B.E.A.N.S.L.A.Y.E.R.S.

Aria looked over at her companions. Juniper was holding together pretty well, it seemed like. She slowly chewed her sandwich and swallowed, then sipped her drink. Juniper's eyes never left Adagio. Aria noticed that her sister was walking with a slight hitch in her step.

Beyond Juniper, A.K. was simply confused. She looked at the girls, then at Que, then at Fancy. She didn't seem to know what to make of the newcomers.

Que, however, did. “Adagio,” he said in an icy tone, “I thought we agreed that I would handle this one?”

The siren nodded. “Oh, we did. But you see, there were a couple problems that arose.” She glared pointedly across the room at Aria, Juniper, and A.K..

“Even so.” Que crossed his arms. “This requires subtlety. Finesse. I suggest-”

Glimmer stepped forward. “With all possible respect, Queen Thorax,” she said. “The time for subtlety and finesse is long past.”

Que- or Thorax, Aria supposed- looked around the room. His gaze seemed a lot less attractive now and a lot more threatening.

Thorax nodded slowly. “I guess you're right.” He sighed and turned to Fancy. “I'm truly sorry about this, Mister Mayor.”

“I beg your pardon?” Fancy said.

Thorax flicked his wrist. A dagger as long as his forearm dropped out of his sleeve.

He pointed it at Fancy.

“We're taking the Seal,” he said. “We don't want to hurt you, but we will if you try to stop us.”

Fancy's lips tightened, eyes gleaming with indignity, but raised his hands. Fleur did the same.

The confrontation took almost a minute, more than enough time for Aria to react. But she stayed still, remembering the museum.

Glimmer and Trixie seemed to both disappear in swirls of fabric. One brown, one blue. When things settled, each was holding a weapon. Glimmer pointed a sword at Juniper's face, while Trixie aimed a pistol at Aria.

“Adagio,” Thorax prompted.

Adagio walked over to the case with the Bean in it. She examined it for a moment, much like Aria had done, then leaned down and whistled sharply.

The glass instantly shattered into slivers, and Adagio was able to reach in and grab the necklace. As Aria suspected, there were no alarms. Adagio tossed the prize to Thorax.

Thorax then turned toward Aria and Juniper, though he kept the dagger pointed at Fancy. “You two,” he said. “We know you took the Seal from the museum. I imagine you've kept it with you. Hand it over.”

Juniper's hand quickly fluttered to her jacket pocket. Her eyes narrowed behind her glasses. “I don't think so.”

Thorax fully turned, aiming his blade at them.

“I won't ask a third time,” he said. “Give us the Seal. Now.”

Juniper shook her head. “No.”

Thorax stared for a moment. Then he lowered his blade. “Very well,” he sighed. Aria blinked, sure her disbelief was plain.

And then Aria heard a Click! beside her. She turned. Slowly.

Juniper was frozen. Not in fear, but shock.

The barrel of a gun was pressed against her neck.

And holding that gun, finger on the trigger, was A.K. Yearling.