The deeper we went into the bowels of the Tower, the more the thrum of the elevator’s motor was drowned out by a cacophony of other sounds. Rack after rack of servers, the ventilation system, water pumps and devices beyond my understanding combined to make a constant din. It was almost like the Tower was a living thing.

Not for much longer, I reminded myself.

I’d handed Paul the chart Maggie had drawn up, wanting to keep my hands free for casting.

He gave me the side eye as we passed another row of water pumps. “You alright, Mags? You look antsy.”

“It’s eight wizards against the whole bloody League,” I said. “And that’s if I count Mrs. Perera.”

“I’m not too worried,” he said. “Ms. Edwards seems to have things under control.”

I decided not to mention Haru’s fate. I had to give it to Ms. Edwards, she was good at looking out for number one.

Still, things seemed to be going her way, for the time being. Brother Ratte’s people were covering the entrances and exits, and I know I’d get an earful if they ran into opposition.

“We’re here,” said Paul, blatantly ignoring a door’s “off limits” sign. A jet of pressurized water made a fine lockpick.

“That’s a nice trick,” I said, entering the room. I didn’t read Japanese, but I knew warning signs and promises of electrical death when I saw them.

“The school’s full of demonkin, but they can teach you a thing or two about combat magic.”

“Demonkin? Do you really believe that?”

Paul pondered my question. “Might as well be. Demonkin undermine things on purpose, so they’re almost better.” He narrowed his eyes, peering at the sheet of paper. “Blowing this room is going to take down the whole Tower? How? It’s nothing but wires.”

“There’s an awful lot of weight balanced around this point,” I said, relieved to be free of the weighty burden. “Give me that paper, if you would. There’s a good chap.” I studied the notes carefully. “Specifically, a key support pillar is right over here.” I propped the unassuming white box against the north wall. A fabricata built into the face of the unit glued it in place, once I gave it a quick charge. “If Sister Shrike did her job properly, all of the explosive energy will turn it into so much debris. Supposedly, once it goes off, everybody would have ten minutes to evacuate before things get exciting.”

Paul leaned in, tapping an indicator on the side. “It’s completely dead, though.”

I couldn’t help but sigh. “Then I suppose we ought to charge it.” I was glad that Maggie had inflicted him on me. “We’ll take turns. You go first.”

He hesitated. “You sure it isn’t going to go off?”

I held up the remote before stuffing it back in my jacket’s pocket. “It’s completely safe until I recite this spell. Now get charging!”

“I wondered what I was here for,” he muttered. “Stuck on charging duty. Ms. Edwards really makes you work for it.”

“Let’s keep it to codenames,” I said, hiding my amusement. She wasn’t hard to get; she just played favorites.

Paul’s hand glowed as he took hold of a wire that fed into the explosive. “Are you for real, Mags? We’re ten stories underground! We can drop the crap.”

“One never knows who might be listening,” I replied.

“Dating that invisible girl has you paranoid,” he said.

“Well, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that anymore,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “After today? We’re all going places.”

“I hope so,” he replied. “You’re freaked out too, right?”

“About what?”

“Ms. Edwards’ backup plan. She turned the waterworks on and off pretty easily.”

“You’d be a fool not to have an escape plan,” I said.

“Then what’s yours, Mr. Smart Guy?”

“Well…” I shrugged, faking a sheepish grin. No sense letting on. “I suppose I’m a fool today, too.”

“Yeah, I thought so.” Wiping beads of perspiration from his forehead, he pointed at a green indicator. Our payload was about a third charged. “Your turn.”

“Very well,” I said, taking the lead. I took some satisfaction in topping it off without breaking a sweat.

Paul looked crossly at me; I’d won our little game. “I guess we should get back to the library.”

I wished I hadn’t been so quick to finish our job. Now I faced a real dilemma; how to ditch Paul so I could go commandeer a getaway vehicle? I supposed I could kill him. After all, who would ever know? We were deep in the bowels of the Nagoya Tower, and I had no intention of seeing Maggie or the rest of the Holy Brothers again in this life.

I discarded the idea. I told myself it was simply too risky. If I missed, I could end up like the Headmaster, or that Holy Sister he had tossed twenty feet. If I were honest with myself, I had a certain fondness for the man and didn’t have the stomach for it. However, since when was I honest with myself? It would be a dangerous habit to acquire at that late a date.

No, subterfuge would be the key. “You go on ahead,” I said, affecting a casual tone and gesturing in the direction of the elevators. I was only a few floors away from the garage. I’d hoof it if I had to.

Sadly, Paul wasn’t so easily thrown off the scent. “Why, where are you off to?”

I jerked a thumb back towards a staff room. “Mrs. Perera said she needed a snack, and I saw a vending machine back there. Her time distortion could save our bacon in a pinch.”

He shook his head. “What, you want to butter her up? Be the sensitive, thoughtful one again? Nuh uh, man. I’m getting on Maggie’s good side. I’ll grab the shacks, and you can go ahead.”

He spun on his heel and was jogging away before I could reply. I blinked twice, thrown by Paul’s response.

“I suppose I was overdue for some good luck,” I said, thanking Our Father Below for setting his mischievous sights elsewhere.

It felt like the longest elevator ride of my life. I realized that I was finally used to the trips up and down the terrifying shaft. My former terror at each jolt no longer plagued me. I had picked a Hell of a time to finally acclimate. I’d never need to worry about it again.

The key I had liberated from Maggie’s desk guided me to car 15-H, which was identical to all of its fellows: white, drab, and inconspicuous. Perfect for my purposes.

I scanned the carport for a moment before letting out all of my anxiety as the deepest laughter I had enjoyed in weeks. “Home free!”

It isn’t often a man dies twice in one day. Soren Marlowe was a fading memory, and now I would never have to be Holy Brother Mockingbird again either.

I stripped off my mask and took out my disguise wand. I couldn’t very well drive down the road looking like nobody in particular. It might draw more attention. I decided on Nurse Kazushi for my first cover, since her image was programmed with a nurse’s uniform. If I was stopped on my way out, I could claim some medical emergency or the like.

Slipping into the car, I noted the uncomfortable, polyester upholstery. “Of all the places to economize,” I muttered to myself. Still, I had done it, and all without offending my simpering conscience. I’d drive out a safe distance and trigger the explosive. From that moment, the Tower’s lifespan would be measured in minutes. Maggie would figure there was some sort of double cross and leave the Headmaster to his fate. From there, I’d give the Holy Brothers and Sisters about, say, five minutes to evacuate. If Maggie’s little cohort wasn’t smart enough to get out of dodge at that point, then they deserved what was coming to them. Then, if I felt like really rubbing it in, I would activate the jamming fabricata I had left on the roof and plunge everything for miles around the school into the stone age.

“And all without taking a single life,” I said to myself. It didn’t seem worthy of a son of the Horde, but it’s what I knew I could live with. I would have to add a few foolish defenders to my story for Girdan; the bloodthirsty old devil loved a good, gory after action report.

I reached up to adjust the rearview mirror, disturbed as always to see another’s face. At least it was a nice one; Nurse Kazushi had a pleasant, rounded face that almost reminded me of Mariko.

As the electric car thrummed to life around me, my stomach sank.

In all of my intricate planning, I had completely overlooked Hiro and Mariko’s fate! Cursing myself, I bolted from the car, ready to rush to their aid.

“Stop it, Malthus! You need to get going!” I turned toward the waiting vehicle, but I hesitated.

My foot lashed out at the hood of my getaway vehicle’s neighbor, shattering the headlight. Was it satisfying? Certainly, but it did nothing to solve my indecision.

How could I have overlooked such an obvious detail? Who was going to rescue them? Rei knew where I’d left Hiro, but she seemed to be having fun playing zealot. I doubted the girl would think twice about him, especially when the Tower was collapsing. And Mariko? Only Maggie and I knew where I had left her, and I’d had to talk Maggie out of slitting the pacifist’s throat!

I checked my watch. There was still an hour and a half before Maggie’s deadline to the government expired. Perhaps I could tell Paul to move them? He was friendly enough with Hiro, and I doubted he wanted to kill his ex.

No, he’d rightly ask why I wasn’t doing it myself.

Perhaps Brother Ratte could send some soldiers?

No, he would ask the same thing. Worse, he might hold Hiro and Mariko’s role in the Taiwan Incident against them and kill them faster than a collapsing tower ever would. Or, perhaps worse, more slowly.

What if I went back? The longer I was in the Tower unaccounted for, the more likely Maggie was to decide I was absent without leave, and they’d surely notice the elevators running as I ferried my frie… as I ferried those humans back and forth. And then what was I to do with them? Drop them off during my escape?

I slapped myself across the face. “No, Malthus, the sensible thing to do is to chalk them up as collateral damage and flee while the fleeing is good! Kiyo’s okay, and so is Rose. Besides, Hiro was going to be a major threat anyway, thanks to your assistance, you idiot! Would you rather deal with him later on the battlefield? If he sees you again, it’ll be his hands around your throat, and he has one Hell of a grip!”

There was still a stone in the pit of my stomach, but I could live with it. I reached towards the door of my car, but stopped.

What of Mariko? She was only a threat to the world’s sugar supply. Memories of our last study session came unbidden.

“You changed things for us all, Soren.”

“You’ve become one of my dearest friends.”

My hand trembled like Mariko’s when she forgot her pills. I ordered it to seize the door handle. I had to flee. Get away from those memories. “Those words weren’t for me. They’re for somebody who doesn’t exist!”

“You’re one of the only people at this school who doesn’t make me feel like a bother or a decoration. I appreciate you.”

I withdrew my hand. I leaned against the wall, cradling my head.

“Weak. You’re weak, Malthus.”

I slammed my armored fist against the wall, almost preferring the pain to my out-of-control sentiments.

“What is she to you, Malthus? She shot you down ages ago. She isn’t your lover. Hell, she isn’t even useful to you anymore! You don’t need tutoring in human magic ever again. You’re going to march back into that car and drive away before you do something you can’t take back.”

Yes, any moment now.

Any moment.

I cursed, slipping my mask back into place as I bolted for the elevators.

Our Father Below take me, I was too weak to do the sensible thing.