Chapter 11 #2
Ariel shook her head. “They don’t let me in many places with good supplies, but I was thinking about trying to track down some laundry line or see if they have any extension cords.
” Then a thought occurred to Ariel. She smacked herself in the forehead.
“I can shift my age. Maybe I could disguise myself and get access to more supplies.” While FUC gave her a serum that would make her shrew venom non-toxic, she didn’t think they were able to get rid of the ability to appear older than she really was.
“You can what?” Joline looked confused.
“Grimm made it so I can shift my age, to appear an old woman if needed. It helped me to kidnap people.” She cringed, wishing she could take back that last sentence.
“It exhausts me, but if I’m able to eat more and rest, I can recuperate from it.
Maybe it will help me get more supplies. I could disguise myself as a doctor.”
“I didn’t know something like that was possible.
” Joline’s voice sounded flat. While Ariel had hinted at the terrible things she did, she’d never given any details.
While Joline had said before she could accept Ariel for all she was, she wondered if that was really true.
At any rate, capturing Grimm if he dared showed his face trumped her need to keep her secrets safe.
“I haven’t tried it in a long time, but I’m sure I could still access that ability.
” The last time she used it was to try to kill her brother and the ASS agent he was hiding out with.
It was a memory Ariel had hoped to forget.
That was a different version of herself, one very twisted by Grimm and his lies.
“If it can get us more supplies… What if that agent you were talking to can help?”
Ariel shook her head. “I think she’s focused on trying to convince Agent Stone to allow us to execute our plan—more likely, tolerate it.
I don’t think they will go out of their way to help.
It sounded like he may have his own plan in place.
” While she wanted to be the one to take down Grimm, she didn’t want any of her new friends getting hurt in the process.
It may be for the best if FUC set up something to capture Grimm before he could get them.
Joline nodded, but her eyes made it look like she was elsewhere mentally.
As if reading her mind, Joline said, “But what of Grimm’s hidden spies?
They could be anywhere.” She glanced to a nearby air vent as if a tiny creature were eavesdropping from within at that very moment.
Ariel supposed it wasn’t the most far-fetched thing she’d witnessed since being employed by Grimm.
“That’s more reason for us to be careful.
” Ariel tapped a finger to her lips as she thought.
“We need to find someone who can help us weed them out. Dr. Grimm had hoped to catch a shifter whose animal ability could sense their prey without needing to see them. He gave me a list of what he wanted though I could never track them down. Some of them were aquatic creatures, but a few weren’t and may be here, at WANC.
Do you know of any platypus or vampire bat shifters?
” She kept her voice low in case they were being surveilled.
Maybe the doctor had thought he’d outsmarted them.
Ariel planned on letting him think that.
“Hmm.” Joline bit her lip, deep in thought.
“Yes!” Ariel gave her a look that left Joline shrugging her shoulders in apology.
She continued, keeping her voice at a whisper.
“Agent Quackenbush taught a class I took last semester on Strategy in the Field. She’s a platypus shifter. What do you need her for?”
“Platypuses can use their bills to sense electrical impulses of other animals. It probably works better in water, but I’m hoping she can use that ability to root out any creepers lurking about.
Like the amptitude.” Ariel glanced around as if expecting the vile creature to show itself after speaking its name aloud.
Too bad FUC nullified her shrew venom. That would have come in handy if they ran into any henchmen.
The gadgets in her leg and the snares they planned to set would have to be enough.
Joline chuckled. “Amphiptere.”
“Right. Whatever.” Ariel smiled. “Then we should find Huggie to ask for the party supplies. Do you think she will give them to us on such short notice?” She asked, not keeping her voice down.
They wanted nay potential baddies to find their party.
She just didn’t want them to know about the trap they were setting.
Joline nodded. “She seemed thrilled when I asked for the plates and cups for our meeting. I bet she wouldn’t mind supplying our party.”
“We need to get balloon string.” Ariel leaned forward to whisper, “I bet that would work better than extension cords for snares, but I still want to root around the hospital to see if I can get something else of use.”
They were about to head off when Jennifer jogged up to them. She put her hands on her knees, catching her breath. She looked around to make sure no one was near before quietly saying, “I have a ton of rags but can’t get to the chloroform. They have it locked up tight.”
“Do you know where it is?” Ariel asked. She was planning on posing as a doctor anyway to look for more supplies to make snares out of.
“It’s in the hospital wing next to the nurses’ station. You need a key to get in.” Jennfer’s brow creased in worry.
“I can get it. Can you help Joline track down an agent? We need her help finding the ears Grimm has around,” Ariel explained, keeping her voice low.
This probably wasn’t the best conversation to have in a hallway, but they were short on time.
They couldn’t run back to the classroom to talk every time they needed privacy.
Besides, if some of their conversation was overheard, it wouldn’t be the worst thing.
They needed to lure Grimm and his men out.
“So we can crack skulls early?” Jennifer asked, punching a fist into her opposite hand. She seemed excited to get back at Grimm and his goons.
Ariel shook her head. “So we can let information slide in front of them.”
Jennifer’s eyes lit up. “Breadcrumbs to our trap.”
“Exactly!” Ariel turned to Joline and smiled. She picked up one of her hands and squeezed it. “Be careful.” She knew the porcupine shifter could handle herself, but she still didn’t want anything to happen to her.
“You, too.” Joline squeezed her hand back. “We’ll meet you back in the meeting room in two hours.” Her brown eyes were set with determination. The look left Ariel’s heart fluttering.