“I’m going to feel so bad if I run into the person who got this costume, knowing I laughed,” Vista said.

“They’ll need all the support they can get.”

“Oh man,” Vista said. “Are there any other treasures in here?”

There weren’t, but looking through the art provided enough idle amusement. I was careful to put everything back where we found it.

“They’re leaving the room,” Vista observed.

I didn’t look.

“You know, before you go talk to any of them, I want to say they’re pretty decent overall, I think. And I know and I trust Jessica.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Agreed and agreed. Which is I guess why I’m so bothered. I’m putting my finger on it now. That thing I was saying before, you know, Gallant saying everyone had let him down?”

“Yeah. And you being stupid and blaming yourself over that.”

“I let him down, that one last time. I don’t know how easily I can let go of that. And what gets me here is… maybe it’s not just him? What if I’ve let everyone down?”

“You haven’t.”

“Haven’t I? Because all those guys got hurt. I let my mom down when I W—when I was careless. I let my dad down by how I acted in the aftermath of it. I let Sveta down by letting her lose her body and it was—it was really good for her to have it.”

“You’re being too hard on yourself.”

“What if I’m not being hard enough on myself, and she tears into me, and—”

“You can’t know, Vicky, unless you go talk to her.”

Sveta broke away from the group. It was her who beckoned me.

Jessica waited by the conference room door.

“You’re a good person, she’s a good person. I think your team is mostly good people, but I don’t know them that well. Trust.”

“Thank you, Vista, for keeping me company.”

“Thanks for letting me vent. Come talk to me after, if you want.”

“Sure. I’ll let you know how it goes. Do me a favor and don’t mention Orchard to Sveta?”

“Sure. I figured I shouldn’t.”

I picked up my eyeless mask, put my hand on her shoulder, then made my way across the floor. Construction workers and Warden staff were abundant enough I had to weave through, which made just getting to the conference room hard enough.

Sveta passed me, bumping shoulders with me, and headed over in Vista’s direction. Weld, it seemed, was preoccupied elsewhere.

“Hi,” Jessica said. She retreated into the room.

“Hi.”

I shut the door behind me.