Kals glanced in the direction of Katuk. She’d arrived just after Tiger, and said, “I’d like to help.”

Haley looked at her, “Are you sure? You were training Julie.”

Katuk spoke before Kals could reply, his voice level, “I was instructed to warn you if you do something that put you at serious risk. I want to help Nick as well, but going with them would put you at serious and unpredictable risk. In addition, you know that you’ll have to leave shortly. You’ll need to be healthy to help with the invasion and you’ll assist Nick more if Julie is capable.”

Kals took a deep breath, “I know we have to leave. I’d like to help more.”

Then she shook her head, “I know you’re right. I hate doing nothing.”

Julie looked over at her, “I think you’re doing something. I was years away from figuring out anything I’ve learned from you so far.”

Kals nodded to her, “Thank you. I wasn’t saying that teaching you isn’t important, but in my world, I’m a symbol and I have to stay within certain boundaries. I’ve been able to take a little vacation from it here, but as you can see, it’s not complete.”

“What you’re doing with Julie is important,” Daniel said from across the circle. “We’ve got a much better chance because you’re teaching her and Katuk’s also right. There is a chance that going with us will hurt your rebellion.”

Kals raised an eyebrow, “In the Ascendancy, almost all people with your powers were killed. I wish we had a few, but do you ever feel trapped by what you know?”

Daniel shook his head, “I don’t know anything. All I see are possibilities. The future changes constantly and I don’t always go with the option with the best chance of success. Sometimes the future I want isn’t in that direction and there are things I’m not willing to do even if it’s got the best chance.”

“Oh,” Kals’ brow furrowed. “It might be best that we don’t have anyone like you. I work with people who might go for the easiest way to win if they knew what it was.”

Haley stepped over the symbols and blood on the floor, getting into the middle of the group. The glowing bit of blood wasn’t more than two feet away from her.

Sweeping her head around the group to meet everyone’s eyes or at least check if they were listening, she said, “I’ll have Kayla send in any bots we can spare. I think that’s got to be the first step. Once we know what’s there, we can decide what we do next.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

In the middle of her circle, Amy said, “I’ll need the time to figure out what I can prepare. I feel better than I did, but I’m not going to be able to do anything big for another day or two—unless I drain the life out of something big.”

That started more discussion, but I missed it. My comm, in its disguise as an iPhone, sent a message to my implant. It appeared in my vision without blocking my view. I could envision it and knew the information in the note like I knew my shoe size.

Though that led me to wonder (and not for the first time) how deeply the implant was in my brain, I didn’t have time. I hadn’t heard from Stephanie in a while.

“I just got a call,” I said, waving as I stepped away from the group and walked into the main group of trophies.

I took the call with my phone, turning on the video because she had and because her phone marked her as out of costume. My phone subtly fuzzed out everything around me by default.

Hers didn’t.

The last time I’d seen her in person, she’d been in the Coffeeshop Illuminati’s mansion and headquarters. If I had to guess, she was still there. The red timber walls and windows that showed the mountains were the first big clue.

The second big clue had to be that she had some kind of bedroom/lab combination. Her dressers and bed were on one side of the room. Various versions of her costume covered the tables and workbenches on the other side, all of them heaped with electronics and molded ceramics

She still looked the same—long, black hair, light skin, and an amused smile. Her tendency to wear black clothes hadn’t changed either to judge from her t-shirt.

“I hope you’re somewhere private,” she said, eyes darting around as she looked at her phone.

“I am. Are you?” A room in the Coffeeshop Illuminati’s headquarters wouldn’t be normal, but she’d been spying for the Michigan Heroes Alliance the last time I’d spoken to her. I was inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“As secure as it can be,” she said. “I’m undercover, but there’s no indication that anybody knows. I’ve swept for bugs, insulated in the room in a way I’m not going to try to explain right now, and done half a dozen other things including getting a ward on magical scrying from a friend.”

“Whoa,” I added that to a mental list of things to ask Samita and Amy about.

“Exactly,” Stephanie said. “I’m not in a good place. I’m investigating friends. I’m 99% sure that the Coffeeshop Illuminati are being influenced by the Nine, but I’m not sure how or by who and I’m beginning to think I can’t risk staying here long enough to get converted into one of their drones.”

Or, I thought, maybe she already has and she’s trying to lure us into something? Except she was competent enough at working undercover that I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt--for now.

She let out a breath and looked into the camera, “I meant to talk to you after you left, but it’s been busy and hard enough to get out the reports that I have to get out… Anyway, I’m sorry, but this is something you need to know. Major Justice just walked in the door here. He’s meeting with Bullet, Gordon, and a few other guys. I don’t know what they’re talking about, but knowing what happened to you today, I bet we can both make some guesses.”