Page 48 of Static/Cling

“At the mall, I think. Less likely anyone will notice.” Kassian yawned and laid his head back against the headrest, eyes closed.

“Okay.” Roger shrugged, flicked on his signal, and changed lanes.

“Then what?” Bjorn asked. “Public transit?”

“We walk. It isn’t that far, and we’ll get a good lay of the land on foot.”

“With no quick exit, if we need it,” Leif pointed out.

A brief crackle in Bjorn’s ear signalled Sal’s return. “Rog. You there?” they asked.

“Yeah,” Roger said, then lowered his voice. “You make that call?”

“What call?” Leif turned to look at him.

“They’re in,” Sal said.

“Who’s in?”

Roger nodded. “Good deal.” He looked at Leif. “Doesn’t matter who. All you need to know is they’ll be ready if we need extraction.”

“But you’re not going to tell us who it is? What if you’re unable?—”

“Don’t worry,” Sal soothed. “They’ll be there.”

“So what? We trust someone who’s never met us is going to pop up just when we need them?”

“I’ve met them,” Roger said.

“Goodie for you. What if you’re dead?”

Sal gasped.

Roger’s knuckles got white on the steering wheel.

“What if who’s dead?” Kassian asked, lifting his head and blinking, then tapping his ear. “Is this thing working?” He glared at Bjorn. “Did you wreck mine?” Then he winced, and Bjorn felt the crackle against his eardrum as Sal patched Kassian into the electronic loop.

“It’s fine,” Roger answered, smiling onto the mirror at Kassian. “No one is going to be dead.”

“I’ll be here, no matter what,” Sal reminded him. “We won’t leave you. I promise.”

“I don’t like it,” Leif told them. “Just want to go on record.”

“Duly noted,” Sal said softly.

“Can we get on with this now?” Kassian asked. “Before I die from this conversation.”

“I just want to be sure if Bjorn or me are the last man standing, we can still get out with your precious list.”

“Well, you two”—Kassian pointed first at Leif, then at Bjorn—“aren’t even going in, so you’ll be fine.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Bjorn tried to soothe them both.

“Fine.” Leif curled a lip.

“Fine,” Kassian snarked back.

“We all fine, boys?” Sal asked in their ears.

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