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“I guess I’ll go invisible” She tried for a joke “I’ like anyone”

“I’d go with you, Cruz, but I guess I’d be kind of noticeable” Ar, I won’t be as fast as Shade, but I’ll get there”

Cruz nodded, not trusting her voice Arht not even know quite what she was But she believed he would try to save her

On stiff legs she walked fro behind her The casino staff—ard looks—nodded respectfully as they passed Strange, Cruz thought, how quickly people could adjust to the ih

“I live in a world where lots of people hatewhat they want me to be,” Cruz said as they rode down in the elevator “But now they’re tipping their hats to a pair of Rockborn monstrosities”

“Mmmm,” Shade said “I don’t mean to disillusion you, Cruz, but there are a lot of idiots in the world”

“Two of them in this elevator”

Shade blew out a breath “It’s hard to argue with that” She leaned forward and pushed the stop elevator button

“What?” Cruz asked

“You don’t have to do this, Cruz You don’t have to play hero; that’s not what you signed up for”

“No, I signed up to be a sidekick,” Cruz replied, trying and failing to make it a joke

“Well, Robin, I think you picked the wrong damn Batman”

A few minutes one way or the other, and ould never have met A roll of the dice

Perfect for Las Vegas

Their eyesis different When life was more normal, Shade and I would talk like friends, like equals, but there was always soe After the rock, that became even more pronounced Shade almost craved battle, each confrontation a rehearsal for the revenge she could never achieve against a creature long dead