I scrambled onto the rooftops, but I didn’t see him. Or smell him – I’m not, after all, a dog.

Fortunately, fyrhunds can climb, or…maybe he teleported to get up there with me. There.

There was a shape, hiding behind the roof ridge. I ran to the top of it, dodging a bullet that angled past me. It grazed the fyrhund, who yelped, but didn’t seem significantly hurt.

“Why are you shooting at us?” I asked as I powered down the ridge, tackling him into the roof.

“Wasn’t shooting at you. No quarrel with you. Just with that asshole.”

“I don’t care what he did to your kid sister, you almost hit me.”

The look on his face showed I’d struck home. Of course, it was a guess.

“He deserves…”

“Oh, I know he’s an asshole, but do you deserve to end up in jail?”

I managed to get my hands on the gun and flip it away. It went off the edge of the roof to crash into a dumpster below.

“You could let me go.”

“Oh, I don’t intend to keep you. Just teach you a lesson about taking pot shots at people in the open.”

Which I hoped this would be. A lesson.

“So, what am I supposed to do about him?”

I considered that. “I wouldn’t stop you from beating him up, I suppose.” Of course, Kanesha would have him well clear by now. “But I don’t like unnecessary killing.”

“He knocked up a fifteen-year-old.”

“Again.” Maybe he’d be doing the world…or young women…a favor.

“You didn’t know what he did. You just guessed.”

“I know what he’s like.”

“He should be in jail. Or dead.”

I couldn’t entirely disagree. Something led me to speak. “He will be soon.”

“Which?”

“Dead. He’s old.” I wasn’t sure how I knew that – no, I didn’t. The fyrhund did, and had told me in subtle telepathy.

“Doesn’t look it.”

“He’s good at hiding it. As for the kid…the kid will be fine.” I thought of Derek. And thought that I’d have to take steps.

“She refuses to abort.”

“Brave of her.”

Then the rooftop suddenly became quite a bit hotter. I released my prey. “Run.”

He did.

I turned to face the new arrival, knowing what I would see.