“Holy shit!” Regent swore as we ran over.

  “Heal her!” Skitter demanded, staring at Amy. “Just don't touch the spots where the acid hit her!”

  “I don't—” Amy sounded shaken. “What happened?”

  “Crawler spit acid on her then knocked out her force field.” I shuddered. What hell that must have been. “Move! Fix your sister!”

  Amy stumbled forward, hand outstretched, then stopped when Victoria mumbled what could have been 'no' but her melted lips weren't doing any favours. Tattletale told Amy to ignore her, and she swung out with a blow strong enough to crater the sidewalk where she hit it. The ground shuddered, and when she coughed 'no' again, there was enough strength to give everyone pause.

  “If she hits me,” Amy said, voice shaking. “She'll kill me.”

  “Okay.” Tattletale didn't sound bothered. “If she doesn't want help, don't give it.”

  “She's always been emotional, passionate, unrestrained,” Amy babbled, ignoring Tattletale. “She's channeling all this new emotion into hate, because it's the closest equivalent.

  “New emotion?” Regent asked. “You mean you mindraped her.” Oh, so that was where the term came from.

  “Seriously?” Imp asked. Amy looked like she'd been slapped.

  “It was an accident,” she said, practically pleading.

  “How do you--”

  “Enough,” Tattletale cut in, apparently done with her shit too. “Victoria, listen, I'm going to pour some sterile water on you, and hopefully it'll flush some of the acid away. I don't know what else we can do for you. I know you can't see, so don't be surprised when it happens.” Victoria turned her head away slightly, not saying a word. Surely she didn't buy it. “Okay.”

  She grabbed Amy's sleeve and shoved her towards her sister. Amy looked horrified, but Tattletale just pointed. The healer knelt next to her sister, putting a hand on her back. Glory Girl's entire body seemed to react, stiffening like she'd been shocked, then went limp. That finally shook off whatever stupor I'd been plunged into by her sudden appearance.

  “I'm sorry,” Amy whispered, “So, so sorry. Oh god this is bad.”

  “Amy,” I croaked, wincing at how dry my throat was. “Amy stop.”

  “I can't figure out what this venom is,” she babbled, eyes glazed over. “I can't touch it to see if it's organic, can only see what it's doing. Um, at least part is enzymes, denaturing her proteins, breaking down lipids as a side effect. Oh god there's more, it's swimming in...some kind of acid.”

  “Can you fix her?” Tattletale asked, apparently willing to let Amy keep going.

  “So much to do,” she muttered. “Have to counter the acid, stop the enzymes from eating her alive, repair the damage. A firebreak, got to make a firebreak to stop the venom spreading, withdraw the proteins it's using a fuel. Fuck...there isn't enough tissue in her body for everything to fix her.”

  “Fixing her body and healing all the damage can come later,” Tattletale said in the warmest, gentlest tone I'd heard her use...ever. “For now, keep her alive and fix what you did to her head.”

  “I have enough to manage without worrying about that,” Amy said desperately. A chill went up my spine. No, no.

  “It's as much a priority as anything else. If you don't do it now--”

  “Shut up,” Amy snapped. “I need to focus.”

  I watched her as she worked, not exactly repairing the damage, but the ugly rotting flesh seemed to change. It looked...more healthy, though still totally fucked. I glanced back at Tattletale, quietly talking with Skitter. I took a step back from Amy and gestured for them to join me a little ways away. When Tattletale ignored me at first, I walked up to her, jabbed a finger in her arm, pointed at Amy, then pointed a short distance away. This time, she seemed to get it. She wandered over, leaving Skitter with the rest of the gang.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  “What?” she demanded when we were out of earshot. “Want me to stop being mean to your girlfriend?” I ignored the jab, despite it irritating me to no end.

  “You need to go,” I said, keeping my voice low. “All of you.”

  “And why, pray tell?” Tattletale asked, rolling her eyes. Skitter was offering bugs to Amy, Regent was offering byplay that wasn't fucking helping.

  “Because she hates you,” I said simply. “You personally, sure, but all of you. You're the villains that ruined her life.”

  “She was plenty capable of that on her own,” Tattletale retorted.

  “That doesn't change how she sees you.” I narrowed my eyes. “Tattletale, I may fucking hate you, but I know you're not an idiot. Look at her, really look at her and tell me that she'll listen to you if you're nice and say the right things.” The Undersiders were still arguing about bugs, until Amy asked for them to use.

  “Got a better idea?”

  “I'll handle it,” I said, turning back to her.

  “You'll pardon me if I don't exactly believe the girl crushing on a psychotic healer.” I swallowed the vicious response that wanted to escape my throat.

  “Then I'll be more persuasive.” I took a deep breath. “If you and yours handle this, neither of them make it out intact.” She stared at me and I saw her eyes widen as she realized the truth.

  “What does she--”

  “That info isn't for sale,” I snapped. “Give me a gun and get out of here; I'll take care of everything.” I glanced back at Amy, still healing her sister. “One way or another, I'll take care of it.”

  “You know how I said you two were fucked?” Tattletale said quietly. “I don't take it back, but I'll just add you're perfect for each other. A little murder-suicide if you don't get your way?”

  “Exactly,” I replied, meeting her eyes. My heart thumped painfully, I didn't want that outcome but...

  “Fuck,” Tattletale swore, then turned her head. “Skitter, get over here.”

  “What is it?” she asked when she approached.

  “Give this idiot your gun,” she replied, gesturing to me. “She's graciously volunteered to be our bomb squad.” Skitter turned her head to stare at me.

  “What do you mean?” she asked flatly.

  “You guys aren't helping with Amy,” I explained as quickly as I could. “You're trying, but you're villains and she was raised to hate you. Being here, you'll only do more harm than good.”

  “She's listening,” Skitter countered. “Using my bugs to--”

  “She's desperate,” I cut her off. “But being desperate makes people stupid, we've all seen that over the last month.” I'd lived it plenty... “She's clinging to whatever life raft she can, even if it's full of holes and rabid dogs.” Skitter bristled but Tattletale shook her head.

  “For the record,” she said. “You're a fucking idiot.”

  “Sticks and stones won't break my bones,” I replied with a shrug, drawing a sigh.

  “Give it to her,” Tattletale said, gesturing flippantly. “I'm about done with this shitshow anyway.” Skitter hesitated, but drew her pistol and passed it to me.

  “Thumb safety,” she explained, pointing to it. “Grip safety. Eight rounds left, I fired at Mannequin twice.”

  “Did you at least hit him?” I asked, slipping it into my belt, around my back.

  “Twice,” she answered, a note of pride.

  “Good,” was all I managed. “Now go, you guys are probably the best equipped to deal with the Nine.”

  “What?” Tattletale let out a snigger of laughter. “You think we're the best equipped for this?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “Because you hit below the belt.” That got a cockeyed half-smirk from her.

  “Let's go,” Skitter said, returning to her team and starting to gather them. Amy was still working.

  “It's not going to work,” Tattletale said under her breath when we were alone again. “I get that you think you know her, but the way she is right now? You're going to fail, and I don't think you have the guts to see it through.”

  “I don't really care what you think, Tattletale,” I replied flatly, too tired to even be pissed at her. “Leave this to me, you can be shitty at us another day.” Her grin vanished and she shook her head.

  “Why do I bother...” she said to no one in particular as she joined the rest of her team.

  While the Undersiders and Travelers coordinated and began to leave, I looked at Amy. She was muttering to herself about what she was doing, fighting the acid that was still destroying her sister's body. It was horrifying to watch the two warring against each other, flesh necrotizing then rejuvenating before my eyes. Bugs were being used to fill in the gaps and rents that Crawler had left on her.

  What the fuck was I going to do? I told Tattletale I'd handle it, and that had been the truth. I wasn't going to let this be seen through to what I remembered happening. I really didn't want it to come to that, to lose...so much. I wasn't sure I could handle going through this again. Do or die and do it again, just like every fucking thing else in my life.

  I walked over to Amy, kneeling on the asphalt beside her. She glanced at me, then at her sister, then back at me. Slowly, she pulled her hands back and rested them on her knees. We sat there silently for a while, the only noise coming from the distant crackle of flame and booms of battle. I flinched at a ragged inhale from Glory Girl, but she was still limp, paralyzed by her sister. I glanced at Amy and found her chewing her lip bloody as she stared down at Victoria. I sighed and pulled down my mask and hood, running my fingers through my hair.

  “Amy,” I said shakily. “We need to talk.”