“Redundancy can help,” Big Picture said.

“Can you share your power, Big Picture?”

Big picture turned his head. Crystalclear wished he could see the big guy’s face. Knowing if the guy was frowning or smiling would help a great deal.

“It’s redundancy,” Big Picture said. He made a sound, almost a laugh. “Everything I want to focus on, I clone my brain and my mind. I can give each and every detail every bit of my attention, and I can slow down my perceptions if I want to study it more. There are a few other nuances, other things I can do with the parallel takes, sharing, but you don’t need all of the details.”

“You can spend the equivalent of a few minutes studying every possible clue?” Crystalclear asked.

“Weeks. Months, if I want.”

“Sounds as if it could have its drawbacks.”

“Don’t we all?” Big Picture asked.

Crystalclear was aware that Ratcatcher wasn’t alone. He turned his head a little, then pointed at the pocket of Ratcatcher’s top. It was a sleeveless top, tight-fitting in the way a costume was supposed to be, but it had a hoodie-like pouch in the front. There was a small life form in there, the thing’s perspective fuzzy in a way that suggested it was asleep, in whole or in part.

Ratcatcher made a pleased sound, then reached into the pouch. The disturbance woke the creature, but she didn’t act like it was upset as she held it in her two hands.

Crystalclear could guess what the thing was from its dimensions and Ratcatcher’s name. “Does it have a name?”

“Raththputin,” Ratcatcher said. She picked up a walkie-talkie, “The attractive older gentleman in the peacoat, hairy earth and eyelatheth to die for. Thomething thown into the coat. Naughty.”

“…I can see Ratcatcher has joined us…” the walkie talkie buzzed in response. The buzzing turned into crackling. “…nimize colorful commenta…”

“Radio’th garbage today,” Ratcatcher observed.

“It is.”

“I’m sorry we’re late,” Big Picture said. “Feels like we took a step backward, citywide. There’s word of a potential transportation strike. Our usual bus driver didn’t show, we had to wait for the next. Construction sites between NYC and Boston are locked down, they aren’t doing anything except getting in the way.”

“Feels like we should be out there, not here,” Crystalclear said.

“I know that feeling. It’s often a trap.”

Crystalclear turned toward Big Picture.

“I joined the military, before I got powers. I was thinking something similar when I did. That things at home were shit, but I was needed out there. We didn’t fix anything out there, and we came home to find things were worse.”

Crystalclear was going to reply, but he was interrupted by the lisping young woman.

“Buckthom lady thtepping off the train,” Ratcatcher said. “Bra that doethn’t fit, run in her thtocking. Cavity thearch, if you pleathe.”