13.06

Chapter 13.06 Summary (1236 words)

“Set up and act the second they stop moving,” Grue’s voice echoed through the walkie-talkie, outlining the plan.

Skitter, binoculars in hand, watched the Nine stroll down the street. Jack, Bonesaw, and Siberian led, with Cherish, Mannequin, Shatterbird, Crawler, and Hatchet Face following. Skitter’s focus was on Cherish, the emotion manipulator. No sign of recognition from her yet, but the tension was thick. They had to stop the Nine, no matter what. The plan was simple: stay far, maintain visual, and strike from a distance to exploit any surprise.

Sundancer pointed out they were about to lose sight of the Nine. Skitter, secured to Bentley with a makeshift harness, relayed the information. They moved, Bitch controlling Bentley as he scaled buildings with Sundancer aboard. From the Demesnes Soft Tower, they located the Nine at Lord and Tillman. Grue, Ballistic, and Sirius were positioned behind the Nine, while Trickster, Regent, and Genesis were to their left. Skitter, Sundancer, Bitch, and Bentley were on the right.

Tattletale, monitoring through Trickster’s camera, suspected the Nine were heading to Dolltown, Parian’s territory. A lure for the heroes. The plan hinged on surprise, a tall order. Jack continued his attacks, and Skitter fought the urge to intervene. It was a gamble; one wrong move and Cherish or Jack could spot them.

Grue ordered them to set up. Skitter helped Sundancer and Bitch unload boxes from Bentley, as Sundancer formed her miniature sun. Grue and Ballistic argued, Ballistic hesitating to target Cherish. “She looks like someone I used to know,” he said.

“She’s forced parents to mutilate and kill their kids,” Regent countered, remarkably calm.

Cherish turned towards Grue and Ballistic, sprinting. “Cover blown!” Skitter shouted. Trickster swapped Cherish with a corpse using his sniper rifle, leaving her behind as the rest of the Nine scattered.

“Hit the others,” Skitter ordered Sundancer, who hesitated.

“Kill them, then,” Skitter urged. Sundancer’s sun, now eighteen feet in diameter, rolled over Jack, Bonesaw, and Hatchet Face.

“Assume they’re all alive,” Tattletale warned.

Crawler scaled the building towards Grue and Ballistic. Trickster swapped Crawler with a pickup truck, resetting his position. Shatterbird attacked, and Skitter sent bugs her way as a distraction. Crawler charged for Sundancer’s sun, which disappeared just in time. Siberian was now protecting Jack and Bonesaw.

Bitch set up mannequins from the boxes, a signal for Grue and Ballistic. Trickster and Regent appeared, narrowly avoiding Siberian. Trickster detonated explosives on the rooftops, hoping to disorient the Nine.

Shatterbird and Cherish were down, but the rest were charging. Grue leaped from the roof, swapped with Shatterbird by Trickster. Regent knocked her off balance, sending her into a gap between buildings.

Genesis, in a sumo wrestler form, contained Shatterbird. Skitter used her bugs to communicate with Shatterbird, urging her to stop. They ran, dragging Genesis with the captured Shatterbird and Cherish.

They reached Coil’s base, where Tattletale and soldiers waited. Shatterbird was contained and scanned, then chained and stripped of her costume. Regent would take control of her, a process that would take hours.

Cherish, bleeding and trapped, was their next concern. Regent revealed a trap on her, a small explosive. Tattletale disarmed it, revealing it was a bluff. Cherish claimed Imp had visited her, seeking revenge on the Nine. She also revealed the Nine had Grue.

“They won’t agree to a hostage exchange,” Cherish declared, knowing they were compromised. The team was left with a grim choice, and a dangerous captive.