The masses of construction workers had clustered in groups, the largest mass of them arranged around three sides of the building, kept on the far side of the street by the emergency services and the capes. Surrounding one of the construction company’s headquarters.

Lights on poles, the lighting of the news crews talking to some key individuals, and the lights the workers were carrying served to illuminate that crowd.

From the bird’s eye view, we could see some of the construction sites around the area, each roughly illuminated by the lights within, that light contained by the fencing that surrounded each building in progress. Construction vehicles, people, and collections of things cast long shadows with the lights set where they were. Most had lookouts posted, keeping an eye out for trouble. A couple of those lookouts turned lights our way as we flew.

Laserdream and I touched ground.

“I’ve missed flying with you,” she said.

I smiled. My emotions were complicated enough in the moment that I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t trust my tone of voice or the words I might choose.

Easier to stick to the shallow, surface response. It was nice to be around my cousin, nice that she was happy.

We walked down the length of the street, the building on one side, the crowd of workers on the other. Walking helped to get my blood pumping and my body warmed up, where flying felt like it had frozen my blood and chilled me. My hands were cold, and I kept them jammed in the pockets of my sweatshirt.

“Laserdream. You’re cutting it close in getting back in a timely manner. Who’s this?” a cape in a jacket asked. He was a heavy guy with a very clean face, a gently curved visor covering his eyes and nose.

“Family,” Laserdream said. “There was a call for more help, she was invited by someone named, uh…”

“Tempera,” I said.

“Tempera. Right. We’re paying for the extra hands on deck?”

“We are,” the man said. “It’s not a lot.”

“That’s fine,” I said.

He looked skeptical.

“I can second the recommendation if it matters,” Laserdream said.

“It helps,” the guy said. “If she causes trouble, you know it’s your ass in the fire.”

“Understood, sir,” she said. “I’ve been doing patrols with her since before I could drive. I’d trust her with my life. I’m optimistic my ass will remain room temperature.”

“Don’t get smart. I don’t want her with the formation. If she wants in, she needs to apply and train.”

“She doesn’t—” Laserdream said, at the same time I said, “I don’t—”

Laserdream ceded to me.

“No disrespect intended,” I said. “That isn’t for me. But I get the gist of the situation, I’ll help keep the peace, I’ll follow any orders.”