"Well then call me an 'asshole', 'cause I'm perfectly happy to walk, run, or freakin' crawl away from a fight if it keeps me and my friends breathing," Nico said, rolling her eyes at Sam. "Especially when I'd otherwise have to deal with people whining about how people who actually try to deal with the problem get to be 'protagonists'."

She stared mulishly at Katherine, chin up and eyes hard. "But that requires that we have somewhere to run to. And if Jack and Bunny's boss trusts us to be useful more than he trusts you and yours, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement of 'go home, everything will be fine'."