“I know, but they’re trained for exactly this. They have so many weapons at their disposal. We can’t just shift and expect claws and teeth to be any match for all the fucking guns they have.”
“I know that too.” Michael walked over to the whiteboard and picked up a pen. “We have people in the HRU we can trust. Which is why we need to come up with a plan to stop the majority of them from having access to any of their weapons.”
“Will we have any?” Cole asked. “I’m pretty handy with weapons.”
I know.
It was why Simon had been so eager to get his hands on him. “We’re working on it.”
He went to write on the board, then thought better of it. While he knew the layout of his own pack’s compound, he didn’t know the HRU area like Smith did. “Here.” He handed him the pen. “Draw us a layout of the HRU training area and weapons storage. Maybe we can come up with something while we wait for Callum to return.”
* * *
They heardCallum coming before he appeared at the bottom of the tunnel. He held a laptop bag in one hand and a big cool bag in the other. “I brought information and lunch,” he declared as he stepped down onto the sand.
Michael took a step towards him, but Callum immediately backed up a step and shook his head. “We need to keep our distance now,” he said, setting the cool bag in the sand with the laptop on top of it. “Isaac got word that the HRU are coming here tomorrow.”
Michael’s pulse sped up, but he forced himself to remain calm. Had to because the anxiety rolling off the others was stifling. “Is he ready?”
Callum shrugged. “Your scent’s almost completely disappeared from upstairs. Hopefully should be gone by morning. And your car has been disposed of. If they stick to searching the house and gardens, then we should be fine.” He gestured out the front of the cave towards the sea. “If they decide they want to take a look along the coastline, then we’re all fucked.”
Sam came to stand beside Michael. “Why would they want to do that?”
“We have CEG members throughout the packs,” Michael answered for him. “Who’s to say Simon and the other alphas don’t have their own people inside the CEG?”
“Goddess help us in that case.” Logan growled beside him, and Michael didn’t blame him.
“I think it unlikely,” Michael added, “but we can’t rule it out.”
Logan wasn’t the only one looking at him for answers. “So what do we do?”
“Be ready.” It was all he had. They’d run out of places to hide.
Callum waved at the laptop. “Anyway, Isaac said he’s put the photos you took yesterday on there, along with all the information that’s been sent so far.”
“Tell him thank you.”
Callum nodded. “I will.” With another nod, he turned and disappeared back into the tunnel, his light footfalls getting fainter and fainter until they faded altogether.
Nick was the first to move. He picked up the laptop and passed it to Michael, then opened up the cool bag. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m starving.”
Murmurs of agreement filled the cave, and for the next half an hour, they ate, Callum’s news forgotten about for the moment.
Well, maybe ignored was a better word, because although nobody talked about it, the news that the HRU would be there tomorrow was all Michael could think about.
Who would they send? Paul?
Or would Simon lead the team himself? It wasn’t unheard of for a beta to lead a team out in the field, especially if it was an important or high-risk mission.
I guess you don’t get much more important than a treasonous alpha.
Sandwich finished, Michael slid the laptop towards him on the table and opened it up.
Sure enough, there were all the photos he’d taken yesterday. The packs they thought likely to help them listed on the whiteboard.
Let’s see how many of those have been in touch.
He clicked on a file handily labelledAlpha Responses.
