Slayers (26 page)
Authors: C. J. Hill
A
fter the planning session ended, Jesse took Tori to the rifle range and showed her how to use the tranquilizer gun. He was glad for the extra time alone with her. While she impaled targets, he stood next to her, automatically analyzing her shots. Several times he stopped her, stood so that he peered over her shoulder, then put his hand on top of hers to gently correct her aim. It was important she get it right. He wasn’t correcting her because he liked holding her hand and standing so close that he could smell her shampoo … which was something floral-ish and had probably cost enough to feed a family for a week.
fter the planning session ended, Jesse took Tori to the rifle range and showed her how to use the tranquilizer gun. He was glad for the extra time alone with her. While she impaled targets, he stood next to her, automatically analyzing her shots. Several times he stopped her, stood so that he peered over her shoulder, then put his hand on top of hers to gently correct her aim. It was important she get it right. He wasn’t correcting her because he liked holding her hand and standing so close that he could smell her shampoo … which was something floral-ish and had probably cost enough to feed a family for a week.
Tori missed two moving long shots in a row, and she glanced over at him. “Why aren’t you criticizing me?”
“Because you’re doing your best.”
She lowered her arm, letting the gun sag in her hand. Her green eyes widened with worry. “You think you’re going to die tonight, don’t you? You’re making sure you don’t say anything you’ll regret beforehand.”
He fought a smile and a twinge of guilt. “I can be nice, you know.”
She tilted her head, unconvinced.
“I am frequently a very supportive team captain,” he said. “You just haven’t been here long enough to realize that.”
She turned back to the target and shot the close-range moving target perfectly.
“Good job,” he said.
Her gaze slid back to him with a coy arch of her eyebrow. “Now you’re making fun of me.”
“I’m not,” he said. “You happen to be good at close range.”
She went back to the targets, but found time between shots to send him sly looks. “Did Dr. B tell you to compliment me?”
Maybe he deserved her skepticism. He’d been hard on her yesterday. But somehow, seeing the hole she’d knocked through the tech office window had changed his opinion of her. She might be untrained, she might have had her doubts about joining them, but her heart was in the right place. And she also had some serious potential as a fighter. She had leaped almost fifteen feet and knocked in a supposedly unbreakable window. Not bad for day three.
Jesse gave her a smile. “You’re just easy to compliment.”
“Oh, really?” Her voice turned teasing and she took a step closer. “In that case, what do you think of my hair?”
He nearly coughed, because he’d been admiring her hair and he wondered if she knew. Had she caught him sniffing it?
“See?” she said when he didn’t answer. “You’re still mad I went into town.”
He let out a relieved breath. She didn’t know. “I think your hair is very pretty. Brandi and her pink salon did a great job.”
“Mmm-hmm.” She hit the middle of another target. “What do you think of my luggage?”
“Your luggage is very … sturdy.”
She smiled. “My outfits?”
“Plentiful and flattering.”
“Something they have in common with your comments suddenly. My eyes?”
“Gorgeous.” He meant it.
“My archery scores?”
“Those still stink.”
She laughed and managed to hit the closest moving target dead center. “At least you’re being honest about one opinion.”
“I’m being honest about them all.”
Especially the part about her eyes.
He held up his hand, a conciliatory gesture. “I admit I’ve been hard on you. When you left camp, I took it personally.” He dropped his hand, but kept his eyes on hers. “I found out I was a Slayer when I was eleven years old. Half the time I thought I was the coolest thing since Wolverine. The rest of the time I was scared to death. I guess I forgot about that. I forgot how much we’re suddenly asking of you.”
Especially the part about her eyes.
He held up his hand, a conciliatory gesture. “I admit I’ve been hard on you. When you left camp, I took it personally.” He dropped his hand, but kept his eyes on hers. “I found out I was a Slayer when I was eleven years old. Half the time I thought I was the coolest thing since Wolverine. The rest of the time I was scared to death. I guess I forgot about that. I forgot how much we’re suddenly asking of you.”
He paused, waiting to say the next part right. “When I walked into the Dragon Hall today, and I saw what you’d done—well, you’re one of us. I’m glad to have you on my team.”
Her eyes warmed. “And I’m glad to be on your team, Jesse.”
She turned her attention back to the targets, but there was an ease in her motions now, a happiness.
They went on talking for another half an hour, the conversation flowing effortlessly, until Jesse had to go help pack the van. As he turned to leave, Tori took hold of his hand. “Thanks for this,” she said.
He smiled at her. He knew what she meant. “Sure,” he said.
She didn’t let go of his hand, didn’t break their gaze. “Be careful tonight.”
“I will.”
She still didn’t let go of his hand. He could see the worry in her expression.
“I’ll be all right.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “We’re trained. We know what to do.”
She sighed reluctantly and let her fingers drop away from his. “Okay.”
After he left, and even while he hauled things into the van, he still felt the impression of her hand holding tightly to his.
T
ori watched the night scenery flash by while the other Slayers went over contingency plans one more time. By the nonchalant tones of their voices, it sounded more like they were on their way to a school dance instead of a high-security break-in. If it hadn’t been for Kody, who kept flexing his arms like he was warming up for a boxing match, she wouldn’t have thought anyone’s tension was skyrocketing except for hers.
ori watched the night scenery flash by while the other Slayers went over contingency plans one more time. By the nonchalant tones of their voices, it sounded more like they were on their way to a school dance instead of a high-security break-in. If it hadn’t been for Kody, who kept flexing his arms like he was warming up for a boxing match, she wouldn’t have thought anyone’s tension was skyrocketing except for hers.
The fifteen-passenger van held not only the Slayers but also their weapons, the surveillance equipment, a computer, and several monitors. The simulator rode in a small trailer hitched to the fender. Booker followed them in another van. He had taken the seats out in order to carry some of the motorcycles and he pulled a trailer that carried the rest.
It was after midnight when they stopped on the street that led to Overdrake’s compound. They pulled off the road and parked where the trees hid them from view.
Before climbing out, the Slayers pulled on black ski masks. The
change in their appearances was immediate and frightening. The cutouts around their eyes gave everyone a hollow, ugly appearance.
change in their appearances was immediate and frightening. The cutouts around their eyes gave everyone a hollow, ugly appearance.
Next, Tori put on her bulletproof jacket and helmet. She and the other girls tucked their hair into their ski masks, which made them nearly indistinguishable from the guys. The thick vests hid anything feminine about their bodies. Then Theo had them test their headsets, making sure the microphones, video feeds, and earpieces worked.
Tori got out of the van with the rest of the group. Booker handed her a .223 rifle and she was surprised that he also handed guns to Theo and Dr. B. Apparently everyone at camp was a trained marksman. She wondered why they needed her as a bodyguard at all, but then reasoned that Theo, Dr. B, and Booker would be busy studying the monitors and keeping track of the Slayers. With her keeping watch, they had one less thing to worry about.
She gingerly put her rifle into the sling on her back. The slings kept the rifles out of the way, but at a moment’s notice, the guns could be flipped forward to use. Tori slipped her tranquilizer gun into the holster around her waist, then double-checked her vest pockets for ammo. The other slayers had various contraptions in their pockets to help them break in. She didn’t know how to use most of them and wasn’t supposed to leave the vicinity of the vans anyway.
Dr. B, she could tell, was nervous about letting her come. Back at camp, he’d made her practice shooting the tranquilizer gun until the group left for Winchester, and she was pretty sure he would have made her practice in the van if he could have.
Now his nervousness was directed toward his daughter. He gave her a pat on her shoulder as she checked her rifle. “Be careful,” he said, and left his hand to linger on her shoulder.
“I’ve got that on my checklist,” Bess told him.
He didn’t let go of her shoulder. “I’m trying to think about the good
of the nation right now, but as a father, I want to order you all back in the van and drive you as far away from this place as I can.”
of the nation right now, but as a father, I want to order you all back in the van and drive you as far away from this place as I can.”
“We’ll be okay,” she said.
“I don’t know how so many parents have done it—sent their children off to battle …”
Bess tugged at one of her gloves, adjusting it. “The eggs aren’t armed, and Overdrake’s men aren’t expecting us. This will be easier than most of the drills you’ve put us through.”
Dr. B leaned close and gave her a hug. In a low voice that Tori shouldn’t have been able to hear, he said, “Your mother is at home pacing the floor and won’t stop until you come back to camp.”
Bess gave him a quick hug back. “I’ll be fine.”
Jesse motioned to Bess and Dirk. “Time to go pay Mr. Smith a visit.”
The three of them jogged down the street, keeping their heads low to stay behind the bushes that grew on the side of the road. The rest of the Slayers—except for Tori—followed a few yards behind, pushing the motorcycles so they didn’t make any noise.
After Jesse flew over and checked out the defenses, he would come back to fly Bess over the fence while Dirk jumped over. Once the guards were tranquilized and the gate was open, Shang, Kody, Lilly, Alyssa, and Rosa would ride the motorcycles into the compound. They’d pick up Bess and Dirk, take out any other guards in the area, then head to the enclosure.
Alyssa and Rosa would wait at the gate to make sure it stayed open. If Overdrake’s men counterattacked and Alyssa and Rosa couldn’t keep the gate open, then Jesse would have to fly the Slayers over the fence one by one. Only Dirk could leap over it on his own. Tori didn’t like to think about that possibility. It would take Jesse too long. And one of the last things Dr. B had said to the group before they left was that part of any mission was knowing when to cut losses.
Losses. Had he meant lives?
What if you succeeded in destroying the eggs,
Dr. B had asked them during the meeting about Overdrake’s compound,
but one of you died in the process—would you still think an attack was the right thing to do?
Dr. B had asked them during the meeting about Overdrake’s compound,
but one of you died in the process—would you still think an attack was the right thing to do?
Now the phrase kept running through Tori’s mind like a bad omen.
Eventually Jesse’s voice came over the radio in a hushed whisper, “I’m over the property. No one’s in any of the trees. Guards are patrolling the fence at the three and nine o’clock position. This shouldn’t be too hard.” A minute later he whispered, “There’s only one guard by the enclosure’s door. I’ll take care of him, then come back for Bess.”
Silence filled the feed for several moments, then Jesse’s voice came again. “Direct hit into the neck. He should be out soon.”
The radios went quiet.
Tori made a loop around the vans, checking for any unusual motion in the trees around her. Nothing. She made another loop. She couldn’t stand still. The knit ski mask itched against her face. She tried to scratch her cheek without jiggling her helmet.
It occurred to her in a detached sort of way that some kids sent postcards from summer camps. She imagined writing one to her friends.
Camp is a blast. I’ll be spending my third night here helping my bunkmates break into a dangerous, high-security compound. I hope we don’t suffer any fatalities. How’s your summer going?
A hissing sound filled Tori’s ear and Dirk said, “Direct hit to the security booth. We’ll see if the smoke bomb does the trick.”
Tori made another loop around the van. She didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, so she peered inside the van’s window, trying to catch sight of the monitor screens. One showed smoke billowing from the guard station. A man pushed through it, waving his hands at the
clouds of smoke.
C’mon, Dirk
, Tori thought.
Shoot the guy so he can’t alert anybody.
clouds of smoke.
C’mon, Dirk
, Tori thought.
Shoot the guy so he can’t alert anybody.
Before she saw if Dirk did, she pulled herself away from the window and made another circular sweep of the area. Guarding the van had to be her first priority. It was an easy job and she would never live it down if she messed up.
A couple minutes later, Kody said, “The gate is open. We’re going in.” The sounds of their motorcycles purred in her earpiece. She was glad Dr. B had the foresight to buy ones that weren’t noisy.
Not long after that, Alyssa added, “We’re in place.”
Dirk’s voice came on the line. “I’ll take out the guard positioned at nine o’clock.”
Jesse said, “Bess, take Rosa’s bike and get the guard at three o’clock. Everybody else, head to the enclosure with me.”
No one spoke for a few minutes. Tori fingered her tranquilizer gun and scanned the trees on either side of the road.
Finally, Dirk’s voice came over the radio. “I haven’t seen the guard who’s supposed to be at the three o’clock position and—oh, wait—” His voice broke off, and Tori’s stomach clenched.
Was that a
good
“oh, wait,” or a
bad
“oh, wait”?
good
“oh, wait,” or a
bad
“oh, wait”?
After what seemed like a long time, Dirk said, “I got him. I’m waiting to make sure he goes down, and then I’ll head to my guard post.”
Jesse’s voice came over the radio. “Bess, what’s your situation?”
“Same as always—I’m chasing after men who don’t know I exist.”
“Have you seen your guard?”
“Yeah, and he’s way too old for me. Plus, he just went unconscious—those are big turnoffs for me.”
“Head toward the enclosure.”
“I’m not far away. Don’t start the party without me.”
The line went quiet for an annoyingly long time. Tori kept making
slow circles around the vans. No other cars came by. It was going as they’d planned, and yet Tori was a bundle of nerves.
slow circles around the vans. No other cars came by. It was going as they’d planned, and yet Tori was a bundle of nerves.
Tori looked inside the van window to check on Dr. B. He was leaning back in his seat, staring at the monitors calmly.
Calmly.
She had no idea how he managed that. Or for that matter, how any of the Slayers managed it. Bess had been cracking jokes.
Calmly.
She had no idea how he managed that. Or for that matter, how any of the Slayers managed it. Bess had been cracking jokes.
Maybe Jesse had been right when he’d yelled at her after she’d gone to Hollings. Maybe she wasn’t as brave as the rest of them. Or maybe she was just smarter, because—hello—did the rest of them not realize what could happen when you broke into a place where everyone carried loaded guns?
Dirk’s voice came over the radio. “I’m up the tree—there’s a very nice platform up here with a swivel telescope in case we forgot our binoculars. A very considerate host, Mr. Smith. The men are still on the ground where we left them. I don’t see any new ones approaching. Right now, I’d say my stint at guard duty is uneventful.”
“Great,” Jesse said. “Kody’s got the guard’s hand on the door control panel—we’re going into the enclosure.”
Dr. B chimed in for the first time. “Tell me what you see, especially if there’s anything unusual. The quality of the video feed isn’t very good in the dark.”
Jesse said, “We’re in an outer room. There’s a circular staircase that leads up to the roof and a huge sliding door ahead. It’s wide open, so we don’t have to mess with the control panel.”
Lilly said, “The walls are superthick, like two feet, and they’re made of some weird concrete.”
Multiple voices came on the line, most of them saying things like, “Wow,” and “Unbelievable.”
Kody said, “It’s like a park in here. Trees, boulders, and a mess of bushes. There’s even some ponds over yonder.”
Shang said, “The floor juts down from where we’re standing and
then slopes down even farther. The bottom is underground and there are no other floors above us. I guess dragons need a lot of room. We’re going down the stairs now. It will take a few minutes.”
then slopes down even farther. The bottom is underground and there are no other floors above us. I guess dragons need a lot of room. We’re going down the stairs now. It will take a few minutes.”
Judging from the pictures Tori had seen of the building, it was three stories high. It must be huge inside.
Bess said, “I caught up with the others. Let the good times roll.”
Tori strode around the vans with quick, deliberate steps.
Just do what you have to and get out
, she thought.
Just do what you have to and get out
, she thought.
“Those must be the eggs,” Kody finally said. “They’re sitting over there in that cement nest thing.”
Another minute passed. “They look like they’re made of solid stone,” Jesse said, and a tapping noise indicated he hit one.
Which is when Tori realized something was very wrong.
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