13.05

Chapter 13.05 Summary (823 words)

Skitter found Bitch struggling to free Bentley from his monstrous, decaying form. Bitch, uncooperative as ever, still accepted Skitter’s help in cutting the dog loose. Despite the immediate danger, pain radiated through Skitter’s body, a stark reminder of their fiery encounter with Burnscar.

“The fuck are you doing here?” Bitch’s hostility was palpable.

“Helping,” Skitter replied, offering her knife.

The two worked together, freeing Bentley. Bitch, despite her gruff exterior, checked to make sure he was breathing. Skitter tried to bridge the gap between them, but Bitch remained resistant, even accusing Skitter of manipulation.

“Do you know how much fucking simpler my life gets if I get rid of you?” Bitch threatened, brandishing Skitter’s knife.

Skitter argued that betraying them would only isolate Bitch further, emphasizing that she was on Bitch’s side. Bitch, unmoved, told her to leave. Skitter refused, insisting they were a team, whether Bitch liked it or not.

“I just want to be left alone!” Bitch shouted, her frustration evident.

Skitter, drawing on her own past, tried to connect with Bitch, revealing her own experiences with relentless bullying. Bitch scoffed, unwilling to see the similarities. Still, Skitter pressed on, emphasizing their shared need for each other in the face of the Nine. She insisted she had put herself in harm’s way for Bitch.

“You are not my friend,” Bitch stated flatly.

“Fine! But you’re my friend,” Skitter declared, acknowledging their shared path and struggles.

Bitch finally revealed a past conversation with Coil, where he’d manipulated her with promises of power and solitude. Skitter seized the opportunity, warning Bitch that joining the Nine would only lead to a life of being hunted and manipulated.

“I want to take these fuckers down, no holds barred,” Skitter declared, seeking Bitch’s help.

“You had me at no holds barred,” Bitch agreed.

Together, they limped back to Skitter’s lair. Skitter, using her bugs, located Genesis, who was attempting to extinguish the fires. Inside the lair, Skitter tended to her own injuries, painful reminders of Burnscar’s attack.

Genesis returned, exhausted but alive. Skitter outlined a basic plan of attack, emphasizing the need for a surprise offensive.

“Being careful and being on the defensive isn’t getting us anywhere,” Skitter argued.

“So you want to be aggressive instead? Suffer a fast death?” Genesis questioned.

Skitter explained her rationale: the Nine were experienced and unpredictable, but they could be caught off guard. She questioned Genesis about the limits of her abilities, hoping to leverage them in the upcoming fight.

“Why are you asking?” Genesis inquired.

“Trying to assess the resources we have at our disposal,” Skitter replied.

Genesis revealed her history, explaining her disability and hinting at a connection between early trigger events and increased power. Skitter filed this information away, her mind already racing with possibilities.

The other Undersiders and Travelers arrived, and Grue put Tattletale on speakerphone. Skitter revealed her intention to attack the Nine, a risky move that surprised everyone.

“The Nine play things like my team does on good days… We play this like they play this,” Skitter explained, drawing parallels between their tactics and the Nine’s.

Coil offered his full support, and Bitch confirmed her participation. Skitter asked if Sundancer and Ballistic were prepared to kill, a question that hung heavily in the air. Ballistic agreed, but Sundancer hesitated, haunted by past actions.

“By killing them, you’re saving dozens, even hundreds of people,” Skitter argued.

“It’s not that simple!” Sundancer exclaimed.

Tattletale was tasked with locating the Nine, and Grue insisted on everyone getting six hours of sleep before the attack. Skitter agreed, despite her doubts about her ability to rest.

Skitter asked Trickster about deploying Noelle, but he refused, stating that using her power would result in everyone losing. Skitter then turned to Coil, requesting explosives and other munitions for their all-out assault.

“I’m talking about us packing guns and grenades. All of us. No holds barred,” Skitter declared.

Trickster, acknowledging that the Nine had broken the unspoken rules, agreed. Skitter finally revealed her plan, emphasizing that it could change depending on the circumstances. She draped a patchwork of old costume fabric over her lap, a makeshift skirt to protect her burned legs.