“What the fuck is that about?” Burning Sensation asked. “Who?”

“The Mystic’s Mass, Morning Glory, the Unmasked, who do wear masks, and perhaps most notably, Dark Society,” Detente said.

Ashely tensed. That last one was a name that had come up in the noise of the television and the radio that had always been playing in her place in Stafford. She’d heard of the others since coming to Boston, but she hadn’t imagined she would have to deal with them.

That time felt so long ago.

“What the fuck?” Burning Sensation asked.

“They’ll be arriving soon,” Detente said. “Our powered soldiers will be unpaid liaisons or ambassadors for these four groups, helping against any group or force that isn’t already receiving our aid.”

“Make your plans quickly with this information in mind,” Accord said.

“Against any force that isn’t receiving your aid. You mean us,” Ashley said.

“Clearly,” Detente said.

Was this what the Director had wanted to tell her? That this was coming?

“The plan had been for each of the four groups to take one of the four territories up for consideration here,” Detente said. “But with Blastgerm having made the play it did, adjustments may be in order.”

Ashley clenched her fist, power crackling, as she saw the headlights on the road that looked over the beach.

Lots of lights.

They were professional, organized teams like the ones she’d been whittling at for the past three weeks. People who had been active in the background, that she had told herself she wouldn’t need to deal with.

Mystic’s Mass, with a vague and dark religious theme, thorny halos mounted on their costumes, pointed hoods, and swords with cross iconography worked into their handles. Eight of them, with more, presumably unpowered individuals by the cars.

Morning Glory, less stylish. Angel had mentioned them, which was what tipped Ashley off to the fact that they were mostly or wholly Irish. There wasn’t much in the way of ‘morning’ or ‘glory’ about them, from an aesthetic standpoint. Their leader reminded her of her dad, in the way he held himself and his stature, but he had red hair, he had a mask on, and he had bright blue floral tattoos up his arms, in stark contrast to his masculine image. Five capes. More by the cars.