We knew it would come to this, Legend said.

I turned around. My hands were full as I unbelted a tightly folded blanket and draped it over one of the wounded.

A surprising number of wounded, in the end. Twenty or so injured from an aircraft that had been partially obliterated, eighteen more people whod had their legs sliced off. Nearly forty Dragons Teeth with mild injuries, their armor melted to their faces, chests, arms and legs. Scion had tried his usual assortment of attacks, and theyd evaded them. Enhanced strength from the costumes, predictive technology from the onboard artificial intelligences.

So hed used a power they couldnt dodge, a power they couldnt block. A light that radiated outward and melted the materials of their costumes.

Cauldron hadnt been there to reinforce the group. If they had been, it might have been a staging ground. Instead, the group had folded and Scion had come after the portal that was closest.

What do you mean? I asked.

When we were predicting what would happen with the Endbringers, we said that wed be forced to regroup, consolidate our forces. Every fight would result in losses, so wed have to abandon positions, move people from an abandoned post to keep numbers up.

I can see that, I said.

An outpost abandoned. The world Defiant and Dragon had been looking after was being abandoned as a lost cause. There were countless people still alive, but they were spread out, and there was no way to mount a proper defense with our forces spread too thin.

If theres an upside, Legend said, his tone changing as if he were forcing himself to be less grim. Tattletale said were making headway. It doesnt look like it, but were taking chunks out of him. The strongest of us survive, we regroup, see what works, were stronger when it comes to the next fight.

Except hes indiscriminate. Hes killing the ones who can actually affect him, because hes being reactive. Were not stronger by virtue of the strongest surviving and consolidating because the only difference between this fight and the next is that well be less.

I kept my mouth shut.

Defiant and Dragon will be joining you guys here, to make up for the ones you lost. Youll have Leviathan, at the very least. Chevalier and I will be a matter of minutes away.

A few minutes is too long, I thought. But I didnt want to state the obvious, didnt want to argue.

I was trying to be good, trying not to raise any problems with a guy who could well be sensitive over the fact that Id murdered one of his closest companions a few years back.

Besides, I knew that this pep talk was most likely Legend trying to reassure the wounded. Maybe even him trying to reassure himself.

He took his time, putting fresh bandages on a wound.

Ive followed your career, Legend said. Ive seen you on the battlefields, fighting the Endbringers, old and new. The bugs are noticeable.

Im nothing special.

You rendered Alexandria brain dead, Legend told me. That warrants attention.

Fair enough, I said. I managed to get another blanket unbelted from the arrangement of straps that kept it in a folded position and then draped it over someone. Legend moved the end of the blanket, where it rested on the patients wounded foot.

I wanted to know who it was that had killed Rebecca. I kept an eye on everything you did in the Protectorate, looked for the details about your past. I understand if that seems creepy

I think I get it. You were close to her.

I felt close to her. In the end, though, there was a gap between my feelings and the reality. Still is, I suppose. Go through enough with people, build something from the ground up, you form ties.

Yeah, I said. I looked over my shoulder. Mai, one of the kids Charlotte and Forrest were looking after, was there, alongside one of Rachels henchmen and a puppy. Giving comfort to a child from the other settlement whod been burned by the same effect that melted the costumes of the Dragons Teeth. The burns werent horrible, but it made it hard to tell the childs ethnicity or gender.

But the child was scratching the puppy behind the ear. Rachel stood nearby, arms folded, stern and ominous. I felt a kind of fondness, tempered by a kind of hesitance, like I couldnt let myself hold on too tight to the friendship and familiarity because she could be dead by the end of the day. Though it was sharper than it had been in the past, it wasnt an unfamiliar feeling.

Legend was looking at me when I turned back to him. Yeah.

It doesnt always make for the most sound decisions.

No, it doesnt, I agreed. I had to scoot out of the way as some doctors hurried by with fresh tools and equipment. Removing the dissolved materials from burned flesh was something of a task, and there were a lot of people to help.

I always knew there was something wrong, underneath it all, but there were bigger things to focus on. You finish dealing with one Endbringer attack or a potential war with parahuman attacks on both sides, it demands all of your focus. Youre left drained, dealing with the event or the aftermath, and then you need to recuperate, you have an organization to manage. Theres never a moment where you can stop, take a deep breath, and then say, now is the moment where I address that nagging doubt I had the other day. Now is the moment I call so-and-so out on that less-than-complete truth they used while we were elbow-deep in Indonesian cyborg super-soldiers.

I think I know exactly what you mean.

I think its very possible you do, he said.

But you cant dwell on it, I said.

If you dont give it the necessary attention, then how do you prevent it from becoming a cycle?

You dont. You look back at your reasons for making the choices when you made the choices, you recognize that you didnt address or act on your suspicions and doubts because you had higher priorities at the time, and you make peace with it.

Have you? Made peace with it?

Im on my way there, Legend.

Im not sure I want to go there, he said. Give me a hand? Hold his leg up?

I nodded.

Gore. A foot reduced to something unrecognizable. The man would probably lose it.

But Legend still tended to the limb with care. Almost gentle. I tried to be as graceful in keeping the leg in the air.

The soldier made a noise of pain as Legend cleaned the foot, using a laser to sever a tag of flesh that was holding a piece of boot on. I reached out and held the mans hand.

You came in here for a reason, Legend said.

I looked up.

Its not about taking care of the wounded, he said. Youre not devoting a great deal of attention to keeping an eye on Hellhound, either. Yes, you could use your swarm to discreetly observe her, to discreetly observe anyone in your range, but I dont think thats why you came here.

I started to respond, but the soldiers leg started kicking, an almost involuntary nerve reaction. I had to pull my hand from his to hold his leg as still as possible.

We eased it down until he was lying flat, his leg on the bed. I pulled a blanket over him, as carefully as I could.

You have a question, or questions, Legend said, But youre not asking them because youre worried about the response. Either its something touchy, or theres another reason why youre holding back.

I sighed. If you dont have an answer for me, then Im not sure I know what Im going to do next.

So this is about something only I would know?

Basically, I said. We dont have access to that broad a pool of people, right now.

Okay, Legend said. What do you need to know?

Cauldrons portals.

Closed. Theyre created by a parahuman called Doormaker. The Doctor told me he was blind and deaf to his surroundings, but I think its far more likely that its to do with another parahuman she partnered him with. Someone who grants sensory awareness. I think the Doctor gave Doormaker too much exposure to this parahuman and destroyed or atrophied his other senses. One of those nagging doubts I never acted on.

We passed by Rachel, Rachels minion and Mai. I gave Rachel a little nod of acknowledgement as we stepped outside.

Then we stepped outside. There was a shattered sign over the boarded-up windows. Apparently Tattletale had made some business deals and tried to get things in place for this to become a city like any one in Earth Bet. The pieces were there, but the furniture had yet to be installed, the food yet to be supplied. An empty fast food place, now a makeshift hospital.

Eat fresh? I thought. Not likely.

I took in the scene. Capes were still reeling from the attack, and again, it was the monsters and the lunatics that seemed to be standing, while others sat, recovering, catching their breath, mustering their courage.

Nilbog, engaged in conversation with Glaistig Uaine.

Four of the Heartbroken, with Imp and Romp. A maskless Imp gave Bonesaw a glare as the girl hurried, in the company of Marquis and Panacea, to the fast food place Legend and I had just left.

Lung was alone, looking angry, frustrated, almost more agitated than hed been before or during the fight. His eyes were on Leviathan, who was down by the water, but I didnt get the impression Leviathan was the source of the frustration.

Parian and Foil were together, Foil with her mask off. Theyd curled up in a space between two large bins of food, Foil resting her head on Parians shoulder, their hands and fingers entwined.

Tattletale was caught up in a conversation with Knave of Clubs, and fell under the Simurghs shadow. The Simurgh, for her part, seemed to be busy building other tinker devices, drawing on the abilities of tinkers in the immediate area.

Vista was sitting on a rooftop, two stories high. Her eyes were closed, her hands set behind her so she could lean back a bit. Her face turned towards the sky.

There were other capes in the area, looking a little more serious, focused on business. Chevalier was with Defiant and Dragon, Black Kaze, Saint, Masamune and Canary. Some of them drifted off, making their way towards us.

If it helps, Legend said, I dont think Doormaker is dead. There have been two interruptions in his power, to date. One followed an earthquake. He was unhurt, but his partner well, it was a clue that a partner existed. His doors all went down simultaneously the moment the earthquake hit the facility. I dont think his power is the type that would outlast him after death, if it was so easily interrupted while he was alive.

So hes alive because the doors are still open in places.

Alive and unable or unwilling to use his power, Legend said.

I nodded. So is it Cauldron running or is it another agency?

I could see Legends expression change. Id heard him talk before, saying as much, but his face was what told me, above all else, that he was burdened by regrets. I wish I could say it was the latter.

But you dont know.

I remain in the dark when it comes to Cauldron.

What about Satyrical? I asked. He was investigating with his team, wasnt he?

He was, but he tends towards radio silence, Pretenders people have since well before the Vegas teams cut ties with the Protectorate. They claimed it was because there would inevitably be a parahuman who could uncover them if they left channels open. Now well, isnt that the way most things were? Secrets, lies, conspiracies.

It is, but- I tried to find a way to politely say what I was trying to say.

But?

With all due respect, and I really do mean that because I respect you, I respect that youve participated in the fights, I get where youre coming from

Youre spending too much time couching what youre saying, Legend said. Rest assured, I can handle what youre about to throw at me. I think worse things to myself all the time.

Im impatient. Thats all. Scions going to attack again, and I dont plan to be here, I said.

You want a portal to get out of here, Legend said.

No, I said. I dont want an escape. I want to act.

Were acting, Legend said.

Were reacting.

If you have ideas for something pre-emptive, I think we could all stand to hear it.

I shook my head. Nothing definitive.

Even something that isnt definitive.

I want to find Cauldron. They have contingency plans we know they havent put into effect yet, and they have answers theyve yet to provide.

Cauldron is very good at leading people to believe that they have the answers and then disappointing, Legend said. Take it from someone who knows. Ah. Im doing it again, arent I? Like an old man.

He smiled, and I smiled a little too.

Youre an old man? Chevalier asked. His group had just joined us.

Taylor here was just very politely trying to tell me Im wasting her time on reminiscing and regrets.

You have something better to do? Defiant asked me.

Defiant, Dragon said, admonishing him. She was in her armor, but had her helmet off. The face was real. Plain, but real.

Shes an A.I. A false person. What else had Saint said? Shes deceiving us? Its all an act?

came out wrong, Defiant was saying. Very deliberately, he said, I am genuinely curious what youre doing, Weaver.

Dragon smiled a little, as if a private thought had crossed her mind.

The doubts Saint had seeded dissipated.

Ninety percent of them.

I was telling Legend I want to go after Cauldron, I said. A member of the Chicago Wards was saying that sending Satyrical to go investigate is like sending a fox to guard the henhouse.

Satyrical has definite ties to Cauldron, Dragon said. If nothing else, Pretender maintains connections to the group. If Cauldron is running, or if they are pulling something covert, then its very possible Satyrical is on board or is going to be brought on board.

Chevalier shifted the Cannonblade to his other hand, then stabbed the point into the ground. It looked different. His armor looked different. Gold and black, instead of gold and silver. It also means he and the Las Vegas capes are well equipped to know how Cauldron operates, and identify clues others would miss. We sent them with others we could trust. Theyve been reporting in on schedule.

I opened my mouth. Chevalier spoke before I could. -With stranger and master precautions in place.

I frowned.

Youre strong when it comes to improvising, Chevalier told me. Weve got a moment to breathe. We think hes hitting another world, one we dont have access to. Were regrouping, figuring out who goes where, and were trying to set things up so we can mobilize faster. I cant tell you what to do. I wouldnt if I could. But we could use you here.

Were losing, here, I said. Legend was being positive, but I dont think we can really delude ourselves that far. Hes tearing us apart while holding back. If we put up a fight or if we dont hold back, he hits us harder, like he hit the Guild. He can always top us, and he can always say hes had enough and then just nuke the continent. Thats not a recipe for an eventual win.

I dont even think thats the worst of it, Tattletale said, finally having broken away from Knave of Clubs to join this conversation. Hes evolving, maturing. If you can even call it that. He was a blank slate, then almost like a baby, flinging destruction around like a baby practices moving their arms, as if to remind himself he could and then he was like a child in this fight except for the bit about Queen of Swords. That suggested hes almost entering an adolescent phase. Something more complex than just raw fear and awe. Loss, despair. Hes going to start looking for ways to really hurt us.

Instead of just annihilating us? Legend asked. Torture?

Mental, emotional, more involved physical torture. Up until he hits adulthood. Then he probably destroys us, completely and utterly. Id be surprised if we lasted more than two days, rate hes developing.

Youre talking about him as if he were human, Saint said.

He is, Tattletale said. Its the only reason hes doing this, and its the only way we have to truly make sense of him, and its his primary means of making sense of us. Which is why he did it. Hes got our general biological makeup. He thinks, he feels, he dreams, he hurts, but its all buried so far under mounds and mounds and mounds of power and security, it doesnt really supplant him. Its never been exposed to the real world, really, so the human side of him hasnt matured or developed.

A weakness? Chevalier asked.

Yes, but not a weakness were going to be able to exploit, Tattletale said. Hes too careful, and he would have foreseen it. Adapted around it, probably. Be awfully stupid for something like him to adapt traits of their targets and adapt vulnerabilities at the same time. Knowing this could help, but its not going to be the weak point we can target to finish him off. That makes zero sense.

We know a lot of things like that, I said. A lot of tidbits about his behavior or who he is or what he is. But a lot of it isnt reliable information. He cared a lot about my clone decoys multiplying during the fight on the oil rig, but he didnt give a damn this time.

Hes advancing, evolving. His focus is changing, Tattletale interjected.

We know so many critical details, I said, And we need more. We need a way of paring truth away from fiction, or determining whats no longer true. I dont know for sure what were going to do to stop him, but I think any plans I have are going to start or end with Cauldron.

I looked around the group. Men and women, all in armor that made them stronger, bulkier or taller, it seemed. Legend was comparatively small, but he had presence to make up for it, even as tired and worn out as he seemed to be. Flying, casual flying as Legend tended to do, gave one a little more stature.

I wasnt short, but it felt like Tattletale and I were mortals in the midst of giants. Defiant, in particular, seemed somehow imposing. His body language was familiar with the way hed naturally set his feet apart, his hand on his weapon.

Even the place we were standing, it stirred memories. We were at the north end of the Bay, even.

Yes. The plan makes sense, Defiant said. Ill trust you on this one.

Dragon reached out to grab and squeeze his hand.

What do you need? Defiant asked me.

I was thinking Id bring some of the capes that cant or wont participate in the fight against Scion, I said. My eyes fell on Canary.

Me? Canary squeaked.

Anyone, but capes like you, I said. Support capes who cant support in circumstances like this. Strangers who cant use their power on Scion. Capes like that.

And if you cant access Cauldron? Chevalier asked. I dont want to put too fine a point on it, but your actions when you assumed control of the Simurgh were heavy handed. You told an ex-teammate in the Wards that you werent intending to be a hero anymore. I dont want to tell you I wont cooperate any more than I want to tell anyone I wont cooperate, but youd be asking us to put a fair amount of power in your hands by sending capes your way. I dont know that I feel confident sending capes to you, if I dont know how theyll be put to use.

Would you allow me to talk to other capes? I asked. You dont have to send them my way, but maybe I could inquire?

Im not going to stand in anyones way, Chevalier said. Im not the bad guy, here. But Ive got to lead this battle, and Ive got to do what I can to make sure things dont get worse. If a cape needs to go, if they dont have the courage to stand and fight, Im not going to make them. Ill try to convince them otherwise, but I wont make them. And if they think theyll be more useful elsewhere, I wont stop them there, either.

I nodded. Ill settle for that.

What else?

Access to computers, I said. Tools. Resupplies. The Dragonfly.

He reached out of his pocket and withdrew a knife. He reversed it and extended it to me, handle first.

I reached for the weapon, then saw Defiant pull his hand back. Be aware of the safety and the activation switch.

I saw one of the switches, then took hold of the knife.

Keep it away from heat. If the growths start knuckling together, then its probably clogged at the air intake. You can unscrew the cap at the butt of the knife and access the air intake there. Bake it at roughly five hundred degrees to clear it, then thoroughly vacuum. Pay attention to how long it takes the growths to hit maximum length youll know because the colors at the ends are a lighter gray. Three point seven seconds is the optimum time. If it takes shorter then youll know somethings wrong with-

The knife wont degrade too much in the next day, Dragon said. And we have spares, thanks to Masamune.

You didnt make this much of a fuss with my flight pack, I said.

I included documentation, Defiant said.

Thank you, I said. I found the holster for my old knife, then put it through the belt at my back, holstering the new knife.

Wheres the Dragonfly? he asked. I pointed.

Dragon said something in Japanese to Masamune and Black Kaze. There were two nods.

Defiant led the way to the Dragonfly, all business, Dragon, Canary, Tattletale, and me following. He seemed almost happy to have something to focus on. A problem that could be solved.

Did he genuinely trust me? Was there a modicum of hope, here, with me mobilizing to go look into the Cauldron situation?

He continued to hold his weapon, though the fight wasnt about to start.

I could imagine his outlook, the security the weapon afforded him, a hundred solutions in his hands. The ability to defend himself, to defend others, to move out of the way of danger. It made sense.

Dragon, conversely what was her security blanket?

Different. I couldnt put my thumb on it. But shed lost to Saint, to the Dragonslayers. Shed been taken captive, effectively killed. Killed by a man who saw her as subhuman.

Shed been altered by Teacher. Not so much she was a slave to him, but something had happened, and that was no doubt a large part of how she was disconnected from reality in the here and now.

I looked back at Saint, Masamune and Black Kaze. Saint was taking a seat, his back to a chunk of destroyed aircraft, cross-legged. Calm, relaxed.

How can you stand to be near them? I asked.

Keep your enemies closer, Dragon said, her voice tight.

Dont forget about the friends part, I said.

She shook her head a little. I wont.

When we were waiting for the fight to start, I went around, looking for people I needed to thank. Important people to me, people who I wasnt sure Id get a chance to talk to again. I missed a few important ones. My dad you two. I know the only reason I got my shot at being a hero, the only reason I didnt go to jail, was because you vouched for me, because you agreed to cart me back and forth and interrupt your schedule. I probably didnt even deserve it, but you backed me up. Im just Ive never been good at saying thank you and sounding as sincere as I feel.

I think we benefited as much as you did, Dragon said. You needed to join the Wards to make amends, shall we say? It was the same for us.

For me, Defiant cut in.

I had my own regrets, Dragon said.

You had no choice.

Regrets nonetheless, she said, again. Her head turned towards Canary, and Canary smiled just a little. Dragon then looked to me.

Was it possible for an artificial human to look weary? To look wounded, in the sense that she was bearing some grievous injury from recent events?

Wed stopped outside the Dragonfly. I bid the ramp to open, controlling the bugs in the operating mechanism.

Then, as it opened, I impulsively gave Dragon a hug. Returning a favor shed given me some time ago.

Lets get you set up, Defiant said.

Hook me in while youre at it? Tattletale made it a question. Whatever you need to do, so I can communicate with her and her peeps.

Ill see to it.

Tattletale glanced at me. Ops?

Please.

We circled twice before coming in for a landing. A cave just above water level, inaccessible except from the air.

The receiving party consisted of Exalt and Revel from the Protectorate core group, with half of the Vegas team. Nix, Leonid, Floret and Spur. Vantage was waving a rod around, listening to steady beeps.

Oh god, finally. Something to take my mind off the beeping, Floret said. She was petite, her hair in carefully layered waves of pink, with green at the roots.

Find anything? I asked.

No signs of any portals that have been opened in the past. Harder than cracking Dodgers gateways, apparently, Vantage said. Or they gave us bad instructions. Howre you doing, Weaver?

Im fine, I said.

Wearing black, he said.

Is everyone going to comment on that? I asked.

Its comment worthy. Howd the fight nevermind. I can guess.

Probably, I said.

Grim group, Floret commented. I know blacks in with the end of the world, but damn. Only one person with style.

I looked over my shoulder. Golem, in silver and gunmetal, his mask solemn. Cuff, again, in a dark metal costume. Imp, with her dark gray mask and black bodysuit that actually fit her. Shadow Stalker, in a black, form-fitting bodysuit like the one Id given Imp, along with a flowing cloak with a heavy hood. All spidersilk, but the mask was hers, as was the crossbow. Rachel followed, her jacket, tank top and pants black, only the fur ruff at her shoulders, where it flowed around the edges of her hood, was white. Huntress and Bastard flanked her. Lung was still inside the Dragonfly, but I knew he had only his mask and jeans on. Barefoot, shirtless.

Canary was the only one, apparently, who met Florets standards. Yellow body armor, her helmet in one hand, her hair and feathers free.

I remember you, Spur said. He smiled. Teeth that had been professionally done, no doubt. He wasnt bad looking, but not quite my type. Spiky hair, and a costume that mingled barbed wire tattoos with real barbed wire, where his skin was exposed. Mid twenties, with hair bleached to a near-white and acid washed jeans. His mask was simple, black, covering the upper half of his face, with only a circle of barbed wire at the brow. A trademark of thinker powers, to do the whole forehead thing. A precog who was most effective in the midst of chaos and heightened emotions, and fairly competent otherwise. Bad Canary?

Canarys eyes widened. You remember my stage name?

You were famous, he said. The whole trial thing. You-

Canarys expression fell.

-got robbed, he said.

Dick, Floret said. Like thats how she wants to be remembered.

I remember the music too, he protested.

Yeah, Canary said. She rubbed the back of her neck, avoiding eye contact. It doesnt matter anyways, does it? Long time ago, and weve got better things to worry about.

Vulgarishous, he said. Ur-sound? Lineless?

Youre probably cheating, she said.

I could sing the lyrics, he answered.

It would make me sure youre cheating. I barely remember the lyrics.

I dont believe that for a second, Spur answered her. Eh, guys? Back me up. My power doesnt give me a way to cheat, does it?

No, Floret said. Hes genuine. And none of us have ways to clue him in.

I glanced at Revel, who only rolled her eyes a little. Exalt looked bored. He saw me looking and commented, Its fine here. Were using substandard tools to find a portal that used to exist, and we dont know exactly where it was.

Imp pushed her mask up until it sat on top of her head. Finding a transparent needle outside of the haystack.

Well put, Leonine said.

Dont encourage her, I told him.

He only smiled, which made Imp smirk at me in turn.

Spur was murmuring the lyrics to the song, and he was actually doing a good job of it. Canary was trying to look like she wasnt pleased as punch. It was cute. Cute and just a little ominous, considering who these guys were.

Some things had come to light after theyd departed their positions in the Protectorate and Wards. Nothing definitive, but it raised questions that had yet to be answered. Questions that would probably never be answered, now that evidence lockers and court records throughout Earth Bet had been obliterated. Problems that had resolved themselves just a little too neatly. People, both bad guys and witnesses, whod disappeared.

If Im the lion, and youre the goat Leonine was saying.

I guarantee Im more dangerous than you, Imp retorted.

I could sense others in the group getting restless.

Well let you know if anything turns up, Revel said, as if shed sensed it. She smiled a little, a bit awkward, or apologetic. Dont let us waste your time. Its the end of the world, spend it with people you care about.

Her eyes moved to Cuff and Golem, who were hanging back. The pair were the heroes of our group, so to speak. Theyd feel the betrayal of the Vegas capes more sharply, even now. They looked at each other.

I did too. Not that I counted myself as a hero. But Id been there.

I could come with, Exalt said. If youre going back. Im only here to relieve Revel. Ill be able to participate in the coming fight.

Sure, I said. But Id like to hear the password. From Revel.

Good thinking. Belord, six-two, spauld, she said.

On my seventeenth birthday, I said. What color was the cake?

Seriously? she asked. Do you even remember? I should get a brownie point for this one. Because I care about my Wards. It was white.

The frosting? I asked.

Blue, she said, sounding just a bit put out. And you barely ate any.

I nodded, satisfied. And Leonine.

Me? Leonine laughed a bit. What kind of shenanigans do you think were pulling?

Hes one of the Vegas capes, Imp said, speaking very slowly, like I was mentally disabled.

I know hes one of the Vegas capes. But I think I have to cover all of the bases. Who was your kindergarten teacher?

You researched that? Spur asked. Dug through our entire histories to find something obscure?

He sounded offended. Every head had turned his way.

Do you have a problem with that? I asked.

He frowned, but he shook his head, sticking his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the wall beside Canary. No. No problem.

Richie, Leonine said. Mrs. Richie.

Great, I said. Great. Now lets drop the fucking act.

I gave you the answer you wanted, Leonine said, smirking. What the fuck?

Spur? I said, Raise your right hand?

He did. There were bugs on the fingers.

He was moving his hand. A one-handed sign language. I assume everyone on your team knows it.

I was thinking of Canarys music, Spur told me. He stepped forward, putting a hand on Canarys shoulder as he did so. She turned, so they were both facing me. Piano keys. Mnemonic tool. That is something our team uses.

Youre being a little crazy paranoid, Imp said. Just a little.

Theyve been playing us since the start, I said. The men were batting their eyelashes at you and Canary, probably the targets they thought they could work. Revel Id think shes under some kind of compulsion.

A lot crazy, Imp said. Way crazy.

Maybe Tattletale can chime in, I suggested. Tattle?

Mostly right. Exalt, Revel, Vantage, Leonine, Floret, all fakes.

No shit, Imp said. Her mouth dropped open. No way.

Jigs up, I said. We know.

One by one, the Vegas capes changed. Flesh altered, and they assumed identical appearances.

Six copies of Satyrical. Leaving only Spur and Nix.

One of the Satyricals looked at the two who remained. Take care of yourself. Ill see you shortly.

I know, Spur said.

Satyr looked at us, as if taking us all in. And you, I suppose, well run into. Sooner or later.

Then the Satyrs died. Flesh withered, and the Satyrs crumpled up. They made bloody messes as they hit the ground, like overripe tomatoes might, but with teeth and the occasional bit of withered organ.

Self duplication, and each duplicate had shapeshifting abilities.

I bent down and picked up the devices from the heads of Revel, Exalt and Vantages clones. Earbuds, phones

Revel, Cuff said, her voice small.

Where are the real ones? Golem asked.

With the real Satyr, I guessed.

And how did he know the passwords? Golem asked.

He guessed the cake thing through cold reading. White with blue, like Weavers costume. Made sense. That Taylor didnt eat much well, look at her. The rest torture? Coercion through other means?

Torture? I asked.

Spur raised his chin a bit, but didnt do or say anything to suggest otherwise.

Ew. Imp said, under her breath, Ew, ew, ew. Hes like, forty? And he was hitting on me.

Wheres the portal? I asked Spur, ignoring Imp.

No portal. Or werent you paying attention?

I looked at Nix. You know where this goes, if you dont cooperate. Circumstances are a little too dire. We knock you out, your power fades. So why dont you drop the illusion and let us see the portal?

My power stays up while Im out, she said.

I drew my knife. The one that wasnt special.

Woah, Golem said. He put his hand on my wrist. Woah, woah, woah.

Shes bluffing, Spur said, unfazed. Shes scary, shes got a reputation, but shes bluffing here. Theres no way she follows through.

I think youre badly underestimating how pissed off I am, I said. I was surprised at just how right I was. The mounting anger caught me off guard. Doing this, screwing around, stabbing people in the back, screwing with the system when were trying to save humanity?

Were saving it too, Spur said. Satyr, the others, theyve got this situation handled. Give them two or three more hours, and the threats are going to be dealt with, Cauldron will be secure, or as secure as they can be, after you account for injuries and deaths at the hands of the invading group. You go in there, youre just going to muck up a delicate exfiltration operation.

Invading? Golem asked.

The deviants. The case-fifty-threes. Welds group.

Weld? No. Hed been one of the only decent ones out there, during my stay in Brockton Bay. Respectable, honest, kind. Hed saluted me the first time wed crossed paths, because we were both going up against an Endbringer.

Fuck it all.

Either Spur was fucking with me, or things were fucked. Fuck it all.

People like you are the reason we deserve to lose, I said, gripping the knife. Every step of the way, its been people refusing to cooperate, refusing to talk plain truth. From day one, even. Youre the reason humanity deserves to get wiped out.

Great, he said. Youre still not going to use that knife on either of us.

It was said with the smug tone of someone who could see the future.

I glanced at Canary. I could see the hurt on her face.

I get it, Spur said. See it coming. If it helps, I do remember the music.

Rachel stepped forward, giving me a little push to get me out of the way, and then slugged him.

He dropped, unconscious.

Golem set about binding him to the cave floor with hands of stone.

I looked at Nix. Her too.

Golem reached into his costume, and hands of stone gripped Nix.

To the ceiling, I decided, at the last second.

Sure, Golem said. Hands of stone emerged, passing Nix up. She struggled a bit, but she was at an unsafe height by the time she realized what he was doing.

She was bound to the cave ceiling with armholds, leg holds and an arm set across her collarbone.

What the hell? she asked.

I dont think any of your friends have powers that can break those hands, I said.

The hell? she asked, again. She tested her bonds. The fuck?

You better hope we make it out okay, I said. Tattletale?

Pretty sure its to your left. Start by going ten paces that way.

I nodded.

We followed the directions.

The illusion broke, dissolving into harmless smoke, as we reached it and pressed hard enough against the wall in question.

With the barrier gone, I could feel the warm air from within, see a dark hallway without lights.

I looked at my teammates.

Maybe humanity deserves to lose, but these guys are why were going to win, I promised myself.