“Stop,” I said. The recording paused, and Kenzie hit a keyboard shortcut to close the window. “Everything that followed was small talk, some threats from her, and stuff about my sister I don’t want to get into. That’s Tattletale. That’s how she sees the world. I do believe her when she says there’s no good way to break into this scene. There are a lot of people who want to hold their positions and the power they’ve taken for themselves, and when you’ve cornered them, they’re going to call people like Tattletale for backup.”

“Or worse,” Ashley said. That was apparently what she’d fixated on, during the earlier part of the conversation.

“Or worse. People who are good at the roles they’ve taken on, well-proven by years of experience, people who can and will casually destroy you.”

“No matter what we do,” Sveta said. “We’re going to run into trouble. So we do nothing or we plan for it.”

“We plan for it,” Tristan said. “Ashley and I were talking about this. Something that might fit our niche, and gives key members of our team what they’re looking for.”

He looked at Kenzie as he said the last bit, and Kenzie visibly perked up.

“You have a game plan?” I asked.

“The start of one,” Tristan said. “Maybe.”

I thought about that for a moment. The others exchanged a few words, and a chime signaled Rain’s comment for the convo—he and Tristan had apparently exchanged some messages about the plan.

“Did you guys bring costume stuff?” I asked, when there was an opening. “Those of you that have it?”

That got me confirmation from about half of the group.

“I have spare, basic masks for those that need them,” I said. “I also have the start of my team outline written up on my laptop. What do you guys say we move to an area with some elbow room, you can show me enough of your powers that I know what to put in the document, and we talk about what you’ve got in mind?”

It might as well have been a rhetorical question. None of them were about to say no to that.

Glare 3.2

“Hey, Victoria, you’re strong right?” Kenzie asked.

“Kind of,” I said. “I’d be worried about breaking whatever it is I’m handling.”

“It’s pretty durable.”

I thought about my forcefield. “I totaled the last car I lifted.”

“I brought things, and I thought maybe Chris could lift some or Tristan could, but Tristan doesn’t think he’s strong enough and Chris doesn’t want to.”

She turned stick out her tongue at Chris.

“Limited duration,” Chris said.

“I can take a look, where is this?” I asked Kenzie.

“At the street. Black van. I’ll show you.”

“Yeah, that’d help. I’ll probably have questions.”