"Genetically-engineered dinosaur, but there was time-travel involved," Nico said, her smile stretching into a grin even as her heart clenched a little in her chest. "Gert's parents went a few millennia into the future and had someone make a Deinonychus that responded to Gert's mental commands. We found her in their basement, and it turns out having a dinosaur around is pretty handy when you're on the run from, oh, everyone."

She ducked her head sheepishly. "So it's not like I was fighting Old Lace or anything when it happened. I just shoved my arm in her mouth and told Gert to make her bite me, because I needed to get the Staff out of my chest before we all got shot or Chase lit any of the cops on fire."