“Don’t leave, please. I don’t want to drive you away. I do want to understand,” Natalie said. “The first and last thing I said at our last meeting was that I was concerned. I’m more concerned now.”

“Why ask me about whether I was looking for work?”

“Because she asked me to ask you, if I thought it was appropriate, and I thought it might be.”

“Of fucking course,” I said.

“Don’t get angry,” Natalie said.

“I’m not angry with you.”

“Before we got derailed, I was talking about expectations. You flew into that scene with no hesitation.”

“I’m invincible,” I said. A lie, yes, but I wasn’t about to trust her with the truth.

“I know that, but isn’t there always some risk you’ll be hurt, or that there will be some consequence? You’re paying me, you’re involving your family, and the hack could be the tip of the iceberg. I have to wonder, how much are you putting into this?”

“I know my own limits, Natalie.”

“Are you looking for work?”

“Are you going to report to my mother and tell her if I’m not?”

“No,” Natalie said. “And I’m offended that you’d ask.”

“I’ve been pulling occasional shifts here and there doing cape work. Keeping the peace at protests, standing guard here or there, in the general vicinity of cape functions. I volunteer too.”

“Is the volunteer stuff as a cape?”

I sat back in my chair, and shifted the position of my bag. “Yeah. Pretty much.”

“It doesn’t seem like much of a balance.”

“You’re aware I’ve never had that balance?” I asked, in my best ‘get real’ tone.

“You went to high school once upon a time, didn’t you?”

“As the girl that was an out and open superheroine,” I said. “Because of a decision my parents made.”

“I haven’t seen my dad in years. I don’t even know if he survived. I know what it’s like to have parent issues,” Natalie said. “I do get it. But is this really what you want? Your mother is concerned—”

I grit my teeth.

“—I’m concerned. I can definitely see the similarities between you two. You’re both firm in your convictions and it seems like you both give things your all. She’s usually the first one in and the last one out at work.”

“Can we stop talking about my mom?” I asked. Angrier than I’d intended.

“Okay,” Natalie said. She stopped there. “Give me a second. I’ll compose my thoughts.”

I gave her a few seconds. My ankle crossed over the other, and the top foot tapped against the ground. My fingers fidgeted with the strap of the bag that laid against my chair.

“I’m your lawyer. For you and your team.”

“Not my team. Just a team I’m looking after.”