I couldn’t let my focus slack by even a fraction. Not even to read an alert that didn’t even require my eye to move for me to bring it into clear focus. It was gold text, at the very least. Not—

The text changed. Outlined in red, not gold, now.

I stopped shooting, sparing a look.

The Machine Army broke containment.

I pulled the trigger again, going after the tinkertech again. At the corner of my vision, golden alerts and labels popped up, notifying me that teams were deploying to the site, to try and corral the escaped machines.

I’m sorry, younger me, I thought. More than anything else, you thought we’d be confident. You envisioned yourself standing with glowing swords or grenades in hand, unflinching and confident.

Two threats to overcome, and I had a maybe idea for the second.

The first had just ruined any hope we had at reclaiming Gimel, and she was in her warm-up phase.

⊙

Earlier

“This will be the final attack,” Chevalier announced, and his voice was deep, assured. “A select group who have read the requisite files, who are led by captains who know the protocols, and who are in the best fighting shape will be leading the next big attack against the Simurgh. She remains the most immediate threat. Everyone else will be preparing for the standoff against the Titans and protecting the perimeter when it comes to the Machine Army.”

Narwhal spoke next, all business, serious, her back ramrod straight, her body in a double-thick layer of forcefield crystals, her hair a white-purple, down to the small of her back. “The Titan Network is now down to Arachne, standalone, Skadi, standalone, then the trio of Titan Kronos, Titan Eve, and Titan Oberon. The remainder of the Titans are in the Fortuna cluster. Fortuna, Valkyrie, Ophion, the Blind Titan, Amenonuhuko, Morgana, Yakshini, Titan Shortcut, Auger, the Liminal Titan or Custodian Titan…”

Images helped notify everyone about the Titans, with icons for broad classifications, notes on powers. My phone buzzed at my hip as it updated with information. Not that I could imagine that I’d be pulling my phone out much.

“…The Nemean, Ashoka, Pouffe, and Ashen Titans are out of action, sequestered away or injured and healing.”

Let’s just ignore that I couldn’t recite that list of Fortuna’s Titans back to you. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

Sveta had her arms folded, fingers hooked into the gaps in her forearms. Rain was nodding to himself. Byron stood away from the rest of the group, closer to the stage and to Vista. Closer to Moonsong, who was at one corner of the stage, representing the Shepherds. Seeing him like that made me think that Breakthrough might cease to be when this was over.

I wasn’t sure that bothered me.