“You did what?”
Robbie was beside herself. Tig was glad she’d chosen to tell her the news over the phone instead of in person. At least this way, she had a safe distance.
“You invited a Bot—wait, not only a Bot, but the head Bot, the Queen of the Bots—to our practice? Have you lost your mind?”
“She’s been really nice,” Tig said.
“That just means she’s up to something,” Robbie said. “Have you forgotten last year? The relentless pursuit of our band’s destruction that she engineered?”
“She’s sorry about that.”
“Oh, she’s sorry, huh? Well, okay, then. Let’s just forget the whole thing and invite her to the studio so she can gather intel for the next thing she does, and then I guess she can be sorry about that, too.”
“Calm down,” Tig said.
“You should’ve run it by us first,” said Robbie.
“You’re right,” Tig said. “That would have been a courtesy. But I kind of did it spontaneously.”
“You and your spontaneity,” said Robbie.
“Look, she did us a real solid by getting Kyra off our backs.”
“She certainly did,” said Robbie. “Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”
“Wonder what?”
“It wasn’t so very long ago that Kyra went to Regan to try to help her take us down. Supposedly, according to Regan, who, by the way, is a highly unreliable source, Regan said no. Why? Because Regan is so noble now. Enlightened, did you say? And then, coincidentally, Regan helps us out yet again and makes Kyra behave. And now Regan’s our buddy? Doesn’t that smell a little fishy to you? Like maybe this is all one big conspiracy? Like maybe the whole thing was planned from the beginning to get you to let your guard down?”
“Oh, come on.”
“No, seriously. Think about it. This whole scenario hinges on two unlikely things: Regan being nice and Kyra suddenly realizing she was wrong and giving up her grudge.”
Tig thought about that. Robbie did have a point. “Yeah, it is weird that Kyra would suddenly get over being mad, but think about it: if Regan told Kyra to paint herself purple and stand on top of a mountain, Kyra would run right to the paint store.”
“And after that go pick up some rope and a grappling hook,” said Robbie. “You’ve got that right. But you’ve got to remember: Regan is cunning. She may have told Kyra what to do from the beginning. Maybe she didn’t turn down Kyra’s offer to destroy the band. Maybe this whole thing has been planned out since that day, and all this is just to lull you into a false sense of security. Maybe they’re in cahoots.”
“Cahoots,” Tig said. “That’s a funny word.”
“Focus, Ripley.”
“I’m focused. I just don’t think there’s any reason to worry. I mean, what can Regan do at practice? Glue my hi-hat together? Break your guitar strings? Unplug the amps?”
“Of course not. She’d never do anything so simple. But she might try to get in our heads somehow. Throw off our confidence. Or stir up trouble between us the way Kyra tried to do.”
“But Kyra failed,” Tig said, feeling good about the fact that her friends hadn’t turned on her despite Kyra’s tactics.
“Kyra’s a lightweight,” Robbie said. “Regan’s a pro.”
“I’ll be careful,” Tig said. “And besides, you’ll be there to keep an eye on her, so what can she really do? You don’t think Regan could get away with anything with you there, do you?”
“I guess not,” Robbie said. Tig was glad Robbie couldn’t see her smiling, but she was quite pleased with herself. She knew Robbie would never admit that Regan could trick her, so this was the perfect tactic to get Robbie to relent.
“Then stop worrying,” Tig said. “Who knows? Maybe Regan really has turned over a new leaf.”
“If Regan turns over a leaf, there’s probably a venomous snake under it,” Robbie said. “I’m going into this with my eyes wide open, and if you’re smart, you’ll do the same.”
“I hear you loud and clear,” Tig said.
But when she hung up the phone, Tig shrugged off Robbie’s warning. There was nothing in Tig’s gut that told her to be on guard against Regan . . . at least not at band practice. Tig was certain there was nothing Regan could do at practice to cause trouble.