C’s eyes narrowed, “They don’t have a daughter named Joan.”

  My grandparents turned to look at each other and back to everyone else as Grandma said, “But that is a name we were talking about. Joan, if we had a girl, and Stephen, if we had another boy. So, we’re going to have a daughter?”

  “Stephen?” My eyes darted toward Grandma’s belly. She wasn’t showing, but maybe that hint of a curve was Uncle Steve? Even in the 50s and 60s, superhero costumes didn’t leave a lot to the imagination. “Well, if you haven’t had a Stephen yet, no. My mom was born in 1963.”

  Grandpa glanced over at the Mentalist, and Daniel’s grandfather nodded, his top hat making the nod more obvious. Though I’d never told him, I’d always thought the Mentalist’s era of magician-themed costumes looked silly.

  In the 60s, he’d emphasized psionic powers, and his look improved.

  The Mentalist glanced in my direction and smiled, telling the group, “He’s telling the truth. I know it because his surface thoughts confirm it, but also because his mental shield uses the same design I created for the team, except for a few interesting changes.”

  I nodded. “Your grandson did most of it. I think he got help from his dad at points.”

  Night Wolf glanced from the Mentalist to Grandpa. “I can’t smell him, but if you trust him, I’ll give him a chance.”

  The Mentalist touched his shoulder, “I do. I also see the same hints that he’s spent time with Lee that I’ve noticed in our thought patterns over the years.”

  Behind him, Red Lightning frowned for the briefest of moments before saying, “Oh.”

  Thin-lipped, Captain Commando gave a nod, “Alright, then. What do you want?”

  “I’m not sure where to start and what you know, but we’re within a massively powerful weapon that Lee stole from his own people. A supervillain named Magnus has almost figured out how to control it. My team, a group of your grandchildren, isn’t here yet, and there are too many people for me to handle. Since you’re the only people I can trust here, I’m asking you for help.

  “There’s a wrinkle to keep in mind, though. If any of you die, it changes my past and your future, which means maybe my friends don’t get born. So, I'm asking for help, but if you can help without drawing attention to yourselves, that would be best.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Captain Commando regarded me, nodding along as I talked. “We know about the device. We helped Lee find it, and we’ve hidden the doohickey that allows you to control it when we get out.”

  Grandpa’s helmet turned in Cap’s direction. If I had to bet, I’d have bet he was giving him side eye through the helmet. He said, “Doohickey?”

  Cap shrugged, “I don’t know why you think I’m going to call alien technology by the right name when I don’t even know ours.”

  “You know what?” Grandpa said, “I don’t either.” Then he laughed, and the rest of the team chuckled. It felt good, reminding me of the picnics when I was a kid. They’d been comfortable with each other.

  I didn’t have time to dwell on it, asking, “You hid it? Oh. Well, I think Magnus has it, or maybe there’s more than one. Either way, that’s what we’re facing.”

  Night Wolf shook his head, “Magnus? We may have heard the name. He’s not alone, is he? Who’s with him and what can they do?”

  I replied, “I’ll say their names and describe them and let the Mentalist grab whatever he can from my thoughts. It might go faster, and I’ll miss less.”

  Grinning, Night Wolf said, “That’s what I was thinking, but it’s good to have permission.”

  The Mentalist said, “I don’t read everyone’s mind all the time.”

  No one on the team said anything, but Captain Commando smirked.

  “I don’t,” the Mentalist stated.

  I went down the list, sometimes checking the implant’s memory of the tower's dark room and everyone in it to make sure I didn’t miss anyone.

  As I did, the Mentalist spoke in my mind, Thanks for that picture. I’ll share that with the team too.

  “One more thing,” I added when we were done, “I’m going to have to give you a way to resist Colette’s commands.”

  C nodded, “We’re aware. Isaac shared that with us as well. Bring us through.”

  Knowing that I hadn’t shared that intentionally, I wondered what else Daniel’s grandfather caught and passed on. Even for him, it wouldn’t be easy to go past Daniel's mental shield.

  Keeping the portal’s opening below the top of the railing, I angled it so that the original League could step out while keeping their heads down.

  Ray’s eyes widened, and his hand went toward his pocket as the portal opened and they joined us on the balcony. He turned to me, “I thought you were going to teleport them in behind me.”

  “They needed anti-voice buzzers,” I said, hoping he wasn’t nervous enough to reflexively attack.

  He scowled. “So they’re not going to be close when I need them?”

  C met his eyes, speaking slowly and carefully, “We know the plan. We’re building on it. You won’t be alone out there even for a second.”

  He watched Ray, unblinking. At least to, me, it was clear that he wouldn’t take any argument about this.

  As long as I’d known him, Jaclyn’s grandfather always seemed good-natured on the surface, but hard-nosed when necessary. In that moment, it struck me that he may have mellowed with age.

  “You,” he said to Prentkos, “are with me. Red Lightning and Rocket Junior need to go for the Cabal soldiers the moment the fighting starts—lasers and lightning. Got it?”

  He kept on talking, but as he did, I couldn’t help but notice Red Lightning eyeing Ray. Ray’s father, I remembered, had been part of Red Lightning’s power juice-using gangs.