Chris shook his head. “No need. My guys can handle that. We’ll also take out the humans on the grounds and those who remain on the training field. Lisette, if you’d like to give us a hand—”
“Lisette will be with me,” Zach interrupted, his tone brooking no argument.
Chris raised his eyebrows. “And where will you be?”
“With Seth and David, killing everything that moves in the main building and torturing whomever I have to, to uncover the names of the immortals who betrayed us.”
Silence.
Chris looked to Seth.
Seth shrugged. “I’m good with that. Marcus, why don’t you join us in the main building? Edward, I want you, Bastien, Melanie, and Ethan to help Chris and his men clear out the training fields.”
The five nodded.
“As for the main building,” Chris said, pointing to it, “at first glance, it appears to be a flashy meet and greet. Lots of marble and granite. Nice foyer according to their Web site. But we couldn’t get a clear infrared satellite image of what’s inside, and a lot of bodies shuffle in and out of that place every day, so I think it’s safe to say it’s their hub. Their planning, experimenting, communications, and meetings likely all take place there.”
“Not for long,” David murmured.
Chris smiled. “On my mark, all cell phone reception will be disrupted and the landlines cut, but sat phones will still function, so keep your ears open and prevent any calls from going out. The electricity will also be cut, but there are backup generators here, here, here, and here. Seth, you and Zach have seen the place firsthand and can teleport pretty much anywhere on the compound, so I need one of you to use these”—he held up a cluster of grenades—“to take out the generators as soon as I make the call.”
Zach crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not leaving Lisette.”
Seth took the grenades. “I’ll do it.”
“Walkies will still work,” Chris said, “so some of the mercenaries will have limited communication capability. But I’ve already identified the channel they use, so we’ll know their every move and will swiftly locate and dispatch them. Seconds,” Chris ordered, “park your asses behind the nearest bulletproof structure and guard your immortals. Shoot anyone with a tranquilizer gun. If your immortal is tranqed, use your walkie to call it in and cover them until we can get them out of harm’s way.”
“Should that happen,” Richart said, “I can teleport the immortal to David’s place.”#p#分页标题#e#
“Good. The rest of the injured, mortal and immortal, should be taken to network headquarters. Our emergency medical team is standing by.” Chris raked them all with a glance. “Any questions?”
Silence.
He nodded. “Seth, let me know when you and the other immortals are in place, ready to strike, and I’ll make the call.” He turned to his men. “Helmets on.”
The network soldiers all donned helmets with chinstraps.
Seth eyed the immortals and arched a brow. “Well?”
Every movement broadcasting either reluctance or belligerence, the immortals dutifully donned the last piece of their protective suit: a head covering that resembled a ski mask and covered everything but their eyes. Even their mouths were covered, except for small breathing holes.
“Go ahead,” Chris said. “Get it out of your system.”
Grumbles and complaints erupted.
“I hate this thing.”
“Feels like I’m suffocating.”
“Is this damned thing thicker than it was before?”
“Yes, it is,” Chris said as he rolled up his map. “Now suck it up and get moving.”
Lisette smiled. Only Chris Reordon could get away with talking to immortals like that.
She raised her mask and started to pull it down over her hair.
Zach stopped her. Turning her toward him, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her as if there were no tomorrow.
Lisette clung to him until someone jostled them walking past.
Zach raised his head.
Reaching up, she pressed a hand to his stubbled cheek. “I’ll be all right,” she told him again.
Nodding, he stepped back and watched silently as she drew the dark mask down over her face.
A peculiar feeling overcame Zach as he stood with the immortals and their Seconds in the shadows of the forest. Unseen by the guards, he and the others had an excellent view of the front gate.
As Zach studied the grounds beyond, his stomach felt odd. Not nausea. Something else. And tightness gripped his chest, his heart beating more rapidly than it should.
It’s nerves, Seth spoke in his head.
Zach frowned. I’m nervous? That’s what this is? He tried to recall if he had ever been nervous in the past and couldn’t.