Out of order, though. It was supposed to be a follow-up to another question, but I could see it working as a prompt here.

“Worse. Way worse. Vista commented on it, in the midst of a conversation. It spooked her, maybe. I think Valkyrie even noticed it, the way she was talking.”

“Do you think you’re ignoring something vital?”

“You’d hate it,” I said, my face twisting. I met her eyes, and I remembered seeing her strangle Bonesaw. I couldn’t push that image from my mind. I looked away. “Ignoring the civilian side. I tried going the other way before Breakthrough. Now I’m embracing the power. Getting deep, really deep into the powers, trying to understand the world. Getting glimpses of secrets, details about people I really didn’t want to know, but… things make more sense. At least I have control now.”

“Is there a way back to Victoria?” Jessica asked. “A way back to being Victoria, no costume, no powers, for the occasional day. A day you don’t plan where you just happen to not use powers or not get in fights? Where you’re you, and you pursue your own interests, romance, friendships, family?”

“I was never, ever that Victoria,” I said. “Even before I had powers, they were a part of my life. If that’s your line where things are okay, then you’re going to be so horribly disappointed in me.”

Jessica nodded.

“I’m not disappointed,” she said.

“Does that have anything to do with this… this?” I asked. “Do you think I’m showing signs of being compromised?”

Jessica parted her lips, but didn’t speak.

“I’ll rephrase,” I said. “Do you think Amy compromised me in a way that interferes with my ability to jump in here and give advice and direction?”

She glanced at Darnall.

“I don’t get that impression,” Darnall said. “But I’m worried for other reasons.”

“So am I,” I said.

“There’s a thinker we can ask, who looks at biology,” Jessica said. “It’s possible he can vet you.”

My head shook a little with the nod I gave her. “That’d be… pretty huge. A relief. Big.”

“Okay,” she said. “I agree. I don’t think Amy is that kind of planner or subversive element.”

“Supervise me?” I asked. Then I remembered the strangling, imagined how she didn’t want to be a part of any of this, but she probably thought she had to. “Or Darnall, or…?”

“Of course,” Darnall said. “But I want to see you more regularly. Tonight, to start with. And I think you want to see me.”

“Yeah.”

I started toward the front of the room, my foot not quite touching the ground as I hesitated, waiting for the go-ahead. Darnall followed, and that served as the all-clear.

Approaching the front of the room. Terminal two.

Vista was already there. So were my mom and Crystal.