One lets out a derisive grunt. “Time to deal with the vermin.”
I’d point out that he looks much more like a rat than I do, but I don’t think that will help my cause.
I aim my best glower at him, which I know is probably not particularly intimidating, but at least I’ve given it my all. “We’retryingto save you.”
“Right.” He motions to his companions. “Don’t bother with capture. This one’s made enough trouble already.”
“I’vemade trouble?”
I don’t have much time to sputter at their slander, because they all unholster their whips and unleash the condensed beams of light. The guy who seems to be in charge also pulls a device from the other side of his belt that looks like a combination of a pistol and a fire extinguisher.
Does he think my dress is literally on fire?
I channel all the girl-boss attitude I’ve picked up from TV shows and movies. “We arenothaving this conversation.”
And then I vanish into the shadows, because they can’t follow me there anyway, neener-neener.
Okay, maybe that last bit wasn’t very girl-boss-like. I’m a work in progress.
As I dash past the hunters, deeper into the military zone, Mirage flits after me. I pick up on my other mates’ presences zooming over to join us: Raze resonating with urgent protectiveness, Hail all caustic frustration.
The winter fae is already muttering when he gets close enough for me to hear him. “Fucking humans. Always have to fuck everything up. They can’t even resist fucking up what’s already the most fucked-up thing that’s ever happened here!”
I’ll agree that there’s a very high degree of fuckery going on at the moment, but I can’t let my annoyance interfere with my goals. I veer in one direction and then another, peering around the tanks for a glimpse of one particularly tank-like human.
There.
Colonel Hueber stands near one of the cabins that’s being hastily disassembled, glaring down his pointed nose at his underlings and barking out orders. Even with the protective badge shielding his emotions from me, the bullyish vibe he gives off makes my essence cringe.
I force myself to dart toward him anyway.
Because I don’t want to put myself in easy range of those blocky arms, I materialize perched on the hood of a nearby tank. Maybe that’ll catch me a little more attention too.
I spread my arms so there’s as much of me to draw attention as possible. “You have to call off the bombs! No one wants what’s going to happen. It’ll be an even bigger disaster.”
The colonel spins toward me with a sneering curl of his lip. “Or maybe you’re only protesting this much because you know how much of a disaster it’ll be foryouand the other monsters. We’re going ahead. Everyone’s going to see that it tookhumansto solve this problem, not freakish things like you.”
His expression is so flinty I think I’d get farther arguing with a mountain. My heart sinks, but I hold on to my resolve.
If we can’t talk him out of the operation, we’ll just have to gum up the works.
Where are these bombs they’re going to be dropping anyway? Even from my new, higher vantage point, I don’t see any sign of massive explosives. Not that I’m totally sure what bombs big enough to level a city look like, but I don’t spot anything here that wasn’t in the camp yesterday.
Surely something powerful enough to blow up skyscrapers would be at least a little noticeable?
Hueber starts to stride toward me, and I decide I’m not getting anything useful out of him one way or another. I dive back into the shadows and zip away in pursuit of a likelier helper.
I just need to find one soldier who’s not totally on board with this plan. One little quiver of doubt I can speak to.
My first thought is of Major Yin, but his cabin is already in pieces. I don’t see his smooth, slim form anywhere nearby.
I don’t stop weaving through the shadows until I stumble on a woman in soldier gear near the edge of camp.
Her emotions reach me in a waft of sauerkraut-sour uncertainty. Not my most favorite meal, but exactly what hits the spot right now.
And she’s not wearing a badge. That’s a good sign.
So I won’t give her a heart attack, I step back into the physical world on the far side of a truck and ease around it. “Excuse me? I could use your help.”
