It wasn’t like Cadence to be late to a team meeting, and when she walked in, about five minutes after the time he’d planned to start, Aaron could tell something was bothering her. She mouthed “sorry” at him, and he smiled at her reassuringly. The room was crowded, and a lot of people were still chatting. Already an hour behind the time he’d planned to leave, part of him wanted to make them all shut up so he could get on with it, but the expression on his wife’s face also made him want to tell them all they needed a few more minutes.
“Jamie will be here in a few,” she said through the IAC. “He’s working on an experiment.”
“Yeah, I got his message, thanks,” he replied, glad to know she’d been with the doctor. “Your head still hurting?” Maybe that’s what was bothering her, though not feeling well didn’t quite seem to be enough to make her look as despondent as she did at the moment.
“It was. He fixed it.” She smiled at him, and despite the fact that it didn’t quite reach her eyes, he had to assume she was all right. They’d have a couple of hours on the plane to Cesky for her to tell him more if she wanted to.
“All right. I know there’re not a lot of space in this room, and it’s pretty crowded, so let’s get on with it,” he said loudly enough to gain most everyone’s attention. Eliza was still talking in the back of the room, her voice jarring his last nerve as she retold one of her most recent adventures to Margie and Grant who didn’t seem to mind the grating factor of her high-pitched tone like he did.
Margie gestured in his direction, causing Eliza to swivel to the front, finally closing her mouth. The rest of the room was quiet now, and he managed to let Eliza’s annoying behavior go, at least for the time being.
“Thank you all for agreeing to be here today. I know some of you have traveled a very long way,” he looked at the Australian contingency—Margie, Grant, and Paul, “and your dedication to the team is much appreciated. As all of you know, our primary goal today is to extract Christian Henry, who is being held captive by Daunator. However, I probably don’t need to tell you that there is a good chance simply being in the Vampire’s vicinity could be enough to start a battle, one we cannot afford to lose.”
Aaron surveyed the room and was glad to see everyone’s expression conveyed they understood the seriousness of the statement. Even though Cadence looked distracted, he was certain his wife was on the same page as him. “We’ll go over both plans—our initial extraction operation and an alternative for what will happen if Daunator decides to launch an attack against us. While both plans are similar as far as where personnel will be stationed, we should note that the second will be far more dangerous, so it’s very important that everyone pay careful attention to where you’re placed, who is with you, and any special assignments you may be given.
“Also, it’s important for you to note that there are only a few Hunters involved in this mission. That was done intentionally, obviously. It’s been brought to our attention that it is a possibility that Daunator may be able to use Hunters as a weapon against Guardians. The Hunters we have with us, Cadence, Aurora, Moira, Kaycia, and Grant, are all trustworthy members of our team, but we all need to be aware of the dangers associated with this potential threat. Hunters, you have to be aware of any thoughts that might not be your own, and Guardians, you must take note of any Hunters you have stationed near you. Any sort of questionable actions or reactions need to be considered serious threats. That would go for Guardians as well. As far as we know, Daunator can’t infiltrate our minds the same way as he can Hunters’, but until we know that for certain, we’ll have to assume it’s possible. Any questions about that?”
No hands shot up, and there were several team members shaking their heads, showing they were with him, but Aaron could tell by eye movements that many of them were now discussing the potential threats. He hoped it was all a waste of breath, that there would be no internal hazards to their operation, but if he’d failed to mention it, and something happened, it would be a decision that would haunt him forever.
Aaron paused to pull up a map of Christian’s location that Cassidy was able to get for them. “All right. This is where we believe Christian is being held. However, he’s apparently several hundred feet underneath the surface, somewhere in a hole deep in the mountain. Exactly what it might take to extract him is unknown at this time. The first team, the one tasked with finding Christian and getting him out, will need to assess the situation quickly and do their best to come up with a way to reach him, preferably without drawing Daunator out. Since Cassidy and Heather believe there are also hundreds, if not thousands, of other beings in similar holes, we need to note that they are also a potential problem. As the Budapest team knows, when these creatures strike, it’s quick; they seem to come out of nowhere. They go down easily enough, but their numbers are always overwhelming. It’ll be up to the first interior line of defense to keep the black creatures at bay so that the extraction team can get Christian out.”
The door opened, causing Aaron to pause, which was a good thing because he wanted his last statement to sink it. Jamie walked in and took a seat at the back of the room, waving an apology. Thankful the Healer was there in time to hear the rest of the plan, including his assignment, Aaron nodded and continued. “We’ll have a second line beyond the first, a sort of reserve force, if you will. These team members will only be called in if completely necessary. If we are able to get Christian without stirring Daunator or his minions, we’ll regroup before we go back in.” A look at the faces in front of him let him know no one thought that would be the case.
“If there are no questions about the roles of the three teams, I’ll go into assignments.” Again, no one gestured that they had a pressing inquiry, so he continued. “The extraction team is small. We need to be as stealthy as possible. Cassidy has to be there, obviously, since we will likely need her to find Christian and to literally lift him out of the ground if possible. Elliott, Cadence, and I will go with her, and Jamie will be with us but not active unless needed.” He looked at the Healer who nodded in understanding. Jamie was used to hanging back on the periphery and only stepping in if needed; his assignment today would be no different.
“The first line of defense will be stationed here.” He drew a rough circle on the map with his finger. Because they were on a mountain, it wasn’t exactly round, and some of the members would be closer to the extraction point than others. “Heather, who will be up high so that she can throw a shield if needed, will be part of this team.”
“Will I get to levitate?” Heather asked, her enthusiasm and her accent making Aaron, and several others, chuckle.
“I was thinking a tree, but whatever works for you.”