“No,” Defiant said.

I watched as dots began to turn yellow and orange around the Simurgh. In the other half of the simulation, watching the city as a whole, there were violet dots spreading out from one of the portals. The main perimeter of the Machine Army.

Damsel was craning her head to one side to watch, while Rain worked on her wrist.

This wasn’t a plan. It was what was happening right this moment.

Kenzie, the Heartbroken, Tattletale.

My sister.

All in the hands of the Simurgh, as she exerted her influence. Her last big play before taking over Fortuna.

I saw Christopher’s mouth press into a line as he eyed the simulation. A few were turning red already. It might have been my imagination, but I felt like the red dots were moving in a different way. Against the current, or with more energy.

“Is Dragon okay?” I asked Defiant, trying to take my mind off of the Simurgh and the sea of dots. I looked out the front window of the Uther instead, which was cracked from an earlier battle. Some buildings glowed, powered by generators, but it was mostly dark and empty.

“She’s doing diagnostics. The Machine Army making contact with her is a nightmare scenario. She wants to be careful.”

“How dangerous is it?” Christopher asked. “What if they got my tech?”

Defiant answered, “Then they would study it and incorporate it. People fighting them weeks from now would have a harder time.”

“It seemed like they were pulling out new tricks a lot faster than that in the last fight,” I told Defiant.

“I know. The Simurgh may have planned that. It may be a psychological ploy to unnerve us. At least for now, it might be better to think of ways to deal with her and put the Machine Army out of mind. Other capes are working to try and slow the perimeter breach .”

Working to try, I thought, noting the wording. Not succeeding. Not stopping the breach.

“Okay. Dealing with the Simurgh. Cryptid,” I said, turning back. I was interrupting ongoing conversations. “Is the Mathers Giant in the facility?”

“It is.”

“Can she help? Does that work as a countermeasure against the Simurgh?”

“That’s the idea,” he said. No more hard ‘t’ sound to his voice. He was mostly old Chris now.

I looked over to Defiant, “Does that factor into the calculations? Does it change the end result?”

He turned to look at me, gaze moving between me and the dark, snow-dusted ruins of the city that was visible beyond the front window. “If the answer was one you didn’t like, would you want me to tell you, or would you want your mind unfettered by distractions?”

“That’s a really ominous question to be asking right now, Defiant,” Sveta said, beside me.

Defiant was silent.

I was aware that conversations in the back had died down some. Withdrawal was still engaging with Finale.