Tattletale had her phone out. For a second, I thought she’d breached the communications blackout. Then I saw it was a note-taking application.

“Was there a nude scene?” Sveta asked. “Sorry, that’s a random question.”

“Yes,” Semiramis said. “A sex scene. But it was Engel who was interested in it.”

“Why?”

“Years ago… a kiss between a Case Fifty-Three and a human. Today… perhaps more.”

“She’s too innocent,” Sveta said. “She doesn’t get it.”

“Yes. But that can be good,” Semiramis said. “Innocence, optimism.”

Tattletale slid the phone over to Sveta as the bartender set her drink down. It was small and smelled like mint.

Sveta typed out her response, not as slow as she might’ve been, considering how unpracticed she was. She knew her way around a regular keyboard, and that helped.

She passed it back to Tattletale.

“Okay,” Tattletale said. “Engel went to Teacher for help with mental issues having to do with her power and physiology.”

“Hey,” Sveta said, looking legitimately pissed.

“She just said she didn’t want to share Engel’s private business.”

Tattletale continued on, ignoring our protests, her eyes alert. “—And Egg knew his way around Cauldron. They talked, they shared information, and they knew things between them. Big Picture was sent to Foresight because they’re the best information gatherers. Teacher… wanted to ensure nobody was too hot on his trail. So he blew it up. Surgical strike. This is looking a lot like Teacher, with some resources behind him.”

“Yes,” Semiramis said, not sounding pleased. “I know this. I would say you need to tell me things I don’t know to get me to share information, but you seem dead set on digging on your own. Perhaps… we should tell you goodbye, and minimize how much you dig until you’re ready to deal.”

“This is why nobody likes you, Tattletale,” Sveta said. “Everyone at this table is annoyed, now.”

“I’m fine,” Little Midas said, at the same time Nero at the next table cleared his throat. “This is amusing.”

“Basically, anyway. One less person at this table, another at the next table over.”

“It’s fine,” Tattletale said. She indicated Semiramis. “She still wants to know more. How. If it’s salvageable. What she can do to protect herself. It’s why she sent Big Picture to Foresight in the first place. She wants to build and she wants to know the lay of the land. Teacher’s the biggest unknown.”

“You may be underestimating my spitefulness,” Semiramis told Tattletale.

“I’m exactly estimating it,” Tattletale said. She leaned back, put down her phone, and picked up her drink. Settling in for a game of chicken.

I reached out, putting my hand on top of the drink. I eased it and her hand back to the table.