I waited, because I couldn’t think of a way to speak up or approach her that wouldn’t make me sound uncannily like my mom.

There was a nervous energy to how the boys interacted. Kid Win stretched, and couldn’t stand in one place for long. Dennis talked. Both avoided looking our way.

We’re facing the end of the city, possibly with greater ramifications. We’re ill-equipped. They know it. They’re bearing that burden.

“I’ve worked damn hard.”

I looked in Vista’s direction.

“I meditated, practiced with my power, pushed it to the limit. I did everything the power testers said could make you stronger or more in tune with your ability. It wasn’t just power either. I hit the gym three times a week. I go out for walks. The bosses need a volunteer? I put my hand up.”

“Burns you out,” I said.

“I don’t burn out,” Vista said. “I got into this early, you know. It’s part of how I think, it’s part of how I move. I wake up in the morning and I’m up. Force of habit since I was ten. Girls my age went to dance class or soccer, or they slept in and grumbled. I was finding things to do because home sucked, so I’d train, I’d read up on stuff. Then I was doing it because I had a crush on this guy I knew was too old for me and I wanted to impress him. Then I was doubling down on it because I had teammates, and I didn’t want to be treated like a kid. Then I tripled down on it.”

“Could you stop if you had to?” I asked. “Or is it that ingrained by now?”

“Ingrained. As much a part of me as those mountains on the horizon are a part of this place. Do you know why I was working that hard, toward the end?”

“To make up for the ones who were gone. To ensure you wouldn’t lose more.”

Vista sighed. “I’ve treated you to this rant before, huh?”

“Less of a rant, more of an idle thought. But you mentioned it, asked me questions.”

“I still lost the people. Now I’m here. I almost let myself think the added power and physical training would count for something. And now you’re talking about a completely different playing field.”

I shook my head. “No, Missy. That training matters. The connection to your agent is something you’ve developed, and it one hundred percent applies. The physical training is your connection to you.”

“You feel far away, big V. Like you’re more with them than you’re with me, and you were getting more distant by the second.”

Ah.

So that was it.