“Now now, that's no way to greet a guest,” Jack Slash chided me, tutting. “Bonesaw, you're going to need to teach her some manners.” The shorter girl next to him giggled.

  “She could do with learning some herself,” I countered, keeping the pistol aimed at his eye. “Typically guests don't torture their hosts.”

  “Torture?” Jack sounded offended. “These little games? No Lia, if we wanted to torture you, you would know.”

  “Then why are you here?” I demanded, taking up the slack on the pistol's trigger. “Last I heard you were getting firebombed, I think you have bigger problems than visiting your least viable candidates.”

  “I would tend to disagree.” He shifted and I saw a thin trail of black smoke rising from his side. What was that, some kind of smoke screen? “Out of those that remain, I would say you two are the closest to being 'viable'.” My hand shook. “Speaking of, how are you, Amelia Claire Lavere? I take it you're responsible for ruining our chance at a do-over.”

  “It was really rude!” Bonesaw exclaimed, crossing her arms. “I worked so hard to make a plague that Jack liked, and you went and cured everyone before it could even get fun!”

  “That's-- that's not my name,” Amy squeaked, shakily.

  “Isn't it?” Jack asked, smile growing. “I was quite surprised to learn you were Marquis' daughter as well, but the obsession with 'rules' fits him to a T. I met him when I was here last, you know?” Amy didn't reply. “I see the resemblance, and frankly having the daughter of the man I couldn't break on my side is...enticing.”

  “Didn't break her either,” I snapped, fighting to steady my hand. “In fact I think your whole visit here has been a failure.”

  “Oh?” He asked, turning on me. “I'm surprised our most successful candidate would think so. Really Lia, three trials and you think we failed? I don't believe Mannequin would have like you aping Cherish so much, but I think it's rather entertaining in light of what you know. It really wasn't clever, to tell Cherish the whole story, by the way.” My eyes widened.

  “I don't kn--”

  “She tried to barter the piece I know you told her to leave out not long ago,” Jack continued, cutting me off. “I'm a little annoyed, conspiring like that over something so fun, but really it doesn't matter all that much. After all, I found out in the end.” I bit my cheek and tasted blood. That fucking dipshit.

  “We both know Cherish would spin any story to save her dumb ass,” I spat. Viciousness would cover my fear. “You're talking about what I told her about Skitter stopping you? Yeah that was here, and obviously she failed.” Maybe it was just me, but I thought I heard a high-pitched whining in my ear. “Fucking little bug-covered bitch. Not like we didn't try and help her mind you, she's just that useful.”

  “You shouldn't swear so much,” Bonesaw chided me.

  “She deserves it,” I countered.

  “She certainly is difficult to deal with,” Jack agreed. “But you're blustering, flailing, I saw it the moment I brought it up. But I'm going to make you the deal of a lifetime, Lia.” I held the gun steady.

  “A deal,” I replied dryly. “You'll pardon me if I don't hold my breath.”

  “I suppose I can, I'm feeling generous after all.” He chuckled. “It's simple. Kill yourself, and we'll surrender.”

  “Sorry am I supposed to take that seriously?” I asked, rolling my eyes. “How about I kill you instead, then you surrender? I like that idea a lot better.” Jack chuckled, guffawed, then cackled.

  “Yes I suppose you've become quite adept at killing,” he said once he'd composed himself. “Well you have me dead to rights, little Lia. Want to prove you're a hero, prove that the ink on your skin really is just skin deep? Here I am.” I grit my teeth.

  “We both know you're bulletproof,” I growled. “Thanks to Riley Mengele over there.”

  “How dare,” Bonesaw snapped, sounding offended. “Mengele was a hack compared to me!”

  “You still have the opportunity,” he countered, taking a step closer. I backed up, trying to ignore my pounding heart and my ringing alarm. “Who knows how many more good hits the sheathe will stand up to?”

  “Enough for you to kill me,” I said bitterly, getting another chuckle.

  “True enough,” Jack agreed. “But hey, listen, it's not all hopeless. Whether I kill you, or you take my deal and kill yourself, I'm giving you an out. When you get back, you find me and tell me the whole story; it's interesting enough that I won't cut your throat the moment you start talking. You do that, and we'll leave Brockton Bay the second you finish.”

  “Mmm,” I hummed thoughtfully. “You got a bridge to sell me too?” That got a dry chuckle.

  “I'm being entirely truthful,” he countered. “The end of the world is a far more enticing offer than an already broken city.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  “The what?”

  “Except you'll want to have your cake and eat it too,” I retorted, ignoring Amy. “You wouldn't have a reason to not go after the bay once I tell you.”

  “With the promise of something more interesting, I would.” God I wanted to shoot him, but he'd probably kill Amy if I did. “I'll tell you what, you promise me you do this, and I'll make sure you two Amelia's are left alone. I'll tell you, Lia, something only I could know; I wouldn't be able to ignore it.”

  “Not the same as leaving Brockton Bay alone, is it?” He shrugged, smiling. “Come on Jack, sell me. Why the fuck would I give up what's already a win for me, for us?”

  “Simple,” Jack said, pointing his knife. “Because if you don't, every last drop of blood we've spilled in Brockton Bay is on your hands, because you were satisfied with a personal victory. Sure it may have cost a few thousand or more, but wasn't it worth it to save young Amelia this time around?”

  “That's not--” Amy paused. “What's he talking about?” The rubber grip of my borrowed pistol creaked.

  “You mean you haven't told her yet?” He cackled. “Well that's a verifiable surprise, considering how eager you were to share with Cherish.”

  “If I was eager, it wouldn't have killed eight people,” I spat, nearly pulling the trigger. “Amy, later.”

  “Why not now?” Jack asked. “Tell you what, you give her the full story right here, the full story, and I'll take you at your word you'll kill yourself later. An hour, tomorrow, a week, it doesn't matter.” I took a deep breath.

  “You're a fucking idiot,” I snapped. “Not only for thinking I'd believe you, which by the way really bad read, but this whole setup? You fucked up Jack, you decided to pick on the only person in the world who gets from now until eternity to waste you. I didn't give a shit about you and your merry band of fucksticks beyond surviving, until you decided to make my life hell.

  “I've got blood on my hands, sure,” I continued. “Cherish's hostages, M-- my dad, I'll take the blame for that. Everyone else though, the ones all of you decided to kill for fun? Even if I agreed and you held up your end, you'd just move your bloodshed elsewhere. And since you clearly don't have Cherish around, or you'd know this wouldn't work, let me give you an update.

  “I'm done. I'm done with this, I'm done with your shit, Jack. I'm sick of people making fucking problems for me, and I'm not fucking taking on any more. Tell you what, how about you try killing yourself? Who knows, maybe it's fucking contagious. But to be direct about your offer: take it and sink it with Cherish at the bottom of the fucking bay.” There was a pause before Jack let out a dark, sonorous laugh.

  “I can't fault your speechmaking,” he said sarcastically. “But your brain...well, I suppose we can leave that for Bonesaw to examine!” He swung his knife and I pulled the trigger as my alarm shrieked in my ears.

  His blow scraped over my projection, with no effect, but my bullet struck him, a glancing blow on his temple. Without warning, the battlefield was plunged into buzzing darkness. I heard a shriek of fright from behind me and swore viciously. Oh now Skitter showed up, late as all hell. I ran through the bugs towards where I'd seen Jack standing.

  I skidded to a halt as his arm appeared from the swarm and swung, knife pointed towards Amy. Fucker. I threw myself in the way, wincing at the unpleasant sensation it made. The bugs were dying around him, leaving him clear to attack as he pleased. I aimed and fired, cursing as he ducked out of sight behind a wall of bugs.

  “Skitter!” I screamed, unsure if she was in earshot. “Drop the fucking bugs!”

  She must have heard me, since the swarm cleared to my left, letting me see Jack trying to get around us. I fired twice, striking his shoulder once and missing the other. I flinched as a weight struck my back, then cried in pain as a metal spider's scalpel-legs cut into me. I blindly aimed the pistol back and fired at where it was heaviest. Lucky for me, the weight slid off of me, giving me a split-second to shove Amy aside as Jack swung another blow at her.

  I fired back and there was a brief burst of black smoke from his hip. He frowned and dodged back as a swarm of wasps and spiders descended on him. I caught sight of Bonesaw mixing vials and handing him one, which bellowed more of the smoke. The bugs began dying around him in droves and it finally clicked home. I raised my pistol, aimed carefully, and fired.

  For once, it was a perfect shot. My bullet hit the two vials Bonesaw was holding and mixing up, and apparently one on her chest too judging by the burst of smoke. The bugs around them died and the smoke hid them from my sight. I held my ground, pistol raised, eyes flicking this way and that. I wasn't going to let them ambush me again. A scrape of a footstep behind me, I whirled and took aim--

  “Don't shoot,” Skitter said flatly. “Just me.” I let out a sigh.

  “Fuck,” I swore, checking on Amy. She was huddled on the ground, shivering but safe. “You know I need to use my eyes to aim, right? Obscuring the bad guys was kind of dumb.”

  “Jack is bulletproof,” she replied simply. “Your shots weren't effective anyway. I gave you cover so you didn't die.” I opened my mouth, then shut it, swallowing the retort. We were still sort of on the same side.

  “Whatever, thanks for the save.” I knelt and helped Amy to her feet. “I guess I do appreciate the help.” What little she'd given.

  “You're welcome.” Well, at least she'd taken it at face value. “Amy already made a cure?”

  “I did,” she said shakily. “What are you doing here?”

  “Same as the Nine, coming after you,” Skitter said, cocking her head. “What was Jack talking about, giving up if you kill yourself?”

  “Exactly what he said,” I replied, leaving out the actual reason behind the deal. Definitely didn't need Skitter thinking about a reset button. “Which obviously fuck that, we've already won.”

  “Why would he want you to do that?” She sounded slightly horrified, at least. “That doesn't sound like something Jack would offer.” I rolled my eyes.

  “You're an expert on the guy now?” I said dryly. “Look, thanks for the help Skitter, but I don't really want to hash out this bullshit with you. The Nine are on the run and you're the one with the range to make sure everyone knows where to hit them.”

  “Come with me?” Skitter asked. “Atlas can carry two, and you of all people have a damn good reason to want Jack dead.” I sighed and shook my head.

  “Go,” I said. “And good luck.”

  Skitter stared at me silently but after a moment she called her beetle, Atlas I remembered now that she'd reminded me. She got on and took off with a drumbeat of wings, charging after wherever Jack and Bonesaw had gone. I unloaded the magazine and grimaced, empty. I racked the slide and snapped my hand out to catch the round that ejected. When I caught sight of it, my eye twitched; one round left. If that fight had gone on any longer...

  “Hey,” Amy's voice dragged me out of my thoughts. I stuffed the round in the magazine, reloaded, then stuck the pistol in my belt after flicking on the safety.

  “What?” I asked, crossing my arms. She took a deep breath, drawing herself up, and looked me in the eyes.

  “We need to talk.”