“You’re right. There are too many secrets,” Erwin said. “That’s why I started paying attention to you. You’re honest. You’ve had the position and opportunities to see things clearly. I think you and I, we’re similar in where we stand and how we feel.”

“How is that?”

“Angry,” Erwin said. “Lost. But you tapped into something as you talked to Dragon and people were willing to listen. I can tell you what you need to know. I can provide some direction, even make some radical suggestions. We could use that anger and loss, the righteous indignation, along with the very clear view of where we currently stand. Bronze age barbarism and stone age huddling around fires for warmth.”

“Given my background, I have something of a talent for spotting bullshit,” Gary said.

“I’m genuine.”

“You’re burying the idea of ‘radical suggestions’ in between promises and hope.”

Erwin nodded slowly. He drew his phone from his pocket, and searched for a minute, nibbling on his sandwich as he went. He turned it around and pushed it forward. As his hand left the phone, he pointed.

Gary looked.

Jeanne Wynn was still on the television.

On the phone—

A woman in costume.

“Stop me if this sounds familiar. A supervillain by the name of Citrine worked under a mastermind by the name of Accord, who was on multiple lists but skirted prosecution because he was very clever and very careful.”

Gary nodded. He’d suspected, but…

His lips pressed together.

“Accord wrote booklets. Booklets spelled out things like city planning, economy, efficient feeding of the many, logistics, environment.”

“This sounds familiar,” Gary said, saying the words slowly, as if he were trying them on and then deciding to keep them. “I’ve seen these booklets.”

“As have I,” Erwin said.

“From what I’ve read, thinker plans go sour. Things that parahumans create fall to pieces, as a rule. They create problems, first and foremost.”

“Is that your plan then? Do you wait until disaster strikes Jeanne Wynn, then swoop in to make your next bid at leadership?”

“I don’t know. I may retire. There are enough things to do. I keep it in mind as a possibility.”

“What if I told you it wasn’t possible?” Erwin asked.

“Keeping it in mind?”

“For disaster to strike. What if I told you that Accord’s plans will work? Through texts he wrote and Jeanne Wynn’s slavish adherence to the terms of those texts, he will turn things around with a minimum of casualties. People will be fed as well as you could hope. We’ll be able to defend ourselves, get set up in terms of shelter, and things will be good.”

“Isn’t that positive?”