I felt his hand touch my knee.

I nodded, again, small. I screwed up my face, feigning more pain than I was in.

I didn’t like this. I didn’t like being so close to the guy, I didn’t like the scrutiny, the eyes on me, the attention. I didn’t like being treated like I was an invalid. I didn’t like suppressing my forcefield and aura.

I didn’t like being still.

It was easier to keep my composure if I was moving, doing.

“Blindside,” Lord of Loss said. “Watch her.”

“What?”

“You were always going to be the lookout, with Kingdom Come helping. We stick to the plan. We’re going in, we’ll get our target, you’ll be the lookout, and you’ll look out for this junior soldier while you’re at it.”

“Pain in the ass.”

“Plans change,” Lord of Loss said. “You’ll learn that sooner or later. Our clients hired us to capture an ex-villain who made a bystander lose her child. I don’t think they’d be pleased if we let another bystander get hurt while we carry out the task.”

“Yeah, no, I get it. Just go. Let’s get this over with.”

“Keep an eye out for the vehicle with the other soldiers. They drove in Kingdom’s direction. If they can’t get through or around, they might come back.”

“I get it. It’s fine. Go. I can handle my shit.”

My eyes had closed, because it kept my head from being jerked around as Blindside kept compelling me to move to avoid seeing them, but I could tell when Lord of Loss moved away, as the bulk of his body ceased blocking the light of the sun above us.

“Snag,” Lord of Loss said. “Any injury?”

I heard a cough. “No.”

“Then go with Nursery,” Lord of Loss said. He paused. “Kingdom Come?”

Another pause.

“It’s time. Move in,” Lord of Loss said. “I can’t go inside, so I’ll take the roof, I’ll watch the other sides of the building, and do what I can to help.”

I cracked my eyes open. Nursery and Snag were walking up to the door. Lord of Loss was breaking into pieces, his arms spreading out as the wispy smoke formed into the ‘feathers’ of his wings. He wasn’t fast at all as he started to flap, lifting off the ground.

That would be the downside of his breaker power. It let him hit harder every time he hit something, and that included the beats of wing against air, but it took time.

Still, it let him move in the direction of the roof. He paused, circling, as Snag raised one long arm and pushed at the door. White paint leaked around the doorframe.

Sealed shut.

“This would be why I’m here,” Nursery said, her voice soft. She began humming, and it was a lullaby sort of hum.