The Mask: Burdens and Reputations

Blindsided

This was getting ridiculous.

Everyone knew about a Howler, but of all the people they'd spoken to, not a single one of them knew where.

Only that it was in a few hours, and that the location would be obvious by then.

Which meant this stupid thing was going to start at sunset.

When no one should be out.

And he hadn't seen or heard anything from T.

Uma wasn't happy, but she did take the time to thank them for at least remembering to use the codes.

He could feel her frustration through her writing.

They were all feeling it.

T was not letting them know anything.

He flinches and looks up, same as Beam and James, when a shadow passes overhead.

The last thing they needed was to get spotted out here by witches.

Or worse, Yu's men.

When nothing moves, the others go back to their notebook, possibly reading Uma's furious writings and elaborate descriptions of where T could stick his own head.

The Kraken was known for her temper, after all.

As his gaze drops to his own notebook, a shadow whips overhead again, this time in the opposite direction.

He snaps his notebook shut.

Fucking T.

"S'up-"

"Ya gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me!" James growls.

"Really?" He looks up at the crumbled second story of the building they were using the shadow to hide in, "Ya be runnin' off an' leavin' us with Senior after ya be slammin' ah dart in me ass an' that be all ya be havin' ta say?"

"I mean," T shrugs, "was gonna ask what took ya'll so long ta catch up, but-"

He could feel one eye twitching.

"Shadow." Beam snaps. "Down. Now."

"With that tone?"

"T!" James growls before he nervously looks around and lowers his voice, "seriously mate, get the fuck down here so we can talk."

T jumps down from the second-story window and turns to glance at all of them, "where's the others?"

He crosses his arms over his chest, "they be back at the damn temple with Senior."

"Who decided only ah few of us could leave to go after you." Beam finishes before he clicks his tongue, "so yeah, there's that."

"Huh." T frowns, "Wait- He sent you guys after me?"

"No, he didn't." James rolls his eyes, "but we figured out ya went an' left us."

T's mouth snaps shut as he looks away.

"Asshole," Beam slugs his shoulder, "you fuckin' forgot."

"Annnyways," T rubs the back of his head, "what'cha guys got?"

He sighs before he opens his notebook to let Uma know they'd found T.

"We ain'nah findin' jack shite about where the damn thing be bein' held," he offers once Uma responds.

Violently.

He was so glad he wasn't T.

T sighs, "it's bein' held in the red lantern district. Which is fuckin' bullshit'cause Tremaine is in charge of the stupid thing."