No Peace for the Damned
Across the gardens, into every building on the estate, there was nothing.
Relief washed over me, nearly buckling my knees.
Thank God!
My father wasn’t home. I hadn’t realized how worried I’d been about facing him again. But now, knowing he wouldn’t be a factor, I was practically giddy. I lifted my face to the sky. Rain had started to drizzle but I didn’t care. Anything was possible now.
I listened again. Uncle Max was at his desk in the main house. He talked on the phone—an overseas call with someone in Africa. I could hear the translation device speaking in that pleasant robotic voice.
My father and Uncle Max are occupied. That means it’s either Markus or Malcolm with the hostages
.
I spoke to all three of my teammates’ minds simultaneously. One of them flinched. I didn’t care. My father wasn’t here. Uncle Max wasn’t in that barn. Taking out one of my brothers would be nothing. In fact, I didn’t even bother finding out which brother it was. I just started moving again.
“What about Mallroy?” Jon whispered. This time
I
flinched. How could I have never noticed how loud these people were?
Mallroy is a nonfactor
.
“But—” Jon started again. A severe glare cast over my shoulder cut off his words. Uncle Mallroy wasn’t an organizer. They knew that. He rarely ever took part in his brothers’ plans. It would be a wasted effort to focus on him now.
The barn is on the other side of the clearing up ahead. The north side door will be closest to the back storage rooms where the hostages are being held. I can mask your appearance to the guards until you are in position. I’ll be upstairs getting Thirteen
.
I paused a moment and looked at each of them. All their training, all my preparation. They were still no match for my family’s powers. Not even my brothers’.
I’m going to mask my appearance early. Be ready for a fight. A hard one. And please—please remember what I showed you about the illusions. My brothers’ powers aren’t as strong as Father’s or Uncle Max’s, so if you’re ready for them, they shouldn’t be a problem
.
From beside me Theo lifted his hand, reaching out as if to touch my arm. Instantly I vanished. All three of them sucked in a breath.
“Let’s go.” I said.
…
I guided them with my thoughts. We crossed the clearing to the broad side of the barn. The last time I had been here, I’d eavesdropped on my father and uncles. Everything looked the same, except that the maintenance crew had replaced the wide swinging doors with an automatic garage door.
One guard—Allen the Asshole—stood at the front of the barn, so we moved against the wall to the opposite end. The camera that monitored the north door, a regular wooden door,had been disconnected; its cut wires dangled from the top of the doorframe. Had my brother done that?
No one will be able to see you, but it’s good to know that the monitor is out of commission
.
“Wait,” Shane whispered.
Shhh!
I yelled in their minds.
Just think it and I’ll hear it. If you want me to tell everyone I’ll relay it, but you’ve got to shut up!
Fine
, Shane thought at me.
Should we wait for you and Thirteen to cross the wall or just meet you back at the Jeep?
I turned and looked at Shane. His features were tight. He couldn’t see me but he was turned in the right direction to face me. God, he really did care about me.
Thirteen won’t be invisible
, I told them
. Once you’re in place I’ll pull back my power. Everyone will be able to see you. I’ll keep Thirteen safe. As soon you see him, follow his lead. This way the Network will be the responsible rescue party. Secure itself as a viable threat to the family. Once you’re over the wall you are outside of Kelch property lines. You can take the hostages to the police, or a safe house, or whatever you guys do with Network witnesses
.
We’ve never had witnesses before
, Jon responded
. Not against the Kelches. No one’s ever survived a Kelch capture before. God, if we can save the witnesses, we could really take out the family. Destroy them. The Network lawyers could…
Whatever!
I said.
Let’s just stay on track here
.
Thunder crashed in the distance. A good storm would mask our escape. A great storm would knock out the power. I’d just keep my fingers crossed.
OK
, I told them,
this is it. On the other side of the door is a tall partition that leads to the left and ends at the storage rooms. The rooms are small, like closets. There are
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