“Comprehensive… like jurisdiction. Why do we fight over it? We don’t want to be crowded out or to let others take credit for our successes. Very often our territories are close to home, so there’s a personal element. If there’s crime and we want our people to stay safe, we want to rid that area of crime. Financially, it’s easier to hero in some areas than others.”

“Sure,” Capricorn said.

“I think so long as those issues exist, no matter what we do, there’ll be pushing, shoving, and trying to get people to take some cases or to get others for ourselves. If we can address those issues… say we all get a special allotment, we put funds into a pot and apportion it out, and we organize, with communication and sharing of information.”

“I can do the getting and sharing information parts,” Lookout said.

“And,” I said. “Keeping in mind this whole Cheit thing is demanding attention and resources while they’re doing other things in the background—it potentially addresses some of the other heroing issues we run into. Like how hard it can be to go run off and do something where we’re needed when things can be going to pieces on the home front.”

“Meaning we can go investigate this group that attacked the portals while still maintaining a territory,” Capricorn said.

“Or investigate whatever. Yes, for sure,” I said. “And then a week later, we might babysit another territory while simultaneously giving the team in charge there a new, fresh set of eyes for any ongoing problems, while they do their thing.”

“Have you been thinking about this for a while?” Weld asked.

“Only since talking to Defiant. I’m talking out loud as I think about it.”

“And you want to take over where the Wardens left off?” he asked.

“Not taking over, and not doing what they did,” I said. “They’re—you’re, if you want, you’re still a fixture. But the Wardens were always focused on the top-level threats. Distant wars. Class-S stuff.”

“Ogun,” Weld said. “Sleeper. Machine Army. And a bunch of other things I can’t even namedrop, because they’re classified.”

I nodded, my arms folded.

“I’d have to ask,” Capricorn ventured. “Let’s say we did this, and magically everyone was on board.”

“We wouldn’t need everyone,” I said.

“Even so. We’d need enough, since it’s…” he struggled for a moment.

“The more you have, the more effective it works in aggregate,” Weld said.

“Yeah,” Capricorn said. His mouth moved with a smile, barely visible with the gaps in his mask. “Thanks.”

I tilted my head. “What are you asking?”

“What’s our role in it?”