Maria watched the battle on the TV.

It would be thrilling, if it wasn’t so terrifying.

She could see the flames smashing against Belessar’s armor. They bounced off almost harmlessly.

Almost.

Belessar was hitting back with everything he had, and then some. Watching him in action, she could understand how he’d defeated Bowers, and Dreamspeaker, and Gravitic.

The ultra moved in ten-foot armor with the grace of a ballerina. He ducked, weaved, dodged and spun in an intricate dance, elegant and deadly.

And Agni matched him, move for move, blinking from location to location faster than even drone cameras could spot her.

In the middle of a fire that was melting steel and concrete.

“How can he survive that?” whispered Kristina. “It’s… She’s so…. And he’s so….”

“They’re like a couple of dancers,” murmured Olinda. “Graceful.”

“Except that she’s trying to kill him, and he’s trying to do the same to her,” said Maria.

“I’ve known couples like that,” Olinda responded.

“Hey,” Kristina said, “is there seepage in the house?”

“You’re worried about water leakage now?” snarked Olinda.

“Uh … guys, there’s something funny on the wall there. Look.”

Maria’s gaze followed her friend’s pointing finger. The wall of their apartment had been a bare blue since they moved in.

Now, dark lines were running across it.

Large, black lines, forming into letters.

HELLO MARIA

Maria gulped.

Someone was watching them. Right now.

“Hello?” she asked hesitantly.

THIS IS NANOCLOUD

I’M BELESSAR’S SISTER.

“Oh,” a feeling of relief ran through her. She’d heard of Nanocloud, but there was very little known about her powers.

Except, she could create lettering on walls…

Memories raced through her mind. The glowing letters that night, above the walls of the Grunter compound. The black letters that floated in the sky when Gravitic was defeated.

The reason Belessar had been able to find them all, without even asking.

“You’re watching us right now?”

YES. I’M AN ULTRA AND MY POWER LETS ME SEE THINGS ACROSS THE CITY.

“You helped him,” Maria said. “You gave him the layout of the mansion. Helped him spot Gravitic, the Grunters…. You’ve been fighting by his side the whole time.”

YES.

“And the letters in the sky…. Was that you?”

YES.

Maria exhaled. “You’ve been keeping watch over us, haven’t you?”

YES. I SPOT GRUNTER OPERATIVES AND TELL BELESSAR WHERE TO FIND THEM.

A dozen things crashed into place for Maria. Why the Grunters had never found a single one of the girls. Why Belessar had spoken of ‘allies in the woods’ that first night.

Why he’d never responded to her, or any of the girls….

She cringed. She’d been trying to flirt with him in front of his sister….

“Are you younger than him?” she hazarded.

YES - WHY?

Oh. Awkward. “Uh… Listen, I’m sorry about ….”

NEVER MIND ALL THAT. I NEED YOUR HELP.

“Okay,” she replied. Better to bury the topic.

IS YOUR LAST NAME ESPERANZA?

Maria started. "It was once." How did they find that out? "Not anymore."

DO YOU KNOW A JORGE FRANCISCO ESPERANZA?

An old, cold hatred stirred in her belly.

"Yes," she said. "Why?"

HE'S TOLD AGNI THAT BELESSAR IS MIND-CONTROLLING AND HURTING YOU.

THAT'S WHY SHE'S FIGHTING HIM.

A thousand emotions crashed together in her mind.

Hate.

Revulsion.

Fear.

And…. rage.

“No,” she whispered. “No. He’s not taking this away from me.”

“Maria?”

“Olinda, call Daisy. Nanocloud,” Maria swallowed. “I need to get to the stadium. Can you guide me there?”

YOU CAN’T GET CLOSE.

Maria marched over to the cupboard and pulled out a suitcase.

Inside was the gear Belessar had given her. She remembered how it went on - he’d insisted every one of them put it on and take it off at least fifty times, until they got it right.

Greaves. Bodyplate. Braces. Boots. Helmet. Gauntlet. Correct order, and lock the helmet last.

It was just as stuffy and uncomfortable as she remembered.

The click of the helmet snapping in place, thought, reassured her that it was fitting correctly.

“What are you going to do?” asked Kristina.

“Get my rifle,” Maria replied. “I’m going out.”

THE ARMOR ISN’T FIREPROOF.

“It doesn’t matter,” Maria said. “I’m not leaving him to fight on his own. Olinda, is Daisy on the line?”

Olinda handed her the phone.

“Daisy,” she said.

“Maria.” The other woman’s voice was crisp. “What are you doing?”

“He helped us, Daisy. It’s our turn now.”

A moment’s silence on the other end of the line.

“I’m coming too,” said Daisy. “I’m calling everyone.”

“Only suits,” Maria said. “And tell them to stay a safe distance.”

“They’ll come. The stadium, right?”

“Outside, at a distance. Armor isn’t fireproof.”

“What will you do?”

“What I have to. Nanocloud is Belessar’s sister - she does the mid-air letters. She can help us coordinate.”

“Is she there with you?”

“She’s with all of us. Check out your walls.”

A moment of silence on the other end of the line. Then Daisy spoke. “Hi, Nanocloud. Maria - I see what you mean.”

“See you at Brahampton, Daisy.”

She had to take off her helmet to get a cab.

“That gear real?” the driver had asked when he stopped.

She shook her head. “I’m on my way to a costume party.”

“Bad day for that get-up,” he grunted. “City’s been on edge for weeks, and now the two of them are having it out. You sure you want Fifth and Central?”

“Yes.”

“It’s too close to Brahampton. That’s where they’re fighting, you know.”

“It’s what it is.”

Ten minutes later, she was walking down the street from Central towards Brahampton.

Letters blinked in mid-air.

DAISY, DONNA AND WANDA ARE CLOSE. THE OTHERS ARE ON THEIR WAY.

“How’s the battle?” she asked.

EVERYTHING’S STILL ON FIRE.

“Sounds like Belessar,” she murmured.

DONNA GOT TO THE TOP OF THE BUILDING NEARBY. SHE’S TAKING A SNIPER POSITION.

“Daisy? The others?”

FIVE MINUTES AWAY. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

“I need to talk to Agni.”

SHE MAY NOT AGREE TO MEET YOU.

“Tell her my name. Maria Esperanza.”

I’LL TRY.

“Sir? Ma’am?” a voice said.

She looked up. Two policemen were in front of her.

Behind them was a small crowd, mostly staring at the stadium - which, she could see now, was indeed on fire.

“This is not a safe area,” the first said. “Especially not in that gear. Perhaps you can do the costume some other day?”

Maria sighed. Then she activated the helmet. “I am here to support Belessar.”

The armor’s voice modulator worked perfectly.

She could see the policemen stiffen at the sudden, snakelike hiss.

Her laser rifle was in her hands now.

The cop swallowed. “Ma’am? Nanocloud?”

She shook her head. “A friend of Belessar.”

The cops exchanged glances, then wordlessly stepped aside.