“I think there’s an element of choice in that,” Victoria said. “Pretending there’s no choice and that it’s a force of nature sounds dangerously close to a justification.”

“If the strength of our needs justified anything, there wouldn’t be any remorse. If we were all capable of accurate self-assessment. If.”

Sveta spoke up again, audible through the reinforced ball that contained her. “I can’t escape the idea that if you were capable of accurate self-assessment, Kurt, you would have offed yourself politely years ago.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Opinion. I don’t think I’m capable of assessing you and coming to any fair judgment, I’m biased. You know, on account of how you turned me into a monster.”

Tristan met Jeanne Wynn’s eyes.

“What are you here for?” he asked her.

“Answers.”

“I don’t get the impression you’d buy any bullshit or white lies,” Tristan said.

“It would have to be very good lying. If I think you’re trying to pull one over on me, then I’m going to walk away, and I’ll get my information elsewhere.”

“If we’re honest and upfront, then that should count for something,” Tristan said. “Something beyond what we deserve for being experimented on, gotta give Sveta and Weld a nod here, and for being the ones to stick our necks out on this. Too many people held back. You, the Wardens, Tattletale. You were scared.”

“Not in the way you think. You want to make demands?”

“We want many of the same things you do,” he said. He let some latent frustration seep into his voice. “And I swear, if you take us for granted, we’ll leave right now. If you don’t think we will, you should be the one to walk away, because you did pledge to do it if I lied to your face.”

Citrine looked at The Number Man, then back to Tristan. “What do you want?”

“Cauldron studied powers. I want everything possible that you have on Case Fifty-Threes and on Case Seventies. If you have any clever ideas on undoing the damage, reserved for your high-end clients, you provide it.”

That got him a few surprised looks from his team. Antares folded her arms, eyebrows raised. Sveta was looking up at him.

“Alright,” Citrine said.

“Alright what?”

“Power research documentation from several governments. You may need translators. Our own field notes. There’s no reason to keep them in our back pocket. PRT power testing notes from all known Case Fifty-Threes and Seventies.”

“Can—” Victoria started. She looked at Tristan.

“Go ahead,” he said, shrugging.

“Can we get all PRT files?” Victoria asked. “My collection has massive holes in it, and I know the Wardens feel the loss.”

“Aren’t you greedy?” Citrine said. “I can provide the means, not the ends.”

“That’s fine. As long as I know they’re out there somewhere.”