“I’d promise to help promote the Undersiders, involve you more in big decisions, but I know it’s pretty shitty to promise visibility. Too many junior heroes get lured onto teams with promises of exposure and next to no pay.”

“I’m not a hero,” Tattletale said. “But yeah, I don’t think we get much if we sell our services to you. You already know what we’re capable of, and you draw a pretty hard moral line in the sand—”

“Not so hard lately,” I told her.

“Fine. But you draw a line. There are very specific circumstances where you’re talking to other teams and you’ll say ‘I have an idea, my fellow white-hats! We’ll call the Undersiders!’”

“You came,” I observed.

“Imp has been hassling me to take on more duties with the junior team, and when you called she was happy for the excuse. She says we need to talk ground rules for the Chicken Tenders.”

“Please tell me we aren’t calling them that.”

Tattletale smiled, her mouth turning up at the corners. “Come up with a better name.”

“There isn’t an iota of curiosity in there?” I asked. “This is a puzzle only you can unravel.”

“I’ve got enough of those.”

Less fun than pulling teeth.

“If this gets out, or if it’s a long-term play, the end result is going to be bad. It affects Lookout, among others, and that affects your kids.”

“I’m getting the gist of it. But maybe that’s a good thing,” Tattletale said. “Because I worry about your kid in that room more than I worry about any of the Heartbroken. I’d be happier if she wasn’t here. If things are that fragile, it could be better if we rip off that overly attached bandage now.”

“I’ve given your kids a benefit of a doubt.”

“Good! They kind of deserve one. When I say Lookout scares me, that’s not me taking a side or being wary because she’s unfamiliar. That’s me saying she’s kinda messed up, and as neat as it would be to have access to her stuff, I don’t think it’s worth the risk.”

I put my hand on the back of the armchair she was sitting on, and I tilted it back a bit as I leaned in closer. “Don’t.”

“It’s the truth,” Tattletale said, sitting back with her feet no longer touching the ground. If I let go of the armchair, it would crash to the floor.

“You’re talking about her that way in her place. Her territory, when she’s a few rooms away. That’s shitty. You’ve got to be a better person than that.”