The word wasn’t enough. It did stop some people, but those people were more on Breakthrough’s side than on the other one. More respectful than angry.

The overlapping voices continued for a second, until the people deferred, allowing one voice to take the lead.

“Investigations are about time,” Mayday said.

“We have a time camera. We have thinkers. We’re flexible.”

“We go after possible suspects, we put the word on the street,” Mayday said. “We round them up and take action to discourage and scare them before the villains meet and decide that they want to protect and encourage the lunatics who did this.”

“Please tell me that there’s a thinker in the room who can tell us decisively that this is a bad idea,” I said.

There wasn’t.

“Speaking for Advance Guard, we’re on your team. We’re still willing to be on the network and make it work, if you’ll have us. The only point of contention here is this particular point of policy,” Mayday said. “I’ve seen too many of my Wards and Protectorate capes suffer and die. I can’t abide by it any more. Not a good team like the Navigators.”

“Give us six hours to gather information and figure out where we stand,” I said. “Make the villain meeting the deadline. Sweep up the possible culprits while they’re on their way in.”

“We’ll have this done in six hours,” he said.

Moonsong was with him. Maybe the only time the Shepherds and Advance Guard had ended up on the same page. A part of me wondered if she’d be taking the opposite tack if Tristan were on the other side of the argument.

Kings of the Hill. Too closely linked to Mayday, they were friends and they were of like mind.

And of course the Wayfarers. Friends of the Navigators. This was both personal and emotional.

All rose and prepared to go, ready to begin the hunt.

“Mayday,” I said.

He stopped.

“We’ll keep you in network, but you have to keep the details about the Navigators secret. If it gets out, it might encourage others. It’ll scare the public, it’ll disturb the peace, and it’ll cloud any investigation we do.”

He only gave us a nod.

When those teams left, Foresight, the Wardens, and the miscellaneous minor teams like the Major Malfunctions remained.

“We have to be neutral in this,” Vista said.

“We’ll see,” Cinereal said. “I’d rather both approaches get all the support they can.”

I nodded.

“Only way we course correct here is if we get out ahead of it. We investigate before they disappear someone undeserving in their own way,” Tristan said. “Yeah?”

I drew in a deep breath and sighed. I conceded, “Yeah.”

“Well, then. Game on, motherfuckers,” Tristan said.

Polarize 10.12