They ran.
Not far. Just far enough to round a corner and press themselves against a lantern post that had absolutely no intention of hiding anyone. Keahi peeked around it. Hikari stood on her toes and tried to be stag in the thin lamp's shadow, as if that somehow helped. Esen pretended to read a posted flyer about a late-night show with the intensity of someone who actually cared about live entertainment.
Back in front of the shop, Kori and Kenzo stood in the space the eight of them just freed.
Kenzo looked down at his ledger. Then at Kori. Then back at the ledger, like it might explain what just happened.
"Uhm… Well… We could start with the east row" he said. "Those back alleys sometimes flood, because the valves became rusty. I wanna make sure everything's in Order. Alteea sent me."
Kori nodded. Nodding was the only thing her face could do right now without betraying everything underneath it.
They started walking.
"They're walking" Feris whispered.
