26.1

Worm, Chapter 26.1 Summary:

The stench of death, blood, and chemicals hung heavy in the summer air of Killington, reminiscent of Brockton Bay after Leviathan’s attack. A man, number 117 carved into his chest, was strung up between buildings, a grotesque display. The town’s welcome sign, marred with a bloody handprint, added a chilling touch. Cozen, one of the Red Hands, averted her eyes from a mother and child, burned except for numbered patches: 254, 255. The Red Hands, professional thieves, were out of their depth, a stark contrast to the Undersiders’ potential path had they not met Skitter.

A spiral pattern emerged in the placement of the bodies, a macabre art piece. Skitter, leading Grue, Imp, Rachel, Foil, Parian, and the Red Hands, navigated the town, marking a path for the incoming heroes. They encountered the wreckage of a helicopter and a tripwire connected to two corpses, numbered 36 and 265, a possible nod to Crimson and Winter. Imp discovered a “kind of alive” man, but Skitter warned against contact. Moments later, trilobite-like creatures emerged from him, Breed’s power. Skitter explained their gruesome life cycle, urging the group onward.

The traps and corpses increased as they neared the town hall. They passed a circle of eight dead girls with crowns of wood, a ninth on a streetlight above—Nine Kings. They encountered the Protectorate, including Chevalier and Exalt. Skitter explained Jack’s psychological tactics, his desire to instill fear and manipulate responses. At the town hall steps, two tarp-covered objects and ten bodies in a star awaited them. Golem, under Skitter’s guidance, revealed a television under one tarp. A man offered to press play, but Revel warned of danger, urging Skitter to kill him.

Tattletale confirmed Master/Stranger protocols, revealing the man as Nice Guy. Imp appeared, stabbing him, revealing his power to become imperceptible. Tattletale confirmed the video player’s safety, explaining Jack’s delay tactics. The video showed Jack, surrounded by hundreds of Slaughterhouse Nine clones, addressing Theodore Anders, Golem. He revealed the failed wager: find and kill Jack in two years, or a thousand die, including Golem’s sister. Jack extended the deadline to five days, noon on the 24th. If Golem failed, the Nine would disband, wreaking havoc after killing the thousand hostages.

Jack warned against Golem receiving help, threatening to unleash the Nine if he did. Chevalier agreed to let Skitter’s team handle the clones, assigning two tertiary squads. Golem, overwhelmed, asked for time alone to mourn the dead. He saw Skitter as Jack’s counterpart, thriving on conflict, while he struggled with the weight of the situation. Skitter, unable to respond, watched him leave. She pushed aside her emotions, focusing on the need for a plan, a strategy to counter Jack’s game, a stark contrast to Golem’s need for compassion. The chapter ends with Skitter turning back to the group, ready to administrate and coordinate, leaving the reader to ponder the complex interplay of strategy, morality, and the looming threat of the Slaughterhouse Nine.