“Are you responsible for this?”
“What? No! We were defending them!”
“You call this a defense?” He pulled the Definite Knife out of Crews’ jeans, grimacing at its gruesome appearance. “Disgusting.” Something distracted him, and he looked over toward the tunnel where Brimstone and the other boys were hiding. “Sneaking off, are we, Phyro?”
Brimstone, who had been slinking toward Burleigh’s front door, stopped in his tracks.
“No, sir.”
“Cowering in the corner while others did your job for you?”
Brimstone’s face reddened. He shot an evil glance at Topher.
“Why didn’t you meet us at the appointed time?” Stoneman continued. “Did you forget? Or were you too busy trembling with the young boys?”
Brimstone found it difficult to control himself.
“I didn’t forget. But those things got here be
