Getting the information on powers and on the most important things like Ashley’s situation was easily doable, because it was need-to-know. Where I ran into a stumbling block was that their view on need-to-know and my view differed.

I worried they had too light a view of things. The ones who didn’t were among the more guarded, and they were being guarded too.

It all knotted together. Was I supposed to be patient and wait for the information to come out? Would it come out only as each crisis reared its head? Or did I push and risk doing damage?

I could push lightly. I waited for Tristan to stop talking about his armor, and the tools he used to fix the scuffs.

I wasn’t the only one waiting for a break in the conversation. “I should probably go or I’m going to miss my train.”

“My offer stands,” I said. “An eye in the sky, if you think you’ll need it.”

“No,” Rain said. “I’d rather—”

He stopped at that.

“What?” Tristan asked.

Rain went on, “It’s my experience that when you’re in trouble, people are usually pretty good about offering help and support. People are good like that. I’ve seen it with family members that had babies, and people who lost loved ones. Everyone turns up and offers their support, they bring food, they say they’ll be there. And they are, at first.”

“You think we’ll get bored of this and not help you later?” Tristan asked.

“Not bored,” Rain said. “Shit happens. Everyone has their issues, things come up, and then they lose sight of the promises made to new parents, the bereaved, or whoever else.”

“I think that’s pretty unfair,” Tristan said.

“It’s reality,” Rain said. He looked at me, “It’s nice of you to offer, Victoria, but I’d rather have you come and keep an eye on things when I feel like I’m actually in danger, instead of coming now, realizing what a huge pain in the ass it is to fly that far out of your way, and then feeling reluctant when it counts.”

I thought about reassuring him, pointing out that I’d traveled from the Bridgeport span to the portal in New Haven to Brockton Bay, several times a week, to get notes, check on the wreckage of the house and visit Crystal’s family. I didn’t.

“Gotcha,” I said. I’d pushed, I wasn’t going to push harder now that the boundary had been raised.

“You’re still blind, Chris?” Sveta asked.

“Yep. It’s starting to come back, though. Thirty minutes to an hour, I think.”

“Do you want someone to stay with you?” Sveta asked.