Here’s what went right:
Everything.
Fucking everything.
The attack didn’t even breach the Estate because surrounding security was so tight.Air drops were blown out of the sky before units could even touch down.Enemy frequencies were jammed while Lachlan switched everyone over to dark-band.Lachlan stood guard outside the Cove, ran everything through Rook in Control, while keeping in close contact with his teams.Once the security alarm went live, all three kids were already in their rooms, so everything locked down perfectly.No damage, nothing to rebuild, zero losses and Danya captured a high-ranking attacker alive.
The whole thing is over in less than twenty minutes.
‘Excellent,’ he tells Control.‘Hold tight for the next few hours until sunrise, then we’ll begin cleanup.’
‘Heard, Kestrel.’
Danya seems like a cat who dragged in a very fat rat.‘This one knows things,’ he declares, tapping the man’s cheek with his blade.‘Look at his ink.’
‘Yeah, I see it,’ Lachlan agrees.They’re in the annoyingly basic holding room in the sub-levels of the Estate.‘Let’s juice him while he’s fresh.’
‘Juice, I like that!’Danya grins wickedly.‘You lead?’
‘No, you go ahead.’
Lachlan watches carefully while Danya methodically extracts intelligence from the man.He already knows the attack is from the Moroz Front, he clocked the tattoo,but it’s impressive how much Danya can pull from him in so short a time.Lachlan gets arterial spatter across his face at one point and Danya looks over, absolutely covered in it, and says, ‘Sorry about that.’
Lachlan snorts and wipes his face.‘You’re fine.’
The Russian is insightful and creative when it comes to inflicting pain, but he’s not outright cruel either.There’s an efficiency to it that Lachlan appreciates, couldn’t have done better himself.
‘I think that is all,’ Danya tells him towards the end.‘Dry now.’
‘I agree.’They share a look.‘You do it,’ Lachlan offers.
Danya breaks his neck hard.
‘Jesus,’ Lachlan chuckles when it’s done.‘Almost decapitated him.’
‘I bet you never saw anyone fold a spine like that, huh?’
‘Definitely not.’
‘Damn right.’Danya preens.‘That was useful intel, yes?’
‘Very.Take a shower and then we’ll debrief.’
‘I do not need shower.’
‘Well, I’d love it if you indulged me.’
‘Tsk.Fussy.Blood is dry, makes no mess.’
Lachlan shakes his head, walks away grinning.‘Shower, please.’
It’s January first and the Estate is untouchable.
Lachlan can’t help but feel just asmidgenof pride.
?
Carrigan has settled into the household manager role extremely well.
