5.02

Coil, the leader of a group of supervillains, concluded their meeting. Hookwolf, a member of the Nazi-affiliated Empire 88, voiced a complaint directed at Bitch, one of the Undersiders. Hookwolf, a brutal villain known for escaping imprisonment, accused Bitch of attacking his dogfighting operation.

Bitch, unapologetic, confirmed her actions, stating she would continue to target such operations. This sparked tension, as Kaiser, the leader of Empire 88, considered it a potential declaration of war, despite a recent truce. Grue, representing the Undersiders, clarified they weren’t seeking war but wouldn’t restrain Bitch’s actions, comparing it to Kaiser’s inability to control his subordinates’ prejudices.

Kaiser, despite preferring peace, demanded restitution for the insult, suggesting either money or blood. Grue proposed postponing the issue until after dealing with another gang, the ABB. Coil and Faultline agreed, and Kaiser conceded to discuss it further at their next meeting.

After the meeting, Grue confronted Bitch about the incident, expressing his frustration not with her actions but with her lack of communication. He physically restrained her, emphasizing how her failure to inform them made the team look weak. Tattletale intervened, explaining to Bitch that her recent mistakes stemmed from poor communication and urged her to be more open with the team.

The group walked back in an uneasy silence. The protagonist, Skitter, felt the group’s dynamic souring and sympathized with Bitch’s isolation. She initiated a brief conversation with Bitch, who confirmed she had attacked Hookwolf’s operation, making the participants “bleed.” Skitter simply replied, “Good.” The rest of their journey was silent. They were thinking about the upcoming betray of the Undersiders to the Protectorate.