Meanwhile, at the other end of the school yard, another girl on another scooter surveyed the evacuation. Violet had thought there was something odd about it, then Rae, her scooter, had reminded her that the fire trucks were the wrong color. And reluctantly admitted what the Marauders wanted the kids for.

Violet asked, “What are we going to do?”

Rae backfired, sounding suspiciously like a snort. “What can we do? They control the vertical. They control the horizontal.”

After a pause, Violet replied, “Heck of an obscure reference to throw out there.” The scooter didn’t respond. “So,” Violet continued, “We let them all get led to the slaughter, just like that?”

“I suppose you think we should go riding in to the rescue, one little girl and a scooter mech against the world?” Rae replied.

“Well, can we at least call for help?” Violet asked.

Rae hesitated a moment, then nodded. “Good idea. I’ve sent an anonymous email to Aegis’s tip line. Now can we scoot?”

They left, innocence at least partly intact.