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“Oh, so you’re an artiste now?” A low, gruff voice in a mocking tone cut in from behind. Rafael appeared out of the shadows with two large plastic cups in his hands—one of watermelon agua fresca and the other of horchata. “If you’re going to take all the credit, then you better start producing fifty more by next week.” After seeing Juan’s shocked face, he shoved the horchata to Juan with a scowl.

Juan continued to frown as he sipped the horchata.

Hal went around the booth and gave Rafael a dap greeting.

“You looking good. That gas station life treating you well?” Rafael nodded at Hal.

“Yessir,” said Hal, grinning.

Kana hovered awkwardly between Alex and Hal, quietly reclaiming the esquites from Alex’s hand.

“So…” Rafael’s eyes drifted past Hal’s shoulder to Kana. “Should I know who this is?”

A chill crept down Alex’s spine. It was the same tone Rafael used when he used to lecture him about Yoona—measured, probing, loaded. Alex glanced back at Kana, who was shoveling another spoonful of esquites into her mouth.

He cleared his throat. This wasn’t the same situation. He refused to let it feel like one. “This is—”

Before he could finish, Kana stepped forward and took Rafael’s hand. “Kana,” she said. One firm shake.

Rafael raised his eyebrows and met her grip. “Rafael,” he greeted back. He pointed across his chest with the drink in hand. “You already met Juan.”

“Hi Kana!” said Juan, waving with a wide grin.

Kana waved back shyly.

Alex jerked his chin back at him. “So you’re Basa’s replacement now?”

Juan shrugged, taking another gulp of his horchata. “Hey man, I’d rather be here than cleaning the Nest.”

Hal shrugged once. “Well, that’s what he gets for beating the shit out of a Hatchling.” He turned to Rafael and added, “Don’t worry. El Cadejo’s grounded at the station.”

Kana eyed Alex suspiciously, slowly taking the crown off and putting it back on the mannequin. “Matt?” she mouthed at him.

Alex nodded at her as Rafael looked between all of them. “Grounded?”

“Don’t worry, Tío, he ain’t leaving the premises. We got someone keeping watch on him.”

Juan barked a laugh. “What, you chained him up at the gas station?”

“That’s right,” said Alex, wiggling his eyebrows at Hal with a smirk. “He’s Hal’s chihuahua bitch.”

“No, that is not it,” Hal argued, ignoring the chortle from Alex, Kana, and Juan. He turned to Rafael with a pleading look. “He’s just working for me as compensation, so we are keeping watch.”

Rafael nodded slowly, while sipping his watermelon agua fresca. He turned to Alex, his usual gruff expression softened in the tent’s dim lighting. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

Alex blinked, and the nostalgia popped like a bubble. He’d been playing tourist while the actual reason they were here walked the same grounds. He shook his head. “No. You see him around?”

“Who?” Juan piped up, slurping the rest of his horchata.

“Luis,” answered Rafael.

“Oh yeah, homie!” Juan exclaimed. “I saw him coming in with a set of new wheels!” He pointed with his thumb behind him. “Probably at the car meet, showing it off like the OC boy he is.”

Alex’s gaze followed Juan’s gesture towards the flat roof of the grocery store, rising beyond the tents. He didn’t go near that part of the market often, but he knew a parking garage sat in the basement. “Guess we’re heading that way.”

Hal started walking over, but Rafael stopped Alex with one hand.

“Alex, keep me posted.” He patted his pocket, signaling he had the metal bar with him. Before he could respond, Rafael looked at Kana and saluted with two fingers. “Nice meeting you. Keep him in check.”