Chapter 11
They all decided to spend the night gathering supplies and agreed to meet back in the empty classroom by nine pm.
Then they’d prepare to get to the obstacle course around eleven am the next day.
In addition to making sure all the gadgets and weapons in the prosthetic leg worked—aside from the tracking device, Ariel wasn’t sure how to confirm that was operational—Ariel was among the group looking for parts to make snares with Joline, Arty, and Simon.
Joline was able to enlist the help of her roommate, Trina, who assisted Gabby and Lyla in devising a plan to wrangle the hippos.
Ariel figured that at the very least, the chetah shifter could scare the hippos into submission.
Ariel had a few hours before she needed to go to bed.
Their team decided it may be best to divide and conquer if they were to get all the supplies they needed, so she wandered the halls, racking her brain for what could be useful to make a snare out of when a familiar voice called over her shoulder.
“Ariel, Paige asked me to check on you.”
She turned around to see a small blond woman with shadows roiling off of her shoulders as she approached—Agent Talbot.
The woman gave Ariel the shivers. And it wasn’t just because Talbot had helped to apprehend her last year.
“Why?” Ariel asked, wondering if the agent had been hiding in the room where they held their meeting earlier that night.
By some random experimentation, Agent Talbot was able to wrap light around her and appear invisible.
Her blue eyes looked like they could see right through Ariel.
“Because you’ve been too nice lately.” She gave the smile a cat would give a mouse once it was cornered.
Ariel felt herself swallow her fright. Even the shadows floating off the agent like steam seemed to move more menacingly after Agent Talbot gave her wicked grin.
Ariel wished she could disagree with the agent, but it was true.
She had left group therapy a few hours ago, and it was a great session.
She hated to admit that. Paige probably had trouble understanding the transformation.
Ariel went from a difficult patient to a very cooperative one overnight.
She smiled at the agent, trying her best to return that predatory gaze.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.” Her short blond hair fluttered around her face as she crossed her arms. The shadows floated off around, seemingly as impatient as the shifter was.
Ariel had no reason to lie, and besides, she didn’t trust that everyone wasn’t spying on her at all times, anyway, so why not just come out with it?
“Tomorrow, a good portion of the agents are going to try to get Grimm at a location he provided in a note to me. But I think it’s a ruse to lure the agents off the academy campus and he’s coming here instead.
Stone and Sparks don’t agree with me, but that won’t stop me from preparing. ”
“What did they say?” Shock and anger mingled on the agent’s face. She narrowed her blue eyes at Ariel as if trying to decide if she should trust her or if Ariel belonged back in a cell.
“That they couldn’t take the chance and pass up the raid in case I was wrong.” Or maybe they still didn’t trust her. Ariel didn’t blame them if that was the case. She’d really given them no reason to.
Agent Talbot’s mouth hung open in disbelief. “So, most of the agents will be out in the field, and you think Grimm is coming here?” She pointed to the floor for emphasis. A small trickle of shadow dripped off her finger before disappearing.
Ariel nodded. “What about you? Can you and some of your agent friends help us? We’re trying to set up a trap.
” She figured Agents Sparks and Stone weren’t leaving them sitting ducks, but maybe if she shared some of their plan to the shadow cat shifter she could get more agents involved. Every little bit would help.
The agent bit her lip. “I will, but I’m doing this by the books.
I’m going to coordinate a plan with Agent Stone.
I’d hate to cross him. Plus, I’m sure he’s already working on something to protect you all.
He wouldn’t leave you in potential harm’s way.
Security of FUCN’A is of the utmost importance. ”
Ariel sighed. She knew all this. “I’m sure, but Grimm knows that, too.
” She didn’t want to add that she had no desire to give up her feeling of control she kept by planning their own trap.
“I just have a bad feeling about this, and my mind would be at ease if you just left us to our own devises. Besides, if your security is so top notch, then Grimm and his goons will never make it to our trap, since we’re not leaving campus.
” It was Ariel’s turn to do what was right.
And if this blew up Grimm’s vile plan for whatever daycare he was hoping to hit, it would all be worth it.
She just hoped she wasn’t too late. This would be her one chance at redemption.
Redemption. That was a word that hadn’t really crossed her mind before. If it weren’t for meeting Joline, she’d never think that was possible. She’d have given up.
Agent Talbot’s shoulders relaxed. “Okay. Give me the details of your trap, and I’ll relay the information.
But this has to be approved by FUC, or it’s a no-go.
” Agent Talbot gave her best glare as if she were a teacher threatening her unruly students that the pizza party would be cancelled if they didn’t behave.
Ariel felt her shoulders sink. She knew Agent Stone. They’d worked together closely over the past year. “He’ll never let us ex-experiments risk ourselves. Let him know we’re doing our party our way.” She stomped a foot for emphasis. “We’re done being victims.”
“Party?” Agent talbot asked, raising a golden eyebrow.
“We’re disguising our trap as a party for my Survivors of Grimm club.
It’s a kickass support group I started to get revenge.
” She felt herself beaming with pride over the idea.
She was finally using her brain for good.
At least a little bit of good. Maybe revenge wasn’t the purest of motives, but Ariel decided that baby steps in the right direction were better than no steps.
Agent Talbot gave a chuckle. Everyone seemed to respond that way when Ariel attempted to be honest. “I’ll see what I can do. Agent Stone may have an idea to trap the scientist before he can get to you and your friends. But I’ll pass on your plan to him and do my part to help out.”
“It might be really helpful to have you hiding off somewhere to watch for anything suspicious. We’re going to meet up by the obstacle course around 11:00 tomorrow morning. The party isn’t until 3 pm, though.”
“As I said, I’ll see what I can do.” After a puzzled look that was so quick Ariel wasn’t sure she’d imagined it, the agent turned down the hall, walking towards the agents’ offices.
She was about to go hunting for laundry lines and extension cords when a small finger tapped her on the shoulder.
Her first thought, who now? But all her stress melted away when she turned and saw Joline.
“You looked to be having an intense conversation. Who was that?” Joline’s dark, wavy hair was pulled back into a low ponytail.
She’d probably given up on trying to tame it.
Some of the smaller hairs around her face curled in, kissing her copper skin. She looked simply beautiful.
“Agent Talbot is going to clear our plan with Agent Stone.”
“I can’t say I’m upset by that.” In fact, Joline appeared to relax.
She hadn’t been thrilled with the idea of setting a trap behind their backs, even if it was for the bad guys.
Ariel couldn’t say she’d felt the same way.
To her, the bad guys had it coming if they were really trying to nab their escaped experiments.
“I know. I just hope he doesn’t shut it down.”
“Did you tell her about the hippos?”
Ariel shook her head as a sheepish look crossed her face. “I left that part out.”
Joline chuckled. “Then we have nothing to worry about. We’re throwing a party with some surprises planned in case bad guys show up.”
Ariel looped her hand around Joline’s waist, pulling her close.
Joline put an arm around Ariel’s shoulder.
“I think this will be good for all of us.” She leaned her head on Joline’s shoulder.
Ariel had forgotten what it was like to trust someone, to care about what they thought.
She wanted to be a better person for Joline.
Joline accepted her for who she was, but that didn’t mean she had to be stagnant.
She wanted to evolve. While she could never be the innocent Ariel she was before meeting Grimm, she could grow into something better. Stronger. Smarter.
“Hmm,” Joline said in understanding as she gently pressed her head against Ariel’s. “I’d love to cuddle with you all night, except we have work to do.” She held up a fist of what appeared to be shoelaces.
“Where’d you find those?” Ariel asked, trying her best not to laugh.
“Don’t tell anyone, but I went into a supply closet and pulled all the drawstrings out of the extra pairs of sweatpants.”
“You didn’t!” Ariel chuckled. Maybe she was a bad influence on Joline, but the mischief made her that much sexier. A good girl with a hidden edge.
“I did,” she said with a smile of pride. Ariel figured even Joline was amazed she was able to break some of the rules. “Did you find anything good?”