Haley’s voice came over the speaker. “What’s Sean doing here?”

On the monitor, both Sean and Sydney looked around, neither of them sure where Haley’s voice had come from.

The two of them stood inside a sewer pipe. The door in front of them was made of concrete covered in reinforced steel.

That wouldn’t be much of an obstacle.

Sean wore his Justice Fist costume—green except for a white triangle that had a green fist inside it. Sydney appeared to be completely covered in gray metal.

She turned her head in Sean’s direction, scowling as she said, “He wouldn’t let me go alone.”

“Well I’m not going to let her get hurt.” Sean had given up on finding the speakers, and talked directly at the door.

I put on my helmet because that was the only thing left to put on, and I didn’t feel like carrying it. Then I walked out of the lab, hearing Haley say, “Wait for a second. I’ve got to talk to someone here.”

At first I wondered if she were waiting for me, but once out of the door, I could see her talking to Daniel and Izzy. Daniel wore his normal costume—all black with silver accents.

Izzy’s costume didn’t look anything like the one she’d worn as Dixie Supergirl. If anything, it looked like off-the-rack women’s workout clothes—an aqua colored, armless t-shirt, black pants, and a black mask covering the upper half of her face.

If she generated shields over herself as I suspected, she could wear anything.

Haley glanced at Daniel. For a moment, she had a blank expression on her face, followed by annoyance. Then she turned back the computer, and started talking into the microphone again.

Nick, Daniel sent to me. I argued we should take Sean too. Sorry, but you know why.

Despite my immediate surge of annoyance, I did. We were facing Rook. Rook and the majority of his people wore powered armor. Plus, he had all those robot birds. Short of getting Technomancer or his son Carlos, we couldn’t choose anyone better than two people with magnetic powers.

Crap.

I’d put some effort into improving the suit’s sensory capabilities too. Zooming in on Haley, I could see her frown as she said, “I’m opening the door.”

Not that that was the last door. She had to open a few more, and disable some security measures before they made it in.

The big metal door on the wall opened and Sean walked in, followed by Sydney. He stared at the room, eyes darting from one of the League’s old trophies to the next, checked out the shelves next to the wall, paraphernalia collected from Nazi super-soldiers, and the pile of boxes where they’d packed up everything else.

Sydney seemed a bit cooler about it, but she’d been invited over a few times during the summer. She walked around Sean, straight toward Haley and everyone else at the table in front of the big screen.

I’d been walking toward the table even before Haley let them in, so I reached the table a little before Sydney and Sean.

Sydney stopped next to Haley’s chair. “I didn’t mean to bring him.”

In my mind, Daniel said, With his dad dead and the way they’ve barely been talking lately, he’s afraid of losing her too.

I thought back. I wish you wouldn’t make me feel sorry for him.

Daniel sent back, Sorry. If it makes you feel any better, there’s also a part of him that’s jealous that she’s been here so much, but that’s not the main reason he came.

Sean walked up, close enough to hear what Sydney said. “Hey, Mom’s worried every time you go out, and I’m not going to let you get killed. I know you’ve been fighting people with these guys. Trust me, you shouldn’t be. You should wait until you’re old enough to be in the program.”

Sydney turned to face him. I couldn’t see her real expression through all the metal, but if it matched the face that rippled across it, she was glaring at him.

“Don’t give me that. You were doing all kinds of things before the program. You just don’t want me to be here with them. Or to be around Camille.”

Sean sputtered, “That’s not true!”

I felt amusement from Daniel. It is partly true, but letting them fight about it isn’t going to get us anywhere.

I sent to Daniel, Then we’d better take control of this and get going.

You, Daniel sent back.

Me, what?

You need to take charge. You and Haley called everybody, and Haley is assuming that you’re going to run this. I bet she’d do a great job herself actually, but she isn’t expecting to.

What about Jaclyn and Rachel? We’re picking them up on the way.

But they’re not here now, and before you ask, I’m not going to take it on. This one’s yours—unless you pass it off to Jaclyn.

Again, crap.