One of the benefits of being a rat? You know where all the little hidey holes are: the cracks in the pavement, the alleys behind the banks, and spots Inari's agents don't wander. Or, say, sewers that lead straight into merchant megacorporations. Of course, when people spot a rat, it gets exterminated. The trick is to not get caught.

"Careful!" Icarus snaps from behind me. Some rats are noisier than others. I turn to the "genius" and put a finger to my mask.

My voice is a whisper, hissing out between the spaces of my mask. "Be quiet, cripple boy. The walls may not have ears, but the guards do. Come to think of it..." I turn my critical gaze to the slimy cracked concrete and bricks of the tunnel walls. "Don't talk to the walls either."

"I'm not the one who doesn't know how to duck," Icarus complains and glares at Esilea. At least the walls don't talk back. (but they don't make the same satisfying crunch sound his head does) True, true.

"Sorry!" Esilea apologizes. Her voice echoes down the sewer walls and I wince.

"What did I just say?" I hiss. There's a soft creak above us, and a few pebbles trickle down onto our heads—we all freeze. I hold my breath, which is probably a good thing, considering what I'm currently wading through. The footsteps pass, and we finally breathe again. I wrinkle my nose—bad move on my part. Note: bring air fresheners in sewers next time.

"I'm sorry I snapped," Icarus says softly. Finally, they're learning. (still, the screams sound better) "I feel so useless being carried like a child."

"You are a child," Wikolia says as she slips past them. She nearly blends into the darkness and grim green on the walls; she was born for this.

"When did you get here?" Icarus asks. One of the veins on his head twitches at the sight of the Wyvern.

"What she meant to say," Esilea interrupts, "was that you're the only one who knows how to work the explosives." Icarus nods slowly to himself.

"That is not—"

"So did you look into it?" I ask, cutting Wikolia off. The Wyvern snaps her attention to me and nods. She flicks her tongue and visibly recoils, lifting her tail even higher above the sewer muck.

"Yes, and—"

"Tell me after." The Wyvern frowns as we begin creeping forward again.

"I don't appreciate being interrupted, Namonai," Wikolia says.

"I don't appreciate an unreliable flake pretending to be part of the team," I retort quietly under my breath.

"What team?" she replies, deadly calm. Her tail is completely still while we walk side by side.

"My thoughts exactly," I whisper. I quicken my pace until I can barely hear the group's incessant squabbling. Their problems aren't my problems right now. But if not now, then when? We're a team, aren't we? Hell, they don't even believe that. (they're food. you could do this alone) I was doing it alone before. (then do it again; you're better than they are) You may have a point; I am a literal god.

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I come to a halt beneath a square grate and wipe my hands on my pants. I place my hands on the bottom and push. The metal slowly lifts and grinds against stone while I shift it to the side. A large buildup of gunk splatters onto my mask and I splutter as some gets on my bandages. I've never been more thankful for protection. Well, there was that one time with the girl in the Kingdom...

I jump and pull myself up out of the sewer, coming face to face with a startled janitor. He has "Ergar" embroidered in neat stitching on his olive colored uniform. Tears form at the edge of his eyes, and he's blubbering before I can speak.

"Oh gods, not again! Just take it!" He throws his ring of keys at me and races out the door in a panic. "I need a new job!" he shouts on his way out. I look once at the swinging door and then down at the janitor's ring of keys. Well that was easy.

I peek out the door and check the dim corridor; all clear. I suppose I should wait for the rest to catch up. (why? put the tunnel grate back on and do things the right way. the best way)

"But if I blow this place sky high, the tunnels might collapse underneath!" I mutter under my breath. (so?) "I don't even have the explosives. Besides, if I left them on their own, they'd run around like chickens with their heads cut off." (a tasty proposition, but maybe a little messy for right now) "Exactly!"

"Um...who are you talking to?" I whirl around to see Icarus being lifted out of the tunnel, cobwebs hanging from his ears. Esilea sets him down and climbs up after him. She pulls his wheelchair out of her satchel while the Wyvern scampers up and replaces the grate.

"The hypothetical versions of you that got here in time and didn't slow me down," I reply coldly.

"I was just asking," Icarus mumbles with downcast eyes.

"When aren't you asking questions?" I mutter. Esilea gently sets the inventor in his wheelchair and wraps a thick arm around his scrawny shoulders. She glares at me with thin eyes, her hand resting on her satchel.

Just like when I first met her. (should've finished things there) I square my shoulders and turn my back on them, taking a deep breath—never too late for a rematch. (maybe after you chop the head off the snake) I look to the double doors and sigh to myself. Why didn't things stay the way they were before?

"What's the plan?" Wikolia asks. I turn to answer, but see she's addressing Esilea. The warrior stands tall and begins pulling weapons out of her bag.

"You and Icarus will lay explosives at key points within the building—"

"What?" Icarus interrupts the Amazon. Esilea smiles and hands him the satchel.

"I have to get everyone out of this building." She kneels next to him while he rummages around inside her bag. "As much as I want to protect you, people are more likely to listen to me than the Wyvern." Wikolia frowns, but doesn't say anything.

Icarus casts a glance at Wikolia and sighs to himself. "Fine," he says with a resigned look down at Esilea's satchel.

"You're sure it will burn?" The Wyvern asks as she flicks her tongue out briefly in the air. Icarus grins and wheels past her to the doors.

"It'll burn," he says and rubs his hands together. "Oh, it'll burn." Maybe giving him the explosives wasn't a good idea. (or it was a great idea) The kid's crazy. (maybe we shouldn't eat him) Nobody is eating anybody. Except maybe Wikolia, but that can't be helped.

"And Namonai will deal with the head of the Ismar Trading Corporation." Esilea doesn't look at me while she speaks. She shoulders a javelin and inspects the straps on her armor. "After Icarus and the Wyvern finish, they will meet me in the lobby. If Namonai hits an unforeseen snag..." You're an unforeseen snag. "We'll find him and finish the job."

"Are we to walk out the front like nothing's the matter?" Wikolia asks, folding her arms across her chest.

"Unless you prefer the sewer," Esilea responds. Wikolia scrunches her nose and Esilea nods. "Everybody good?"

"Good," Icarus and the Wyvern reply nearly in unison. The Amazon slowly focuses her gaze on the wall directly next to me. We can play your quiet game if you want, Esilea. I silently nod, and exit the room before anybody can speak.