Andrew laid on the roof of Matt’s car. It was a little dented from the battle at Fair, but they needed a place to hang and this worked just fine. He took another hit, puffed out some smoke, and coughed as he handed it to Kyle. “Careful. It’s the last joint,” Andrew croaked.

“Don’t worry. I got it. Cheers, man.” Kyle tipped the joint at him before putting it to his lips. He hit it too hard and started choking.

“What a fucking day.” Andrew sighed as he held his hand back out. “I mean… We are so fucked.”

“Naw, man don’t talk like that.” After another coughing fit, Kyle handed it back. “We’ll make it through this.”

Andrew asked, “Yeah, but what about tomorrow?” They were all injured and shit, and the fucking world went down the toilet. Icari were everywhere abducting people to god knew what end. “You think about that, yet? If it’s this bad today, think about how much worse it will be tomorrow.” He sat up and spied Rayne’s little brother. “Shit. Speaking of bad news…”

Jack walked over to the car from the back of the hangar. Andrew had wondered when the youngest Callahan might find his way outside. He’d detected the Mary Jane.

The troublemaker asked, “’Sup, man?”

“’Sup,” Andrew replied, casual. There was no need to point out the dope.

Well, until Kyle interrupted, “Hey! Are you going to pass it back?”

Andrew glared at Kyle. “In. A. Minute.” He nodded in Jack’s direction. Take the hint.

Jack said, “Rayne won’t know, dude.”

Kyle’s eyes bulged, and he blew the air out of his cheeks on a whistle.

Andrew shook his head. “She will know. She’ll smell it on you. Then, she’ll guess who gave it to you. And then she’ll come beat my ass.”

“Yeah but it’s the fucking apocalypse, and with the day we’ve all had, she won’t care,” Jack pressed.

It was true. They’d a pretty shitty day. Maybe Rayne won’t care. Andrew asked, “Kyle, what do you think?”

Kyle sat up and said, “I think either way I’m hitting it again first. So…” He snatched it out of Andrew’s hand.

“Do not give him that.” Tameka exited the door closest to the car from a side hangar. “Rayne will kill you. Don’t let that sling fool you.”

Jack groaned and kicked the Malibu’s tires. “This is so fucked.”

Andrew glanced at him and said, “Those aren’t my tires, man.” He offered the joint to Tameka.

“No thanks. After today, I never want to be under the influence of anything again. I almost walked off with Colita’s head,” she answered and screwed up her face in disgust.

Kyle grimaced, and Andrew passed the joint back to him. “It’s true. You did.”

Jack climbed onto the tailgate and dangled his feet off the trunk. Tameka walked over and pulled him into a side hug, asking, “You mad at me?”

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“No. I know how Rayne can be,” Jack said as he leaned in. He shook. Like a hiccup. Then came a sound. It was a sob. “I just… I wonder why she never told me. Or mom and dad. Maybe they’d still be here if she had.”

Andrew felt like shit for eavesdropping, but that’s the way it went.

Kyle turned his entire body to roll around and listen. The car creaked and shook with the effort.

Subtle.

Tameka made Jack look at her as she said, “Your sister did the best she could for you and everyone. We weren’t allowed to tell you. We wanted to keep you safe. Also, if Rayne had told Mrs. Callahan she was training with a grown man to fight ten-thousand-year-old vampire-aliens, do you think she’d be chill or lock your sister away?”

“Yeah, but me?” Jack shifted around to glance at each of them. “She could have told me.”

Andrew looked away. This wasn’t his place. This was between Rayne and her brother. Andrew hadn’t told his mom for the same reason Tameka just mentioned. He had no siblings to worry about. How could they invite everyone into their nightmare when they weren’t even sure it was real?

Andrew tapped Kyle on the shoulder.

“Hmm? Oh yeah, man.” Kyle passed it to him. He watched the scene below like he wanted some popcorn to go with it.

Tameka continued, but Andrew tried not to hear. He wanted to consider Xelan’s next order. Everything Andrew had learned so far pulled him further away from the truth. He was glad for the tip to help his friends. But now…

Kyle nudged him. He was facing the right way again. So maybe the conversation was over.

Andrew passed him the last of the joint, saying, “Here, man, you can finish it.”

Silence stretched into the night, but Andrew wanted to know, “How’s it going in there?”

Tameka put her hands on her hips and looked at her combat boots. When she glanced at him, the emerald in her eyes shone like stained glass. “The Brethren will let Rayne be General, but they want her to work out some things. I don’t know if she’s up for it.”

Andrew sat up and faced her. His hand put a brand new dent in Matt’s car. He winced. “It’ll be okay.”

Tameka continued, “They want her to establish some kind of economy, immediately.”

Kyle sat up then. “What the fuck?!”

“Yeah, they’re really worried about what should and shouldn’t be considered goods or services for exchange in our current state. Like as soon as possible.” Tameka shuddered. “They care about money a lot considering where they come from.”

Andrew nodded. “Yeah, they like fancy suits and cars. Not much good right now.”

“You know what else they want her to do? Just take a guess,” Tameka said, her tone hard with irritation. She tapped her foot on the pavement, making her red curls bounce.

Andrew asked, “What?”

Kyle guessed, “Cut the ribbon at the new mall opening?”

All three glared at him.

“You were saying?” Jack gave the floor back to Tameka.

“They want her and us to visit all the Iona bases and rally the resistance troops there.” Disdain dripped from every syllable. Tameka clicked her tongue. “We don’t have time for that.”

Andrew said, “They’re right, though.” The others snapped to him, and he continued, “They need to see their leader is strong and capable. People might hear ‘eighteen-year-old girl with one good arm,’ and refuse to follow. Splintering off and making smaller groups will weaken the effect of the resistance as a threat to the Icari.”

Tameka stopped tapping. “Do you know how many bases there are?”

“Thirty,” Andrew said with a shrug. “I’m not happy about it, but it makes sense.”

Jack asked, “Rayne’s leaving?”

Tameka held up her hands, presenting Jack as exhibit A, asking, “Do you really think Rayne should leave right now?”

Kyle said, “Jack’s going to the capitol where he’ll be safe with his own personal bodyguard. And I agree with Andrew. What does Rayne think about it?”

“I still can’t believe Rayne’s pawning me off after everything that happened today.” Jack slumped back on Matt’s trunk with his head on the rear windshield.

Tameka spared him a glance and rubbed the back of her neck. She chose to answer Kyle’s question first. “Rayne’s supposed to be asleep. Sagan’s staying with her to make sure she rests. That’s why I came out here. Xelan wants us in bed and ready to wake up at 0500.”

Andrew shouted into the inky sky, “Motherfucker!”

Kyle tossed his hair back. “We can’t even sleep in during the fucking apocalypse.”

“That’s when Jack leaves,” Tameka said in a softer voice.

Jack sounded outraged. “I don’t even get a say when I go. I just have to walk away from my sister while she goes off and saves the world—”

“Worlds,” Kyle said and held up his fingers. “Two planets.”

“What the fuck are you guys doing on my car?!” Andrew turned to see Matt approaching with Lucy.

Andrew waved. “Hey, man.”

And that’s when Matt lost his shit.