A web of electrical arcs sprang up between Elle's fingers. "Superheroes aren't real," she repeated. The closest person to a superhero she'd ever met had used her, betrayed her, and abandoned her, so she didn't really think he qualified.

The thing about being a robot was weird, but Elle was too tired to argue about it. Let the kid have his delusions if he really wanted them. She needed to get out of this ditch and hopefully find something to wrap her shoulder with. Because medical supplies were in such great abundance out in the middle of nowhere.

Much more slowly than before, Elle pushed herself upright, bracing herself against the ditch wall until she was standing. "I'm going," she told him. She wondered when she'd gone from giving anything to be alone to telling him her plans in advance. It must be for the very practical reason that if she did end up passing out, he could carry her, or at least make sure she wasn't eaten by wild animals. She certainly didn't want the company.

Of course, the doing was a lot more difficult than the saying. Scrambling up out of a ditch wasn't Elle's idea of a good time, but she managed it. Once on more level ground, however, she had to lie down, watching the stars wheel before she caught her breath and they began to steady.