Bulletproof Girl is sitting in the courtyard. At noon, nearly every Killjoy, except for those monitoring the security cameras outside the hideout, eat together. It's a bonding experience for everyone, and a sort of break for the Killjoys.

The courtyard is never truly quiet, but now, at the busiest time of the day, it is a cacophony of voices and laughter. People are swapping food, cigarettes, and stories.

Bulletproof Girl usually eats with the same crowd. This includes Summertime Soul, her best friend; Mixtape Menace, a painter and biochemistry genius; and Battery Rat, the sometimes annoying technology prodigy.

Bulletproof Girl has finished her meal, but she chooses to stay and talk with her friends rather than wander around. Summertime Soul is smoking again, as she often does. Bulletproof Girl smokes now and then, but she's not quite as addicted as her friend, nor does she have any desire to be. Battery Rat is eating his own meal, as well as swiping a few of Mixtape Menace's chips here and there. Mixtape Menace himself has just finished telling a story from his job as a security camera monitor, detailing the time a few Killjoys pranked him by jokingly spray-painting a curse word over the lens.

"Did they get ghosted?" Summertime Soul asks, puffing on her cigarette.

Mixtape Menace swallows his bite of sandwich. "Nah. I told Ammunition Flash, and he said just to ignore it. We do get pranks here and there, but nothing ever really serious. Besides, the camera was a piece of junk and needed to be replaced, anyway."

"Shame." Summertime Soul says, disappointed. "Story would've been more interesting if they'd gotten in trouble."

"Suppose so. Anything interesting happen at work today for you?" Mixtape Menace asks, finishing his sandwich.

"Well," Battery Rat says, breaking into the conversation, "I fixed the glitch in Computer 17 that Grenade Crisis had been complaining about. Turns out it was the--"

"I wasn't talking to you, Rat," Mixtape Menace interrupts. "Your job is not only boring, but confusing as hell."

"It just seems that way because I'm smarter than you," Battery Rat replies smugly. Mixtape Menace shoves his shoulder in a friendly way.

"I found a potential Killjoy today," Bulletproof Girl says, knowing this news will please her friends.

Mixtape Menace perks up. "Really?"

"Yeah," Bulletproof Girl says with a half shrug. "Student Number 66 accidentally brought his drawing notebook to school. Pretty good stuff. Seemed pretty worried that he'd get reported."

"Sounds like a definite potential to me," Summertime Soul comments, putting out her cigarette.

"We might be going on a recovery mission soon, then," Mixtape Menace says, getting excited.

Bulletproof Girl nods slowly. "Ammunition Flash told me he'd announce who'd be going tonight, but don't get your hopes too high. Probably everybody will be clamoring to go into the city."

"Still, though," Mixtape Menace says, steadfastly optimistic. While Bulletproof Girl herself isn't an optimist, she has to admire his spirit.

"Do you know when the actual raid is going on?" Battery Rat asks, discreetly grabbing a large handful of Mixtape Menace's chips. Mixtape Menace spots him at the last second, and swats at his hand.

"Tomorrow night," Bulletproof Girl responds, taking one of Mixtape Menace's chips.

Mixtape Menace nods and holds out the half-empty bag of chips, letting Battery Rat and Bulletproof Girl take as many as they like. Bulletproof Girl takes a few more chips and holds them in her hand, taking her time, while Battery Rat simply takes the whole bag.

Mixtape Menace grabs the bag of chips from his friend's hand, annoyed. "Quit taking all my chips, Rat,"

"You let Bulletproof have some," Battery Rat protests.

"Some being the key word here," Mixtape Menace says, shaking half of the remaining contents of the bag into Battery Rat's hands. Seemingly satisfied, Battery Rat eagerly munches on the chips.

"You're always stealing everybody's food," Summertime Soul notes, taking a final cigarette from her pack and putting the rest into her jacket pocket.

"That's why they call me 'Rat' instead of 'Battery'," Battery Rat says with a grin. The group laughs, and Bulletproof Girl feels at home, surrounded by her friends; no, her family.