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releasing our hold on Quietus. We are professionals, after all. I pulled the M-blade away from Quietus’ ribs and pointed it toward the opening Door. Lone Incubi in Nod aren’t supposed to have free access to Doors, but their location on the other side shifts randomly, just as it does on Earth.
    In Nod, the Shadow Watch does its best to locate and guard Doors as soon as they appear, but we can never find them all. There are literally thousands of them. So if a rogue Incubus had managed to find an unguarded Door and was using it to sneak into Earth’s dimension, I figured the sight of my M-blade should give it pause. And if the blade didn’t intimidate the living nightmare, then Jinx’s joy buzzer – which he held palm out and was throwing off sparks of high-voltage electricity – should do the trick.
    But the being that stepped through the open doorway wasn’t an Incubus. He was human. And what’s more, I recognized him. I lowered my blade and repositioned it against Quietus’ side. Jinx continued to hold his joy buzzer at the ready for several more seconds – before he finally powered it down and lowered his hand to his side.
    “Hey, Neil,” I said.
    The man stopped, startled. He glanced back and forth between Jinx and me, then he fixed his gaze on Quietus – noting the negators around his neck and wrists – before finally turning his attention back to me. I gave him my brightest smile, but he only scowled in return.
    “I should’ve known you and your clown” – he shot a dark glance at Jinx – “would try to sneak out of the city before we arrived.”
    Jinx gave Neil a smile too, only his was the sort a shark would give, all teeth and no humor. Neil swallowed and focused his gaze on me once more.
    Neil Gonnick was a thin man in his early fifties with a receding hairline and a neatly trimmed mustache. He wore the standard M-gineer uniform: a slightly rumpled gray jumpsuit with a black belt and boots, the dream catcher symbol of the Shadow Watch emblazoned on the right breast. The jumpsuit was covered with pockets, all of which bulged with various tools and tech.
    The M-gineers are proud of their uniforms almost to the point of arrogance, but I’ve always thought they were ugly things that looked as if they’d been inspired by bad 1960s’ science fiction films. Neil carried a trancer holstered at his side, along with a nine-inch crystalline rod slid through a loop on his belt. The M-rod was the prime tool of his trade, allowing whoever had the knowledge and skill to wield it to use Maelstrom energy to affect solid matter. And I had a pretty good idea why he was here and less than pleased to see us. He’d come to clean up our mess.
    Still smiling his shark smile, Jinx said, “I thought you pocket-jockeys used your own dimensional portals when you traveled. What happened? Rod go limp?”
    Neil clenched his jaw. He hated it when Jinx used the word pocket-jockeys , which meant Jinx used it around the M-gineer whenever he could.
    “You two caused a truly impressive amount of damage tonight. In fact, I’d say you achieved a personal worst.”
    “It’s not our fault,” I said. “At least, not entirely. There was an Incursion. I called in a full report–”
    Neil cut me off. “I’m well aware of that. But I’m also aware of you and your…” – he paused to give Jinx a dubious look – “partner’s record when it comes to collateral damage. You might not be the best officers employed by the Shadow Watch, but I have to admit, when it comes to wanton destruction, you’re unequalled.”
    Jinx looked at me. “You hear that, Mommy? We’re number one!”
    A noisemaker appeared in his mouth and he blew on it, making a loud blat that sounded like an elephant breaking wind. He tossed a handful of confetti into the air at the same time. I cringed, waiting for the confetti to explode, but it drifted to the ground without igniting, and I was as grateful for Jinx’s restraint as I was surprised.
    Neil