Government Intervention Interlude  

While Leo was in the middle of feeling tongue-tied and confused over the big bomb the universe had just dropped on him, there was another person in Exploratown experiencing an equally alarming situation. 

Jaybird was standing with his eyes wide and his throat quickly going dry outside the door of the four-story dwelling the Deathbringers purchased as their new covenstead in this new realm of the Abyss. 

In front of him, more than two dozen players were gathered. All of them were gazing intently back at him — just him. 

"Um, what's happening?" Jaybird asked. 

"I think they're here to challenge you, love," Lyghtning guessed. 

She was standing next to him, although she didn't seem as worried as Jaybird did. Nope, Lyghtning's smile might have been an indicator of how humorous she found the situation to be. 

"Yeah," Black Howler agreed.