Page 184 of Smoke and Lure

Yes.Fine.We are still standing in the corridor along the side of the vehicle garage.There are two armed guards there.All the vehicles are facing towards the exit as if they are stationed to drive out.

We figured that with the shifter mutants found in the territories, the humans were gearing up for an attack once they had you all back.How many are there with you?

Michaela made sure to nod her head and bunch her eyebrows toward the center of her forehead to appear in accord with Avalore’s words even while she spoke rapidly in her mental communication.

Five.But there should be another two or three in the lab area.

Be careful with those armed guards.The bullets won’t kill you, but an injury will slow you down until you can heal.From what Liekki explained, Avalore can’t shift into her dragon yet, so don’t let her risk getting shot.

I’ll protect my friend.

Protect what I love, little angel.

Michaela knew he was talking about her and their unborn children.Always.

She figured it would be safer to wait until they got her and Ava around the lab to start taking them out, then they could make their way back to the vehicle door.Michaela hoped that Amaros could get the message to Liekki in time to pass it to Avalore.

Their operation was so widespread and spanned multiple entities that they relied primarily on mental links, but also used radio communication.Her intel would have to be passed from Amaros to Sherman, who would radio it to the Drahk and Lupine head of communications, who would then mentally pass it on to their leaders.Aodh would send it to Liekki and Avalore simultaneously.

Then come back to her with Ava’s observations.

It was a lot; the first widespread preternatural assault force ever.However, they were all centuries old, and the only novices were her and Avalore.As long as they didn’t screw up their part, every level of the attacks should go as planned.

This operation was not only to keep her and Avalore out of the clutches of the scientist, who used them as a breeding factory for their government creations, but things needed to change for all those in the Dispatch.The preternaturals would see it done.

“You two look the worst for wear, but alive,” said a female scientist with ice-blonde hair pulled back in a severe bun that kept her eyebrows lifted as if in question.“But, number 100011, let’s get you to the lab and see how those embryos have grown.You're still too early to show.Hopefully, you haven’t lost them, but since they didn’t kill you, we can try again if necessary.”

The fucking hell you will.

“What?”Michaela pretended to stumble and shake her head.“Pregnant.That can’t be.”

Avalore gasped and turned toward her, meeting her gaze.She gave one sharp nod, letting her know she got the message from Liekki.“What...pregnant?Do we receive extra compensation for that?My family could use the money in the district.”

“A greedy little Dispatch aren’t you, 100013?I bet if you’d have spread your legs for one of those shifters, we’d have a purer blood embryo to study.”A fat, short-haired scientist laughed.

Avalore whipped her head in the man’s direction.

Oh, hell.Ava will kill the bastard right here, and the guards will shoot her.Acting quickly, Michaela gripped her friend's hand and tugged.

Avalore shot a glance at her; a small, blood-orange flame flickering low.

Shit.Shit.Shit.She needed her friend to calm down.“Ava.I’m sure we can talk to them about some incentives.You could help your family, and I could get off the streets.”

Because, unlike Avalore, who had been underground and out with family, people who cared for her, Michaela had no one, until now.

Avalore picked up on her urging more than her words and finally took a deep breath.

Michaela was thankful, because they didn’t have time to pass the message through everyone for Liekki to tell Michaela to focus and keep calm.

“Yes, my family, Mich.My loved ones.”Ava stepped back and took another breath.

Micheala understood by Avalore’s tone that she was talking about her Drahk family, not those within the Wall who urged her to take the breeding stipends.

“Well, send that request up to the People’s Governor Muskrand.Currently, we have more pressing matters to attend to, as we have lost a significant amount of time.Come along.”The lead scientist led them up the maze of corridors.

They followed, surrounded by the other four scientists, two in front and two in the back.

The thirteen young ladies had been nothing to these scientists.One inhumane act after another, they performed on them without a thought or care for the women, and they medically assaulted them.

---