“But I think we did it,” Vista said. She offered her fist out. After a moment’s hesitation, Byron bumped it. I was a little quicker to respond.

Vista offered her fist to Ashley, and Ashley shook her head, flashing a small smile instead.

Vista seemed to take it in stride. “There were two groups that left. One to the south—”

“Handled,” I said. “Projections stopped them, even though they knew they were projections. They lined up to face down our defending group, and we blinded them.”

“And the second one that tore through Advance Guard and the Hollow Point villains as they left by the north road.”

I wished I had a better answer for her. “We’re still figuring that one out.”

“I hear Prancer’s group skedaddled?” Vista asked.

“What’s left of it. They took a few bodies with them.”

“Eesh,” Byron said.

“Eesh is right,” I answered him. “They’ll go back to Hollow Point and they’ll probably find one of the Wardens’ teams waiting there. The Shepherds or Foresight. With luck, they’ll be so tired they won’t want to fight for the territory, or they’ll lose that fight if they pick it.”

“We’re not invited?” Byron asked.

I shook my head. “We weren’t invited, we’re battered and weary, and I think I’d rather deal with the Fallen, if we were going to do something.”

“Alright. That’s almost a relief. Come on,” Byron said. “Let’s get this creepy woman somewhere more secure.”

“Hardly a way to talk about me,” Vista said.

“Ha ha,” Byron said.

“We’ll take her to the Patrol block leaders,” I said. “See if that sways them any.”

“I can take over dragging it if you want,” Vista said.

“I’m good,” Byron said. “I like getting to pretend I’m the one with enhanced strength.”

“What did you get, if he got that?” Vista asked.

“Resistance to temperature extremes,” Byron said. He grunted as he started dragging. “There was a time I made ice.”

“Really.”

“Uh huh. There have been other things.”

“Can you change back? Is that a thing you could do if you tried, or could you change to something new?”

“I could,” Byron said. “But I don’t want to go back, and I’m worried about how I’d get somewhere new.”

“I’m happy my power’s simple,” Vista said.

“Gross distortion of dimensions, simple,” I said.

She smiled and winked at me.

She was happy, it seemed.

I was—I was almost happy too.