Glenn’s whole body clenched. He maintained his grip on Jahid’s arm, but only the man’s gasp reminded him of how strong he was now. Glenn released the man.

Jahid rubbed his arm. “Since we’re friends now, I won’t tell anyone you roughed me up. But go easy next time.”

Joanne now had her eyes fixed on Glenn. “I know what you’re thinking. I even agree with you. But Zack knew what he was getting into when he took up with a Blazer fugitive. It’s out of our hands.”

Glenn worked hard not to panic. “We can’t just let some random Blazer take Zack off to Lakebrooke.” There must be a way to stop this. “Why can’t we imprison him here?”

Chelsea looked up, obviously frustrated as well. “That is exactly what I said we should do, but that Blazer who showed up this morning ... Brennon Shadesinger ... insisted that Zack’s crime required he be tried in Lakebrooke. Mayor Coleman signed off all of it.”

So the Blazer in the square ... or the man there ... said he was Brennon Shadesinger. Not Victor whoever. Short of forcing the man to expose his Status Sheet, however, how could Glenn know?

Chelsea looked to the parchment on the desk. “If you hurry and get that man in a cell, you should have time to say goodbye. So as far as the town’s concerned, you’re now off-duty again.”

Jahid cleared his throat. “Even if you already have Anna, my deal’s still good, right?

Glenn gently shoved Jahid toward the desk. “Joanne? Can you handle him?” He couldn’t let some Blazer just take Zack, and if this Brennon Shadesinger was an imposter, it was possible Zack might not make it to Lakebrooke at all.

Joanne narrowed her eyes at him. “Oh no. Absolutely not.”

“I won’t get anyone else in trouble.”

“I’m not worried about anyone else. Just you, Glenn.” She actually sounded concerned about him, but he wasn’t the one she needed to be concerned about.

“I just need to talk to this Brennon myself,” Glenn insisted. “Follow up on a lead. I won’t do anything you wouldn’t do or get myself in trouble. You have my word.”

“What lead?” Joanne demanded. “Just what do you know about all this?” As she glared her way in frustration, her brow furrowed. “And come to think of it, this morning, you were awfully not surprised to hear Anna was a fugitive. Even by Glenn standards, you were way too calm.”

Glenn considered keeping Joanne in the dark and immediately discarded the idea. When he’d set off to arrest Jahid alone, the man had almost escaped, and a high Level Adventurer willing to impersonate a Blazer might be willing to do far worse when challenged. If he screwed this up, innocent people could get seriously hurt. This wasn’t a matter he should handle alone.

Glenn looked to Jahid. “Tell them what you told me.”

Jahid’s brow furrowed. “Both of them?”

“Tell us what?” Chelsea and Joanne demanded simultaneously.

Jahid smiled easily. “The guy in the square? The Rank Three Blazer?”

“What about him?” Chelsea asked.

“He’s not one,” Jahid said. “His name’s Victor, though I don’t know his last. A couple of months ago he hired me to help him rescue the woman he’s about to arrest. Anna Bronzelight, the woman you just helped him arrest. Also, he’s at least Level 35, so watch your step if you try to bring him in.”

“You mean abduct her,” Glenn said darkly. “He hired you to abduct Anna.”

“Call if what you like.”

Chelsea looked to Glenn. “And you believe him?”

“I believe we have to investigate his accusation, no matter how crazy it sounds. If that man out there isn’t a Blazer, anyone he takes out of Wolfpine could be in real danger. So which if you is coming with me to greet our latest arrival?”

Joanne thumped a fist into her palm. “Like you have to ask.” She looked to Chelsea. “As soon as our new guest is squirreled away, go fill in Logain and get the others to back us up. If this man is Level 35 and not who he says, we might need more than one guard to get the cuffs on him. I’ll take the lead.”

“We might need several guards,” Chelsea said grimly. She rose from the desk and marched around it to seize Jahid’s arm. “You. With me. Right now.”

Jahid grinned wide as Chelsea marched him off. “Happy to comply.”

Across from him, Joanne pulled her helmet off the desk and donned it. “First Burrowspawn at the gate, and now a Level 35 impersonating a Blazer in our town square.”

“Allegedly,” Glenn added.

“At least today won’t be boring.”

Glenn grimaced. “Can we really arrest a Level 35 Adventurer? I’ve never met anyone that powerful, other than Richard, and he’s a Spiritualist. Not exactly dangerous.”

“I’ve never arrested a Level 35 myself,” Joanne said. “But if your new friend isn’t lying through his slimy teeth, it sure will be interesting to try. With me, Redwood. At the least, we need to stall our so-called imposter until we can get the rest of the guard together.”

As Joanne marched for the door leading out the square, Glenn fell into step behind her and reflexively reached back to ensure his [Guardian Mace] was within each reach. As they emerged into the bright town square beside Joanne, he realized matters were even more grim than he’d feared.

On the other side of the square, he spotted Seth and Linda walking into the square from the other side with three people marching in front of them. Anna Bronzelight. Alan Starshine. And Zack Silverstone. Once Leo had put every Adventurer in town up to looking for the three of them, it seemed even Zack’s crafty nature hadn’t been enough.

And now, the man about to cart them out of Wolfpine might not be a Blazer at all.

Joanne didn’t slow at the sight of Seth, Linda, and the fugitives. If anything, she increased her pace. She reached Leo and the gray-haired man with him. She snapped her fingers loud enough that both of their gazes immediately met hers.

“Remind me who you are again?” Joanne asked.

At such a firm and direction question, the gray-haired man with the piercing blue eyes actually looked amused. “Did you forget already?”

“You told Town Guard Mistarrow you’re Brennon Shadesinger, Level 35 Arctist and a Rank Three Blazer,” Joanne said. “Status Sheet, please, and show it only to me. We need to get some formalities out of the way before we transfer our fugitives to your care.”

Brennon’s brow furrowed. “What matters? Your mayor’s already signed off.”

“Some no account criminal just made the rather ridiculous accusation that you aren’t who you say you are,” Joanne said calmly. “I don’t want to waste any more time on his rumor than necessary. So Status Sheet, please, right now, so we can send you on your way and get on my way.”

Beside “Brennon”, Leo looked increasingly uneasy. And as Glenn looked between the gray-haired man and the younger blond-haired man beside him, he got the feeling that this man wasn’t who Leo had been expecting, either.

Had Leo expected Jenny Ambersun? Where was Jenny, anyway? Why send this man instead?

“Who would even make such a ridiculous claim?” Brennon asked. “Why did you arrest him?”

“The criminal in our custody now, so they’re not your problem,” Joanne said evenly. “Now, show me your Status Sheet. If you make me ask again, I might actually grow concerned.”

Seth and Linda arrived with their fugitives. When Anna got a good look at Brennon, Glenn saw her eyes widen noticeably. Alan scowled, and Zack, for his part, simply waved at Glenn. A large bruise was clearly visible on his temple, which told Glenn he’d been in a fight.

“This is highly inappropriate,” Brennon said. “But fine. Have a look, if only to satisfy your curiosity.”

Joanne said nothing. Brennon said nothing, and Glenn saw nothing. Yet he suspected Joanne was now seeing Brennon’s Status Sheet with his consent, and the very fact that the man would reveal that freely made his gut churn. No man impersonating another would willingly reveal his Status Sheet.

When Joanne glanced his way, Glenn could tell by the slight sag of her shoulders that Brennon was who he said he was. Jahid, as he’d feared, had simply been having one last laugh at their expense. This man really was a Blazer ... which meant it was time to get himself in trouble again.

Glenn would reveal what Anna had told him about her brother’s plot. This would, of course, also require revealing how he knew about it, which would require revealing that he’d aided Anna and Alan’s escape from Leo last night. He wasn’t sure what would happen then, and he wasn’t even sure if a town guard could be arrested. But, if this was his only chance to save Anna, he had to try.

“Thank you,” Joanne said, and glanced at Glenn. “Redwood? Say your goodbyes.”

Glenn stepped forward. “Mister Shadesinger, a moment?”

Brennon frowned his way. “Pardon me, but no. Now that my fugitives have arrived, it’s vital I get them back to Lakebrooke before anything else goes wrong. So if there’s nothing else—”

“I have reason to believe Anna Bronzelight is innocent,” Glenn interrupted calmly.

At his side, Joanne visibly stiffened. “Six Hells, Glenn.”

Across the square, Anna’s eyes widened. She tried to step toward him, then stopped when Seth arrested her movement by gripping her arm. Don’t, Anna pleaded with her eyes.

Anna wasn’t begging him for herself. She was begging him not to risk himself for her. All the more reason he had no choice but to do so.

“Are you telling me you’ve already interrogated my fugitive while I wasn’t present?” Brennon demanded. “Leo told me you only found out she was a fugitive this morning. Was that a lie?”

As Glenn opened his mouth to reveal everything, someone firmly gripped his arm on his right. Since Joanne stood to his left, Glenn’s first reaction was to look that way in alarm.

A short, buxom woman stood at his side now, clad in a plain brown cloak and hood. She reminded him of someone. Who did she remind him of? After she released his arm and pulled back her hood, Glenn remembered. His heart just about stopped in his chest.

“Before you do anything rash,” Rebecka Coldbreaker said, with her eyes fixed on Brennon Shadesinger, “you should probably hear what I have to say.” Then Becka glanced Glenn’s way, brushed her hair back, and smiled. “That goes double for you, Redwood.”