"If I didn't know better," Duke muttered. "I'd wonder if my trouble was actually really shitty luck."

"Where the hell d'you two think you're going?" the Chief demanded.

"Somewhere someone isn't going to try to kill me?" Duke shot back.

"Uh uh." The Chief looked over his shoulder. "Nathan?"

Nathan looked deeply pissed under his trademark stony facade, though it was hard to tell if he was madder at Duke or the Chief. "Should all sit down," he grumbled, as he moved to herd Duke and Octavia back into the party room. "Talk this through."

"'Sright," the Chief said, glaring at everyone. "Nobody's goin' anywhere until we track this monster down."