Refugees, and families carrying tents. More injured capes. Scared capes. People on edge.

And I had hair falling out, and I had no idea why, but the reasons weren’t good, and the air was so cold it was hard to breathe.

“Victoria,” my uncle called out.

I was losing hair and I’d scraped my side and my foot wasn’t functioning. My nice costume was in shreds and so many people had died, or been broken, or broken up.

To score a fucking draw, if it could even be called that. The Titans were healing and we weren’t.

What the hell was I supposed to do in this world where we couldn’t win, where there were horrible titanic monsters that, at best were incommunicado and still strong enough to hurt us by accident? In this world where I could throw cars and I couldn’t affect outcomes any more than a housefly could impact a human.

Things were only going to get worse, and more and more out of control. We were one bad disaster from an impossible tipping point.

“Victoria.”

I clenched my fist and I could feel strands of hair rubbing against strands of hair.

What the fuck?

“Did I get you to review my tattoo?”

Not my uncle.

I refocused, frowning.

“Do you remember? I’m a dumbass, so I definitely don’t.”

It was Jester. From the Patrol group.

Fuck, how much had I been freaking out?

I looked around, and in the process, I felt the pressure at the small of my throat, against my windpipe, and around my heart. Everything still felt delirious.

Only Jester and my uncle were paying attention to me. One standing on either side of me.

“Do you remember what it was?” Jester asked.

“Who could forget?” I asked. “It’s all you would talk about for months. Playing card.”

“Did you give me a review of it?”

“I… yeah. You said you were happy with it.”

“Gilpatrick’s around. You free? We came bearing gifts.”

I swallowed hard. The lump wasn’t quite as bad. I nodded.

“Cool,” he said. “I’m glad I ran into you. Went to the community center, because the people at the stable said you’d be there. Those people… their names?”

“Cassie and Chastity.”

“There we go. Lots of kids, lots of puppies. One scary woman with a scowl that could make you shit your pants.”

I smiled.

“Come on,” he said. “Walk with me?”

“Sure,” I said.

“And your…?”

“Uncle. I’ve got to look after my kids, unless you need me, Victoria?” my uncle asked.

I shook my head.

“Okay.”

I went with Jasper, walking through a doomsday cult’s town. They’d preached an end of the world and they’d been right. Two for the price of one.