Maren shuffled on the bench. No matter how she positioned herself, she couldn’t get comfortable. Looked like the view of the small green space before the hospital was wasted on her, as high-strung as she felt now. 

Friggin’ Peace Keepers. 

Maren had rested for ten minutes in Diego’s room before a Peace Keeper had shown up. The woman had come to talk to Diego, but most of her statements were disparaging ones thrown at Maren. It wasn’t a fight Maren cared to battle, so she left. All alone, the hallways felt claustrophobic, as if they were closing in on her. She’d needed air and space, so she’d figured the best place for her was right outside the hospital.

It was also where she expected a couple of hotheads to storm out from. 

Right on time. Maren stood as Mav and JJ exited the building. JJ talked with animated motions while Mav wore a stern expression. Great. So they had run into the Peace Keepers. 

“... they’re useless!” JJ was saying. “Why do they refuse to hear me out?” 

Mav didn’t respond. They both walked in such a fury that they blew past her. They traipsed across the lawn, Maren not too far behind. When they stepped out of sight of the cameras, Maren stopped. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” she said. 

They rounded on her. JJ looked ready to lash out, but backed away when he recognized her. Mav’s eyes were stoked. There was the same hunger she’d noticed after Selene Hicks denied them from working the missing persons case in Linick. 

“They won’t do anything,” Mav said. “There are only two Peace Keepers in there, but they’re both being petty bitches, since he’s with me.” 

“That gives your anger context,” Maren said. “It doesn’t answer my question.” 

“You know where we’re going.” 

“You’re going to get yourselves killed. Or, at the very least, imprisoned.” 

“Ma’am,” JJ said, stepping in. “I... I know. I messed everything up. I flew too high and the Wall Titans swatted me down. But Serene is going to attack Wilkins’ headquarters tomorrow. A lot of people are going to die. And they caught the person who helped me. They’re threatening her life. I just met her and I... I know it’s too much for me, but....” 

Maren cocked her hip. “If you’re going to try and convince me to do something, show me your resolve. No more hesitancy. What are you going to do?” 

JJ took a deep breath. “Paul would be alive if I hadn’t messed up. But because of that same mistake, more people are going to die. I’m not going to let that happen. And even if it does, then I’ll be among the corpses.” 

“You’re talking to the wrong audience. I won’t help someone commit suicide.” 

“Then either knock me out or help me. The way you two fight, we could take them.” 

Maren turned to Mav. “And what about you? Were you planning on going with him without even telling me?” 

Mav blinked, then stared at his feet. “I was going to tell you.” 

“When? Before or after you burst down Serene’s door?” 

“I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. I wasn’t thinking.” 

At least he wasn’t scratching the back of his head. So they had made progress. 

“Even still, the Peace Keepers are next to useless,” JJ said. “They practically told us so. One accosted us in the morgue and we ran into another one outside of Bishop Diego’s room. They wouldn’t listen, or told us they’d file the report and wait for instructions.” 

“They’re here to protect Jessica Wilkins,” Mav said. “Only.” 

“I get that,” Maren said. “But did you even have a plan?” 

“Of course we did,” Mav said. And there was the head-scratch. 

Maren rolled her eyes. “Officially, the Peace Keepers are here to take Serene down. If we encroach upon their ‘investigation’, then they have the right to detain us. We can’t simply get out of legal issues this time.” 

“I’d rather be in prison after stopping a massacre than walk free to let it happen.” 

“It’s not just prison. They’ll disband our guild. Permanently.” 

Mav hesitated. Without the guild, he couldn’t go around Talam and help people. Without the guild, he’d be nowhere. Without the guild, Maren would lose everything she’d striven to attain. She knew he wouldn’t want that. 

It was a low blow, but it was also accurate. 

“Then blame me,” JJ said. “I started this mess and you’re only trying to help. You shouldn’t be punished for my sins. I’ll say that I charged back into Serene’s base and you two tried to stop me.” 

“It worked before,” Mav said. 

Maren gave him a quick glare, then shook her head. “I’d rather not make a habit out of doing that kind of shit.” 

“But if it helps us save people?” 

Mav’s eyes were pleading, like he actually needed permission. They both knew that Maren could not physically stop Mav from leaving if he wanted. But he sought her blessing, since she was this nameless guild’s leader. 

And what type of leader was she? She’d focused too much on money earlier. Now, she was hesitating to possibly save hundreds of people because she feared her traveling guild would be killed before it was truly born. JJ had even given her an out that she knew would be a good excuse to the police. 

And hadn’t she demanded resolve from JJ? 

“Fine,” Maren said. “But we’re gonna need more of a plan than ‘follow JJ into hell.’”