Jabber is asleep, doing alright. Sam is keeping watch outside the door. Kiki is sitting next to Jabber with her back to the far wall, sniper pointed at the door. Finger off the trigger. Amstrad is sitting with her, opposite Jabber. Some blood got on his floor jacket.
   “I don’t think this is gonna work out.” Amstrad says.
   Kiki shakes her head. “That’s it with you fuckers. Bail when the money suddenly looks tough.”
   “Huh?”
   “You only do shit for the money. Mercenaries. These people need help- real help- not another debt trap. You have to be here to help them."
   “I am here to help then. For the money.”
   Kiki scoffs.
   “I’m saying it's not gonna work out if this is actually our best. This can’t be our best.”
   “It’s my best. I was doing fine. It was Catch, it was Jabber, it was you all that were dragging me down. No grit. No skin in the game, Amstrad. They say you’re psychic but all I see is some suburbanite who wears sunglasses to sleep.”
   Amstrad takes his turn to scoff. “Oh, sure, sunglasses to sleep is weird- this coming from the lady who wears her- her greasy gardening gloves to sleep. Right. And for your information, I’ve lived in the city way longer than the suburbs."
   “But you have lived in the suburbs.”
   “Ohhh big deal.” Amstrad says in a mocking voice.
   Kiki scowls ahead.
   “If you hate us so much, why’d you save him?” Amstrad gestures to Jabber. “He’s worse than me, right? He’s totally worse than me.”
   “I don’t like you guys. I don’t want to work with you guys. But I save lives when I can. It’s what good people do.”
   “How nice.”
   Kiki turns to him. “What’s your point?”
   “What do you mean?”
   “Why do you say that it’s hopeless? Are you gonna leave?”
   “I don’t know. I just said it because I was thinking it.”
   “Well here’s some advice; if you’re gonna leave, leave. If not, don’t. But don’t waste our fuckin’ time, Amstrad. These people need us.”
   She’s being mean.
   Amstrad adjusts his glasses and nods.
   Kill her. You could take over this whole building if you wanted. She’s being stupid to insult you.    
   “No.” he says softly.
   “‘No’ what? You thought of a third option?”
   “I wasn’t talking to you.”
   It’d be mercy, rather than Time Prison. Though I suppose it also wouldn’t work, as she must be there eventually. Do you think it’s this desiccated apartment complex, this monument to urban scum, that gets her jailed for unending and unfathomable torture?
   Amstrad shakes his head.
   “Are you okay?” she asks.
   “I’m fine. It’s just- it’s some brain shit.”
   Kiki nods thoughtfully. “You should leave. It’d be best for everyone.”
   Amstrad holds his head in his hands. “I think I can help.”
   You can’t. She already might as well be imprisoned.
   “Not everyone can help.” Kiki says.
   “These people deserve better than us.”
   “Than you.”
   “Than us, Kiki.” Amstrad repeats.
   She shakes her head.
   “I’m staying. But something has to change.”
   Kiki’s face drops. “Someone’s coming.”
   Amstrad pulls his pistol and looks to the door.
   Catch comes in with Sam. He’s holding a slice of pizza.
   “Hey.” he says. “I thought I could step out for a second. Sorry.”
   Kiki rolls her eyes and stands up. She leaves the room.
   “Hey Catch.” Amstrad says. “Nice to see you’re okay. How was your vacation?”
   He chuckles. “What?”
   “You don’t abandon us like that. You just don’t. You of all people should know that.”
   “You’re not my boss.”
   Amstrad shakes his head. “You should get up early tomorrow. Help around to make up for it. In fact, I’ll wake you up.”
   “Do you wear those sunglasses at night?” Catch asks.
   “Yes.” Amstrad lays down. “I’ll wake you.”
   He sets the alarm on his clock.