Nobody remembered you here. It was a motel of empty souls and nameless faces.
I didn’t mind the simpler, somewhat grimy, accommodation. The scratchy sheets and worn carpet didn’t bother me either. Compared to my homeless life only months ago, this motel was a palace.
After a supper of takeout pizza, we all met in Di and Jacinda’s room to talk about our plan for the night. It was agreed we’d stake out the warehouse and learn the routines. Once we felt confident in how it was run, then we’d act. Whether that be in a few days or a week, we hadn’t decided.
Father sat on a chair in the corner of the drab room. His hands were clasped and his eyebrows drawn together. Less than thirty miles away waited O’Brien Pharmaceuticals’ labs and corporate offices. A haunted expression glazed his eyes. I figured he never anticipated ever being in the situation we were currently in.
Di pulled up an aerial map on her computer. She turned the screen so all of us could see.
I stood and paced. Keeping my eyesight altered, I continually gathered and dispersed everyone’s clouds. Each time, I grew faster and faster. Breathe in, well up the energy inside you, feel the pulsing and growing in your cloud, now pull it from your shoulders and join it with the others. Each time, it worked.
I grinned as my sense of power and purpose grew.
“As you all know, this is the warehouse.” Di passed around the map. I finally sat with the others. “We’ll be observing only tonight. Until I feel comfortable with how this facility is run, we won’t be acting. Got it?”
Everyone nodded.
“Jasper and Jet,” Di continued. “I want you two split up. One of you will be on the building west of the warehouse, the other on the building east. It’ll make communicating easier if our equipment fails. Lena, you’re with Jasper. Mica, you’re with Jet.”
Mica made a sound of protest. Di gave her a firm look and all complaining vanished. Di was in charge. That was decided on day one. We all had to do as she said. Multiple leaders wouldn’t work if it came down to following orders quickly.
“Sorry.” Mica ducked her head. “Yeah, that’s fine.”
Di eyed her brother. “Flint, you and I will be at ground level on the lookout. Amber and Jacinda, I want you waiting in the van watching the local streets and highways.”
Flint’s hand tightened over mine. Neither of us wanted to be split up, but right now, that didn’t matter. What mattered was following our plan and getting the three captives out.
We’d bought a large van that afternoon. The van was only a couple of years old but already had a few rust stains. It was plain, unmarked and in no way drew attention. However, it had large doors that were easy to jump in and out of, and the exterior paint was dark. It would draw little attention at night.
“Everyone bring your dark clothes,” Di said. “We meet in the parking lot in ten minutes.”
One by one, we left the room.
The sun had set and darkness grew steadily around. Lights from downtown made the clouds above gray while noise from the interstate followed us. Cold air filled my lungs. The rooms in the motel could only be accessed from the outside.
Flint followed silently behind me. His energy pulsed into my back. I welcomed its heat. Since it already neared the end of November, it was only a matter of time until it reached well below freezing each night. Hopefully, we’d be out of Chicago before that happened. Doing stake outs in winter would not be easy.
Our plan for the night was nothing new. For the past two weeks we’d hashed out what we’d do the first night in Chicago, but in a way, it still felt unpracticed. This was the real thing after all. True, we were only observing right now but still. A guard could spot us, or Marcus could show up and discover our plan.
I shivered when Flint and I grabbed our things and stepped back outside. We slung our packs over our shoulders. We’d change in the van on the way. As inconspicuous as this hotel was, it would still probably look suspicious if eight individuals, all dressed in black, jumped into a van and skidded away.
“Cold?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Nervous.”
His mouth turned down as his eyes filled with worry. “Do exactly as Di instructs.”
“I will. You better too.”
We walked to the parking lot and hopped in the van. Father wasn’t with us. He’d wait and stay safe in the hotel room. I could only imagine the worry he felt.
WE STOPPED THREE blocks from the warehouse and idled on the side of the road. There were no seats in the back of the van so we all sat on the floor. Peering out the large, tinted windows – the dark empty street stared back. In this section of the city, everything was industrial. The absence of shops, apartments, restaurants and rail stations meant little to no foot traffic. A few, empty cars lined the street, but that was it. The random streetlight did little to illuminate anything beneath it.
“Do you have your earpieces in place?” Di asked.
Everyone checked their communication equipment. We all did tests with one another to confirm that everything worked.
“We meet back here at 0300,” Di said. “Do you all remember which routes to take?”
Everyone muttered replies.
I met Flint’s gaze as Jet reached for the door handle. Worry hung heavily in Flint’s cloud. He grabbed me, pulling me tightly to his chest. He planted a quick kiss on me before whispering in my ear, “I love you. Stay safe.”
I hugged him tightly, cherishing his strong arms and unique scent.
The door opened. Cold air swirled into the van. Darkness shrouded the twins, Mica and me when we stepped out. Dressed all in black, we blended into the night.
“Be careful,” Di hissed. In the quiet street, her words carried.
The four of us secured our backpacks and turned. We took off in two separate groups. Mica and Jet disappeared down an alley. Jasper and I walked down the empty street, our shoulders hunched. We walked side by side, our movements quiet except for the light tapping from our shoes.
Di pulled the van away from the curb and with a rev of the engine, they disappeared. The last thing I saw were red taillights as they swerved around the corner.
I knew Di would circle back and park a block away. From there, she and Flint would slink to their hiding area, an area concealed in shadows just shy of the cameras.
As for Jacinda and Amber, they would stay in the van. They’d lookout for any approaching vehicles using their enhanced senses.
A block later, Jasper and I turned into an alleyway. Foul smells greeted us. Rotting garbage, putrid puddles of rain water and a few chemical scents I couldn’t identify wafted in the air. A squeal of rodents and pattering feet made me jump.
Jasper chuckled, but I could tell he was on edge too.
“Afraid of a little mouse, L?”
“More like cat-sized sewer rats from the sounds of it.”
“Don’t get bit,” he teased. “You’d need to get treated for rabies.”
I muffled a laugh, glad for the distraction as we wound our way around the large buildings. A barely visible waxing crescent moon shone above, illuminating little to nothing. I switched my vision which allowed me to see better by using our clouds. I took the lead after the pitiful street light disappeared.
“This way.” I reached our first turn. We still had three more turns before we’d get to the building that we’d climb.
Di had found the building we’d climb on a search of the area using satellite photos. An old pipe ran up one side of the building, and along with the decorative metal ledges fixed on its sides, it made as good a place as any to get to the top.
Part of our training in Arizona had been scaling walls. Considering we’d grown up in the Rockies, and had occasionally climbed rock faces for entertainment, we were all good climbers. However, one misstep here and it was all over.
Jasper followed me quietly, our footsteps almost silent. Every ten yards or so, Jasper would give me an update on Jet and Mica.
“They’re two blocks awa
y,” he said when we rounded our last turn.
My foot splashed in a puddle. Another squeal sounded from behind a large trash bin. I scouted for the pipe and ledges. “It’s up ahead, about fifty feet.”
Jasper grunted, his footsteps picking up. When we reached the pipe, I gazed up at the impressive distance to the top. It was just under forty feet and purely vertical. I tightened the backpack around me. Jasper did the same. Each of us had special gloves, specifically made to fit our hands like a second skin while offering a superior grip to metal and wet surfaces. When climbing, I liked the feel of rock underneath my fingertips, but this was different. It had rained in the past day, and the ledges were filled with icy cold water. A slippery grip wouldn’t help either of us and could potentially prove fatal.
“Ready?” I asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
I went first, grabbing onto the cool pipe while shimmying my feet up with each step. Lessons we’d learned through trial and error from our rock climbing adventures made the climb relatively easy. If you get stuck, move your feet up. Keep your weight over your legs. Keep your arms straight when possible.
All of that helped from tiring too quickly.
We climbed silently. It was relatively easy, in a way, no different from climbing a ladder although I had to search every now and then for where to put my feet. The only tricky part was holding onto the decorative ledges slick with frozen puddles from the daytime rain shower. Luckily, the gloves helped. When my hands reached the top, I gripped it tightly, high-stepped onto a ledge, and with a pull and push was on the rooftop. Jasper climbed the last few feet and jumped beside me.
He rolled his shoulders. “Nice job. You always were the fastest climber.”
“You kept up.”
He shrugged but I still caught his smile.
We both looked over the edge. A dark line signified the alley below. Getting down would hopefully be easier than going up, although down-climbing wasn’t always easy. I hoped it would go smoothly.
“Where are Mica and Jet?”
Jasper closed his eyes. The moonlight illuminated his firm mouth. “Just got to the top,” he said a moment later. “They’re getting in place.”
“Good, let’s move.”
We slunk along the rooftop. Thankfully, it was mostly flat, except for the few areas it dipped for water runoff. A small ledge lined the perimeter. The closer we got to the edge that overlooked O’Brien, the flatter we became. At the last few yards, we crawled on our bellies, in case the guards noticed movement above.
At the edge, we took off our packs and retrieved the equipment inside. Jasper checked in with Di and Flint through the communication system. They were on the ground, northeast of the warehouse, close to a parking lot.
“Any movement?” I asked.
Di’s voice was clear through the communication system. “None yet.”
“Do you see anything?” Flint asked.
My breath sucked in at the sound of his voice. “No.”
“Did the climb go okay?” he asked.
Jasper responded for me. “Lena’s part cat.”
Flint chuckled.
Di checked in with everyone else. Amber and Jacinda hadn’t sensed anything suspicious. Mica and Jet lay on their bellies on the rooftop opposite of us on the other side of O’Brien. I brought the night vision binoculars to my eyes. Jasper did the same.
The guards came clearly into focus.
There were only two of them, thankfully. However, both carried guns and walked in a way that screamed a military background. Only one entrance let people in, although the loading dock was another option for entry. However, according to Father, it would be harder to access the elevator if we didn’t go in the main door.
Di had equipment that allowed her to hear the guard’s conversation, even though she and Flint were a hundred feet away. The rest of us watched and listened for other sounds. I knew Jacinda had her hearing turned to full volume despite being blocks away. If anyone drove anywhere near our direction, she’d alert us.
THE NIGHT PASSED relatively quickly, considering we only watched and listened. The only thing that bothered me was the cold. Laying on a roof at night in November, where the temps hovered around forty, wasn’t exactly cozy. My toes felt frozen and the cold seeped through my jeans, numbing my thighs. I’d have to remember to wear more layers tomorrow.
Twice, trucks came to the warehouse. The guard’s approached them each time, yet it seemed to only be delivery runs. They flagged the trucks back to the loading dock and several large boxes and containers were dropped off before the trucks left. I had no idea what those boxes held. Perhaps food for the captives, newly concocted drugs, supplies for the lab. Whatever the case, I doubted it was anything less than nefarious.
Di and Flint noted the times, the number of drivers and the license plates. Tomorrow, we’d investigate that more.
At 2300, there was a shift change. The evening guards left and the night guards came on. We paid particular attention to how that process worked. The guards’ clouds were especially interesting. Almost all of the guards had gray clouds, but one of the night guard’s was white. From the conversation Di heard, it sounded like he was fairly new. A part of me wondered if we could use that to our advantage when we finally breached the warehouse. It was another thing we’d have to discuss.
While we waited on the rooftop, I practiced drawing my energy balls. Between the six of us surrounding the warehouse, the guards, multiple rodents and alley cats within the vicinity, there was plenty of energy. Now, it was a matter of drawing it from all of the distances and forming it into one usable sphere.
It wasn’t as easy in the night. Being cold and tired made it harder to concentrate, but I continually practiced my newly learned skill of drawing up my own energy deep inside of me. Twice, I was able to form a large ball, the energy practically crackling in its force. To me at least. Jasper was completely oblivious. Each time, when I knew I could throw the ball if I wanted, I asked if he sensed anything. Both times he said no.
Everyone else practiced their skills too. Jet and Jasper manipulated the guards, seeing how their behavior would change when their emotions were affected. A few times, we heard laughter and I caught a few smiles through the binoculars. I knew the twins were channeling positive, relaxing feelings. I only hoped the guards wouldn’t be aware of the outside influence.
At 0230, we slunk back to the edge of the roof and began our climb down. I gripped the pipe tightly and stepped over the edge. The climb down wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. We were about halfway down when I placed my foot on an icy ledge and put my weight on it.
My foot slipped.
For a brief second, my foot hung in midair as my hands clung to the pipe. I frantically pedaled until I found another ledge to set it on. Adrenaline pumped through me. My heart pounded. Any feelings of being tired vanished.
“Lena? Are you okay?” Jasper had stopped above me. I felt his cloud, heavy with fear descend.
Taking deep, gulping breaths, I clung to the pipe until my energy calmed down.
“Are you okay?” Jasper whispered.
He hovered above, only a few feet separating us. If he slipped and fell, chances were he’d take me down with him. I didn’t want to think about our broken bodies laying in a heap on the concrete alley below.
“Yeah. I’m fine. We’re almost there.” Carefully lowering my foot, I made sure it was firmly planted before I moved my hands down. Moving silently and carefully, I reached the bottom and hopped off the pipe.
Jasper joined me a moment later. His feet landed quietly in a puddle that was icing over.
He raised his arm in a high five. “Nice job.”
I slapped his hand, still trembling from my near fall. “Let’s hope we’re not doing this every night for the next month.”
“Lena, Jasper?” Di’s voice came on over the ear pieces. “Are you two down?”
“Affirmative.” Jasper grinned and nudged me. “I’ve always want
ed to say that.”
“Hurry up,” Di said. “Jacinda heard vehicles moving this way. I want us out of here. Now.”
We crept quickly back the way we’d come. I switched my vision so I’d spot any rats in the alleyway. The small clouds that puffed up around them disappeared when they scurried behind dumpsters.
Jacinda and Amber waited in the van. I could tell both were anxious from their wild looks and flushed cheeks. In a way, they had the hardest job. All they did was wait. I didn’t envy them.
“The vehicles are two blocks away,” Jacinda said.
A few moments after Jasper and I got in the van, Flint, Di, Mica and Jet appeared. They all jumped in, and we slammed the door. Jacinda put the van into drive and slammed down on the gas pedal. She hit the curb. I glanced at her tight white knuckles and held out my arms to steady myself when the van swayed dangerously. Perhaps we needed to rethink our getaway driver.
“Where are they?” Di asked tightly.
Jacinda eyed the van’s side mirror. “Turning the corner now.”
We approached the end of the block just as an O’Brien SUV turned onto the street.
Jet watched through the back window. “Who do you suppose that is?”
“More guards?” Mica offered.
“Marcus?” Amber practically squeaked.
Di’s eyes narrowed as Jacinda swerved onto the interstate. She almost hit a sign before Di yanked the steering wheel straight. When we were a few miles away from the warehouse, the anxiety in the van finally relaxed.
Di turned in her seat. “Well done, everyone.” Cold night air trailed in through her cracked window.
All of us grinned. An excited energy buzzed in the air.
Di took her ski mask off. Her short dark hair fell around her oval shaped face. “We’ll research the guards and trucks more tomorrow, and tomorrow night, we’ll come back and watch again.”
Flint pulled me closely to his side as the van jostled and dipped along the highway. His heat felt good since my toes were still frozen. We huddled together on the van’s floor. His scent surrounded me, and nervous yet exhilarating energy pulsed everywhere. I had no idea it would be such an adrenaline rush to stake out a warehouse, but from the gleaming excitement in everyone’s eyes and staccato chatter, I could tell I wasn’t the only one feeling this way.
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