Lanthar turns back to Maximus. "Where do you need us?"
"Compound security first," Maximus says. "Fae detail with Ava, Tristan, and the wolf perimeter. Carson's prototype is behind those walls."
Lanthar nods to Veyran. The steward peels off twelve of his fighters without a word. They move toward the compound entrance, and the wolves on the perimeter flatten lower and let them pass.
"Stone court with Celeste and me on the eastern farm," Maximus says. "Tides with Marcellus on the western target. Your healers across all three sites. Every farm has humans in medical distress."
Maeven inclines his head.
"Seraphina and Mira break the wards on the eastern farm," Maximus says. "Whatever Adrienne didn't build, your people help bring down."
Seraphina looks at Lanthar. Lanthar looks at Seraphina. A long look. She nods once.
"Simone and Alexei are with the eastern team," he says. "Simone on the interior. Alexei on the layout."
"All teams. We move," I say through comms.
Lanthar turns to his forces. A single word in the Fae tongue. The Veil splits again at the tree line. Three openings, three pale gold lines widening in the dark. Stone court warriors and their healers move toward the eastern portal. The Tides contingent toward the western. A third group of healers toward the southern, where Julian is waiting.
They step through and the portals close behind them. The tree line is empty.
They'll be at the farms before we are.
We run.
Through the Georgia dark. Vampires at speed, wolves in formation. Maximus runs beside me. His shadows trail behind us, black on black. His focus reaches me, sharp and steady, and underneath it something he hasn't named.
"Julian, status on the southern approach?"
"Clean. No patrols. Either he's confident or he pulled them to reinforce after the safehouse."
"Or both," Marcellus says.
Simone runs at my left. Her face is empty. Her stride is long.
Every locked door, Simone. Tonight we open them.
Kael's ears flatten and rotate, tracking something ahead. The wolves run low and fast through the trees.
"Fifteen minutes to the perimeter," Alexei says.
The eastern farm.A warehouse complex at the end of a gravel road. No signs. No lights visible from the perimeter. Chain-link fence with razor wire. Three outbuildings flanking a central structure that's larger than the first farm we hit.
The Stone court is already in position. Silent shapes at the tree line, dark armor blending with the Georgia pines.
We stop at the tree line. Guards on the gate. Two on the roof. Three more visible through the windows of the nearest outbuilding.
"Alexei."
He studies the central structure. Takes his time.
"Modified industrial. Konstantin's standard template scaled up. Main building has two levels above ground. Loading dock on the east side, vehicle access for blood transport. Interior layout will mirror the facility I came from." He pauses. "Holding rooms on the second floor. Processing on the first. If there's a basement, that's where the long-term captives are."
"How many hostiles?"
"Based on a facility this size, fifteen to twenty guards. Rotating shifts. More if he reinforced after the safehouse."
Through the comms, Julian's voice. "Southern team is in position. Awaiting your go."
