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“Yes, Uri.”

I turn around, heading back to the house, phone near my ear. I feel both irritated at myself and excited by the new discovery. When my bro picks up, I don’t give him time to talk. “He was here.”

“Who?” Rami asks, sounding alert.

“Ezra. My bio bro. I know how he appears out of thin air to disappear just as fast in the city.”

“Ezra? Okay, you need to tell me everything.”

I don’t know everything…yet. Next time, though, he will tell me his true intentions through his own volition or my gun’s. Either way, he’ll talk.

three

SARIEL

I stop as a long breath leaves my lungs. It’s always cluttered in my place, no matter how often I seem to organize things. Books dominate almost every surface, chairs, the sofa, the table, and kitchen counters. Partially used notebooks are scattered around as well, along with files and pencils because I prefer paper to technology—a horror show for Rami. I’ve never cared much about this apartment; I spend almost all my time in the labs or at the base. I acquired it years back because the building is close to work and in a safe area. I heard Uri saying it is good to invest our money, so I did—he wasn’t very pleased about myimpulsive purchase,though. I’ve made a few decisions in my life by myself, always asking for advice first, but I didn’t want to give this up. That was the first time I stood up to him. He sulked for a month, but still came and fell asleep on the sofa in my lab whenever I pulled an all-nighter.

I look around the scarcely furnished living room. The reason why this luxurious apartment never felt like mine is because I never made it mine. Still, being forced to move out leaves a bittertaste in my mouth. I run my hand along the small set of lopsided shelves I hung up after buying the place. There’s two framed pictures. One of the whole family around the dinner table—Ollie, Sully, Lori, Hunter, and the triplets included. And one of me and Uri as kids; my eyes fixed on his serious face. I’m beaming at him, while he’s looking straight into the camera, a glare in his gaze.

The thought of being his brother never sat well with me since I was a kid. Growing up, it often gave me a lancing pain somewhere below my sternum. How could he be, when I wanted to kiss the hell out of him?

My phone starts vibrating. Texts are popping in theBloody Bunch group chat—Rami continues renaming our family chat every few months.

Lori

Rats? In your luxurious apartment?

News travels fast among my brothers. There’s a rat infestation in my building, which is more than odd since this is a high-end apartment building, located in River North, one of the most expensive neighborhoods of Chicago.

Me

It appears so

Sully

Are we talking real rats?

Michael

What other kind are there?

Ollie

Five-foot-nine assholes

Rami

That was oddly precise

Lori

Do they have thick, long, hard tails as well?

Rami

Oh yeah, do they? *fire emoji* *eggplant emoji* *wink face emoji*

Ollie