Page 124 of Renegades

She tried to remain expressionless, while also maintaining the mantra in her head—silence, secrecy—as if she might suddenly develop telepathy.

“One thing they found in the tunnels, of particular interest,” said Adrian, “was a recently inhabited train car. We have reason to believe this car belonged to the villain who calls herself Nightmare. We now know that Nightmare is an Anarchist.”

Lips parted. Jaw slack. Winston shifted his confused eyes back to Adrian.

“That’s who we want to talk about today.” Adrian set one hand on the table, leaning forward, and Nova might have thought his attempts at being intimidating were borderline adorable if she hadn’t been trembling with dread.

Her memory was replaying those moments in Winston’s hot-air balloon as they drifted over the remains of the parade. Realizingthey wouldn’t clear the top of the next building. Choosing to sacrifice Winston to their enemies.

He had every reason to despise her now. He had every reason to betray her.

She swallowed.

“I’m sorry,” Winston squeaked, gaping at Adrian. “But… come again?”

“Nightmare,” said Adrian. “I’ll begin with something simple. What is her real name?”

A deep crease seemed permanently etched between Winston’s brows, and the way his mouth refused to close made it seem as though the mechanism attaching his marionette jaw to his marionette skull had broken. “Nightmare?” he croaked.

“Nightmare,” Adrian confirmed. “You might remember her as the one that pushed you out of your own hot-air balloon. I want to know what her real name is.”

Nova bit the inside of her cheek.

“No…?” Winston started, but hesitated, letting the word drift off until his lips were puckered around that long, uncertaino.Nova’s lungs squeezed, expelling any useful air.

“Excuse me?” said Adrian.

“No… no. Uh…” Winston glanced once, briefly, at Nova, then back at Adrian. “No… reen.” He coughed. “Her name is Noreen.”

Nova inhaled, long and deep. Everyone else, though, became motionless.

She knew that no one was fooled. But she didn’t care. Winston had been given a choice to betray her, and he hadn’t. A slim spark of hope flickered in her thoughts.

“Noreen,” said Adrian, his voice thick with skepticism.

“Noreen,” said Winston, with a determined, proud nod.

“Noreen what?”

“Hm?”

“Does she have a last name?”

“Oh, uh…” Winston glanced around, as if searching for inspiration, but then shrugged. “Nope. No last name. Just Noreen.”

Adrian and Oscar exchanged a look, before Adrian cleared his throat. “We know that Nightmare obtained at least one of her weapons from the black-market dealer known as the Librarian. But we’ve witnessed her using a number of weapons and tools that don’t resemble other things in the marketplace. Where does she get her supplies?”

Winston held his gaze. Blinked. Licked his lips. Opened his mouth. Hesitated. Swallowed. Coughed. Finally responded, “The hardware store?”

“The hardware store?”

“Yes.” Winston’s head bobbed. “That’s where she gets her stuff.”

“Is that code for something?”

“No? Just the hardware store.”

Nova cringed inwardly, even though it was mostly true. She did get a lot of the items she used for her inventions from a local hardware store.

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