Adam recognized the grenades and hesitated. Made from wax, they shattered onto the roof and smoke billowed forth.

The human members of the team doubled over, choking, breathless. The mass of snakes fell over, separated, and slithered out of their coat into various directions.

Then only Gladys was still standing. The false skin of her left hand melted as she closed a fist that crackled with electricity. She heard someone in the smoke and punched blindly, hitting nothing. Before she could react further, someone knocked her down.

A voice boomed from above, “Adam Obianu. It is time you returned home.”

“Hello,” Adam said to the Snakes. “What brings you here today?”

One snake, holding a pen in its mouth, moved over a notepad held by another snake. It presented a roughly scrawled message to Adam.

Adam showed the message to the others. “To Help,” it said.

“Huh. This is weirder than usual,” said Gladys.

“We are in need of help,” said Adam. “I think we should accept it in whatever form we find it.” He gestured to the group, “Join us, Nineteen Snakes. And if there are no further surprises this morning–”

And then a barrage of smoke grenades began.