But heroes were self-sacrificing. To put on a costume and go out to fight and make the world better meant we were inherently willing to put our lives and well being on the line.

If we held a vote, wouldn’t the heroes agree that the option with the best outcome was the one where the heroes gave their lives?

Was that even fair to ask? Breakthrough sacrificed… one member to suffering? I wasn’t sure how to wrap my head around that.

Contessa went on, “The city will be relatively unscathed, but the lack of heroes will have long-term consequences. There will be a period lasting a year and a half where villains rule it, because heroes cannot put up enough of a fight.”

“Not necessarily so bad,” Imp said.

“It would be bad. Endemic corruption, civilian lives lost.”

“Fuck off! Stop making me look bad!”

“Since we know, can’t we do something about it?” Byron asked. “The villains ruling?”

“The only things you could do would be immaterial or would require action now, which would make other results worse. The three plans I’m listing are already assuming best choices made.”

I summed it up, “Teacher gets defeated, his plan derailed… his best, most dangerous capes?”

“They’re close enough to Teacher I cannot say for certain, but they have good odds of being defeated and executed.”

I continued summing it up, “Heroes die en masse, city suffers—”

“Moderate consequence due to the loss of heroes.”

“What’s option two?” Imp asked.

“Executing his plan requires his devoted attention. We allow him to pull the trigger and we use that opportunity to close in on him, subverting his control over his ‘cronies’, as you put it.”

“That was Imp,” I said. “Isn’t that really bad for the city?”

“Hundreds of thousands of lives would likely be lost. But heroes would be largely unscathed, and would go nowhere near the blind spot. The disrupted portals could be closed. Heroes would assert dominance over the villains in the aftermath, in part with my assistance. In the long term, objectively speaking, it provides the best, healthiest outcome.”

“Hundreds of thousands,” I said.

“Including people you know. For Antares, a list would include names like Jasper and Presley, these names mean something to you. Presley matters to Swansong. For Precipice, nobody you know intimately, but Erin’s mother would die, as would the boy you talk to while waiting for the train. For Capricorn, Luciana and Sofia, Jaqueline.”

“I don’t know a Jaqueline,” Byron said, before blurring.

“The fucking noodle shop girl?” Tristan asked.

“Sveta, it would be Thad and Adah.”

“The kids Weld and I would watch sometimes.”

Contessa turned to look at Love Lost, who had emerged from one hallway, and she had no names for her. She addressed Colt, who stood behind Love Lost, instead. “Reese.”

“What about people we know?” Imp asked.

“Do you really want to know?” Juliette asked. “Really?”