Watching the two operators argue over who would stay behind, Ashe suddenly felt his mind drift.

He knew they were both right. He also knew his own life mattered most. After all, only by preserving the Conjuring spirit did any of them stand a chance of surviving.

The situation had already reached a point of absolute peril. A clean escape was unrealistic. Sacrifices were inevitable. They were a small team, after all, and the ultimate purpose of a team was to sacrifice a few when necessary to secure a victory for the rest.

The optimal decision was to leave one person behind to buy time. If the Legion of Heroes still caught up, another would stay. Ashe would even be willing to blind himself to resist the curse if it came to it, all to keep driving and hunting for a sliver of hope.

Probability. Expected value. Return on investment....