leave.

On the way out, Branwen waves.

Gwen doesn’t know what to think as she walks the rest of the way home. She isn’t sure if she accomplished anything.

But it felt like the kind of thing an actual vice president would do.

☾

Books half-balanced on her knee, Gwen grabs the keys from Adrianna and unlocks the door of the Camelorn building.

The new white table stands magnificent in the center of the room. Gwen dumps her stack of books onto it. Moira, Penny, and Adrianna follow behind her with their own stacks. Adrianna’s also got her Nightmare folders, precariously balanced on top, threatening to spill papers out onto the floor.

Gwen takes in the piles of books, which are starting to fill up the table. Pretty impressive. The fruits of their visit to the Hull Archive.

The visit went pretty well, even if they had the Lieutenant-Navigator as chaperone looking over their shoulder the whole time. They’d found radar observations, aerial photographs, detailed scientific treatises. Anything about what Nightmares were or where they went.

Gwen’s determined to be part of this. Nightmare studies have never been her strong suit, but she can’t let herself sit this one out and leave all the research to Moira and Penny.

They sit down around the table, reading, swapping books, taking notes. Trisha’s coming by to help later, and Becca tomorrow, but for now it’s just the four of them.

Penny starts making a map. At first it’s just her drawing on a single sheet of her notebook, but then she expands outward. She starts taping pieces of paper next to each other on the wall.

Nightmare movements, in a giant map, taking up most of the space. Penny breaks out colored pencils for each one. Purple for Demilune, orange for Heliotrope, Optimus in gold.

They all start looking for data to help her. It’s slow going, bringing the lines of motion out of the dry coordinate lists in the books, but eventually the picture starts to emerge.

“Look,” Penny says, a few hours later. She taps the map. “This dot. It’s important. Everyone’s missing it.”

Gwen looks over her shoulder. It’s one of the unassigned data points, marked in grey pencil. Those are the weird ones which seem to have been Nightmare attacks, but nobody saw anything.

“What about it?” Gwen asks.

“Winter ’53,” Penny says. “I think it’s part of Areopagite’s path. Areopagite was spotted in Lysander in Spring ‘54, right? So that would mean its line goes out like…that.” She extends the dotted line of orange pencil.

“You’re saying—” But Moira sounds like she already knows.

Penny’s pencil leaps down to another mark on the map. “The famous ‘instant’ attack on Troilus in Winter ’53! The traditional explanation is that it was Areopagite! But now we know Areopagite’s arc took it way up here to the north!”

“It could have come back down,” Moira suggests.

“Aeropagus’s never moved that fast!” Penny says. “It’s the slowest of them all, that’s what all the data shows! It’d have to double its usual speed just to get in and out!”

“All right, so it’s Trismegistus, then,” Moira says.

“Ah-ha!” Penny says triumphantly. “Except we know that very day in ’53, Trismegistus was over in Hecuba! Even it’s not fast enough to jump to the other side of the globe and back in an afternoon!” Penny’s beaming. “And look at these unassigned points here and here! Like something leaving Troilus and heading up into the hills before vanishing! Like—”

Gwen finishes her sentence. “The Hidden Nightmare.”

They all peer at the map.

“You know,” Moira says, after a moment. “You might actually have something here.”

“Yessss!” Penny cheers.

“I’m not saying it’s proven, but…it’s interesting. I don’t have a better explanation.”

“Keep after it,” Adrianna tells Penny. “Find anything else that’s consistent with those readings. Let’s see if we can nail this down for sure.”

Penny smiles. She starts marking points with a green pencil, connecting them with a faint line.

Meanwhile, Adrianna’s trying to figure out what their next target should be. Gwen’s sitting next to her, reading accounts of survivors. Sometimes they pass the books to each other, look over each other’s notes.

Gwen can’t keep herself from glancing over at Adrianna every so often. There’s something about her when she’s reading. Her face gets a little more peaceful. It’s nice. Gwen swears Adrianna’s glanced her way, too, a couple of times. Or is she just imagining it?

She’s so close. Her leg’s practically touching Gwen’s.

She should just tell her. She should just tell Adri right now that she’s pretty and she wants to date her.

But the group is like the one good thing in Gwen’s life right now. She can’t ruin it.

She hates that. That she’s not even willing to risk it.

Gwen’s always thought she’s smarter than a lot of people at school. She doesn’t do stupid stuff, like drugs or dumb stunts. She actually thinks before she acts.

But other people get the things they want anyway, and they never seem to suffer any consequences. So is it even worth it? Being safe, when risks don’t mean anything to other people?

Except Gwen’s life doesn’t seem to work like that. For her, there always seem to be consequences. Which leads her back to the same conclusion, inescapable:

Gwen doesn’t get to have what she wants.

Fine, whatever. That’s just life, right? That’s just the way it is.

She looks one more time at Adrianna.

It’s just…

Sometimes, that really, really, sucks.

☾

It’s Tuesday, and it’s the club meeting again.

One by one, they take their seats. Adrianna, Becca, and Moira are already there. Gwen and Trisha slide in beside them. Penny comes back from looking at her map. Kate, Yvonne, and Lana join them, too.

Adrianna’s left three chairs open. Two for the people they’re going to recruit later for the remaining Signs. Bonnie’s still missing, too.

But as Gwen looks around the circle, she can’t help but think they look really cool. Like a council in ancient times, gathering together on the eve of battle.

Or a vision of what the Captaincy could be, if it was them in charge.

Miracle flies around the middle of the table as Adrianna explains what she and Gwen have decided.

“Optimus,” she says. “That’s our next target. It’s big, it’s massively destructive, and it’s one of the most active. I think it’s time that we made it a priority.”

“Counterpoint,” Becca says, leaning back in her chair. “It’s capable of being massively destructive to us.”

Adrianna smiles. “That’s what I might have said before you guys took down Demilune. Now, I don’t have to worry. I think we’ve got enough practice under our belt to handle one of the bigger ones.”

People are nodding. Becca still doesn’t look sure, but Lana seems to be hanging on Adrianna’s every word.

It’s quiet, around the big table. Everyone’s taking it in in silence. Thinking about their next Nightmare.

Which is why it comes as such a shock when Penny’s phone goes off.

Papers go flying. Penny scrambles to pull the phone out of her pocket. Everyone turns her way.

Penny stares down at her phone screen.

“I just got an alert,” she says. “You know how the Hull has a channel to keep themselves alerted about Nightmare attacks? I sort of got illegal access, I mean, they’d probably let me if I asked, but I didn’t ask—”

“What does it say, Penny?” Adrianna demands.

Penny turns to her, wide-eyed.

“Trismegistus is attacking,” she says.

“Can confirm,” Moira says. She’s looking at her own phone. “It started moving approximately ten minutes ago. At the speed it can move—”

“Within an hour and twenty minutes,” Penny says, “it’s going to hit Mercutio.”

Gwen’s breath catches. That’s not just a town. It’s a big, beautiful one, almost a city. She knows people who’ve been on vacation there.

“Okay, but it’s not the strongest, right?” Trisha says. “It’s small.”

“So’s a bullet,” Moira says. “It can do an awful lot of damage in a very short time.” She looks down at her phone again. “And this isn’t even the first time it’s attacked Mercutio.”

“It’s not?” Gwen asks.

Moira shakes her head. “Mercutio’s where it was first spotted. Where it manifested, to use the official term. It’s coming home.”

Adrianna’s already dialing the number on her phone. She presses the button for speakerphone. It rings once.

It picks up.

“You’ve heard,” says the voice of the Captain.

“Yes, ma’am,” Adrianna says. “Permission to engage hostile, ma’am?”

Gwen’s heart stops. She’s just realized the same thing everyone else has realized, to judge from all the wide eyes staring at the phone.

This is where it could all go wrong. The Captain could forbid them from protecting the towns. Which would mean them and Adrianna would have to go against the Captaincy.

It’s a long, long second before the Captain answers.

“Granted,” she says. “I want that feathery son of a bitch killed dead. Obliterated, do you understand me? Not a trace left on my moon.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Adrianna says. She’s smiling. Everyone’s smiling.

“Good. Transport will be arriving at the front of your school in exactly nine minutes. Do not be late, understand?”

“Understood.”

“Good. Captain out.” The phone clicks off.

“And I was so looking forward to getting to know Optimus,” Becca says, tossing her head back.

“Right now, we’ve got bigger priorities,” Adrianna says. “Armor, everyone.”

Gwen feels herself blown around by nine different transformation breezes, including her own. Her heart’s hammering.

“Gwen!” Adrianna says. “Grab everything we’ve got on Trismegistus!”

The words shake Gwen out of her stupor. She pulls books off their shelf. Penny and Moira help, too.

“That’s enough,” Adrianna says, five seconds later. “Let’s go.”

They hurry, almost running, down the trail to the main campus. Every student who’s stayed late is watching them. Gwen wonders how ridiculous she looks, jogging with books in her arms in gold armor and a white skirt.

Screw it. She flies.

When they get to the main quadrant, heads turn upward instead of toward them.

Right. The helicopter.

There’s no Navigator waiting inside for them this time. Just a pilot who seems impatient to take off.

Everyone’s buckling themselves in. The pilot’s reaching for a lever when there’s a voice.

“Wait!”

Bonnie Beaumont climbs into the cabin, panting for breath.

Her forehead’s shining with sweat. She’s holding a hammer in each hand. She’s clad in shining armor of bronze.

“I thought,” she says. “I got someone to drive me, I thought—”

She catches her breath. Her expression’s firm, now.

“I thought,” Bonnie says, voice stronger, “this was the place I should be.”

Gwen grins at her.

Adrianna smiles, too. “Welcome back.”

Bonnie straps in, and they take off for real.

☾

The helicopter turns, and Mercutio comes into view.

It’s like some kind of art project. White buildings piled up like seashells by the dark blue water. Bridges cross over canals, and narrow paths lead up and down hills that are a mix of white and greenery.

In the distance, on the horizon, there’s a faint grey cloud, like something stirring up dust.

When the helicopter lands, they’re in a courtyard. There’s an ornate marble building with a clock tower. Gwen’s guessing this is the seat of government? Official-looking people are there to meet them.

“Evacuation’s not going well,” one of the women tells Adrianna. “We’ve been in contact with the Captaincy, but—”

 “We haven’t even been able to reach everyone yet,” another says despairingly.

“We’ll stop it,” Adrianna says. She hefts her sword over her shoulder. “That’s what we’re here to do.”

The woman looks at Adrianna a little skeptically, like she’s not sure about a high schooler saying that. But she nods.

“How long do we have?” Moira asks. She’s still wearing her arm in a sling, despite being in her dark military outfit now. 

The woman checks her watch. “Twelve minutes.”

Past the walls of the courtyard, Gwen can see the billowing cloud.

Quickly, Adrianna comes to an agreement with the pilot. He’ll get as many people as he can to safety, then come back for them.

The helicopter takes off with the officials. The dust cloud to the west has grown.

Everyone’s got their weapons out now.

“Stay together,” Adrianna says. “The one thing we know about Trismegistus is that it tries to get people lost in its maze. The things inside it move fast, but they’re frail. If we watch out for each other, we should be able to take it down.”

Trisha looks nervous. Yvonne’s clicking her claws together, confident. Penny slides a silver backpack over her shoulders. She tightens a screw, then pulls on a strap.

Gwen can’t take it anymore. She needs to see. She rises into the air to look over the city.

It’s like watching a bus coming at them. The cloud of dust is charging across the plain. There’s a shape at the center made of white light.

Gwen realizes she can hear it, a bassy thud-thud-thudding of something hitting the earth very fast.

“It’s coming!” she shouts.

“How far?” Adrianna shouts back.

Gwen doesn’t know. “A minute?” It’s so close and so big now, she can’t judge the remaining distance.

“Brace for impact!” Adrianna bellows.

It’s at the city walls. It’s at the city walls. Gwen’s ears fill with thunder.

The thing plows into Mercutio like a train hitting a bridge.

Its white body floods over the white houses, over the rooftops, and Gwen has a brief, brief glimpse of huge wings before the white fog rolls over everything.