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Kana looked between them. “Special requests, like your gang?”

“Hold up, princess.” Alex pushed off the wall and smoothed his pink strands away from his eyes. “Let’s be clear about some things.”

He held out one finger. “We ain’t affiliated anymore. We are who we are. But not a part of Garras.”

Another finger. “Whatever business you got with us, stays with us ’cause we got our own ways. Including”—he nodded at her as he crossed his arms into his puffy sleeves—“your unorthodox request.”

Kana mirrored Alex, standing behind the plastic screen dividing their two worlds. She stepped closer, but the counter stopped her. “I won’t complain about anything just as long as you do your job. But is it against your moral code not to even see your old pals just to ask them some questions?”

Hal laughed. “Nah, we can go in whenever. Just won’t be joining in on their activities.” He pointed his chin towards the gas pumps outside. “In fact, some homies still come in here from time to time.” He turned to Alex. “Best way to get all that chismoso. Guess who came in the other day?”

“Who?”

“Eddie.”

“No shit.”

“Yeah, dawg. Said he started inking up the new Hatchlings. Also asked about you.” Hal tilted his head. “Which, by the way, how’d the service go?”

Alex blinked a couple of times before he realized what Hal was referring to. He had made his full attempt to forget that monstrosity of a horror a few hours ago. Jun’s tear-stained face burned in his memory after their yelling match. The sting where Jun slapped him still lingered on his cheek.

This might be the second time he’d lost Jun.

Alex responded to Hal as best as he could without trying to break face: “It was chill. Caught up with some old high school homies. Kinda weird the event brought us back together though.”

Hal nodded. “Aight.”

Kana leaned her elbow on the counter. “What service?”

“A memorial service for that scientist that went viral. The pretty boy who killed himself a while back,” Hal answered. “His name was like Ritsuki or something.”

Kana widened her eyes at the sound of Ayase’s name. Then she looked at Alex with a curious expression. “How’d you even get invited?”

Before Alex could answer, the back screen door cracked against the wall. Jun stumbled through, barely catching himself on the doorframe.

Alex’s jaw tightened. Of course.

Jun almost ran into Hal before he doubled over, hands on his knees, panting. “Hal… Hal…” he wheezed.

“Woah man!” Hal exclaimed as he heaved Jun up by the shoulders. “Calm down, Connor. What’s going on?”

“Connor’s here?” Matt peered out, but everyone ignored him.

Jun’s eyes were frantic. He kept glancing over his shoulder towards the back door. “That guy. The uh.” He snapped his fingers and blinked a couple of times. When he remembered, he looked up at Hal. “At Norms? The guy that chased us.”

Alex leaned in, his interest piqued, forgetting their earlier altercation. “What’s up?”

“He found me.”

An engine rumbled in the distance, growing louder.

Everyone stiffened.

“He’s here now?” Hal asked.

“I tried driving off, but he kept following me, and—”

Car tires screeched outside. Everyone whirled their heads at the screen back door. The bright headlights from the front of the Corvette shut off, leaving the backlot in a blanket of darkness.