Karkat was expecting to wait a week for Dirk's response. If Lil' Cal was as dangerous as the Strider's said, Karkat wouldn't have pushed Dirk to jump into a potentially dangerous situation. The death count was one. He was going to keep it that way. Naturally, it was a surprise that Dirk messaged him the next day. Karkat double checked the message before he replied.

timaeusTestified [TT] began pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG]

TT: I found some documents.

CG: THAT FAST?

CG: I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO BE CAUTIOUS.

TT: I was. But I'm also experienced when it comes to snooping for information. My older brother might be heavily involved in illegal activities. I like to know exactly what he might be getting up to.

TT: Anyway, about Lil' Cal. His real name is Hal. He's definitely the middleman you mentioned. He keeps tabs on every gang member in the city.

TT: From what I can see, he has the most promising lead on Lord English. There's a picture, but no real name. I can't say I've seen the guy ever before, which is odd. Every citizen in Skaia with dangerous mutations has to be recorded down in the city database. I did check for Lord English, but I couldn't find a match.

CG: WHAT KIND OF MUTATIONS?

TT: Nothing as arbitrary as blood color. Extra limbs, extra appendages, the like.

TT: Sometimes eye color is an indicator of something dangerous in a troll's body. Lord English's eyes were two different colors.

CG: SO THE FUCKER'S A TROLL.

CG: HETEROCHROMIA ISN'T A SEVERE MUTATION. SOLLUX HAS THAT.

TT: It wasn't just that. There were multiple pictures, and each picture has different eye colors.

CG: OH FUCK.

CG: I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT WAS AN OMEN OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION BACK ON ALTERNIA. BUT I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH ARADIA.

TT: Yeah, well, don't worry. Eyes that change colors aren't considered a good omen anywhere.

TT: But I'm not here to tell you about Lord English. The Felt is no longer important to you.

TT: I had to go back to files from three years ago. There wasn't much information on the deal. Lil' Cal was hired by the Protectors of Alternia to set up Lord English.

CG: THEY'RE SMART. THEY TOOK A LOT OF PRECAUTIONS. IF LEONID BROTS WAS EVER INVESTIGATED FURTHER, THE KNIGHTS OR THE FELT WOULD'VE BEEN BLAMED.

TT: Right. Lil' Cal is clean. We can assume two very important things. The Protectors of Alternia have been around for a long time if they were able to find Lil' Cal, and Lil' Cal has to have information on some of the members of the Protectors of Alternia. Think of it, if Lil' Cal was able to get a picture of one of the most well hidden kingpins in the world, he would've been able to get dirt on the Protectors of Alternia.

CG: THAT'S ALL GOOD AND NICE, BUT DID HE MANAGE TO GET A PICTURE?

TT: Yes. But I need to make sure you don't throw your phone when I tell you.

CG: WHY WOULD I? DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING MUCH TROUBLE IT'D BE FOR ME TO TRY AND GET THIS THING FIXED?

TT: I warned you. Mayor Peixes hired Lil' Cal.

carcinoGeneticist [CG]'s phone broke!

His phone crashed against the wall, but the needless destruction didn't calm him. His other hand was gripped into a tight fist, his claws digging into the flesh of his palm. He was seeing red. Fuck the Midnight Crew, he was going to barge out of this apartment just for the satisfaction of killing Peixes. Fuck. FUCK! Goddammit!

Rage.

Unbearable bright red was all he saw.

The world around him moved in slow motion. Like he was underneath a red sea.

His ears felt clogged. Maybe he screamed, or did he whisper? He couldn't tell.

His mouth suddenly felt too full, like his teeth had sharpened and grown. His claws looked longer.

And then he blacked out.

"Karkat." He shifted slightly, moaning and rolling over. "Karkat! Wake up!"

He opened his eyes slightly. A girl with messy hair was leaning over him. A blind girl, if her red eyes weren't a fashion statement. "What do you want?" Then the severity of his situation rushed back to him, and he remembered how he was supposed to be in hiding. "Get the fuck away! Shit!" he scrambled up as best he could, and the blind girl leaned back. "How'd you get here!"

"Calm your shit, Karkles."

"Terezi?"

"The one and only." She stuck out her hand, and he shook it. Then she pulled him close and licked his face.

"Oh god what the fuck?"

"What? I wanted to see you. You're cuter than I thought." Karkat blanked completely. "Dirk messaged Sollux that you broke your phone. He made me come here to take it back to him."

"Oh. Uh, it's over there." He looked around. Jeez, he'd wrecked the room. The cushions were ripped, some of the carpet looked torn, the walls had scratches. God bless his angry self for avoiding destroying the tv.

"What did you find out that pissed you off?" Terezi asked.

"Peixes killed my Dad."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Should I tell the group chat?"

"Yeah. And tell them she's in the Protectors of Alternia."

"So we were right, then. Top political figures across Skaia are Protectors of Alternia. Do you think they're staging a coup?"

"Coo? Why would I give a fuck about birds?"

"You're stupid. Coup' de tat. It's an old French term for an overthrow of the government."

"Why do you know more about humans than humans do?" As Terezi began explaining how she wanted to be well rounded, which was much more than Karkat could say, he began thinking about what she said. Was an overthrow of Skaia's government the Protectors of Alternia's plan?