There was something oddly disarming about getting drunk with his mother. A dropping of walls, a shedding of the structures they’d built around themselves over the years.

  He understood that she wasn’t getting drunk, and Ben had briefly lamented the fact that he also didn’t seem to be forming a buzz. Yet, Tania and Terry’s increasingly silly behavior seemed to bring out a sympathetic response amongst the adults, who played along with their antics.

  Terry never felt himself become drunk—at least, he didn’t think he was; he had no frame of reference other than the few times he’d seen adults drunk around him. But he still maintained his faculties, and his aura sense remained alive and active.

  Everything just felt…lighter.

  They laughed, swapped stories, and even cried once or twice as Tania shared memories of her parents and Penelope explained to Ben about her choice to become James’ revenant.

  But despite all the mirth—and sadness—the mood always remained light. And when it didn’t, it slipped back into place as naturally as four old friends with a bond that felt decades old.

  So when a voice called out from beyond the tent door, Penelope answered mid-laugh, not a sense of worry or portent in her tone.

  Yet, something triggered in the back of Terry’s mind, a warning ping that inexplicably sent his heart racing and a shiver tracing down his spine.

  As his mother pulled back the tent flap, revealing the super standing there, Terry’s brain shifted into high gear and he pulled greedily on his aura out of pure instinct.

  He only stopped himself from attempting to portal Savage in half when he felt his mother’s aura reach toward him. A half-second later, he released the working, realizing that he had almost tried to murder his grandfather’s revenant—and the liaison between his mother and the Protectorate.

  Savage clearly had felt the aborted attempt, his aura pulled in tight against his body, a single leg stepping back as if preparing to lunge—toward Terry or away to safety, he couldn’t tell.

  But there was no hint of fear in the beast-man’s eyes—only surprise, quickly replaced by interest.

  “I heard you had returned,” Savage grunted. His lips parted in a smile, revealing rows of long, jagged teeth. His eyes trailed over to the far wall of the tent, locking onto Crunch with a satisfied glint.

  Terry’s aura bucked against his will, fighting his logical brain out of pure malice. It shocked him, drawing him back into rationality. His aura had never felt so out of control and he realized a moment later that the buzz was stifling his inhibitions.

  Stupid, he scolded himself, so stupid to compromise yourself when there’s a war on!

  He yearned to reply to the revenant, say something composed and mature to signify his growth since they’d last seen each other. But his brain was mired in mud, the words not forming with the speed he was used to.

  Savage snorted, the hot, damp breath filling the large command tent with a wet-animal smell. He eyed Ben with an appraising look, no doubt recognizing the presence of a second S-ranker, before turning toward Penelope. Her face had remained stoic as she watched the two of them interact, but she took the initiative during the moment of silence.

  “What news, Savage?” Her tone wasn’t quite brusque, but there was a chilliness to it that juxtaposed the mirth and openness of the last hour.

  The A-ranker regarded her for a moment before turning toward Terry, his expression unreadable beneath the burnt-orange fur ringing his face like a lion’s mane.

  “Reports of a new cluster in the south, outside Mexico City.” That name brought Juan Carlos immediately to mind, reminding him that he’d forgotten to message the older boy.

  “What ranks?” she asked, a hint of anxiety creeping into her tone.

  Savage continued to eye Terry before flitting his gaze toward Tania with an animalistic glint in his gaze. It reminded him of a hidden tiger eyeing its prey from the bush. He felt Tania shiver instinctively, then saw her scowl and cross her arms in defiance.

  Savage let out a tiny chuff before turning back to Penelope.

  “No A-rank rifts yet, but at least one B.” He turned to Terry with a bestial smile. “And four Cs…”

  He felt his stomach flip at the words at the same time as Tania and his mother turned toward him. There was concern in their expressions that only amplified his own anxiety.

  His mother opened her mouth to say something to him, but Tania cut across her, taking a step toward Savage.

  “Any E rifts?” she asked with a fiery tone.

  His smile widened unnaturally, his fangs visibly sliding an inch or two from their gum-sheaths.

  “Why, yes. Many, many, E-rifts.”

  Tania opened her mouth to reply, but Penelope stepped bodily in front of Savage, partially blocking their view of the beast.

  “Thank you, Savage. Consider your message delivered.” She flipped her eyes over to Ben, who had remained silent during the exchange, before turning back to Savage. “Have Terraform assist Alianza del águila in containing any breakout while we prep to relocate.”

  Savage dipped his head slightly, his animal eyes trailing over Tania, the three ghouls, then finally settling on Terry. His fangs slowly retracted with a wet sucking noise, making the hairs on the back of Terry’s neck stand up straight. With a satisfied smirk, Savage let the tent flap close, leaving them in silence for a tense handful of moments.

  Ben was the first one to speak, his deep voice filling the tent.

  “Another undead,” he mused, turning to his sister. “James’? Or your father-in-law’s?”

  Penelope frowned, her eyes distant for a moment. When she replied, her tone was weary. “That one is Terrence’s—thankfully,” she added quickly. “Other than Whipvine, Mesmer, and the Professor, I’ve never really approved of his choice of revenants.”

  Ben nodded, his eyes tracking toward Terry. “You have a history with that one, it seemed?”

  Terry’s mind traced back in time, the memory of Savage tearing through Crunch’s shoulder playing across his vision. The sound of tearing flesh had haunted him for months.

  “Before he was turned, he attempted to kidnap me,” Terry replied. “He…” His eyes caught Crunch who, though outwardly stoic, was reflecting a defensive posture in his aura. “He’s the one who took Crunch’s arm.”

  Ben glanced toward the ghoul, nodding in understanding. “Ahh, I see.” He flicked his eyes toward his sister, clearly hesitating before deciding to speak anyway. “If you want, I’d be happy to take him off the board. I’m sure your grandfather could find another A-ranker to raise, with the war going on, that is.”

  Terry reared back in shock, the thought never having occurred to him. Of course he had dreamed of facing down Savage when he was younger; childlike daydreams where he was strong enough to toy with the A-ranker the same way he’d toyed with Crunch.

  But he had been mature enough to realize that those were idle daydreams, not the stuff of reality.

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  Now, though…his powerful uncle was offering to do what he had only dreamed of…

  Before the desire could fully crystallize in his mind, his mother interjected, her eyes burning silver.

  “Absolutely not!” Ben turned toward her with a placid expression, but that did nothing to cool the fire in her eyes. “I may not approve of Savage, but he is still a person—regardless of his status as undead. Killing him would be murder.”

  Ben’s eyebrows rose the barest of margins. “Murder?” His head tilted in confusion. “And what about those three A-rankers you were telling us about that recently died in that rift—” His finger pointed toward the tent wall, indicating past it. “—just a football field thatta way?” Terry saw his mother bite her inner cheek, but kept her eyes firmly on her brother’s. “Those were true heroes, giving their lives to defend their home. That…animal…is just a villain, by all accounts. He may be enslaved to your father-in-law, but he’s a villain all the same. Don’t those true heroes deserve a second chance over him?”

  Terry saw the fervent way Tania stared at Ben, could tell she was firmly in his camp on the issue. As for him…he didn’t know how he felt. On one hand, he’d imagined striking Savage down himself dozens of times. On the other…was Savage truly a villain? Sure, he’d tried to kidnap Terry in the past. Sure, he’d tried to kill Crunch to do it. But he’d been a member of Sol’s team, a friend to the man who Terry greatly admired.

  Was Savage the evil incarnate Terry had built him up to be in his mind?

  His mother leveled a cold stare before speaking. “I’m not having this conversation right now.” Her eyes tracked over Terry and Tania before returning to Ben. “I know you’ve been away for a long time, but this isn’t how we operate. We aren’t the arbiters of who gets to live or die and that is not the message I want my son to learn.”

  Ben pressed his lips tight as she spoke, his face still as stone. Penelope seemed to scan his expression, looking for some hint of contention or defiance, and found nothing. Turning to Terry, her cold demeanor reluctantly gave way to a warmer countenance.

  “I know I can’t keep you from the realities of super life.” She worried at her lip a moment before continuing. “So I assume I’m not off base by guessing you had expected to come to this cluster?”

  Terry felt his breath catch in simultaneous excitement and trepidation.

  “Yes!” he said a bit too quickly before forcibly calming his voice. “Yes, I want to come. There’s C-rank rifts—” His eyes tracked to Tania, whose expression mirrored his own emotions. “—and E-rank rifts, too…”

  She cast him a silent thank you as his mother considered the two of them.

  After a moment, she replied, her tone full of a command that he would usually have attributed more to his father. “Fine. I’ll allow you both to attend—” She held up a stern finger to interrupt the cheers forming from their mouths. “—but not until you sober up! I will not be moved on this, is that clear?”

  Tania’s expression dropped a fraction, but Terry knew that his mother wouldn’t brook any argument, so he nodded quickly.

  “I had intended to learn a healing Skill originally,” he added. “This is a good chance to do that—both to clear our systems and to help anyone still dealing with injuries.”

  His mother narrowed her eyes, those piercing silver orbs seeming to trek into the depths of his mind, before she sat back with a less-skeptical look.

  “That’s a great idea,” she agreed. “I hadn’t considered that.” She called out, summoning one of her aides. “Vicks, would you see my son to the triage tent.” She turned toward Tania. “And his friend, if she wanted.”

  Vicks took in the two of them with a brief glance before nodding. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Terry and Tania gripped greedily at the chance to leave the overbearing presence of his mother, following Vicks towards the tent exit.

  He noticed Ben move to leave as well, when his mother stopped him with a hand.

  “One second, Ben. I’d like to chat—just the two of us.”

  Terry and Tania shared a glance, both their eyes widening. Ben simply nodded, returning to his seat as they left the tent.

  “Ooo, someone’s in trouble,” Tania whispered with a gossiping tone.

  Terry gave a half-hearted smile, unable to fully suppress the anxiety brewing in his chest. They had been having such a great time until the topic of Savage had come up, and he couldn’t help but feel responsible for driving a wedge between the siblings.

  He just hoped it wasn’t too big a divide for them to find common ground.

  Tania seemed to sense his mood, and they followed Vicks in silence, passing by dozens of busy people working to tear down tents and pack up for the move to Mexico City.

  When they arrived at a large pavilion tent, Vicks stepped to the side and bowed to them like some sort of butler.

  “Is there anything else you two require?” he asked with a prim tone.

  The two of them shared a indecisive look before Terry spoke up.

  “Uh, no, Vicks, I think we’re good…uh, thanks.”

  The man rose from his bow, nodded once, then strode off with a determined pace. Terry glanced toward Tania who shrugged and shook her head before stepping through the double-wide tent entrance.

  As he followed the girl, his Master of Skill Analysis continued to ping in the back of his mind. He was about to pull it up when the reality of the tent’s interior caught his eye.

  Dozens of cots were filled, the smell of blood and even worse bodily fluids invading his nostrils. It seemed that the frantic triaging post-rift closure had died down, transitioning into the general malaise of impatient recovery.

  The two of them were lock-kneed with shock as they took in the smells and sounds, only shaken from their states by the arrival of a young woman in blood-drenched scrubs, her face weary, if not her tone.

  “Where are the injuries?” she asked unceremoniously.

  Terry was too taken aback to immediately respond. His intention had been to request a detox for the two of them, recording the Skill as the healer worked. But upon seeing the brutal reality of the triage tent, the sheer audacity of the request seemed a bridge too far.

  For a moment, he hoped Tania would speak up for the both of them—shame wasn’t one of her defining attributes, after all. But when she turned toward him with a desperate look, he realized that even she had her limits.

  “We, uh, aren’t injured.” The woman’s patience seemed to be fraying, so he rushed to spit out words—any words. “We came to help.”

  Tania picked up on his sudden divergence, nodding along. “We’re able-bodied and can be runners if need be.”

  The woman’s demeanor shifted in an instant, turning from impatience to a business-like determination.

  “More volunteers. Excellent.” She pointed to a pile of soiled linens across the tent. “Water and Air Elementalists are on standby for a quick laundry turnover. One of our bottlenecks are clean linens. Get some gloves on and run those over. When that’s done, come see me.”

  The two of them nodded, receiving directions before hustling over to the pile. As they garbed up in protective gear and approached the pile, the smells intensified, nearly gagging them.

  But he wasn’t about to complain, his eyes tracking over the wounded lining the cots as he scooped the linens into a nearby basket and hefted it up. Tania did the same with her own basket and they waddled out of the pavilion tent into the fresh outdoors.

  He’d been reticent to reveal his portal ability to the nurse, but that didn’t mean he intended to lug the basket manually out of some misguided attempt to hide his powerset. The moment they turned a corner of the tent and were relatively out of sight of anyone, he cut through space, opening a portal in the general vicinity of the nurse’s directions.

  They popped through without a word, arriving near a small pond on the edge of the camp. Five people were working there, their auras flashing to his senses. They were too distracted to notice their arrival, only acknowledging them as they approached the pond.

  “More linens.” The statement felt obvious the moment it left his mouth, but the five Awakened seemed too preoccupied to notice the silliness of his declaration.

  “Put it there,” one of them said with a nod. “We’re almost done with this batch.”

  Terry and Tania obliged, standing out of the way to watch them work.

  It was a fascinating display of coordinated teamwork for an ordinary task. The two Air Elementalists elevated the linens, careful not to spread about the contamination, while the three Water Elementalists pulled the blood and other bodily fluids from the linens as best they could, depositing the liquids into a large tub marked with a bright biohazard symbol.

  When the linens were as soil-free as the Water Elementalists could make them through simple pulling magic, they then raised water from the nearby pond and scoured them like high-powered hoses. Two of them did this while the third contained the splash effect, forming a sphere of water they likewise deposited in the biohazard tub.

  The Air Elementalists took up the next task, air drying the clean linens while the Water Elementalists moved to the next batch.

  A clean pile was formed to the side, the Air Elementalists even taking the time to fold the linens with their magic.

  As they worked, Terry let his Skill off its leash, revealing the active powers nearby. None of the Elementalists were higher than the D-rank, revealing Skills that weren’t too impressive in comparison to what Terry had seen in the past. All the same, he took an Aura Snapshot, snagging Air Manipulation and Water Manipulation into his bank of to-be-cataloged Skills.

  Despite the seemingly menial task they’d been assigned, they gave their jobs their full attention, finishing up the previous load of laundry in a few minutes before turning to the new batch Terry and Tania had delivered.

  They grabbed the piles of linens, placing them back in the baskets—after the laundry crew had given it a cleaning, too—and started back toward the triage tent. Once out of sight, Terry opened a portal and they stepped through space to arrive back where they’d come from.

  The nurse gave them a wide-eyed look of surprise as they returned with clean linens, but that was quickly smoothed away as she indicated in the general direction of the rows of cots.

  “Check bedpans and empty any that need it. When you’re done with that, the linens should be ready to pick up again. No doubt we’ll have another batch of soiled from the healing tent, as well.”

  They nodded acknowledgment to the nurse, then got to work.

  It wasn’t what they had expected, but they understood that somebody had to do it. But in the back of his mind, Terry was waiting to swing by the healing tent to pick up more soiled linens.

  That was where he hoped to snapshot some healing magic.

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