“I’m not going to run,” Angel said. She rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m not good at anything except punching people and being punched. I heard we can hang around the beach or the fighting pit at the south end, and sometimes people will round up helping hands for work. I’ll put on a stupid costume and be a henchman if it pays.”

“No need for a stupid costume,” Damsel said. She reconsidered. “Maybe a costume later on, but it won’t be stupid. I don’t do stupid.”

Angel shrugged. “I’ll do this, ’cuz I don’t lose anything. I can learn stuff, seeing how they operate. You need me for a job later, I’ll do that too.”

“You’ll be rewarded,” Ashley said. She smiled. “Go. We meet at the same place as this morning.”

“I’ll pick you up if you want,” J told Angel. Angel smiled at him.

“Sure. But I’ll walk in,” Angel said. “We’ll cover more ground if we stay separated.”

“Good,” Damsel said.

Angel walked away. J remained, walking around his car. He held out the remaining sandwich for her. She took it.

“This needs to count,” he said. “Even for Angel, and Angel has low expectations.”

“How it counts is my business, not yours,” she said.

J nodded. “Sure.”

“It will count. Loyalty will be rewarded,” she said. “I think I understand what Angel wants. She makes sense to me.”

J nodded. “I’ve seen her around. She’s cool. Just don’t make her mad.”

“I don’t intend to. I think I know what will speak to Bar’s type. To others. Money.”

J nodded.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Money,” he said, without hesitation.

She met his eyes, studying him. Brown eyes, a face covered in freckles, brown hair, and an expression with a measure of determination.

“Go earn it then. Gather information.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Things threatened to crumble. One partial night’s sleep, and people had forgotten her triumph, doubted her power, doubted her. Her own doubts seeped in.

It was her against what seemed like a dozen people with powers.

This was what I was meant for, she thought. Excitement swelled in her chest as she considered the options, the idea of coming out the other side victorious.

Pyrokinetics thrived when there were nearby fires. Capes who could manipulate water could operate at peak efficiency when near a body of water.

So it went.

She wielded annihilation and chaos. If that was so, then she would do the equivalent of the pyrokinetic setting fire to the building they were in.

That she was doing this with no other powers on her side, against so many enemies?

Not a concern, she told herself, a cold sort of excitement setting up shop in her chest as she worked to banish the doubts. Not a concern. Everything has been preparation for this.