The passage of time was carefully marked until they heard the sound of gravel crunching under tires. Jesse nodded in silence and Lucy unzipped her duffle bag to pull out a long cylindrical object which she slung over her shoulder. She silently climbed to the top of the dumpster and crouched in the darkness, watching the distant approach of a black armored van.
Below her, Jesse had flipped a visor over his head fitted with binoculars. He peered down the lane with the enhanced view and read the signature of four Panthers within the van. *Four* he shared with Lucy.
*Gottit!* she confirmed peering through the night sights of the AT-4 rocket launcher she was setting up. *Recognize any of those dipshits?*
Jesse was too busy focusing and adjusting to answer her at first. *Driver, no. Passenger looks like Fenris. I can’t see the two in the back.*
*I’m getting a major yuck vibe. I’ll bet fifty credits Gomer in the back there is Jayce.*
There was no response from Jesse but she guessed he already sensed his father’s etheric trace; it was like a black hole, hard to miss.
**HEY!**
Lucy and Jesse froze. Their eyes met guiltily.
**WHERE ARE YOU TWO SHITS?** Drew interrupted.
Fuck! How was that for timing?! They needed to get rid of the Big Brother Brigade before they realized the two youngest Hunters were up to no good.
*Ow! Can you fucking keep it down?!* Lucy growled, thinking fast. *I’m on the rag alright?!*
There was a nonverbal version of *Eep!* from Scott and Kelly who had checked in right at that instant. They withdrew just as abruptly; Lucy could almost hear the vacuum of the headspace they left behind. Drew kind of flopped around gracelessly as the unwelcome mental image caught him like a poleaxe to the back of the head.
*She’s making me watch movies.* Jesse added for emphasis. *Anyone for Notebook? We have popcorn—*
**Nuh nuh—no thanks!** Drew backpedaled. **Uh . . . have fun--?**
With that Jesse and Lucy were alone once more. They gave each other a mental high-five.
*That was too close!*
*Notebook?* Lucy drawled. *I’d have to be in a coma, not just pmsi—heads up!!*
He tensed as the passenger to the van opened and the figure he guessed was Fenris jumped out. Jesse hurriedly tore the binoculars from his head and readjusted his beanie. He reached for the skateboard and unhooked it from his backpack.
*Remember,* she reminded him as she removed the safety pin at the rear of the tube and took a crouching position. *We get what we came for and split. No blood feuds today okay?* As much as the thought of killing a Steel Panther was appealing, killing an Echelon-level Panther like Fenris or unfortunately, Jayce, would fatefully mark them in Wabun’s powerful underworld. Only Echelon could kill Echelon. You could also get away with it if you had the poor taste of being a cop but not many of them even risked the gang’s wrath these days. She and Jesse had an idea on how to get around the status issue but it wasn't going to happen in one night.
Jesse didn't take his eyes from the van. *You’re preaching to the choir firecracker. In. Out. Just like one of Drew’s dates.*
Lucy wanted to snort. *Classy.*
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