Page 73 of Dark Horizon New Dawn

"What are you doing to them?" Aru asked. "Are they disabled for good?"

"Usually, I would just fritz them out for a few seconds so it would look like a glitch, but because the rest of the force is moving behind us, I'm changing the cameras' angles and getting them stuck in one position instead of fanning out. Whoever is watching the feed sees the canopy of the next tree over."

"Won't it look suspicious?" Dagor moved a branch out of their way.

"Hopefully, they will think that there was a gust of wind that moved the camera. It happens. Like antennas that fall out of alignment in a strong wind."

"Oh shit." Dagor stopped. "Do you hear that?"

Negal heard it a second later. "Dogs barking." He turned around to look at Kalugal. "Please tell me that you can compel animals."

The immortal winced. "They don't understand language, so I can't compel them, but I can try to thrall them. I suggest the rest of you climb up the trees."

As Sylvia released her grip on Negal's neck, he caught her hands. "What are you doing?"

"You can't climb a tree with me on your back."

"Hold on tight and watch me."

Negal rushed to the nearest tree and climbed it effortlessly until he reached a branch that looked strong enough to hold him and Sylvia. "Don't let go."

"I won't." She clung to him so hard that she was choking him.

"You can ease your hold on my neck a little. I promise not to let you fall."

"Sorry." She lowered her arms to wrap them around his chest.

When three large dogs cleared the bushes, the only one remaining on the ground was Kalugal, but the dogs ignored him, and their barking stopped. They put their noses to the ground and sniffed around, but Kalugal must have taken hold of their minds because they whimpered, tucked their tails under their bellies, and ran off.

In the distance, someone cursed in Spanish, and the dogs whimpered some more, and then it got quiet again.

"You can get down now," Kalugal said.

Aru was the first one on the ground. "What did you tell the dogs?"

Kalugal snorted. "I didn't tell them anything. I put an image of a snarling cougar in their pea-sized brains."

53

KALUGAL

"You are clear to proceed," Kalugal said into his earpiece. "The threat has been neutralized."

"You mean the dogs?" Max said in his ear.

Was that a condescending tone that he detected in the Guardian's voice?

"Yeah, the dogs. I thralled them to think I was a cougar. Could you have done that?"

"Not likely," Max said. "I didn't know you could do it."

"Neither did I." Kalugal tapped the earpiece to indicate that he was done.

It had been a neat trick with the dogs, and Kalugal was damn proud of himself. He had never been a dog person, so he'd never bothered trying to get into the brains of dogs or other pets, but apparently, he could do anything he put his mind to.

He chuckled softly at his own pun.

"That was impressive," Negal said. "When we are done with this mission, I would like you to teach me how to do that."

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