Chapter 50
Chapter Fifty
TEAGUE
Studying the map of Greystone, I position the leads in strategic places, using Charli’s vision as my guide. Elijah on the roof of our office building where he can see the entire town. Jackson, an earth Elemental who lives with Elijah, on the ridge to fight the fire and help keep the border secure.
Unbeknown to most, there are quite a few tunnels around the city.
We built them to enable us to move undetected and to help citizens escape when under siege.
Leif and his wolves, as well as Lawson’s pack, will spread out, patrolling areas outside and inside Greystone, using the tunnels to quickly get from one place to another.
Max and one of his warlock brethren, Alistair, will use their magic to confuse the enemy and capture a couple for us to interrogate.
Ames will use his position in the sky to search for potential stragglers and signal changes in formation.
Macklin, Ronan, Alejandro, and me along with a myriad of other supes will meet the invading force on Margin Street. Raine and the little girl, Tala, will pretend to be the witch Evangeline and her daughter, Felicity, to draw the enemy in, then they will disappear into the tunnels.
Given Charli’s vision, the entire plan had to change, but this gives us pretty good coverage. The only thing I’m not sure of is where to put Andros and Charli.
Macklin stares down at the plan. “Not outside the city. Would be too difficult to get to them, and it would give the enemy an easy escape route if they discovered their whereabouts. We have to assume they’ve got the basics, thermal imaging and night goggles at a minimum.
Probably augmented reality mapping too.”
“We only have three glass buildings in town where she can hide from the thermal imaging. Our place, which is out. I’m sure the address was shared with the enemy.
Our office. Same concern. And the empty building across from our place,” I explain, tapping the building where Macklin likes to hang out on the roof.
“I don’t like it, but we don’t have a choice. Remind me after all this is over to build some new secure facilities in secret locations,” he concedes. “Where is she?”
“Taking a shower,” I reply, thinking of how she looked in Andros’ arms last night. “She showed him her scars.”
Macklin nods in satisfaction. “That’s a huge step forward.”
“Does that mean you’re going to stop walking around half naked?” I ask dryly.
He snorts. “Not a chance. Wouldn’t want you to steal all her attention.”
Andros walks in and raises an eyebrow. “All set?”
There’s a peace to him that I’ve never seen before, as if he’s content with his world. A remarkable change for someone who’s been stuck in the past for so long.
I walk him through everything, and there’s only a slight furrow between his brows. “Wish we had somewhere else to take her.”
“Same, but I don’t want her outside of town where we can’t get to her quickly. At least we’ll be close if you need us,” I say with a sigh. Turning around, I watch her peek into the living room. “There’s only us.”
She walks out wearing the robe I bought her. “Didn’t want to have to put clothes on yet.”
Macklin grumbles something about going back to bed, and I chuckle.
Charli’s everything I could have asked for in a mate and more than I imagined.
Her resilience is astounding, and her self-confidence has come a long way.
She saunters over to me and lifts her face so I can drop a kiss on those luscious pink lips of hers.
Then she does the same to Macklin and Andros.
I follow her into the kitchen. “What are you in the mood for this morning?”
“Something rich and decadent. I’m thinking a white chocolate latte,” she says, tapping her finger on her chin. “Want one?”
Leaning against the counter, I nod and watch her utter delight in making fancy coffees. “I hear your Campfire Mocha was a hit yesterday morning. Never thought I’d see Ames drinking anything but black tar.”
She grins. “It was pretty funny.”
“You didn’t happen to see what time our enemy arrives, did you?”
She thinks about it for a minute. “No. It’s dark when the fire starts. What time does the sun set?”
“Around four-thirty p.m.”
“It’s going to be a long night,” she murmurs, pouring milk into our cups. “Where are you putting Andros and me? Here?”
“Across the street,” I say, pointing over my shoulder.
“The building’s empty. Macklin had it built but hasn’t decided what to do with it yet.
It’s one of the few places thermal imaging won’t be able to see into; it has multiple escape routes, including a tunnel under the building, and it’s in town. ”
She blows out a breath. “Okay.” Handing me one mug, she picks up the other and settles on the couch. Her robe gapes open, and it’s a testament to the progress she’s made when she doesn’t automatically reach up and make sure her neck and scars are covered.
I take a sip of the drink and grimace. “Might be a bit too sweet for me.”
She lifts a shoulder. “Is everything else ready?”
“I wish. Macklin and I are heading out to walk the team through the changes to the plan,” I inform her. “What are you going to do?”
“Check on the launch. See if there are any reviews or issues reported yet. Catch up on emails from yesterday. And of course, do the CEO’s job because he’s too busy running around and saving the world to do it himself,” she teases.
“You know you don’t have to work,” I tell her, wanting to make sure she knows how I feel.
“I don’t give a fuck about the software or anything else.
I already have everything I could ever want right here.
If the company closed tomorrow, I’d happily spend the rest of my days making sure you’re happy. ”
She smiles, then shakes her head. “If I don’t have something to occupy me, I’ll start thinking about Hank.”
Her tremulous voice breaks me, but I’m determined this will be the last time that bastard ever has a hold on her.
I finish the coffee and put the mug in the sink.
Then I stride over and bend down to kiss her, slipping my hand through the gap in her robe to tweak her nipple. “You’re a much better CEO than I am.”
She laughs and swats my hand away. “Later.”
“Count on it,” I tell her. “I’ve missed you. In my bed and in my arms. I’ll try not to be too late.”
Macklin grins down at her, then lifts her straight up from the couch to press a hard kiss on her lips.
I flip him off and snarl. “Showoff.”
Three hours later, we finish stashing the last cache of weapons and mark it on the shared map.
Charli: Can you take a break?
Teague: Sure, what’s up?
Charli: I received an email full of HRC information from someone calling himself “Ange’s Mate”
Teague: We’ll be right there.
I signal to Macklin and let the others know we’ll be back in an hour. When we get home, Charli and Andros are poring through printed sheets.
Andros passes me one of the pages. “Apparently, the HRC says it’s devoted to the elimination of all supernaturals, but there’s a faction that wants the powers supernaturals have, including their immortality.
” His mouth twists. “Sounds familiar.” Shaking off the bad memories, he continues, “He lists a bunch of names. Three are circled with notations like ‘is one of the leaders,’ or ‘high up in the organization.’”
Charli’s hand covers her mouth as she stares down at the paper in her hand. “This is a list of those they killed.”
With a curse, I reach for the list and nod to Macklin, who’s standing behind her. He reaches down and wraps his arm around her until she calms.
Andros sifts through the mound of paper. “Ange’s husband is very good at digging up information. Probably a technowitch of some sort.”
He hands Macklin several sheets.
Macklin shuffles through them. “This is a list of everyone missing from each Vale and a note on which ones were captured and taken to a facility.”
Andros looks up. “The only facilities I’ve seen mentioned are the ones we’ve already hit. There must be more.”
Macklin studies the paper in his hand. “It lists known contacts in each Vale.” He turns it sideways. “But the note says it’s not complete.” His face twists with anger. “Including three from Greystone. Maureen, William—another witch—and Percy.”
“Percy, the warlock living with Max?” I ask, cursing when he nods. I send a quick text to Max, telling him Percy’s name is on a list of Greystone supes working with the HRC. Dots appear. Disappear. Reappear with a brief message. “He says he’ll take care of it.”
Andros hands a sheet to Charli. “It’s an email to you.”
She takes it and, after a brief scan, reads it out loud.
Charli,
You’re probably wondering who I am. I’m a technowitch from Oak Vale who can manipulate data and electricity in ways you can’t imagine.
I went digging where I wasn’t supposed to and ended up involuntarily working for the HRC.
I tried to refuse, but they used my mate, Evangeline, and my daughter, Felicity, as leverage.
Your stepfather Hank’s deep pockets fund quite a bit of the HRC’s activities, so when he heard what I could do, he asked to use my “talents” to locate you. They agreed.
I’m the reason Hank almost caught you in Nashville. And I’m the reason he’s on his way to Greystone. I can’t stall him any longer. We’ll be there tomorrow with a force of around fifty. Jam all signals going out. It’s imperative that none of their communications make it back to the HRC headquarters.
My mate and daughter are in Greystone, but I don’t want them fighting other supernaturals. It’s not who we are. Tell Ange and Felicity I love them. And I know I don’t have any right, but I’m begging you to hide them where the HRC won’t find them.
The Vales are compromised. I’ve sent you as much information as I can. Hopefully, you can follow the trail and cut the head off the snake.
Hopefully this will make up for all the terrible things I did.
James.
“That explains a lot,” Charli says, handing the paper back to Andros.