“I used the internet.”

“He has his address online?” she asked.

Teddy shook her head. “Nah. See, I found out he’s a theater guy, so I went to the theater and then got him to give us some costumes.”

“Just . . . like that?”

Teddy frowned and looked off to the ceiling as she thought. “I had some help from some comrades.”

Emily pressed her face into her hands. “Did you hide your identity? Wait, how did you get back into the room?”

“I asked comrade janitor,” Teddy said. “And Alea Iacta didn’t hide his identity. His name’s Jacob. He looks kinda wimpy out of costume. Wimpier.”

Emily gestured to the costume. “And you think this is . . . appropriate as a costume for me?”

Teddy blinked then looked at the costume. “Yeah. It’s a Boss costume, and you’re the Boss.”

“I . . . I guess,” Emily said. She didn’t feel bosslike, but Teddy kept saying it, and it was her name, at least according to her status page. Maybe she should play it up. When she thought costume, the first thing that came to mind was the skimpy short-skirted outfits with boob windows that Heroes had worn during the seventies when Heroism became a big deal.

Emily could safely say that she wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something like that.

The other option, the one she found a lot more acceptable, was the heavy armor worn by some of the more intimidating Heroes. But that sort of stuff probably cost a whole lot, and she suspected that buying that kind of equipment would put her on a list.

“Aren’t we heading out in a bit?” Teddy asked.

Emily shifted. She hadn’t made any sort of concrete plans for the evening yet. She knew that she had to do something about Homie, and sooner rather than later, but acting, actually going out and doing something was . . . It wasn’t in her nature, especially not something that might be violent.

But then, if she didn’t act, wasn’t her future just as ruined as if she did?

“Yeah,” she said. “I mean . . . yes. We’re going to call Melanie and . . . and then we’ll see.”

“Cool,” Teddy said. “I’ve got my own costume. I can get changed in the bathroom while you change here.”

Emily hesitated, then nodded. Teddy was surprisingly kind about Emily’s reservations about personal space. She watched the girl take a big bag with something purple in it into the bathroom.

She made sure the door was locked, then got dressed in a hurry. The costume fit almost as if it was tailored for her. She had to wiggle a little to get into the pants, but no more than when wearing some well-fitted jeans, and while the vest squeezed a bit, it wasn’t in a bad way.