"Backup when I need it," Sonja said seriously. "I've got a pretty full plate back home of bad guys. Someone once said you measure a woman by her enemies, so I must be doing something right." She shrugged. "There's a few other superheroes in St. Louis. I'm not on speaking terms with one of them," she said with a grimace as she recalled her ugly falling-out with Red Scorpion. "The others are okay, but working with them is tough. They're either busy with their own caseload and agendas or they're not up for the kind of thing I need help with. Not to say they're bad at what they do, but the magical world isn't for everyone. But the talent pool we've got here," she said with a wave that generally encompassed the fortress. "With help from them, I feel confident I can handle the usual and unusual threats."

"Besides, let's not kid ourselves, it's good for publicity. Like when people come back from playing on the Olympic team." She took a delicate sip of her vodka tonic, and looked at her two companions. "But that's secondary. We can do a lot of good."