Page 196 of Wolf Roulette

The jet ski immediately stopped—we weren’t stupid, the pack couldn’t operate the machines—but the Luthers could still seize them to eliminate our speed.

The pack split in three.

The smallest force hunted our jet skis, and my stomach twisted as more and more were rendered useless.

Only twenty-five minutes had passed.

I needed ten more minutes, but we were dropping like flies.

Shit.We had to have numbers for the finale.

I paced along the railing, blasting notes to guide my tribe.

“We’ve lost 64 percent fewer points than is usual for us in Water at this point,” Pascal told me.

“Estimate?”

“Three hundred and eighty-four.”

Fuck.There was nowaywe’d taken that many points from the pack.

We need to change our approach,I said to Booker.

She received my proposed strategy in a stream of thought.Agreed.

Thirty minutes to go.

We had to take the risk or losing was a definite.

I blew three long notes.Prepare for Operation Fang.

A series of thuds from behind made me whirl.

Pascal stood at the top of the ladder with her tranquiliser gun aimed downward.

“Nothing to worry about,” she said easily.

Crossing to join her, I stared down at Leroy and Grim sprawled unconscious in our tiny boat.

Ha!Booker said gleefully.

I shot my marshal a look. “Thanks.”

She’d already resumed tapping on her tablet. Multi-tasking queen.

Next. “Big Red. Prepare. Over.”

Laurel replied, “Roger that.”

Vampires,check.

I switched the frequency. “Big Red. Bats, initiate Operation Circus on my mark. Over.”

“Roger that.”

Nets,check.

An orange flag popped out of the water to the south.

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