The sleeping pills I had mixed into the cut up pieces of steak were meant for humans. But I hadn't thought they would be lethal to katzen.

I let out a long sigh. I hadn't wanted to kill them. But on the bright side, at least now I had a reason to call Sapphire.

I looked at the bodies, an alternate plan forming in my head. Nobody who mattered would miss them. Besides, I didn't feel like dealing with tweedle dee and tweedle dumbass tonight. Or any other members of law enforcement, for that matter.

I called for the rapid response team and started packing an overnight bag. I remembered all the shit that had kicked off during Simon's acquisition of Northern Katzenlund. That made the idea of sleeping down in the boneyard much more appealing.

Twenty minutes later when Rook and Sparky showed up, I let them in and had the rest of the team wait outside. They did their customary sweep of the apartment, followed by an inspection of the corpses.

Sparky let out a low whistle as I explained what happened. “Damn, that's one hell of a way to deal with unwanted guests.”

“It was highly efficient, and discreet,” noted Rook, his gravelly voice giving a hint of approval, “Of course, there would be legal issues if law enforcement found out. And the presence of human medication in their bloodstream makes disposal unnecessarily complicated.”

I had spent enough time around Rook to know how he would “hypothetically” get rid of a body. Katzen weren't usually cannibals. But meat was meat, and there were plenty of starving people in the slums who wouldn't ask too many questions if food showed up on their doorstep.

“I’m sorry that you don't get to live out your dream of being the world's most terrifying delivery guy,” I said sarcastically, “Somehow, I think we will manage to figure something else out. Worst case scenario, we dump some rocket fuel on their bodies and burn whatever doesn't liquify on contact.”

Rook looked like he was reevaluating his earlier assumptions about me. “That is oddly specific.”

I neglected to mention that I was cribbing from Knight’s playbook. That was how he had made the katzen who attacked us in the boneyard disappear. With the right mix of fuel and oxidizer, even metal reinforced skeletons would eventually burn.

Instead I shrugged. “I read it in a book once.”

“Interesting…” Rook gave me another strange look, but didn't press the issue. He had his team bag up the bodies then gestured towards the helicopter. “Let's get you somewhere more secure.”

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Something about the way he said it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. And that was when the full weight of all that had happened settled down around me. I didn't know these people, not really.

They looked like my friends, and talked like my friends, but they didn't know me. The months we had spent together, training and sweating in the boneyard, growing to trust one another. All of that was just a memory. My memory.

To them it had never happened. As far as Rook was concerned, I was Simon’s pet human, a spoiled brat that had never had to fight for anything. Whatever bond we had once shared didn't exist in this new world.

I was alone, truly and utterly on my own, in a world I didn't belong to. Even Simon had been taken from me. My rock, the one person who I could always count on, had betrayed me as soon as I confided in him. And I still didn't know why.

Rook gestured towards the helicopter. “Come on, it isn't safe here.”

I did what I was told and took a seat, wondering what would happen when we got back to the boneyard. I felt the helicopter take off, and watched the world below grow small beneath me.

The world hadn't changed, but I had. My skin felt tight, like an ill fitting costume. I wanted to scratch away at it, to peel off the mask to make sure it was still me inside. But I couldn't. I had to pretend that everything was fine until I figured out what was going on.

“You alright?” asked Sparky, with a look of concern on his face. “Your heart rate just spiked.”

“I'm fine,” I lied, forcing the bad thoughts down and locking them away, “I was just processing what happened.”

“It gets easier,” he said, “You never forget your first kill, but eventually you find a way forward. You'll be fine, eventually.”

“Sure,” I replied, not really hearing his words. The gentle rocking of the helicopter had reminded me of Simon's sailboat. Now all I could think about was the feeling of being alone on the ocean, with no land in sight. Lost, at sea.

***

This time the techs on the runway didn't find any bugs. It made me suspect that the one they found in my jacket pocket the first time around had been planted by one of the cops. I filed that information away for later.

“Come on,” said Rook as he led me towards the boneyard, “It's not safe out here.”

“Do you mind if we stop in the armory for some weapons?” I asked, “I feel naked without something to protect myself.”

“Absolutely not,” Rook replied, “If a firefight breaks out I want you to head for cover, not try and be a hero. It's our job to protect you, let us do our job.”

I stopped and shook my head. “No, I want a gun. I'm not going down there without a gun.”

“I don't have time for this,” Rook growled, finally losing his patience, “Get your ass moving, now.”

“Or you'll what?” I taunted him, my hands on my hips. “I want a gun, or I'm not going.”

“Why are you so insistent?” Rook asked as we squared off, his imposing bulk towering over me.

“Because I don't trust you,” I replied, “We just met, and now you want me to go down into a hole with you where I can't call for help. How do I know that you won't screw me over once we're down there? How do I know that you aren't working for the bad guys?

“How do you know that Sparky won't shoot you in the back of your head and hold me hostage? You don't, and I certainly don't. That's why I want a gun.”

Rook took a second to process my words. To my surprise, he nodded. “I find that acceptable. Come along then, let's get you geared up.”

I let out a sigh of relief. Thank God for Rook’s paranoia.