Wraith pours herself a cup of cold chai tea in her little kitchen. There are random parts on her counter and dishes in her sink, but now is not the time for that. She sighs. Hard as she fought for it, as long as she's waited, she is not exactly looking forward to this part.

You're really gonna chicken out now?

She turns around and walks into the living area. The teal case lies in the center of the coffee table in front of the worn, lumpy couch. The ceiling fan turns in lazy circles, moving the warm air around. The shutters are closed. The air is dim, and particles of dust are illuminated by rays of sunlight through the slats.

She sits down on the couch, setting down her tea. She stares at the case. She reaches for it, but hesitates.

It's like we said before.

You won't be able to do it without the feelings.

She makes a decision, and grabs the case, unzipping it and unfolding it open. Her hearth thumps in her chest. There are a variety of things in the case. Her eyes drift to a set of dog tags. She picks them up.

'Renee Blasey, First Infantry Soldier.'

She frowns. The records showed she was a Science Pilot. And the latter half of that is Pilot. A pilot wouldn't hold that rank, it's pretty much the lowest. She must have enlisted at the bottom.

As the dog tag turns back and forth in the air, she starts to get an uncomfortable feeling. She begins to hear the sound of gunfire, in the distance.

She starts and puts the tags back in the box.

There's more here, if you want to look for it.

She ignores the voice and reaches back into the box. There's a heavy, rectangular piece of tech that's curious. She picks it up. It's covered in incredibly high grade circuitry, but it's half destroyed. She turns it over and sees the acronym HAD printed on it.

Hammond Armament Division.

Hammond war tech. She realizes she is holding a Titan memory core. She—

Out of nowhere she hears a loud, escalating whirring sound. She feels a powerful pulse in her chest that turns her gut to ice. She drops the core and it clatters to the table.

"No!" she shouts, grabbing it again and inspecting it for damage. Her heart is almost pounding. Confused and scared, she puts it back in the case, out of sight.

There's more here, Renee…

If more means more of that, she's not interested at the moment.

She steels herself. She has to see this through.

There's a wooden box. She grabs it. It's old fashioned, with patterns carved into the top. It looks Earthen. She opens it. Inside she sees a silver bracelet. Her hand automatically reaches out and grabs it.

"Mommy," she whispers. She blinks. Her amnesia doesn't budge, but this bracelet… there's no question who it belonged to. She can feel it.

There's something else in the box. It's a knife in a leather sheath. She picks that up, too.

"Dad…"

A feeling like a heavy blanket settles over her whole body, making her sink into the couch. She holds the items to her chest. Her face contorts, and a tear rolls down her cheek.

Half an hour later, she's laying on her side on the couch, an old t-shirt bunched against her face, covered in her dried snot and tears. She sits up and blows her nose on it. She sniffs.

She puts the bracelet and knife back in the box and closes it for now.

There's one other item of interest. A tablet.

She grabs the tablet and a dock off the side table next to the couch. She installs the tablet into the dock to power it. It starts booting.

There are all the expected OS features. It's IMC issue, and there's a correspondence account, but she's worried if she accesses it she'll ping the server and she can't have that.

What is interesting is there is a file with a series of video logs. Wraith opens one of them at random.

Her face appears on the screen, looking younger, fresher. She's wearing a lab trench and her hair is down.

"Three more successes today," says the Renee on screen, "but it doesn't count for much, as the feed isn't big enough to put to any practical use. We iterate time and again on application and theory, but without a bigger source, our furthest goals remain out of reach."

Wraith stares in fascination. These are logs from her days performing research at IMC. Working with Singh. Indeed, it doesn't take her long to mention him.

"Amer says he wants this as much as I do, but it seems like I'm the one having to drag him out of bed every morning."

Wraith freezes. They were sleeping together?

The thought makes her sick.

She grabs the pillow and clutches it to her chest. She leans back into the couch, letting the videos continue to play in sequence.

It takes the other Renee a while to actually name the research that's consuming her.

"I'm not worried about funding. Higher ups have been, selectively, informed about the potential of this work. I wouldn't be surprised if Void tech becomes instrumental in future conflicts."

Wraith's stomach twists. Void tech. They were the ones moving the needle on research. Her heart beats faster.

This is starting to make some sense.

They'd been working with a series of 'artifacts,' material objects that have been enmeshed with extradimensional space, or subdimensional space, depending on how you look at it. The artifacts are relics of the explosion on Typhon, an event that the other Renee witnessed firsthand from orbit, to her horror. She describes it in detail, how the surface of the beautiful blue planet had seemed to dip as if the image were being distorted, then it had simply burst outward like an impossible volcanic eruption, leaving a huge chunk of the planet exposed down to the core. It rankles the other Renee to work with ARES and its heartless leader, General Marder, who was responsible for the atrocity. It makes Wraith feel a little better about knowing it had been her at one point.

They're using the artifacts to create experimental tech that can interface and potentially manipulate the Void. They are able to make matter cross into the other dimension and back, on a small scale.

The problem is, the artifacts they're getting only carry traces of this Voidspace. They need something stronger. And it sounds like it might be on the way.

It makes Wraith's stomach turn when she starts talking about Amer. She clearly…

Yeah, you're right, it's gross.

Wraith sighs, pressing her fingers into her eyes. The other Renee is clearly smitten with him, which, she's just not going to think about that for now.

There are other times, though, where the other Renee talks about someone else. Someone named Anise.

Whenever Anise comes up, Renee talks about her softly, sadly, reverently. She clearly cared for her deeply. It's also clear she's gone, somehow. She won't talk about what happened. But she does talk about how this project, this Void tech, could maybe prevent something like that from happening in the future. It's why she seems to care so much.

Finally, Wraith gets to the entry where they receive the major artifact. The other Renee is surprised to find that it's a partially destroyed child's doll. She says it's almost difficult to make out inside the containment unit, as it pulses with such strong, purple Void energy. It perturbs her, but it doesn't sway her determination.

They run a series of tests, and indeed find that the power of the artifact surpasses all the tech they had devised so far. They lose a lot of it in the testing. However, it does allow them to finally develop a prototype. A rig that might allow a person to traverse the Void. They test it thoroughly, but the time has come for someone to actually try it.

"And it's no surprise that we can't whip up one volunteer amongst the entire station population," says the other Renee. "It's not an enticing concept. The artifact disturbs pretty much everyone who sees it. We have to have someone, though. We can't continue meaningfully until we know a human can safely use this tech. And God forgive me if I ever consent to accepting one of the IMC's 'volunteered' subjects."

She sighs.

"Which is why, earlier today, I volunteered to do it myself." She's smiling at the camera. There's a satisfaction, and a determination, but Wraith can see the fear there, too.

Wraith's heartbeat is accelerated. She knows this is it. This is how it happened.

"And if for one second, I hesitate, I just think of Anise, and it's gone." There's hardness in her eyes. "This project will be seen to conclusion. I stake my life on it."

Playback ends. There is one more file on the tablet. It's dated three days later. Wraith tries to keep her breathing steady. She doesn't want to open it.

But she does.

As soon as Wraith sees the other Renee on screen, her heart sinks.

Renee's eyes are sunken. Her hair is lank, her skin pale. Her lip is trembling. It looks like her whole body is trembling. She doesn't say anything, she just stares at the camera. Now and then, she jerks and looks to the side, seemingly at nothing. But Wraith knows it's not nothing.

Eventually she looks at the camera and begins to speak.

"I'm scared," she whimpers, and it almost breaks Wraith's heart. "I don't understand what's going on. I don't know where I am. None of the guards will answer my questions. They won't let me leave my room. I haven't seen Amer since…" Her eyes drift off, her brow pinched, eyes hopeless. She stays that way for some time. Then she jerks, and looks at the camera again.

"I hear him sometimes," she squeaks. "I know he comes by my room. He asks about me. I pound on the door. I want to see him. But it never opens. I can hear him walk away. I'm so scared… Why won't he talk to me? He—" She stops and turns her head.

Her room is almost totally dark. The tablet seems to be providing the only light. Behind her there's a door.

"Amer?" she calls. "Amer, are you there?"

Wraith's body is heavy. Her limbs are cold as ice.

Shaking, Renee rises from her seat and takes cautious steps toward the door. "Amer? I'm scared. I don't know what to do… I keep hearing…" She raises her hand, hesitating, the patting at the door quietly. "Please let me out," she pleads. "Please don't walk away…"

It's very difficult to hear, but Wraith thinks she can hear footsteps outside, moving away.

"No…" Renee shudders. She looks around in terror. She looks desperate. She raises her hands, clutching the sides of her head. She's hyperventilating. She sucks in a breath, squeezes her eyes shut tight, and disappears.

Or, it looks like she disappears, but Wraith knows that's not what happened.

"Amer!" The sound of Renee's voice can be heard shrieking from the hallway. "Amer! Where are you going! No! Stop, let me go! Amer! They won't let me see you! Why won't they let me see you! I need you! I need your help! Please!" She's sobbing as she cries out to him. "Please don't go! I love you! I love you!"

The door to her room opens, and two armored guards dump her onto the floor, sealing it behind her.

Renee can only be partially seen over the edge of the desk. She continues to cry on the floor, curling up and clutching her arms to her chest. Wraith continues watching it for a minute or so, and then turns it off.

She sits there, still, for a long time. The sun is setting and it's getting dark inside the room. Like Renee's room, in that video.

It wasn't your fault. You deserved better than that. If it helps.

"It doesn't," she says.

Slowly, she lays down on the couch again and lays her head on her pillow. She doesn't cry, this time. She stares off into the dark.

She knew she wanted to find Singh, for answers.

Now she knows she has to.

Wraith wakes to her alarm. She groans. She's in her bed, one of her favorite places, and she hadn't had anything to drink last night, but she doesn't want to get up. She'd been restless, after going through the case. She hadn't slept great. And the whispers aren't helping.

There is so much to do.

Just get up!

"Enough," she grumbles. She reaches over and silences the alarm on her pocket tablet. She checks the time. It's fairly early, Solace time, but not too early to get up.

She sits up in bed, and sighs. She hadn't checked her comms all day yesterday. She probably should. She brings up her comm registry.

She sucks in a breath. A missed call from Mirage, Pathfinder, and five missed calls from Bangalore.

Oh shit.

"Oh shit what?" says Wraith.

We forgot.

Then Wraith remembers. Two nights ago, after the games, she told Bangalore they'd have lunch the next day. She'd totally flaked on her. To say nothing of the fact that she hadn't told her where she was going.

Wraith bites her lip. She's gonna be pissed.

She is, but just call her.

She hesitates.

Better to get it over with.

Wraith sighs and climbs out of bed, hitting the call option. It rings five times before Anita picks up.

"Renee?" Bangalore's voice is groggy.

"Hey," says Wraith.

"'Hey?' Do you realize how early it is on Psamathe?"

"Shit, sorry, I didn't check where you were."

"Sorry? Is that all you got?"

Wraith screws up her cheek. "Sorry I bailed on you yesterday."

"Yeah, okay, that's a start." There's rustling, she must be sitting up in bed. "Ugh… I'm not really worried about that, though. I called you five times. Where the hell were you? I was actually worried."

"I was…" Wraith swears inwardly. She should have thought about what to say before calling.

"You were what?"

"I had to…" Wraith's getting more nervous by the second. There's got to be a best way to tell the story.

"Wraith, I talked to Pathfinder."

Wraith's stomach twists. "What did he say?"

"What did he say? He said, and I quote, 'in my experience, it would be wise for me to let Renee tell you herself.'"

"Look—"

"Renee, what the fuck does that mean? Are you in trouble?"

"No, no, I'm not in trouble. I'm at my apartment."

"You went back to Solace without me?!"

"I had to take care of something."

"You had to take care of something? Like what?"

Wraith clenches her teeth. "Look, it was important, alright? I had reasons not to tell you."

"Oh, yeah? Well are you willing to tell me now?"

"Yes…" Wraith rubs her face. "Yes, but I'd rather do it in person."

"That's fine, I'll come to you."

"Isn't it early?"

"It is, but I know from experience I'm not getting back to sleep. Give me a couple hours, I'll be there."

"Alright."

"Renee?"

"Yeah?"

Anita sighs on the other end of the line. "I'm not mad, alright? I just want to know what's going on."

"Fair."

"You got food or something?"

"I can make something happen."

"See you then."

"See you."

Wraith looks at her tab. Anita ended the call. She looks at Mirage's missed call. She should probably call him back. She checks his feed.

As usual, there's an extraneous number of selfies from yesterday, several of them with some girl. Looks like they're having fun.

Wraith snorts. Well, good for him. She'll call him later. No way he's awake yet.

She wonders if Pathfinder got in touch with Crypto. She needs to reach out to him, but that can wait until she talks to Anita.

She looks around. The teal case is still sitting open on her coffee table. She walks over and flips it shut. The rest of her apartment is pretty messy.

She sighs. May as well clean up for company.

Bangalore climbs the wooden stairs up to Wraith's door. She scratches the back of her head. She didn't get as much sleep as she'd like, and Syndicate jump transit could do with some improvements on the comfort side. She's grouchy, but she's got her head on straight. Always does. Keeps you out of the shit, and your friends alive.

As long as your friends stay straight with you.

She knocks on Wraith's door. Renee answers it a few seconds later. She doesn't say anything at first.

Anita looks her over. She seems alright, not banged up or anything. Her dark hair is tied back, as usual, her blue eyes level. She's average height, which makes her eight inches shorter than Anita. She's tough though, not quite stocky, but strong. The first time Anita laid eyes on her, she'd thought she was pretty cute. Little jumpy and violence loving, but cute.

"Hey," says Anita.

"Hey," says Renee.

Renee opens the door and Anita steps inside. If Anita's any judge, Renee spent the last couple hours cleaning up. "Looks half decent in here."

"Something strange about that?" Renee asks.

Bangalore notices one thing out of place. There's a teal travel case closed on top of the coffee table. She gestures to it, looking at Renee. Renee just shakes her head.

"There's a scramble in the pan," says Renee. "It's still hot."

Anita lifts the lid, releasing some steam. A little less than half is gone. Smells pretty good. She grabs a spoon out of the drawer and takes the whole pan. She digs in the spoon and takes a bite as she sits in one of the chairs.

Renee snorts at her eating out of the pan, but it's muted. She sits down. "Where do you want me to start?"

Anita chews. "I dunno, wherever you want. Am I gonna get the whole story?"

Renee glances at the case on the table, and her face twitches a couple times. "Maybe not everything, but I'm still figuring things out. I'll tell you about yesterday."

She doesn't continue at first. "Go on," says Anita.

"After the match two days ago, at Manny's, when you guys were dealing with that manager, Crypto told me some stuff. He'd been trying to dig stuff up on me—"

"Yeah?" says Anita, feeling a flare of anger.

"Yeah, it pissed me off too at first, but just listen. He said it was unusually hard to get a hit on my name. He made it clear he had to put in an effort. He finally got a hit in an IMC database."

Anita's brow twitches. There's little of Renee's story that she doesn't know—from what Renee can remember. Most of her past is shrouded with amnesia. Anything new from her past is a big deal.

Anita's ex-IMC, too. Military grunt. Family tradition. By this point, the IMC is hated pretty much everywhere in the Outworlds and the Frontier. Shit, probably in a lot of places back in the Core Systems, too, based on their antics. It's not popular to be associated with them out here.

"That bother you?" Anita asks.

"Not in and of itself, no. There's more, though. My title was Senior Science Pilot."

Anita frowns, taking another bite. Her brother was a Pilot. The one she last saw freefalling into the orbital vacuum. Some old, familiar feelings well up in her chest. She chews with her eyes closed and shakes her head, pushing them down for now.

"Pilot, huh? That's fancy."

"Yeah, yeah, talk your shit later. He wanted to know more about it. He didn't realize I didn't know. Any of it. He also told me something else, something more interesting. That hospital, where I woke up? They didn't destroy it."

Anita looks up at her, frowning. "Last time I saw that place, a mountain ate it."

"They didn't blow it, though. They buried it."

"How the hell could he know that?"

"I don't know, he said some Crypto shit. The point is, he was right."

Anita stops chewing. She can already tell from Renee's hesitant expression, but she asks anyway. "You went there on your own, didn't you?"

Renee glances to the side. "Pathfinder was with me."

"Oh, you asked Pathy?"

"Technically he followed me."

"Jesus, Renee! That had to have been dangerous."

"The facility was derelict. It was all powered down."

"No trouble at all, then?"

Renee hesitates. "We did trigger security at one point."

"Renee…" Anita drops the pan and looks up in exasperation.

"Anita, this is my fight!"

"And I'd have been there for you!"

The silence carries on for a few moments. Renee's teeth are clenched but her eyes are uncertain. Anita screws up her lips. "You're the one who asked me. If I'd help you, with your past."

"I know."

"So what gives?"

"I just… I got ahead of myself. I was barely thinking, I just knew I had to get there."

"Renee, this isn't the games."

"You think I don't know that? Why do you even care!"

Anita snorts. She levels her expression and lets Renee sit with what she said for a second. The sheepishness sets in.

"Renee," she says, "it's like this. When you're in a unit, pushing through battle after battle, you fight together, and you die together. If one of you sneaks off at any point, goes and does something stupid, something that could get them killed? When they get back, they're likely to get their ass whupped."

"You gonna whup my ass?"

Anita laughs abruptly, looking to the side. "Don't tempt me."

"So what, then? I'm in your unit?"

Anita gives her a long look. "As far as I'm concerned, yeah."

Renee takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Alright, Anita, I'm sorry. I really am."

"Okay."

"I'm lucky to have people like you in my corner. Don't got a lot of those."

"Yeah," says Anita, "Mirage told me you said that the other day."

Renee frowns. "Elliot told you that?"

"Yeah, he talks to me," Anita raises her brows and looks to the side, "unfortunately."

"Oh, come on, he's not that bad."

"Depends on the day. Anyway, that doesn't matter. What did you find, Renee?"

Renee's smile fades and she shifts in her seat. "An encrypted file on someone I used to work with, before I can remember. Named Singh. And that." She points to the case.

Anita glances at it. "What's in it?"

"Stuff from my past. From before the hospital."

"Care to share?"

Renee thinks about it, for more than a second. "No."

"Okay. What about the file?"

"I gave it to Pathfinder to take to Crypto."

Anita's jaw drops.

"What?"

"What? I guess I'm trying to decide which half of that sentence is more ridiculous."

"Come on, Pathfinder is reliable."

"Reliable? Renee, he's—" Anita cuts herself off.

"He's what? Stupid?"

"Naïve," says Anita firmly. "And you sent him to Crypto? Of all people? You have to be careful what intel you give that guy, you don't know what he'll do with it."

"Well, it's a risk I'm willing to take."

Anita exhales sharply in aggravation. She can't argue with that. She's getting caught up in her anger, and that's not why she's here. She takes another breath. "So what's the next step?"

"Get to Singh."

Anita eyes her. "Am I invited?"

"Well, I'd rather not get my ass whupped."

"How soon?"

"As soon as possible."

Anita frowns. There's something heavy under the surface in Renee, she can sense it. "Why is this Singh guy so important?"

Renee's face spasms. She takes a breath and it spasms again, and she turns to the side, squeezing her eyes shut and half snarling. After a second, she shakes it off.

"Because it's important."

"Okay," says Anita. "I'm in."

Anita doesn't know the story, but she trusts Renee, and if this guy makes her that angry, he's in for a world of hurt.

Wraith walks up to the window of Crypto's highrise apartment in Suatamo on Gaea. The city rolls out endlessly into the distance. Gleaming glass obelisks—skyscrapers—are scattered about like tall trees in the bed of a forest, towering above the run-down, older buildings comprising most of the city below.

"This going to take long?" Bangalore asks. Wraith looks over at her. She's been pretty frosty with Crypto since their arrival.

"Not at all, I have other matters to attend to." Crypto is manipulating his holographic computer terminal. It's the kind of tech that goes well beyond simple keyboard or tablet proficiency. You'd need advanced training to navigate it, but he is a computer engineer, after all. "Just making sure I have everything handy."

He reaches down and takes a sip of his steaming tea. Bangalore eyes it.

"What?" he asks. "I offered. And I'll take this opportunity to point out that I've asked for nothing from Renee. And I'm doing this free of charge."

"Still enough time for you to get something out of it," says Anita. "So what's your side hussle, out of curiosity?"

"The Apex Games," he replies casually.

Anita shoots him an annoyed look. "Then what's your main job?"

"If by job, you mean source of income, it would be intelligence brokering."

"Sounds like dangerous work."

"If you don't know how to cover your tracks."

"I wonder how many dead brokers have said that."

"Easy, Anita," says Wraith.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring Pathfinder with you," says Crypto. "Though probably not as surprised as when he first propositioned me with the file."

"He told me he had something to take care of," says Wraith. She walks past the pristine, luxurious décor over to Crypto's work desk. "Let me ask you something, Crypto."

He glances up at her.

"If you were ever in a tough spot, would you take advantage of Pathfinder?"

He frowns. "You didn't say it would be a pointed question."

"I didn't," Renee admits, "but I'm asking."

"Why should I answer? I'm the one who is doing you a favor."

"Maybe it will help shape what I'll owe you."

He considers her. "Of course not."

"Why not?"

"Why would I need to?"

"What do you mean?"

"If I ever needed anything from Pathfinder, I get the impression I could simply ask for it, and he would give it to me."

"But that's the easy way out. What if you needed something that he was protecting? For a friend, for example."

His eyes harden. "Which friend, in this example?"

"This is just hypothetical, Crypto."

Standing a ways behind Crypto with her arms crossed, Anita frowns. She didn't seem to expect the line of questioning.

Crypto could be easily excused from the interrogation. Especially since he is, in fact, doing them a favor. But he does not balk, for some reason. He considers Renee with a serious expression. Renee does not break eye contact.

"The answer is no," he says.

"Why not?"

Crypto turns back to his terminal and makes a few gestures to the holograms. A larger holographic display appears above the desk. It is a text file.

"The data you recovered was indeed a profile focused on one Dr. Amer Singh. His career was not so remarkable, before he met you. In fact, it was your Void tech project that seems to have given him his current degree of fame."

Renee allows him to dodge her question. "What has he done with the Void tech in the years since I was with him?"

"That I cannot answer. If only it were so easy to extract details from top secret IMC projects. I do have more, however.

"Two years ago, his title was advanced to Special Research Project Manager, and, presumably, it came with the dispersal of additional funds."

"Meaning he's getting somewhere," says Anita.

"I would agree. His domain of study is still listed as 'Dimensional Research.' So if it is the Void tech you are after, he will have the cutting edge."

Renee considers whether he's trying to slip information out of her. She decides to let him have it. "It's not the Void tech I'm after. Well, it is, but my first priority is Singh himself."

"He burned you, didn't he?"

Renee's face twitches. "It was more than a burn. Where is he?"

"That information was not included in the profile, for understandable reasons. But I knew you would ask. I gave him the same treatment I gave you. And indeed, I did get hits on his name in various IMC databases. But information about him was remarkably scarce. They've been scrubbing him. I could have chased it down, perhaps, but I wasn't interested in his accomplishments or personal relationships. I wanted him."

Crypto looks up at her. "You know, you're very fortunate. In your search for answers, you've stumbled upon something most valuable indeed."

Renee indulges him. "And what's that?"

"My curiosity. I dug through medical databases until I was finally able to extract his biometrics. They were actually poorly guarded. What I did then, was far more risky. I tapped into IMC's central security system, into a protocol that is used to keep tabs on all employees of note that operate in IMC facilities. I fed it his biometrics, and as I suspected, it returned coordinates and a vector."

"A vector?" Anita asks.

"The coordinates are for Noctus, a remote planet with few resources just outside Syndicate space. There is little extraction done there, but it would make a good location for discreet research. The vector was orbital."

"What is he saying?" Anita asks Renee.

"It's an orbital station," says Wraith. "A research facility."

"Like the one you two used to work in?"

"It's probably the same one," she turns to Crypto. "And you'll share those with us?"

He makes a gesture. "It's already sent. It may be banal to point it out, but such a facility will be well guarded."

Wraith looks at Bangalore. Anita's eyes are firm. She nods. "Don't worry too much about us."

"I won't," says Crypto. "And if you feel like sharing some of what you find with me, I won't say no."

"I'll keep that in mind," says Wraith. "Now, it's like you said," she says to Crypto, "you have other business to attend to."

"And it would seem, so do you."

Wraith nods to him as she and Bangalore head for the door.

The hallways of Crypto's nouveau riche tower are pretty much empty. A full glass wall dominates one side, displaying the cityscape, the inner wall covered with vines and potted plants.

"It's almost time," says Bangalore.

"Seems that way."

"You've waited a long time for this. Are you excited?"

"That's not the word I'd use."

"Good. Hey," Bangalore pats her arm. "We're gonna fuck 'em up."

Wraith meets her eyes and nods. "I agree."

"So how do we—"

Bangalore is interrupted by the ringing of Wraith's pocket tab. She looks who it is, and rolls her eyes when she sees Mirage's face.

You put it off long enough.

When Wraith answers it, Mirage is already talking.

"—and it didn't have to be like that—guy was always an asshole, though." His face lights up when he sees Wraith. "Whoa! Speaking of assholes, she picked up!"

"Hey, Ellie."

"Yeah, you know we're friends though, since I let her call me that. Hey, meet Annika!"

A girl with cyan hair that's off the shoulder on one side and long on the other looks back at her. Her eyes are wide, her expression open. She gapes with naked interest at Renee. She smiles and waves animatedly. "Hiii!" She has pink eyebrows.

Flavor of the week?

Hey, it could be more.

You always say that.

"How much did he tell you about me?" Wraith asks.

"Not that much," she replies. She thinks comically, staring upward with a finger on her chin. "He said you're badass though."

Wraith smirks. "I won't argue. Hey, Anita's here, too." She moves the tab so Bangalore can be seen.

Bangalore narrows her eyes, pretending to be scrutinizing. "Elliot."

Mirage plays along. "Anita."

"What are you guys doing?" Wraith asks.

"Psh, what aren't we? Uh, let's see…"

Annika chitters something to him.

"Oh, yeah! Kase said Hellblazer is playing down at Park West. He says you can smell the roasted Gnatha from blocks away. Chicks everywhere! Which, I mean—ow! I'm just kidding, I—" He stops suddenly, his obnoxious ringtone playing. "Oh, shit, it's Pathy!"

Suddenly the screen splits and shows Pathfinder's face. "Hello friends!"

"Pathyyy!" comes Annika's high pitched voice.

"Annika! My new friend!"

Oh god.

How do we get off this call?

Actually, these are the people you need to talk to.

"What's up, Pathy! I was just catching up with Renee and Anita."

"That's perfect! I was going to ask if you'd heard from them."

Bangalore shakes her head with a rueful smile as she operates the elevator controls. They're alone in the glass cylinder as it begins carrying them to ground level.

"We're just leaving Crypto's apartment, actually," says Wraith.

"Who-oa!" says Mirage. "Pathy told me you were talking to him. For real? How long that been going on?"

"For literally two days."

"What's the deal? I didn't see that coming."

"Elliot…"

"Come on! You can't keep me out of the loop! And after ditching me like that yesterday?"

Seriously, with Annika right there?

Wraith sighs in exasperation. "Elliot, I do have news, but I don't know if Annika wants to know."

Wraith catches a glimpse of Annika's frowny face before Elliot's dominates the screen. "What? Oh, come on, Annika and I are tight. I don't keep secrets from her."

You've known her for a day and you're 'tight?'

"Was Crypto able to help?" asks Pathfinder.

Wraith presses her fingers into her eyes. When she looks, Bangalore is next to her. Wraith can see concern, but she's leaving it up to Wraith. Wraith looks at the tab.

"Yes, Crypto was able to get me the info I needed. I actually owe him one."

"Whoa, that's scary."

"Elliot. The point is, I can make my next move, now. And I intend to."

Bangalore grabs the tab and turns it so she's in the frame. "We intend to."

"Oh, shit," says Mirage, "when do we leave?"

"We? Elliot—" Wraith sighs again. "Thirty seconds ago you were talking about Hellblazer."

"Yeah, I know—it'd be sick, but—no, that doesn't matter. You need help, right? Like, is this the big one?"

Wraith stares at his face, brow knitted. "It could be."

"Then I'm in."

"Elliot," says Bangalore, "this isn't the games. This is for real."

"It's always real, for me," he says.

Bangalore frowns. "What?"

"You know, I mean… In the games. You never really know, right? I'm always like… 'what if I don't wake up this time?'"

Bangalore is nonplussed. Wraith feels a twinge of concern. Is that true?

"Oh, baby…" says Annika, laying a hand on his chest.

He puts his act back on swiftly, smirking. "Oh, no worries, babe. It's the games. You gotta show up like that. Anyway, Renee, you can't push me out of this. When the day comes, remember?"

Wraith's face twitches. "You remember that?"

"Do I remem—of course I remember! I wasn't drunk or anything."

"You were drunk."

"I was barely drunk."

"Alright, well if you really mean it…" Wraith hesitates. They are putting their lives in her hands.

Your life will be in their hands, too.

Wraith glances away. "We'll leave from Solace at 10:00 AM local. Do not be late. And if you drink tonight, you stay home."

"Right, yeah…" His hesitation is obvious. "Of course—for sure. I'm good for it."

"Pathfinder?"

Pathfinder perks up. "You're inviting me?"

Inviting?

"Yeah."

"Then you can count on me." He actually sounds relatively serious.

She looks at the faces of her friends on the phone. People she didn't even know three years ago, willing to share this danger with her, just to help her. Just to help her find a way to be whole again. She looks up at Anita. Somehow, she seems to understand. There's a subtle smile on her lips.

Wraith sets her jaw. "Then let's go fuck up some IMC."

"Hell yeah!" Mirage says. "Wait, did you say IMC?"