“Not sure I could if you did,” Rain said. “Because I don’t accomplish anything ever.”

There was a bitterness in the voice that seemed to surprise a few of us.

“Doesn’t sound like you,” Byron said.

“Me being a loser?” Rain asked. “I could’ve cracked them and I didn’t. I got cold feet when it counted.”

“You did fine,” I said.

“Don’t fucking patronize me,” he said.

Okay, wow.

“I flew over, they’re spread out. People you were working on aren’t budging. That’s easily twenty or thirty people we’re not having to deal with.”

“Because we beat their capes up, I’m betting,” Rain said. “They don’t have anyone to follow.”

“Because you worked on them,” I said, insistent. “They’re disorganized, and I don’t think Cradle’s good at rallying them. It’s slowing him down, shaking him up. He’s still all the way back there.”

“Yeah? Isn’t that exactly the opposite of what we want?” Rain asked.

“We want to not deal with them all at once. We got that. It wasn’t pretty, but we got it. We have options.”

“I feel like no matter how this ended up, you’d be giving me the weak pep talk.”

“Well fuck you,” I said.

“Victoria,” my mom said. “Be a leader.”

“Fuck you too,” I said. “No. Fucking hell, fuck that. You haven’t been helpful or a leader. I got gashed a few times and I’m sore, I’m tired. I’m not going to play nice and stoic team leader here, being everyone’s rock or punching bag.”

“I can take over if you’re not up to it,” Damsel said.

“Stop,” I said, pointing a finger at her. “Stop. Precipice? Fuck off if you’re not going to listen to what I’m saying because you’re so frustrated, okay? Seriously. I’m not going to lie to the people here about where things stand to spare your ego. Not when it could make a difference in tactics or us coming out of this in as many pieces possible. I respect you more than you probably think I do, but I’m not that fond of you.”

“Right,” he said, his voice tight.

“Swansong, stop needling your sister. Damsel, stop being needled. Focus on kicking ass. I know you two have it in you.”

“Two of us took out three capes. I’m content,” Swansong said.

“One and six sevenths of you,” one of the Harbingers said.

“Not funny,” Swansong said.

I pointed. “Harbingers, stop blinding and permanently disfiguring randoms. That’s an order.”

“Noted.”

“No disfigurements or maiming that lasts ninety-nine percent of a lifetime either,” Swansong said.

“Mmm. Is that an order?” Harbinger Two asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Nothing that takes more than a month to heal,” Swansong clarified.

“What she said,” I said.