Files on findings and research about portals and interdimensional fuckery were part of it. We were heading to get to the rest of it. Gary had some answers, at least when it came to anti-parahumans and what the people on the ground were doing.

Thing number three for me was taking those first two things, my team and those answers, and doing something about it. The door that Kenzie could apparently open in Rain’s dreams was the definitive thing. An idea communicated with a glance, that would make us zero friends if we attempted it.

But it would let us do something, when we were faced with a series of situations that felt hopeless. Fucking Sleeper. The Machine Army.

The city was so vast it took half a day to get from the west end to the east end. Three quarters of a day to get from the southwest to the northeast, though the Dauntless Titan had kind of trashed the Northeast by appearing there, so it wasn’t a real consideration.

And yet, with so many things pressing in on us, the city felt small. Claustrophobic. This city-sized complex where we were bringing in some of the refugees and evacuees felt the same way, not helped by whole sections that were devastated or off limits.

Kenzie led us to the area where Gary was talking to the Warden leadership, a parahuman in his company. Security stopped us.

“ID?”

We handed it over. We let them check the records and systems.

“It’s like they’re old people pecking at the keyboard with their fingers, except more, because I’m way faster than them and they’re way slower,” Kenzie muttered. “It’s adorable and really frustrating.”

“Be good,” Sveta admonished. “If you say something they’ll hold us up for longer.”

“But if I get locked up I won’t have to watch them take forever to do what I can do in a literal eyeblink,” Kenzie whispered.

“Be good,” Sveta said.

We were saved when Golem stepped out into the hallway. He saw us and approached.

“Precipice, hey. Hi Breakthrough. I’m sorry about Swansong.”

“Thanks,” Rain said. “Appreciated.”

“You guys saw Contessa, right? You met her? Did you get an impression about her character, or anything weird?”

“My impression is that she’s awful and fuck her,” Sveta said. “But I’m biased.”

“Understandable,” Golem said.

“My impression is that she’s awful and fuck her,” I added. “I’m not as biased. Why?”

“Something came up. Can they come through? I’ll vouch.”

“They can go through if you know them,” the security guy said.

“Thank you,” Kenzie said. “You’re my hero.”

Giving us a quizzical look, Golem led us down the hall. We passed a meeting room with the blinds partially closed, and I could see the silhouettes of Dinah Alcott, AKA: Kid Cassandra, and of Gary Nieves, sitting across from Miss Militia.