It hits the ceiling. That horrible tongue is still wrapped around her.

Zoe snarls back at the Mouth. Right now it's just her and Mordred left standing. She wishes that every teammate they lost along the way were here, standing with them. But that disgusting fuck has taken away everyone and it's trying to take more.

Well, it can't have them. These are hers. She exhales, stares down her gun at the enormous tongue, and pulls the trigger.

The bullet hits the roof of its disgusting slavering mouth.

It shudders and drops her on the ground.

An incongruously cheerful voice comes from the door.

"Hello hello hello! How wonderful it is to see all of you.

Miss Donovan, beautiful as always. Mordred, glad you're looking well, you weren't nearly so healthy last time I saw you. Zoe, wish I could say the same for you."

The Mouth has more than one tactic. It spits a mouthful of Nectar at Peter Lukas, who swallows it.

It drips down his face and stains his crisp white shirt orange.

One more minute. They just have to hold on for one more minute.

Chanting. Chanting. Zoe please for the love of whatever is listening shoot Peter Lukas.

He doesn't have the brain to think about this so instead he just holds on and trusts Montgomery and Zoe as hard as he can.

Zoe reloads as fast as she can. If she's fast enough, she'll take a shot at Peter Lukas. If she's fast enough, maybe she'll take him out before he can get to anyone.

Zoe's aim is sure and her hand doesn't shake, but Peter dodges the bullet easily and smiles.

"This is why you need to take Nectar!" he says cheerfully. "It makes everything so much easier."

This is fine. This is fine. She's almost done with the chant. She just has to finish this last stanza and then the Mouth won't be bothering anyone anymore.

"Ia, Yog-Sothoth! Ia, Shub-Niggurath! Ia, Gol-Goroth! Ia, Cthulhu! Ia, Dagon! Ia, Azathoth!"

The spell concludes. She stops. She lifts her head, a vision of command. You can see her as the head of the Malta cult, the woman who could dominate the world.

And then her eyes widen.

"No."

"No... no... nonononono..."

She sinks to her knees.

The Mouth is still there.

"See!" Peter Lukas says. "This is why it's important to be flexible in business!"

"Remember that every obstacle is also an opportunity."

Consciousness! ...Why the fuck is Peter Lukas here!

He pushes up onto his feet so Mordred doesn't have to juggle him and... Mordred was chanting. Nobody is chanting anymore. The Mouth is still there. That seems... bad.

Montgomery is still shaking.

"You're awake! Glad you could join us."

"Why are you here."

Should they be running? There is probably a really good reason they're not running. He personally has a strong semi-rational desire to flee.

"Montgomery sent all the guards away and I thought that you might need my help. I always try to take on extra work when it's available."

Great. Great great great great. What can he--

actually fuck this guy he killed mordred and he's probably just here to kill us more, Zoe thinks, and aims her shotgun.

But the gun is slippery in her hands, which are covered in Nectar.

She drops it and it spins across the floor to Lukas.

"Well, that's not very polite," he says, picking it up.

fuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK

--This, Mordred thinks, clearly to himself, is a bad idea. Not the worst idea Mordred has had since joining this team. Not even the worst one he's had since showing up in Malta. But bad.

"Peter. What do you want?" he says, as sincerely as is humanly possible under the circumstances.

"Well, currently," he says, "I'm considering shooting all of you and feeding you to the Mouth and taking over the cult in Malta, but I'm always open to feedback and alternate suggestions!"

This is a bad idea this is a bad idea this is such a bad idea--

"Okay," he says, "but what is your goal. What do you want to do that for."

"So... I can be in charge of the cult?"

"I know. You just said you wanted to be in charge of the cult. That's not why."