“She was a healer,” I said. “Tattletale’s words caught her in a bad way at a bad time. Two months later, she had a mental breakdown. In part because of what Tattletale said. She put me in the hospital. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Resume recording,” Kenzie said.

“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.”

“Pause,” I said. “She likes to act like she knows what’s going to happen, but it’s worth saying she can be surprised. She was surprised at the bank. She and her team pulled it off regardless, but… she was surprised by my arrival, and by my sister being there.”

“Worth keeping in mind,” Tristan said. “If we wind up fighting her.”

“I’m giving you all the info I can, so you can make an informed decision,” I said. “Resume.”

“—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—”

Kenzie’s voice chimed in with a cheerful, synthesized, “Redacted!”

“Pause. Redacted because it’s a weak point,” I said. “Power-related.”

“I think I know,” Sveta said. “If this makes you doubt Victoria at all, I hope me vouching for her helps.”

“It helps,” Kenzie said. “Not that I was doubting her.”

“Resume,” I said.

“—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.”

There was a small chime as a message appeared in the corner of the laptop. The recording paused in response to the message appearing.

Rain: Is it ours?

“That’s a conversation I want to have shortly,” I said. “Powers.”

“I’m looking forward to this,” Chris said.

Behind him, pacing a little, Ashley smiled.

Right.

“Resume,” I said.

“Redacted, redacted,” Kenzie’s synthesized voice played. Then Tattletale’s voice came up again. “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.”