Page 55 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

People who experienced emotional upheaval tended to be comforted by food, and Kyra looked like she needed a boost.

As they reached the elevators, the brothers entered the first one, and Kian led the rest of the group to the other. After the doors slid closed with a soft chime, the tension radiating from Kyra intensified, though she maintained an admirable façade of composure.

When they emerged on the upper level, Kian strode down the familiar corridor toward his former office. The double glass doors were as spotless as always, and as he pushed them open, he was happy to note that the interior was just as clean.

He gestured for everyone to enter. "Please, make yourselves comfortable," he said, gesturing toward the conference table that dominated the center of the room.

The exotic wood of the tabletop gleamed under the recessed lighting, its rich grain catching Kyra's attention as she settled into one of the leather chairs. Her fingers traced the intricate patterns, and Kian was glad that she was noticing that. The woman was holding up better than he'd expected, given what they'd just learned.

Max took the seat beside her, while Toven chose the seat on Kian's left.

"First things first," Kian said, pulling out his phone. "We have another rescue mission to coordinate, and we need Onegus on it." He activated the large screen mounted on the wall behind his desk before initiating a video call to Onegus.

The chief's face appeared on it moments later, his usual bright smile firmly in place. "How did it go? Did you learn anything significant?"

"And then some, but not what we were hoping for. The so-called Doctor, whose name is Durhad, didn't discover a new way to identify Dormants. He deduced it the same way we did." Kian continued to relay the situation succinctly—the revelation about Kyra's sisters, their children, and the immediate threat they faced from the Brotherhood's operatives.

"How many potential targets are we looking at?" the chief asked.

"There are four sisters and their families," Kian said. "We need to move quickly. The Doomers might have already taken them, but since the compound is destroyed and they can't contact Durhad, they might decide to do something else with them, like take them to the island, and then we won't be able to get them out."

Not that it made any sense for them to do that, but most Doomers were dumb, and their first instinct would be to take the prisoners to the island and wash their hands of them.

"I'll speak with Jade," Onegus said. "She might be amenable to joining another mission after getting a taste for blood." He chuckled at his own pun. "But I doubt she will be willing to take Drova. Bridget's patched her up, but it will take a couple of weeks until she's fully recovered."

It was a shame that the Kra-ell didn't heal as fast as immortals. According to the report from Yamanu, the two hybrids and four pureblooded females had performed above all expectations, and they'd enjoyed every moment of the carnage.

"Perhaps just Jade and the hybrid males this time. The search will start in Tehran, and those three can pass for humans more easily."

Onegus chuckled. "Not necessarily. We can dress the females in burkas and sunglasses, and no one will be any the wiser."

"True." Kian waved a hand. "I leave the decision up to you. Kyra will find out the addresses of her sisters from her nieces and how many kids each of them has so we will know how many people we have to rescue."

"I want in." Max leaned forward in his chair. "The Kra-ell are awesome, but they are like a wrecking ball. They need someone to point them in the right direction or they will wreak a path of destruction and attract too much attention."

"I have to come too." Kyra's tone brooked no argument. "These are my sisters, my family. I have to be there."

Onegus's expression revealed his displeasure with her statement, but he must have realized that there was no changing her mind on that.

"If you feel that you are up to it, I won't stand in your way," Onegus said. "You're a warrior, so you know that the success of the mission comes first. You need to be sure that your participation will benefit the mission and not impede it."

"I don't have an ego when it comes to saving lives, but I'm sure my participation will be beneficial. I know the territory, theculture, and the language. I can blend in, ask questions, etc. The team needs me."

"I agree." Onegus nodded.

"Thank you." Kyra dipped her head before shifting her gaze to Kian. "What are we going to do with them once we get them out? After all, they are all Dormants, right? According to Jasmine, the gene is hereditary through the females. My sisters got the same genes I did from our mother, and so did their daughters. We need to bring them all here and allow them to transition."

Kian rubbed his jaw. "It's not as simple as with the girls upstairs. Your sisters are married. We can't just yank them out of their homes and their communities, although we might have to for their own protection. Still, we can arrange for the families to relocate somewhere safe instead of breaking them apart and bringing the Dormants to the village while leaving the fathers behind."

Kyra grimaced. "If my father arranged my sisters' marriages like he tried to arrange mine, they might welcome a way out." Kyra's expression hardened. "If they do, will the clan accept them?"

"Of course," Kian assured her. "Every Dormant is welcome. But you need to understand that their transitions aren't guaranteed. Adult transitions become more difficult with age, and we don't know your sisters' health status."

"First, we need to get them out," Kyra said. "Everything else can be decided later."

"There's another thing you should consider." Toven spoke up for the first time since entering the office. "Your sisters will recognize you, Kyra. But given your apparent age, they'll likely assume that you're your own daughter."

A smile brightened Kyra's face. "I can work with that. I can easily play the part of Jasmine. It might even make the extraction easier. A niece coming to visit with news of her long-lost mother will be welcomed and given a willing ear."

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