really got this death thing down

5

chapter five: today's probably take your war criminal daughter to work day, right? right!

*

So, flying to Spectrum HQ isn't nearly as bad as her mind had been building it up to be. She's actually kind of missed skateswording. She can't do it on her own, not anymore, not since losing her core in a tragic – well, not tragic – accident – well, it wasn't really an accident either. She'd absolutely 100% meant to do it. That doesn't matter. That's not the point.

Her stomach swoops unpleasantly at the feeling of flight, but she tries to enjoy it as much as she can. Flying is fun. The wind in her hair and the improbability of defying every logical law of gravity there is. She really would rather being the one in control of the sword, but hey – you have to take what you can get.

It's a quick trip to the main Spectrum office, and the landscape of Twinford hasn't really changed too dramatically. An unfamiliar house there, a refurbished shopfront there. Are the trees lining the streets taller and older or is that just her imagination? She thinks of the tree on Amster Green, and tries to remember if she'd been the last one to leave a message there, and if Clancy had ever gotten around to reading it, or if it was the other way around. Maybe some other kids have claimed it as a meeting place, found the scraps of their origami messages.

God, Clancy.

Hitch's landing is both smooth and accurate, and they both hop off in front of the main office, Hitch neatly sheathing his sword over his back. It's late in the morning, so – Ruby is guessing here, but she can't imagine Spectrum workplace habits have changed all that much in the last few years – there aren't a lot of people here because it's Lunch Break Time. Nobody casts her a second glance, which doesn't stop her from feeling uneasy.

"The plan is..." Ruby starts.

"Go to Blacker's office without making too much of a scene, and then work our way out from there," he replies. "And if anyone asks, you're one of my friend's kids and I'm keeping an eye on you for the morning."

Ruby almost laughs. "Is anyone going to believe that? You're not, you know the babysitting time –"

"Yeah, last time I tried to look after a kid, she got herself stabbed through the stomach and died for a full five years," Hitch mutters, and it's quiet enough that she's pretty sure she wasn't meant to hear that. And then, more clearly, "What are they going to do, assume I'm lying to them?"

"Fair enough." Ruby looks around, but nobody's really paying them attention apart from respectful nods and waves directed at Hitch as people come in and out of the front office. "So what are we waiting for?"

"Well, I'm waiting for you to be ready to go in; I don't know what you're waiting for – "

Ruby frowns. "I'm ready. Of course I'm ready. Why – okay, never mind. Let's just get this over with."

They haven't even bothered to repaint the ugly reception room in five entire years. It's still that sickly shade of green. Some things never change.

Instinct and habit nearly drives her to wave to Buzz and chirp out a cheerful word of greeting as they pass by the front desk, but she manages to bite it back and follow Hitch without a word. Buzz, busy speaking what sounds an awful lot like Mandarin, doesn't seem to notice her.

"Buzz is still here?" she mutters at his back.

He shrugs, and she notices his hand is resting casually on the sword at his waist. "I think she might be physically fused to the building at this point."