Nico shrugged helplessly. “Until someone wakes up and notices a team of monsters demolishing the downtown. Why?”
Logan ignored him and turned to Opal. “I need your help. Come on.”
Nico cringed at all the noise the figments were making. He, Tyler, and Emma were in an alley twenty yards away from town square. The creatures were still occupied with breaking things and pulling radish signs down from street posts—or, in the Sasquatch’s case, pulling down the street posts themselves. Nico worried the sound might carry to the residential streets a few blocks away.
“This is nuts,” Tyler whispered. “Look at them!”
The Power Ranger and the snake-man had started wrestling in the fountain. The fairy was now using its wand to split things in half, like a fire hydrant, which had earned the figment an unexpected dousing.
“What’s taking so long?” Nico grumbled for the third time.
Tyler lifted his palms to the sky.
“I cannotbelieveI can’t film this,” Emma muttered, pacing in nervous circles. “Hollywood has nothing on the Darkdeep. I’d be world famous as a special effects master.”
“Until you had to explain how it worked,” Tyler said.
Nico heard the purr of an engine. He spun to see two setsof headlights approaching at a slow roll. Logan popped off the lead ATV. “Okay, we’re ready,” he called.
“Took you long enough,” Nico grumbled, but low and to himself. Was he jealous Opal got to ride the other four-wheeler? Maybe a little.
“Everyone clear on the plan?” Logan asked. Though it was hard to see in the headlights’ glare, Nico thought he heard a smile in Logan’s voice.He’s looking forward to this.
Logan hoisted a bolt cutter. “I brought this just in case.”
“Good idea.” Nico said. He and Emma picked up their bikes. Tyler hopped on the second four-wheeler behind Opal. “I like calm, smooth rides,” he whispered. “Remember that turtles win all the races.”
Opal reached back and patted his leg. “Those aren’t rabbits out there, Ty.”
“Don’t be late,” Nico warned, voice firm.
“Don’t be slow.” Logan slapped down his visor.
Nico didn’t bother to respond. He thrust a fist out at Emma, who bumped it with her own. “You sure you want to do this?” Nico asked.
Emma surprised him by laughing. “Um,yeah. When will I get to be monster bait again?”
Nico chuckled. “That’s one way of looking at it.”
They pedaled around the corner, then silently sped toward town square.
The Sasquatch saw them first. It was sitting on thesidewalk, pounding a mailbox into a metal pancake as Nico rolled by. “Hey, Harry. How’s the weather?”
The Sasquatch roared and stood, lumbering after them. Nico and Emma picked up speed, popping onto the sidewalk that bordered the square. Emma blew a kiss at the snake-man. It dropped the Power Ranger and started to follow, but Nico and Emma reached the next corner and turned, racing toward the stage.
“Keep moving!” Nico shouted. They passed behind the platform, drawing a squeal from the fairy and a growl from the werewolf. The fairy’s glowing eyes narrowed. Something sizzled past Nico’s ear. A bush in front of him burst into cinders.
“Tinker Bell is shooting at us!” Emma yelled. She was glued to Nico’s back tire as they tore down to the next corner and turned again, completing half the circuit.
Nico glanced back. The snake-man and werewolf were chasing them, but the fairy had lost interest. It kept lighting more bushes on fire. The Power Ranger charged ahead to cut them off before they could turn again.
“Stop!” Nico slammed on his brakes. Emma jerked to a halt beside him. “We won’t make it all the way around. Hang tight a second.”
Nico tried not to panic as the figments converged. Then he heard rumbling engines as the ATVs rolled behind the stage with their lights doused. Three shadows dragged a box fromthe storage container and began lashing it to the lead four-wheeler.Come on come on come on.
“Nico,” Emma said in a trembling voice. “I think we’d better go.”
Emma was right. The Power Ranger stalked toward them along the sidewalk, while the snake-man and werewolf were coming across the grass. The murderous fairy whizzed in from the other side, its tiny wand sparkling with menace.
