I opened my eyes. “And what happens to Cedar Point, in this hypothetical?”

“I’m talking reality, Vicky. It’s going to be the same thing that was going to happen before the villains turned up, and it’s the same thing that’s going to happen when and if you try and summarily fail to change things there. The area struggles, it withers, it becomes irrelevant. This isn’t your fight, and it’s not what you’re equipped to do. You hit things. You can take a bullet, unless you’re doing something peculiar like keeping your forcefield down while standing between a man with a gun and Snuff here.”

“Heya,” Snuff said, raising a hand.

I didn’t move a muscle, didn’t react. Tattletale smiled.

“I know what you’re doing with your forcefield, Vicky. Just like I did back then. I know why you’re doing it, too. I know you don’t belong in Cedar Point, and I know you’re just going to cause headaches for me and the actual heroes if you try anything. It’s not your skillset, it’s not your powerset.”

I still had the paper in my hand. I tapped it against my upper arm, my arms still folded. “Four years, and you haven’t changed a bit since you raided that bank.”

“When we robbed that bank, I was doing multiple things all at once, laying groundwork for moves I wouldn’t make for weeks and months. If I haven’t changed from that, I think I’m doing okay,” she said.

“Are you, though?” I asked. “Your hair is messy, and you look tired.”

“I’m going to pretend you’re actually asking out of a concern for my well being, because if I didn’t pretend, I’d walk away, and I might even give some free-of-charge advice to those Hollow Point ruffians, telling them how to beat you if they run into you.”

“Entirely out of concern for your well being,” I said, with as little warmth and concern in my voice as I could muster. “Hometown respect, you know.”

“I’m one of the major players now. The other major players call me for a hint when they’re stuck on something. I’m wealthy, well-positioned, and safe. I’m now sharing the love and bringing some of that security, stability, and safety to others, in my very, very roundabout way. It’s part of why I’m having this conversation with you.”

“Sure,” I said. I paused. “Speaking of you showing up, I’m surprised the rest of your old team didn’t turn up too, for old time or camaraderie’s sake.”