We were too far away from the main camp to hear the buzz of conversation or their activities. There was only a whistle of wind, and a snowfall of hard pellets no bigger than a poppyseed.

Quiet, dark, and still.

“Good,” Tristan said.

It was so fucking dark at night, without the illumination of the city. My heart pounded from the adrenaline of the speech.

I very nearly jumped out of my skin when the portal appeared, with a shrieking rip of a sound, and a flare of illumination around the edges, where darkness hit an edge of reality and produced a slice of bright light.

“Hey Lookout,” Chastity said. “That pin you meant for Swansong?”

“You want it? I have pins for the Heartbroken that would fit you guys, they’re on the kitchen table.”

“Give it to me, I’ll make sure Damsel takes it. I’ll take mine too.”

Kenzie handed over the pin.

I approached Rain, took his hand in a handshake, hand on his shoulder. “Good luck in there.”

“I think… I’d rather you had the luck,” he told me. “Given what’s on the line.”

I gave his hand a squeeze, then let him go, flying over to where my gun had been parked near the house. The Patrol guys were at the stable, guarding it, and stood from their seats as I flew in closer.

“You’re going?” Jester asked.

I floated over to the gun and lifted it, finding the handholds, making sure my forcefield was cooperating before lifting it up. “It’s time.”

“Gilpatrick just got called. He’s going with Precipice, along with a bunch of other ex-PRT guys.”

“That’s good,” I said, trying to hide my general alarm. Gilpatrick was a good person. He’d shortchanged me a few times, but only because the job had required him to. The kids came first. The girl with complicated family and powers had to come second.

“He’s getting some gear together.”

“Gear doesn’t go through, unless it’s a part of his self-conception.”

“Oh,” Jester said.

“Maybe it is,” Camisola said.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure I thought it was likely.

“I thought it was shitty of you to hide who you really were,” Camisola said. “I was angry at you for a while. But… you’re doing good, I guess.”

“High praise,” Jester said, smirking.

“Keep doing what you’re doing,” I told them. “Be safe.”

“You already told us that on the broadcast,” Jester said. “You should stop repeating yourself and go. Take your five thousand pounds of gun, you ridiculous person.”

The weapon I held creaked as I hefted it, then flew to navigate it through the barn door. I flew to the portal.

The others were splitting up. Natalie was staying behind with Kenzie and Rain. Chastity—I’d expected her to stay, but she was geared up, ready to go.