Chapter 10 #3
“I…” Ariel didn’t know what to say. He was right.
Actions always spoke louder than words, and she’d not done much of anything to show everyone that she’d turned over a new leaf.
“I guess I can’t prove that to you right now, and you’ll have to just make a choice.
Remember, you’re not the same person you were when Grimm first took you.
You’re all stronger. You’re wise to his tricks.
And what’s more, together, you outnumber him, no matter how many new henchmen he might have acquired.
You might not trust me, but you can trust each other, can’t you? ”
A murmur went through the crowd as they turned to face each other and talk to people they actually knew.
It was only as she saw how comfortable they were with each other, sitting like friends who’ve known each other a long time—like comrades who’d gone through a terrible experience and been able to lean on each other for support while healing from it—that she realized what she’d truly missed out on in the year she’d held out for Grimm.
A pang hit her stomach, but it lessened when she turned her head to look at Joline.
The grimace from earlier had softened, and she gave Ariel a slight supportive smile.
“Let’s say everyone agrees, and let’s say we actually succeed,” Joline said as she tried to brush back her wavy hair. It was getting frizzy around her face, curling into her eyes. “We also need to address the fact that we could end up in big trouble with FUC.”
“What trouble? It sounds like we’re throwing a party expecting Grimm to crash it,” Jennifer piped up in her flat-toned voice. She always sounded mad or sarcastic, even when she wasn’t.
“Then what?” Lyla asked between bites of her donut. “If most of the agents will be away from WANC raiding some place that will be a bust, won’t we be sitting ducks?” She raked the group with her hazel eyes. “No offense to any ducks.”
“This leg”—Ariel tapped on the prosthetic returned to her by Gabby—“has a tracking device in it that will activate once I reattach it that will tell Grimm right where I am. It also has weapons, but we’ll need more than that.
What can we gather on short notice that will have to do to knock out henchmen and Grimm until FUC can arrive to apprehend him.
Because what I want the most is to show Grimm what it’s like to live in a cage for the rest of his life. ”
The group nodded, some hooted, and some cheered. They all knew what it was like to be kept in a cell. It was Grimm’s turn to understand the hopelessness of a tiny room. “So how can we trap them?”
“We lure them here, to campus, while Grimm is convinced that FUC is focused elsewhere.”
“What if we set up snares in the obstacle course? That should stop some of them,” Joline offered.
“That’s great!” Ariel beamed at her. “What else can we use?”
“Last year some henchmen let the hippos loose. I wonder if we could find a way to get them to help us herd them to the obstacle course,” Lyla offered, glancing to Gabby as if this was a memory they both shared.
Ariel had so many questions but decided to keep the conversation going. “That’s a good idea. You two work on that. Who can help Joline with the snares?”
Simon raised a clawed hand. “I used to be a boy scout leader and a hunter when I was human. I can make snares out of ropes, saplings, you name it.” Pride filled his face.
He was probably glad to be a part of something again.
His life had changed so much as he was a human before his genetic code was tampered with.
“Arty, can you help them find things to make snares out of?”
Arty blinked his large, orange eyes at her. “I think I can do that.”
Ariel tapped at her lips. “Do you think they keep chloroform here?” she said more to herself. She wondered if there would be a way to make some of them unconscious that didn’t use violence.
“I used to be a nurse,” Jennifer said softly. “Maybe I can find something helpful in the hospital wing.”
“I don’t want you getting in trouble for stealing. I’m hoping for things we can get by asking. Maybe even borrowing. Although I doubt they’d let us borrow anything like that.”
“I’ll be sure to be careful. Besides, one bottle of chloroform would go a long way.” Jennifer gave a wicked smile. Ariel was glad the shifter was on her side.
Ariel nodded. “I’ll talk to Huggie and see what we can borrow for party supplies so it looks like we’re celebrating something.
Now we have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to pull this off.
I’m hoping to start our party around three pm tomorrow.
We’ll need our traps set up before then.
” She looked at everyone around the room.
It felt great to take control back, away from Grimm.
She now had some people who could one day be friends, someone who was sort of her girlfriend, and her freedom.
Grimm could never take that from her again.
“If you know anyone who would be willing to help, please ask them. We may need more people.” She beamed a smile at her group of misfits.
“Now let’s have some coffee, snacks, and plan! ”