by Krista Walsh
***
The farmhouse felt crowded to Zach, even busier than it had been the night before. Allegra, Vera, and Daphne were sitting around the dining table. A teapot sat in the center, milk and sugar arrayed around it. Each of the women had a mug in front of her, but only Vera appeared to be drinking any.
On the couch, Daphne’s stray, Emmett, played tug-of-war with the dogs, while behind him, tucked into the corner beside the TV, a stranger with curly hair sat in front of a computer, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
It was only on his second pass that Zach noticed a shimmering figure sitting in the fourth chair at the dining table. He couldn’t make out many details, but he guessed it was a male in his mid-thirties. Who’d invited a ghost to the party?
“Zach, you haven’t met Percy, and over there is Matthew, Allegra’s…friend.” Gabe said, and Zach picked up the faint hesitation, as though the Gorgon had no more idea of what to make of the unexpected addition than Zach did. Based on the expressions of everyone except Allegra, they were all trying to come to terms with their possible future joining them at the table. “They’re both human…sort of…but their skills should help us a lot in the days to come.”
“How?”
Zach wasn’t in the mood to bring amateurs into their plans. By the look of Percy, Lozak would eat him for breakfast, and he didn’t know enough about ghosts. If he were being honest, he’d never cared enough to give them much thought, believing they were just temporary glimpses of lost life. He’d never seen one so…alive before. Except for the fact that he was transparent and wavering in the light, Matthew moved and reacted like any of the others. It left a strange uneasiness in the pit of Zach’s stomach.
“That’s what we’re here to discuss,” Vera said from her place at the head of the table.
Gabe nodded and moved to stand behind her, resting his hand on the back of her chair. “We’ve all had time to consider our options on how we want to move forward. Now’s our best chance to hash it out and come up with a solid plan of attack.” He pulled out a rolled-up sheet of paper that had been tucked into his back pocket. “This is the most recent shot of the prison that Percy was able to pull from the satellites.”
“How recent is recent?” Daphne asked, leaning over as Gabe smoothed it out across the table.
“About five months ago,” said Percy, without turning away from his screen.
Zach frowned. “How will that do us any good? They’re likely to have made changes since then, right?”
“They’ve blocked the image,” Percy said. “Not of the area — I can see that just fine — but the fortress itself has been shrouded with some kind of cloaking spell.”
“So we have to make do with what we have,” Gabe said. “This image at least shows the entrance — here. It won’t help much with security or getting around guards, but we’ll know where to find the front door.”
“What do we know about this area here?” Zach asked, pointing to the town along the coast. It didn’t look like much from the photos — just a mishmash of small developments and a few shops. A bar, of course.
“It’s mostly owned by the people who worked at the prison,” said Gabe. “Or at least it was. The homes were built for families of the wardens and the guards. A few humans who were in the know and looked after the landscaping and the shops, but mostly an isolated otherworldly haven. We won’t know how much it’s changed until we get there.”
“And how do we intend to do that?” Allegra asked. “Are we to rent a vehicle and drive?”
Gabe glanced at Vera, who nodded, then he said, “I think it makes the most sense for me to rift us into town first. We can set up our headquarters there, and then I can rift us to the prison. I considered the ferry, but there’s no way we’d get across without someone noticing something was wrong, and I don’t think we want a welcome party waiting for us.”
Zach grunted his approval. At least one of them had thought things through.
“I won’t be able to take us right inside because I need to have a picture in my mind of where I’m going in order to get there, but at least I can take us in front of the doors.”
“To fight our way in?” Daphne asked.
“If that’s what it takes,” Zach said.
“It would be good if we knew what to expect once we got inside,” said Vera. “Zach, you said you have the layout of one of the levels?”
Zach pulled the thin sheet of paper out of his pocket and spread it across the table next to the satellite image. “One floor of twelve. We think it’s a subbasement.”
“Shame we have no other way of knowing our way around,” Gabe said. “The way I see it, we have four different goals here. To find Vera’s book, to destroy Percy’s software, to rescue Molly, and, of course, to bring down Mayes and Wenzell and prevent them or their lackeys from carrying out whatever plan they needed it all for.”
Zach grit his teeth. “Getting Molly out has to be the first priority. I will not put any inanimate objects before her.”
Gabe raised his sunglass-covered gaze toward him, and Zach glared back.
“We haven’t got that far yet, Zach,” Vera said. “Gabe is just listing ideas, and he’s right. With so many goals, we’re going to need to split up once we get inside if we want to stand a chance of achieving them all. Having a map of the layout would be a great advantage, so we can all coordinate. Is there no way to find the rest of the blueprints?”
“They wiped the factory clean,” said Zach, “and I wouldn’t know where to find the manager who had the file, if he even still has it.”
The sound of someone clearing his throat directed Zach’s attention down the table toward Matthew, whose shimmering form now appeared more visible, although it was still unnerving to be able to see the couch through his chest.
“I might be able to help with that,” he said. “Do a scouting mission, I mean. I can at least give you an idea of what you’re looking for.”
Allegra tensed beside him. “That is not wise. What if they have security measures around the fortress? Something that destroys you on entering?”
Matthew appeared to rest his hand over hers. “If I sense anything strange, I’ll turn around, but it’s something I can offer. If it helps you, I won’t sit on the sidelines.”
The succubus turned to look at him with almost pleading eyes, then dropped her gaze to her hands on the table and gave a brusque nod.
Her reaction struck Zach for its quiet intimacy. Maybe Ara had been right about the succubus being different than when they’d met. The woman from the locked room would never have shown such open sentiment for anyone, let alone a ghost. Had the seven hells already frozen over and he just hadn’t realized it yet?
“Thank you, Matthew,” Vera said. “Whatever you’re able to pick up would put us in a better position than we’re in now.”
The ghost rose from the table and smiled. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
And just like that, he was gone. A chill ran down Zach’s spine, and he shrugged it off. Even among the otherworldly there were phenomena he couldn’t wrap his head around.
“While he’s gathering information,” Vera said, twining her fingers around her tea, “here is what I propose for our plan. Percy will do his best to play with any security systems they have on hand to keep us shielded as long as possible. Once we make it in, we work as a group to clear out whatever demons we encounter first. Our goal should be to eliminate everyone we come across without giving them an opportunity to spread word that we’re there. If we do that, we should be able to move forward without drawing the entire pack on us.”
Zach nodded. So far she was talking sense, though he didn’t want to think about the mess they’d be in if they walked into the horde right off the bat. Still, what other choice did they have?
“The Collegiate said we might be looking at thousands,” he pointed out. “I doubt they’re all at Tartarus, but we should be prepared for numbers.”
“We’ll do the best we can. Onc
e we’re certain we’re safely inside,” Vera continued, “I think you should go after Molly, Zach. Gabe, you should go with him. Once you find her, you can rift her back to safety, and then reconvene with us when you can.”
“He can rift us both back,” Zach said. “I’m not leaving her side until I know she’s safe.”
“Fair enough,” said Gabe.
“Where exactly will ‘safety’ be?” Allegra asked.
“The headquarters we set up in town,” Gabe said. “We’ll keep Percy far enough away that the demons won’t have an easy time finding him, but close enough to monitor what’s going on. That’s his area of expertise.”
Percy rolled his chair across the floor toward the table and set down a box full of plastic earpieces. His friendly face — so much younger than Zach might have expected from his tone — was bright with excitement. Emmett left the dogs to join them at the table.
“This is something I’ve been working on for a while, just in case they ever came in handy,” Percy said. “They’re regular comms devices, except I’ve shielded them from otherworldly energy.”
“Huh?” Zach asked.
“It means they should hold up against any magical interference, so we can stay in constant communication.”
“That is so cool,” Emmett said, reaching for one of the earpieces. Daphne raised an eyebrow at him, and he frowned and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“You’ll all be able to talk to and hear me, and I can talk to everyone,” Percy said. “From my set-up, I can make sure that everyone knows where everyone else is located, so we can negotiate reinforcements as needed. It means that even if you have to split up, you won’t be on your own.”
“That’s something,” Daphne said, though Zach picked up a faint sheen of sweat on her skin. He didn’t blame her. With the tangible evidence of their mission in front of them, it was starting to become real. The rush of battle warmed his blood, and he pulled back on his desire to leave right then.
“What about the rest of us?” Gabe asked Vera. “After I send Molly back with Zach, where are we focused?”
Although Allegra crossed her arms and shifted in her chair to exclude herself from the conversation, Zach noted the way her gaze continued to flick toward Vera, catching every word.
“We’ll concentrate on preventing the leaders from carrying out their plan,” Vera said. “While the book and the software must both be taken away from them, unless we know exactly where to find them, it will come down to searching for them.”
Allegra released a sharp laugh. “We are about to step into a fortress of horrors where all of our nightmares have gone to rot, and you believe it will be as simple as searching room by room?”
“She’s got a point,” Daphne said. “You know Lozak will be there. All the strongest demons will be close to the bosses.”
“Do you have any other suggestions?” Vera asked, her gaze steady. “Our mission was never expected to be a walk in the park. We need to bring the leaders down if we want to protect the world. If it’s possible, we draw them out one a time and spread the risk.”
“Kiting them,” Percy said, and he shrugged when everyone except Gabe and Emmett looked confused.
“It’s a gaming term,” Emmett explained. “Lure out the weaker ones and destroy them. Winnow them out, then go heavy on whoever’s left. It conserves energy and decreases your chances of getting swarmed.”
“While I doubt video game strategies are what’s going to get us out of there alive,” Daphne said, “it’s not a bad idea.”
“If you’re looking at going at them like a sledgehammer, you should know what to expect,” Zach said. “They’re not a bunch of amateurs with no grasp on their power. They’re going to be strong. Do you think you have anything that could push them back, Daphne?”
“I’ll restrain them if we need to,” she said, squaring her jaw. “I’ve already accepted I’m going to need to dig deep for this, and I’ll bring in reinforcements. My mother and grandmother are at the center of one of the largest magical circles in the country. I’m sure they can conjure something up. We won’t let them past our guard.”
“After the leaders are taken down, we’ll have the time and space to track down the software and book,” said Vera.
“As well as deal with any stragglers,” Gabe said.
“It’s not a horrible plan,” Zach conceded, ignoring the way Allegra rolled her gaze to the ceiling in silent disapproval. “Depending on Molly’s condition and how sure I feel about our headquarters, Percy could contact you to rift me back to the prison, couldn’t he? I don’t want to miss my chance to help tear these bastards apart.” Not when they owed him such a debt.
Gabe nodded.
“Excellent,” said Zach, and he smiled. With the plan in place, he felt his confidence rising and his impatience fading. He was able to imagine the damage he was about to cause, and he cracked his knuckles, eager to get started.
“What about the orb?” Gabe asked, and Zach caught the look Vera cast him as soon as the question was in the air. “Shouldn’t we decide what to do about that?”
Zach wished everyone would forget about the damned thing. Not because he didn’t think some decision should be reached — eventually — but it would be one less thing he had to factor in. But since wishes would protect him about as well as Dusty could, they might as well get this conversation out of the way. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bundle of cloth, setting it on the table.
Allegra shuddered. “Must we keep that thing nearby. Why do we not destroy it?”
Zach swore he caught a glimpse of panic in Gabe’s expression, but a moment later it was gone, his face neutral.
“I think it makes more sense to keep it with us,” Gabe said. “It could serve as a weapon, or a last-resort bargaining chip. Even if all it does is take up real-estate in someone’s pocket, it’s better than leaving it behind to fall into someone else’s hands.”
Zach scowled. “And bring a dangerous relic right into the reach of our enemies? That’s your professional opinion, is it?”
“What do you propose then?” Gabe asked. “That we leave it here, unguarded? They found it once, so what’s to stop them from tracking it down again?”
Zach crossed his arms and glowered. “And if we get into the prison only to discover that one of us has been bound by the thing, what then? Everyone else forms a guard around them just to keep it safe?”
The Gorgon’s gaze dropped to the orb. “We find something better to hold it in, first off.”
“I can watch over it for now,” Emmett said, drawing all eyes to him. “I’m human, right? It doesn’t have any effect on me. We can at least bring it with us to wherever we’re setting up, close enough that if you want to use it to bargain you can, but protected from anyone coming after it.”
Daphne frowned at him, but didn’t argue. Zach weighed the options and finally nodded. While he didn’t like Gabe’s interest, the Gorgon was right that the orb wouldn’t be safe left behind. But there was no way he was taking it into the prison.
A moment of silence passed, until Daphne tore her gaze from the glass ball and released a breath. “So that’s that, then. Once we get in, it should all be over within a few hours.”
Zach could hear her unspoken thought that they might not all make it out.
Vera was right — this wasn’t a mission to visit someone’s grandmother. He’d seen what Lozak was ready to throw at his enemies, and if what the Collegiate had told him was correct, there could be an army waiting for them.
His heartbeat picked up its pace, and he leaned over the table to stare at the satellite image of the prison. The island was large enough, but the fortress spread its dark shadow over it, taking up all the space except for a single docking point on the coast. It reminded Zach of a black hole, sucking all the light and energy into its walls to fortify them against any attempted escapes.
How could it all have gone so wrong that the very villains the prison was supposed to cage co
uld now use it as a perfect point of defense?
He thought of Molly locked away somewhere inside, and his stomach clenched. Vera would know if something new had happened to her, right? He hoped she was holding up. And that when they found her, she would be all right in Percy’s care while Zach returned to the prison to tear apart the people who had tried to reach him through her.
“You mentioned setting up a headquarters. Where are we going to do that?” he asked. Obviously it needed to be somewhere far enough and secure enough that there would be no risk of the demons finding them. A bunker, maybe.
“Oh,” Percy said. “I thought of that as well.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I went and bought us an RV.”
A fresh wave of fury rose in Zach’s veins. “Do you think that this is some kind of joke? That a frightened child is an excuse to go camping?”
Percy turned to face him. With only a few inches between them, Zach might have expected the other man to be intimidated by the way he was looming over him, but Percy barely batted one of his absurdly long eyelashes.
“Of course not,” he said, and he sounded just as calm as if he were speaking to a child. “My thinking was that we needed a way to get close to the prison. Even if Gabe opens one of his rift things, we can’t go through without equipment, and we can’t set up shop on the side of the road without drawing attention. With the RV, we can fit it out with everything we need and turn it into a portable base of operations in case we need to get out of there quickly.”
In the back of Zach’s mind, he recognized the intelligence of Percy’s logic, but his anger was still too hot to appreciate it.
Instead, he brought his fist down on the table so everything on the surface jumped. “You think we have time for that kind of adjustment? Molly could be killed today. Those demons could make use of that book and your reckless software today.”
Still Percy didn’t flinch. “Then I suppose we’d better get to work.”
Zach straightened up and glared down at him. After a moment, Percy raised his hands. “If you have a better idea of how we can do this, then I’m all ears, but I doubt there will be a convenient motel we can stay at where we can enjoy the scenic Tartarus ocean view.”