Her dark eyes flashed. “What I’ve been doing is being in charge the best way I know how ever since Juan died, okay? And they seemed like they could handle it! They’d all been hitting the bullseye over ninety per cent; they’re already experts at scanning; they—”

Alex let out a disbelieving laugh. “Come on, Kara, you know how different it is shooting angels for real, instead of just hitting targets! I remember Dad telling you that often enough, anyway.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not your dad! And it wasn’t exactly my plan to have Juan die before we even got started, so that I had to be in charge of training this bunch—” Kara broke off. Exhaling, she ran a hand across her face; there was silence. “Oh, hell, I messed up, okay?” she said finally, her voice weary. “They’d been doing target practice for what seemed like for ever, and I’d just found out about the Council, and this being our only chance – and I guess I sort of freaked. I thought it might be good practice for them, or something – like we couldn’t just sit here with all this going on; we had to get out and do something.”

Alex sighed – he could understand this kind of frustration all too well. “Yeah, I know. Don’t beat yourself up over it.” He looked down at his plate again; took a disinterested bite. “No one could be like Juan, anyway. He was one of the best leads I ever worked under.”

Kara leaned back, crossing her ankle over her knee. She gave him a long, appraising look. “I bet you could be like Juan,” she said at last. “Maybe even better.”

Alex’s muscles stiffened; he could see Willow watching him, and knew she was thinking the same thing as Kara. His voice came out sharper than intended. “No way. You’re in charge, Kara. I’ll help however I can, but I’m not going to come in here and take over your team.”

She rolled her eyes. “What about if I begged and pleaded?” she said. “Alex, seriously; I’m barely holding it together here. Give me an angel to shoot and I’m fine – but this?” She shook her head. “Even when you were a kid you were a great AK. I bet you’d be fantastic at all the strategy stuff, and the training – it’s just in your blood; you’ve been around it your whole life. God, I remember you taught me the best way to go for a halo, and you were only around fourteen!”

Willow touched his hand; her voice was steady. “You’d be great. I know it isn’t really something you want, but you’d be so, so good at it.”

“You’ve got to do it,” said Kara. “You have got to. Or else we don’t even stand a chance against the Council.”