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The General turned toward Kato. “We will take things from here.”

“This man attacked the Tournament, General,” Kato replied. “We were about to question him to learn why.”

“I already know why.” He waved the Watchers forward, and they grabbed the unconscious Techno Knight, loading him into the SUV. “The Rebels sent him.”

“He has no magic.” Kato held up a piece of the broken armor. “He’s not a Rebel.”

“Of course not.” The General’s tongue clicked. “But the Rebelsdidsend him.” He grabbed the chunk of broken armor. “And gave him this armor. Armor made by the Rebel Alchemist Angel Rivera.”

“I know Angel’s work, and this isn’t it.” Altair shook a piece of the breastplate, and some of that neon-green fluid oozed out. “This isn’t even magic.”

“People change. Angel isn’t the same person she once was. Because that person never would have betrayed the other Knights by leaving,” the General told him. “Now hand over all pieces of armor that you’ve retrieved. And then clean up this mess before someone gets hurt.” He indicated the toppled trees and downed power lines.

The Knights didn’t argue. They handed over the armor. And then, as the black SUV drove off with the prisoner, they set about fixing the disaster zone, leaving me alone in the middle of the street.

I hurried off after Kato. “Who is Angel?” I asked him, running to keep up with his pace as he circled the Oval, waving his hands, using his magic to smooth out the deformed, leaning fence.

“She was Altair’s friend,” replied Kato. “They were Apprentices together, four years ago.”

“When Angel joined the Rebels, they stopped being friends, didn’t they?”

“We all lost friends to the Rebels.”

“Do you think the Rebels sent the Techno Knight?” I asked quietly.

“I don’t know. I’d like to believe that they would never put innocent people in danger, but…” He didn’t finish that sentence. Instead, he stopped running just long enough to kick the fence.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, you did assault the fence you just repaired,” I pointed out.

“I shouldn’t have done that. I just…”

“Got angry?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Hey, it’s ok to have feelings, you know,” I told him.

I waited, but he still wasn’t talking. Whatever he was feeling right now, he seemed to be having trouble processing it.

“I can help,” I said.

“With what?”

“Whatever you need. Making repairs. Figuring out who the Techno Knight is. I’m really good at not minding my own business, you know.”

He snorted. “You don’t say.”

I nodded. “It’s got to be my number one skill. Well, that or annoying the General, but I doubt that will be useful in this?—”

“Seven.”

“Yes?”

“You should go home.”