The California Civil War isn’t nearly as organized as the other one, but does have the advantage of nice weather and cell phone coverage. The Battle of Los Angeles isn’t as big as everyone sort of wants it to be; Nora’s squad spends most of the week doing mopup.

Which is why the ambush outside the big theater hits them so hard. Nora leaves bloody handprints on the sidewalk, but the med squad is snappy.

“Fucking idiotic,” she curses herself.

“Relax,” says one of them, “don’t you get a Purple Heart for this?”

“It sucks,” she winces, “just to be nominated.”