“I think I can help,” the red-head blurted out. Bran castigated her with a look but Antonio waved away the break in etiquette.
“We have become used to outspoken females,” said Antonio with a smile. “How is it you believe you can help, Miss…?”
“It’s Alora. Well, you said you’d be using the rainforests and I can communicate with and charm animals. Ordinarily they wouldn’t aid us in any way: they see as the ultimate predator. However they’ll sense that Bennington’s lot are a threat to their surrounding environment, they won’t like that. Even having them as spies would be useful.”
I saw how Evan had stiffened and I knew he fully intended to suggest she was locked away for safe-keeping. I subtly kicked him under the table and then said, “I agree that she might be able to help.” She smiled at me gratefully for that. Last night she’d looked at me like I was no better than a dung beetle just because I was a Sventé. I felt Evan’s eyes drilling into me and condemning me. “Haven’t you learnt anything from me being here?”
He sighed and looked away but mumbled something about God needing to save him from women with iron-wills.
“Jared, Lou, Will,” began Antonio, “I consider you three to be the specialists on formations. Where do you suggest we place each squad?”
Jared spoke immediately, his voice filled with determination, “I’m covering the front line.”
“We agree that it would be an advantage for Jared and Sam’s squad to be one of the squads covering the outer perimeter,” said Lou. “From what we have heard and seen, although the squad is reasonably new the recruits are as prepared as any can be.”
“They kicked the ass of my squad,” grumbled Evan.
Antonio nodded. “The fact that they will have both Jared and Sam leading them makes them an excellent choice for that position.”
“Wait,” said Jared. “I’m not sure Sam should -”
My voice was like a whip. “I really would ask yourself if you like your eyes because if you finish that sentence there’s a good chance I’ll gouge them out.”
He raised his hands in a placatory gesture. “It’s nothing personal, Sam, I just -”
“When are you going to grow up and accept that we have to work together?”
“Sam -”
“This ‘I don’t need help’ crap is getting old now. Hurts your pride that you have a female Sventé backing you up, does it? Tough. That squad is mine just as much as it is yours.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t. There are plenty of other places you could cover.”
“I believe I already stated, Jared, that I wished for you to both lead the squad together during the attack,” said Antonio. “It wasn’t a request. Now, let us move on.”#p#分页标题#e#
While Will and Lou put forward suggestions for the placing of the squads during the attack and what tactics each should use, I sat there seething. I didn’t care that the irritation and lividness was pouring off me, or that everyone in the room could sense it. That sod had just tried to cut me out again. I felt utterly betrayed; he hadn’t ever really seen me as an equal at all, had he? Not as a colleague and probably not even as a person. He definitely didn’t respect me if he thought he could shag me one minute then turn on me the next. I’d understand if I didn’t take my job seriously or something, but it was the opposite. I loved my job and I had tried so hard with those recruits; I’d invested time and sweat in their training and it had paid off. And now Jared was happy to cut me out again.
I was surprised by how much it stung. This was a person I had come to care about and, as painful as it was to face, Joy had been totally spot-on: I was just ‘another piece of ass’ to him.
Sam, will you just –
I didn’t want to hear it. I slammed up my mental shields; Victor had made sure I had strong ones to ensure I could resist any vampiric attempts at brainwashing. If Jared was going to shut me out then I’d shut him out as well. He remained uncharacteristically quiet through the entire meeting which I thought was pretty wise because keeping a low profile in front of me was the only way I was going to calm down.
After much debating it was eventually decided that The Hollow’s legion would cover the North of the island, Bran’s legion would cover the East, Connelly’s would cover the West, and Kaiser’s would cover the South. It was also agreed that Alora would join Evan’s legion for the attack; I suspected that this was the only way he’d be able to function, having her there where he could see she was safe.