Cassie and Kon had both attempted to explain the superhero business to Anatoly but without much success. He understood the need for a code name and all the rest of it, but what was beyond him was why they would ever want to do such a thing. Still, he respected it was something they cared very much about and was equal to the passion he felt for chess.

He glanced down at the board, weighing his options. He had to tread carefully here, lining up his pieces for victory yet doing it in such a way to prevent from realizing the pattern he was setting until it was too late for him to do anything about it.

"But the three of you were friends, yes?"