“How’d you end up on my front yard?” Walt asked. It wasn’t as quiet, but the danger was still there.

  “She’s, um…” Evelyn glanced at Clarissa. “A friend of mine. From school.”

  Walt’s eyes traveled over Clarissa’s face with heavy doubt. Despite how young Clarissa looked, she wasn’t a high schooler.

  “You have a map we can study?” Clarissa asked.

  “Right.” Walt’s gaze returned to his phone, before showing Clarissa a map. “Looks like you go down this road, then once you hit the main road, follow north.”

  “Ah, yes,” Clarissa said as though she hadn’t traveled to Derek’s house before. “Thank you so much.”

  Clarissa grabbed the front of Grizzizzik’s shirt and pulled him forward. Nick held his breath as they took a few steps.

  “Wait,” Walt said, causing some sweat to form on Nick’s forehead. Nick remained quiet, staring at Grizzizzik, begging his character not to speak. “You’re walking? Don’t you have a car? Or a phone?”

  “Oh, no. We rather enjoy walking,” Clarissa said.

  Walt again stared at Grizzizzik, eyes narrowed. Nick stared at Grizzizzik, trying to tell him with his eyes to… not be himself.

  “What’s your name?” Walt asked, staring right at Nick’s character.

  “Grizzizzik.”

  “Gregory what?” Walt asked.

  Grizzizzik blinked. “No, Grizzizzik.”

  Walt’s eyes darkened. “What’s your last name, Gregory?”

  Grizzizzik’s lip curled, a hiss escaping him. Nick never created Grizzizzik to have a last name. Akshi didn’t really have a last name, so Grizzizzik didn’t either. But here on Earth it would be weird if Grizzizzik didn’t have a last name.

  “Johnson.” Nick heard the word stumble out of him before he could stop himself.

  Walt’s head whipped around to glare at Nick. Walt searched his face. “What?”

  Nick cleared his throat. “Gregory Johnson. That’s… his name.”

  Walt narrowed his eyes, and Nick realized the danger of speaking up. Of catching his dad’s attention right now. Grizzizzik raised an eyebrow, almost annoyed.

  Nick dropped his gaze. He didn’t dare speak up again. He had too many shocks tonight to do anything more.

  Walt pointed at Nick. “Go back inside and sit on the couch. Do not move from that spot. Do I make myself clear?”

  Nick nodded, then his throat tightened as his rogue unsheathed his rapier.

  “Leave the boy alone,” Grizzizzik said.

  Walt turned toward Grizzizzik, and Nick used the opportunity to repeatedly swipe at his neck. Grizzizzik just needed to leave. Why couldn’t he just leave?

  “What the hell. Is that sharp?” Walt asked.

  Nick forgot how to breathe. He started walking forward when Evelyn grabbed his arm, stopping him. Nick understood his sister’s hesitancy. If Nick got involved, it would make Walt angrier.

  “Put your rapier away. We’re among friends,” Clarissa said.

  Grizzizzik didn’t acknowledge Clarissa in the slightest. His yellow eyes were fixed on Walt, studying him, seizing him up, and keeping his rapier out.

  “I will only ask this once. What are you doing in my front yard?” Walt asked.

  A sly smile crossed Grizzizzik’s face, and Nick’s face fell. Grizzizzik could sort of interact with this world. Which meant Walt could now understand Grizzizzik’s sly remarks. See the rogue’s rolling eyes. Nick knew how annoyed Grizzizzik was that Walt couldn’t see him. His chaotic character was about to interact with his ordered father, and it would go about as well as mixing oil and water together.

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  “Sorry I missed that. What did you want to only ask me once about?” Grizzizzik asked.

  Walt’s eyes darkened. “Put that sword away. It’s considered a weapon—”

  “Obviously,” Grizzizzik muttered.

  “And I will not tolerate it on my property.”

  “Oh, let me guess. Your local law enforcement will pick me up,” Grizzizzik said.

  Walt held up his phone. “I’ll have them pick you up if you’re not off my lawn in five minutes.”

  Grizzizzik laughed, sheathing his sword. “Ah, Walt. You must be the person who always asks someone else to do your dirty work.”

  “I will be with them on the phone right now. And this little conversation has shortened your warning to one minute.” Walt swiped his phone.

  “Deities above, you are frustrating. Please, just get angry at me.” Grizzizzik gestured at him with both hands. “Get so angry that you lose all control. Let me see true rage from you as you retaliate. I would love the opportunity to give you a real good punch in the face.”

  “You do anything of the kind, and I will make sure you get the full letter of the law,” Walt said.

  “There it is. Always someone else, isn’t it? Someone else dishes out the punishment, someone else cleans up the streets. You’re so fat and happy in your civilized society.” Grizzizzik took another step closer to Walt. “Content to know you’re safe. But what if you aren’t, Walt Larsen? What if the only reason you cling to law and order is because you know exactly what it’d be like if you didn’t have it? The full horrors of human frailty playing out before you. Of your human frailty.” Grizzizzik dropped his voice. “Someone gripping the law this hard has once understood what it’s like to not have the law at all. It terrified you then, didn’t it?”

  Nick stared at Grizzizzik, eyes wide. Nothing good would come from this discussion.

  “A little dramatic, don’t you think?” Nick caught the slight waver in his father’s voice.

  Grizzizzik let out an exaggerated sigh. “About as dramatic as taking the door off Nick’s bedroom so you can constantly monitor what he’s doing.”

  Walt finally tore his gaze from Grizzizzik to look right at Nick. Nick wondered when the last time he took a breath was. Walt shifted his glare back at Grizzizzik. “How do you know my son?”

  Grizzizzik shrugged. “We work together.”

  All the air Nick held in his lungs escape out of him. He was in danger of collapsing to the ground again. Evelyn grabbed his arm, keeping him up as Nick stared at Grizzizzik in horror. That had to be the worst thing he could’ve possibly said to Walt.

  Walt lifted his phone and snapped a picture of Grizzizzik. The rogue blinked in surprise. “I’m giving the police your picture. If you get within a hundred yards of my son, I will take action. I am already planning on giving them your picture for trespassing. You better hope they don’t find you.”

  Grizzizzik smirked and about said something else when Clarissa grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him away.

  “Let me go,” Grizzizzik said.

  “Shut up, Grizzly Bear, before you ruin anything else,” Clarissa said.

  Walt glared at the two before his head swiveled around to Nick and Evelyn. He walked over and grabbed Nick’s shoulder, pulling him inside. Nick forced himself to breathe easily, but his breathing was shallow and uneven.

  “Dad, wait,” Evelyn said, following behind them.

  Walt didn’t listen. Instead, he forced Nick to sit down on the couch as he towered above him. “How long have you been meeting up with Gregory Johnson?”

  “I—” Nick stopped, not sure what he should say.

  “Do not play games with me, Nick. I’m not in the mood.”

  Nick couldn’t look at Walt. That glare was dangerous. “I… August.” Nick’s mouth was dry as he tried to meet Walt’s gaze. It felt as dangerous as meeting Chaos’s gaze. “I met him in August.”

  “He’s the one behind all this, isn’t he?” Walt sneered. “Behind the vandalism and the police. You’ve stumbled into another gang, and Gregory is the reason behind it.”

  It didn’t matter what Nick said. Walt’s mind was made up. In a way, though, Walt was right. Grizzizzik was the reason behind his chaotic actions.

  “I never want you near him again. Are we understood?” Walt asked. Nick swallowed air, his mouth turning dryer. “If I get a hint that you two are sneaking out to do anything, I will cut off your little game and your job. I’m not joking, Nick. That guy is bad news. Look what he’s already done to you.”

  Walt could see Grizzizzik now, which meant everyone else could, too. Everyone in Walt’s little spy group, especially. Walt taking a picture of Grizzizzik practically made Elmwood have a wanted poster with Grizzizzik’s face on it.

  “No cries that this isn’t fair?” Walt asked, folding his arms. “No fighting back? No shouting?”

  Nick’s mind was too muddled to realize Walt expected a fight. A fight like before, when he was hanging out with Anthony and Eddy. Shouting matches about who he hung out with.

  “I think you know deep down he’s trouble. And I hope this means you know I’m right. Stay away from him, Nick.” Walt turned, heading toward the kitchen. “Go to bed. You both have school tomorrow.”

  The only reason Nick got up was because he was afraid of what would happen if he stayed. Nick stumbled down the hall, his heart racing.

  This was chaotic. This had to mean he wouldn’t need to take Evelyn’s car for a joyride tomorrow. It was past midnight. Grizzizzik and Walt’s fight had to be enough to satisfy Chaos.

  It wasn’t. The feeling was there in his heart. What Chaos did with shortening the deadline was his doing, not Nick’s. None of this would count. Despite the ripples this would cause, Chaos still expected Nick to steal Evelyn’s car and take it for a ride long enough for Walt to notice.

  Tomorrow. At the session. Unless they wanted the apocalypse to happen in February.

  Nick took a few steps into his room, leaning against the wall before sinking to the ground, hands in his hair. He pushed Chaos. Gave the being another opportunity to show his power. A power that was not in anyone’s favor.

  And if he didn’t take Evelyn’s car for a joyride tomorrow, it would get worse.