“Understood, sir. Has there been any changes on thatfront?”
“Negative. Whether that’s a good thing or not, I can’t honestly tell you. What I can tell you is I have your latestorders.”
The data windows winked out at everyone’s terminal, replaced with satellite maps and blueprints of a building and location Alexei recalled seeing in Adrian Wolcott’s office in LasVegas.
“We’ve picked up quite a bit of communication between Declan Wolcott and Valerie Hayes since you’ve left Las Vegas. Another thing we’ve picked up is an influx of people converging on both properties,”Nazarisaid.
“Oh, that’s never a good thing,” Madison muttered loud enough for Alexeitohear.
“Are we looking at infiltration, sir?” Trevorasked.
“Considering the renewed scrutiny on the Sons of Adam members after what happened in New Seattle, the movement is cause for concern. We intercepted this conversation between Dr. Hayes and Declan Wolcott yesterday morning,”Nazarisaid.
An audio file opened in the center of the table; seconds later, two voices echoed throughtheroom.
“You can’t seriously expect me to discard over a year’s worth ofinventory!”
“I expect you to do what you’re fuckingtold,Val.”
“It’s not my fault you fucked up in Las Vegas. Taking your failure out on me and my company isn’t fair and extremelyshortsighted.”
“You want to risk the government coming after your ass, then be my guest. I’m not willing to take that risk. Either dump your inventory orwe’redone.”
“Fine. The liquidation of inventory will happen within seventy-two hours. In the meantime, I’m bringing insomehelp.”
The audio cut out. Down the table, Annabelle leaned forward to catch the director’s attention. “By inventory, are we talkin’ human, like last summer in Kansas? Orsomethin’else?”
“Our guess is either human or chemical, but most likely chemical. Vitae Neurotherapeutics can get access to all the restricted chemicals needed to form Splice. Aside from that, we’ve picked up discrepancies in the soil in the surrounding ranch area through satellites that could coincide with massgraves.”
Alexei wasn’t the only one feeling murderous about that detail, judging by everyone else’s expressions. The knowledge that an American citizen could be performing illegal human experiments on domestic soil and subsequently burying the evidence—possibly at the behest of certain government officials—was enough to make him want to break something. Preferably theirnecks.
“What’s the plan?” Jamieasked.
Nazari waved a hand at the maps. “We’re deploying eleven MDF field teams and numerous other agents into Montana to infiltrate Declan Wolcott’s company headquarters and Valerie Hayes’ biotech lab. Due to the number of ex-Special Forces that Wolcott employs, and because of the recall of those employees to the ranch and surrounding area within the last twenty-four hours, the MDF will be partnering with a company of Strike Force operatives for this mission. There is a high probability you will be facing a Sons of Adam militia forceaswell.”
Alexei perked up a little at that announcement, catching Kyle’s eye across the table. He wondered which squadrons would be assigned, and if they’d get to work with their old team in the fieldagain.
“Does SOCOM know there’s a possibility their people might get infected by Splice during this mission?” Katieasked.
“They do. There was no hesitation in SOCOM approving this mission ontheirend.”
“I bet there wasn’t,” Kylemuttered.
Alexei nodded agreement. No one in Strike Force took betrayal to the country well. “When dowego?”
“All MDF teams and agents will rendezvous with Strike Force at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. That’s this mission’s staging ground. From there, all soldiers and field agents will be flown across the state line by a contingent of Night Stalkers. You are wheels up in ninety minutes. Further briefing will happen at Mountain Home,”Nazarisaid.
Discussing a clandestine mission against American citizens-turned-terrorists was definitely surreal. These types of missions were usually performed abroad, not in their own backyard. Regardless, Alexei knew they’d get the job done. If they were going up against Declan’s people and the Sons of Adam, who were known to deploy metahumans, then their side would need all the firepower it could muster. Some might consider metahumans and Strike Force soldiers overkill, but Alexei was glad for the firepower and skill they were heading into thefieldwith.
Most of the team headed out of the conference room, though Jamie and Katie stayed behind to speak with the director. Alexei made sure to stick by Sean, lending him silent support after the upheaval that justhappened.
“All right?” Alexeiasked.
Sean stared blankly at him for a couple of seconds before shaking his head. “No, notreally.”
“Sorry your old agency betrayed you,” Donovan said to Sean as they walked down the hallway as agroup.
“It wasn’t the agency. There’s a lot of good people who work in the CIA. It wasn’t them who soldmeout.”
