The scene at the Crier Dispatch was chaos incarnate. Engines blared. Hydraulic ladders groaned. Stretchers lined the sidewalk like casualties on a battlefield. Krouri pushed past a pair of medics, eyes wild, searching every gurney.

  "Ma’am—please stay behind the line."

  "My parents," she said, voice cracking. "I’m looking for my mother and father."

  A medic at one of the triage tents looked up, then waved frantically. Simon broke from the cluster of EMTs and ran to her. Krouri collapsed into his arms with a broken sound of relief. "You’re okay—you’re okay."

  Simon held her tight. "The whole city’s lost its mind since that broadcast." He pulled her back, scanning for injuries. "Have you—have you seen your mother?"

  "No," Krouri said, her voice small.

  Something flickered in Simon’s eyes. Fear. "She borrowed my phone," he muttered. "Said hers died. Went out to make a call on the balcony. Then someone yelled that the building was burning—"

  Krouri grabbed his hands. "Dad. Focus. Listen to me. I think Pazienza has her." Simon sucked in a breath. "If we want to get her back, I need the files. Please tell me you saved them."

  "The files…" He turned slowly toward the tower. The top floors resembled blackened skeletons. "…they’re on my laptop. In my office."

  Krouri’s face went pale. "Backups. Dad, please tell me you made a backup."

  Simon blinked, then nodded quickly. "Yes. Yes! A black box—an encrypted drive. It's in the fire safe in my office. I got it just in case of something like this."

  Buck looked up just in time to see Trinity leap from a shattered second-story window, another unconscious employee cradled in his arms. He landed in a roll and handed them off before jogging toward the group. Sparks immediately ducked behind Buck and tried to shrink into his shadow.

  "Miss Kukri, Mister Piper—you need to clear the area," Trinity said, ushering them back.

  "Captain," Krouri said, stepping into his path, "there’s a fire safe in my father’s office. We need it. It has the only copy of some very important information."

  Trinity hesitated. "I still haven’t found your mother—"

  "Then help me save her." The anger in her voice cracked into a plea. "Please."

  Trinity’s ears folded back. He nodded once—sharp—and turned to sprint back inside.

  Yanni appeared, winded and scowling. She noticed Sparks peeking out from behind Buck's coattails and gave him a brief glare, flapping a hand at him like a stray. "You. Stay out of sight," she growled. "I do not need him distracted."

  Buck joined Simon and Krouri. "What's exactly in those files?"

  "Everything," Krouri said quietly. "Every piece of corruption we’ve collected on the Don, on City Hall…even Bumble’s private dealings."

  Simon nodded. "We were waiting for the right moment to publish. And I’d say we’ve found it."

  Trinity reappeared—soot-blackened, carrying the fire safe like a coffin. "I’m sorry," he panted, setting it down and lifting the lid. "It was already open."

  It was empty.

  "No…no, that’s impossible…" Simon choked out.

  "Could Mom have moved the drive?"

  Simon shook his head. "Only three people even know that box exists. Me. You. And—" His voice died in his throat. "Tobias..."

  Krouri stiffened as the realization hit like a blade. "That bastard," Krouri hissed. "He was the leak! He was feeding Pazienza everything."

  Hazelnut touched her elbow. "Don't you dare take any of the blame on this. Victor knew where Iggy was too. We had no way of knowing Tobias was the mole."

  "I thought Tobias was a groundhog?" Sparks said, unable to refrain from adding to the conversation.

  Trinity slammed into him, knocking Buck aside and driving Sparks to the pavement with a feral snarl. "YOU." The captain’s voice was unrecognizable—full of grief and rage. "You did this! I knew we shouldn’t have let you walk free—"

  "Captain, stop!" Krouri shouted. Lavender filled the air as she thrust a glowing hand into his chest. "Sparks wasn’t anywhere near this fire. He was with us. Helping to stop Fixer. Something you were supposed to be present for as well, if I recall." Her tone sharpened into steel. "He's not the enemy here. This city has more issues and worse fires better deserving of your attention than this furball. Do your job."

  Trinity’s breathing slowed. His fists unclenched. After a moment, he rose shakily to his feet and allowed Yanni to guide him away. Sparks sat up, brushing soot from his suit.

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  "I had him right where I wanted," he muttered. "Another thirty seconds and I could’ve talked him into a tea party."

  Hazelnut rubbed her face. "What now? Tobias, Pazienza, Victor, Taurence, Akri—how are we supposed to find all of them?"

  Krouri lifted her eyes, burning with a new purpose. "We don’t. We start with the one who already knows everything." She pulled Feng Aether’s phone from the squirrel's pocket. "I think it's time I met this orc personally."

  *  *  *

  Feng Adamantium Aether met them all outside the Aethercorp front gate, flanked by no less than a dozen security officers. Hazelnut scanned the line of faces with a flicker of hope in her eyes—but that sweet platypus Roy wasn’t among them. Her hope fell like a scoop of ice cream off a child's newly purchased cone.

  They were ushered inside and taken up in Feng’s private elevator. It moved so fast Buck had to brace himself against the wall and quietly swear under his breath. The doors opened onto a stunning office. Polished marble floors, towering bookshelves, a crackling fireplace flanked by two velvet chairs. A dragon’s head—real, by the looks of it—leered over a monolithic onyx desk. Feng headed to the wet bar as if this were a social call.

  "Please," he said, pouring himself a drink. "Help yourselves. Something tells me there’s a great deal to discuss."

  Buck didn’t need to be told twice. He grabbed a bottle older than his entire bloodline and poured a deep double. Hazelnut launched straight into business, opening with a number so large he choked on the first sip.

  Feng didn’t blink. He wrote out a check for three times what she requested and handed it over. With financing out of the way, the group took turns walking Feng through everything—the lounge, Fixer, Victor, the Eidolons, Aethercorp’s own involvement. He listened intently, rarely interrupting, and nodding as though pieces of an enormous puzzle were finally snapping into place. When they finished, Feng swirled the liquid in his glass. "First, let me thank you. You’ve done more good for this city than most elected officials—even unintentionally. And yes… I can help."

  Hazelnut exhaled with relief.

  "But," he continued, resting his elbows on the desk, "I’d also like to make you an offer, Miss Bushytail. Separate from today’s business." He smiled, genuinely. "You broke into my facility with ease and left without harming a soul. That’s exactly the kind of employee I need."

  Hazelnut blinked. "Are you offering me…a job?"

  "I can offer a generous salary. Full benefits. Access to all the best toys. Unrelated to the help I’ll provide, of course."

  She glanced at Buck, then Krouri. They smiled encouragingly. "I… I accept."

  Feng beamed and pressed a switch on his desk. The bookcase hissed open and revealed a hidden wall of armaments—armor, rune-forged weapons, a bodysuit hung on a mannequin.

  "Welcome to the perks." Feng walked over and tapped what looked like an empty hanger. Light bent strangely and a stealth cloak shimmered into view. "Inspired by your own unique garment. Just…try not to rob me with it."

  Hazelnut stepped forward like a kid in a candy store. "This is very generous of you."

  "Take what you need. I’ll have my scryers trace Pazienza and Victor." He moved toward a side-door—then pointed toward Sparks, currently perched on his desk. "And be careful with the paperweight. It’s a mimic and he’s irritable when he’s hungry." Sparks immediately withdrew his hand from the golden ingot.

  Buck muttered, "That seems…unnecessary," and poured himself more scotch.

  By the time Feng returned, Hazelnut appeared completely innocent, but the armory behind her was barren. A smile tugged across Feng’s face. "Perfect," he said, handing over two folded maps. "One marks Pazienza’s current position. The other belongs to your masked sniper. Your mother is alive—and making the Don regret his choices very much." He nodded at Krouri. "But neither location will stay warm for long."

  Buck unfolded both maps. Two complete opposite corners of the city. They’d never make it to both in time. "We’ll have to split up," he growled.

  Feng raised a finger. "One more bit of assistance I can offer. Whichever target you don’t pursue, I will handle personally. My people are already in motion and awaiting orders."

  He didn’t need to say anything else. Krouri looked to Hazelnut with pleading eyes. She didn’t hesitate for a heartbeat. "We’re going after your mom," she said, already pocketing the map. "Let’s see that the Don retires early."

  And for once, even Buck couldn't argue with that.

  *  *  *

  Following Feng’s map, they arrived at a boarded-up refinery crouched in one of the forgotten corners of The Stairs. Two armed thugs flanked the main warehouse doors. A nearby shipping gate was welded shut. Buck motioned them behind a stack of rust-stained crates. "Eyes up. This is the place."

  "I recognize this place," said Hazelnut. "I got in from the roof last time and snapped some shots of Pazienza."

  Krouri nodded grimly. "This is also where Iggy said he saw the weapons deal. He definitely knows we’re coming."

  "He’ll have the roof locked down," Hazelnut said, already pulling up a sewer grate. "I’ll get in from underneath. See what we’re up against." She flashed her phone at them and vanished down into the tunnels.

  A sedan rolled up and stopped nearby. Lieutenant Zywrath stepped out, already scanning the area. Buck popped up and waved him over.

  "Aether called me. Said I’d find you here," Zywrath whispered. "What’s the situation?"

  "Pazienza’s inside with a hostage—Krouri’s mother," Buck answered. "Hazelnut’s getting eyes inside."

  As if on cue, Krouri’s phone pinged. They all crowded around as photo after photo appeared. Grainy shots from the rafters. Camera room…makeshift maze of fencing and cubicle walls…an eerie hatch glowing from the floor. At the far end, a fully set dinner table where Pazienza sat calmly enjoying a meal. Across from him, Akri Kukri sat bound to her chair but upright. Several goons lingered nearby, armed and patrolling the floor.

  "They are waiting for you. This is a trap," Zywrath said flatly.

  "Which means we can spring it on our terms," Sparks countered.

  More intel arrived. This time a short video of Hazelnut creeping along the rafters above a catwalk. She tilted the camera down. Sitting on the railing like he owned the place: Victor. Legs dangling, watching everything with that same calm, hateful patience.

  A text followed immediately:

  I'm safe 4 now but not 4 long. Action???

  Zywrath didn’t say anything. He simply stood and walked to his car. They watched him pop the trunk and pull out a shotgun. "Take what you need," he said without looking up. The tone was final.

  Krouri grabbed a sidearm. Buck hesitated only a moment before holstering a second pistol. Zywrath snapped the trunk shut and started walking directly toward the entrance.

  With no place to hide, the guards spotted them quickly. One stepped forward. "Sorry pal, this place is closed. Private function. So beat it before—"

  Zywrath fired. The goon dropped like a sack. The other thug barely got his weapon raised before the lieutenant pumped and fired again. Two shells, two down.

  "Lieutenant!" Buck hissed. "You're still an officer of the law! Aren't you?"

  "I do not know if I am or not," Zywrath replied, eyes dead cold. "At this moment, I do not care. The commissioner has been in Pazienza’s pocket for years, bleeding out our pensions. Right now, I am a concerned citizen defending myself and others." He racked another shell with a clack. "Is that understood?"

  Buck held his gaze a moment and gave a tight nod.

  Sparks exhaled. "Well, if they didn’t know we were coming before…" he looked to the dent-peppered door. "…they do now." He summoned Kindling to his palm "I can get us inside. One good blink, straight into the camera room. Maybe. I’ve never taken this many before."

  Krouri stepped forward and rested her hand on his arm. "You can do it." She gave him one firm squeeze. "I trust you."

  The tabbi blinked, honestly startled. "I didn't know you cared. Everyone grab on."

  Buck grabbed his shoulder. Krouri held his sleeve. Zywrath placed a hand on his back. Kindling’s twin tails wrapped around Sparks’ wrist and flared with blue-white light.

  "Hold your breath," Sparks muttered, eyes fixed on Hazelnut’s last photo. He took a step forward and the world around them ignited into blue fire.