13.02

Chapter 13.02 Summary (887 words)

Grue, Bitch, and Skitter, mounted on their transformed dogs, patrolled their territories, searching for signs of the Slaughterhouse Nine or their chosen candidates. Aisha was missing, and despite their efforts to keep track of her, she was nowhere to be found. Skitter proposed that Tattletale might be able to monitor Imp and relay information, a suggestion Grue found only mildly reassuring.

Skitter conducted a thorough sweep for enemies, her progress slowed by the need to avoid Mannequin’s detection using her bugs and the desire to replenish her insect swarm. She deposited spiders and beetles on Lucy’s back, building her arsenal. Grue outlined their route: finishing his territory, helping Bitch in hers, then passing through Tattletale’s on their way back to Skitter’s. Bitch remained distant, deliberately avoiding Skitter, creating a palpable tension within the group.

Recognizing the danger in Bitch’s silence, Skitter urged Grue to confront her. Using a swarm of bugs to form words in the air, she spelled out ‘Confront her’ and then ‘Be leader’, changing it to ‘honest’. Grue initiated a conversation, demanding Bitch explain her behavior. Bitch, resistant at first, eventually snapped, revealing her frustration and anger at their scrutiny. She rode off, not to escape, but to gain space, leaving Skitter and Grue to grapple with her volatile emotions.

A phone call from Tattletale interrupted their tense patrol. She reported Panacea’s unusual presence at a shelter in Ballistic’s territory, far from her undamaged home. Tattletale’s scouts indicated Panacea was trying to remain unnoticed, sparking suspicion. Despite Skitter’s reluctance due to Panacea’s dislike of her, Tattletale insisted she was the best choice to approach her. Skitter, Grue, and Bitch agreed to investigate, hoping to uncover information about the Nine’s candidates or Bonesaw’s plague.

As they approached Panacea’s location, Skitter’s bugs alerted her to Panacea’s presence. Panacea, detecting the unusual bugs, used her powers to scramble them, forcing Skitter to eliminate them to avoid incapacitation. They found Panacea waiting, exhausted and wary. Skitter, after requesting Grue and Bitch to give them space, initiated a conversation.

Panacea, or Amy, revealed she was hiding after hearing her aunt was looking for her. Skitter explained the Nine’s twisted game and the need to identify the sixth candidate, a hero. Amy, fidgeting, admitted Bonesaw had nominated her, believing her powers complemented her own and that she would be a “good fit” for the Nine. Skitter, despite acknowledging Amy’s past actions, expressed her belief that she wasn’t a monster, citing her dedication to helping people in hospitals.

Amy, however, confessed her hatred for her powers and the burden they placed on her. She revealed her inner turmoil, her longing for her powers to disappear, and her constant struggle with the weight of her responsibilities. Skitter empathized, acknowledging the toll her powers had taken on her, but urged her to help them fight the Nine, offering protection in return. Amy, torn by her conscience and the desire to escape, remained uncertain.

Suddenly, a chain constricted around Skitter’s throat, lifting her into the air. Mannequin, repaired and upgraded, attacked. He impaled Amy’s hand to a wall with a knife and engaged Grue and Bitch. Skitter, suspended above, struggled to free herself while sending her bugs to assist. Mannequin, now equipped with firearms, shot Bentley and Lucy, incapacitating them.

Skitter finally freed herself but was left dangling from a metal ring on the roof. Mannequin, after seemingly contemplating killing her, turned his attention to Bitch and fatally stabbed Bentley. He then departed, leaving Skitter, Grue, and Bitch to deal with the aftermath. Amy, after being freed by Grue, fled in a panic. Bitch mourned Lucy’s death, her anger replaced by sorrow.

Grue discovered a message inscribed on the knife used to impale Amy: “CHANGE. 2200/2012164”. He realized this was related to Bitch and Amy’s tests, a deadline set by Jack Slash. Skitter, contemplating why Mannequin spared her, suddenly realized he was targeting her gang, her people. The reality of the Nine’s ruthlessness and their personal vendetta against her set in, leaving her shaken and determined to protect those she cared about.