Fate Succumbs(90)

Toby, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table, held up six fingers. Liam shook his head and jerked his thumb up. More than six people on the plane. It was the general impression I was getting, too. Eight was my conservative estimate, though there could have been more, too far away from the phone to be heard.

“The system is broken, Sari. We’ve got to fix it.”

“By declaring war on your race?”

Joshua spun a laptop around. The page looked like some sort of official Homeland Security type thing I did not want to know how he accessed. On it, there was a list of flights. He pointed to two, both of which were private planes taking off from Romania with final destination in the northern part of the United States. One landed in two hours, the other in six. He highlighted the one landing in two hours and wrote “80% probability” on a piece of paper.

“We’re not declaring war. We’re simply seeking a regime change. You could end this all by stepping down and handing over the leadership to someone who deserves it.”

“And whatever makes you think I don’t deserve it?”

You’re an evil, hateful witch?

“You tried to kill my sister.”

Oh, yeah. There’s that, too.

“You know this will end badly for you all, don't you, Jase?”

“I don’t know about that.” Jase met my eyes and smiled. “I’ve got Lilith and Wolf on my side. Something tells me, you’re the one looking at a not-so-happily-ever-after.” And with that, he disconnected the call.

***

“They’ve got eight or more on the plane,” I said as soon as Jase sat the phone on the table.

“And if the Immortal is right…”

“I generally am.”

“…She’s landing in Odom Pack Territory. I don’t think that’s a coincidence,” Liam said.

Toby looked at the map Joshua pulled up on the laptop. “The Miller Pack isn’t too far from there, either. And don’t discount the Bowens. They might be all the way over in Utah, but they’re the biggest and most Dominant Pack in America.”

Talley’s gaze flicked from one face to another. “I don’t understand…”

“She’s building an army,” I said. “She’s going to try to take us out before I can issue a Challenge.” I closed my eyes, an attempt to focus through the panic. “Someone give me a number.”

“Twenty-five, conservatively,” Liam’s voice answered.

“Talley,” I said.

“Scout,” she answered.

“I want you on the next plane out of here.” I turned to Joshua. “Can you handle that? Get her back to Kentucky, but not to Timber. Send her to the Matthews Pack. If they decide to go after her, they won’t immediately look there.”

“No, I’m staying here.”

“Tal…”

“I’m staying.”

“You’re going.”

“No.”

“Talley, you’re not a fighter. You’re a Seer. This is could get painful and messy. You don’t need to be here.”

Instead of arguing, Talley stood up, pulled a Baby Glock from underneath her bulky cardigan, and aimed it at my head. I dove as she squeezed off two shots.

The guys in the room uttered a chorus of profanities as I came out from under the table in a rage. “What the heck is wrong with you? Are you crazy? Were you trying to kill me?”

Charlie pointed to the window beside me, which Talley had shattered. “You’re not the only one who has been keeping up with training,” he said. “Talley goes to the range almost every single day. She’s become quite the legend.”

Rachel was one of those old ladies with a penchant for ugly yard decorations. There were metal owls nailed to trees, a variety of wind chimes making a racket, and ceramic creatures littering the lawn. Now there were two less, since Talley killed a ceramic squirrel and stained glass frog.

“You’re like Samuel L. Jackson! What the crap?”

Talley slipped the gun back in its holster. “I need to stand up for what I believe in. I won’t be in the direct line of combat, but if I need to, I can protect myself and those I love. Wasn’t that the whole point of making me learn self defense? I mean, it was your idea, Scout.”

Fine, if I couldn’t talk Talley into leaving, maybe I could make our injured list see logic.

“I don’t suppose there is any way I could talk you into leaving,” I said to Charlie.

“Not a chance.” I started to make my argument, but he cut me off. “I’m not planning on fighting, but I’m not leaving either.”

Not a complete victory, but it was better than nothing.