A poorly-shined swathe of the reflective window seemed to stare him down. They should have had someone to clean it. Unless it had happened today. Some grubby-handed patron of the cafe had leaned against the pristine surface and the servers were too busy to both notice and take action.

Yes. That seemed more likely.

What set this coffee shop apart from the plethora of others on the ground level of a skyscraper fell just beyond Billy's ken. Everything from the yellow-and-blue shadesail to the wicker-patterned chairs felt only marginally distinguishable from the next charming spot a stone's throw away. Maybe the popularity bred popularity. People loved the place. Billy would have been as happy walking and talking. Unfortunately, that wasn't the way that the Program did business.

There was a pen in his pocket. How he wished now that he'd taken it out earlier to establish the understanding that notes would be taken. As things were, Billy would remember as best he could what was discussed with this big-shot Hero Program spin doctor and write out whatever actionable tasks needed attention only after they'd said goodbye and shaken hands. Billy swallowed but the lead in his throat failed to budge.

"-pretty well, uh, I guess, except --" The teeth closest to his bottom lip closed down in sanction and the man briefly debated beginning again. His gaze left the man opposite and found the coffee between them. "-- except they're handling me with kid gloves. No-brainers only."

Patrols. 'Visibility opportunities'. Community events. If the Tank never had to go to community events.

His hand grasped gingerly around the patterned ceramic mug which contained his lifeblood and let the warmth soak into his palms. Only after Dom spoke could he lift the coffee to his lips. In a considerable show of mental strength, Billy did not glance at the poorly-shined swathe of the reflective window.