Page 18 of Darling Wildfire
The recording filtered through the room, once more Vetticus’ silky voice surrounded me and the nausea crept up. My hands dug into the arms of the chair and I fought to keep my mind in the present. Atlas’ eyes drilled into mine. If I didn’t know him as intimately as I did, I wouldn’t notice the flicker of his eyes as Vetticus said our call signs or the way he folded his arms across his chest to hide the tremor in his hands. I knew he wished they were wrapped around Vetticus’ throat.
I let out a breath as the voice died away, forever a ghost we had to endure. North looked around the room at the grim faces of his team—they all knew what the recording meant but it was like seeing the objective at the end of a mission, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Everything we’d all been working towards was finally culminating to this moment of totality.
It’d been a long road.
“Phase one is complete. I want security tightened everywhere,” North said. “Things are going to move rapidly now. We’ve eliminatedAtrox’sboard members. This week we are taking out the four architects of the maps. He will most likely try to isolate me by going after all of you so stay vigilant. Remember the goal is to draw him out and this—” He gestured to the recording. “Is a good sign.”
He looked around the room.
“You know our story—” he gestured to Atlas and I. “—and why we want vengeance. But—Nyx reminded me last night that there is such a thing as free will—” the men laughed softly at that. “So even though I warned you all at the beginning what you were getting into, apparently, I should give you the choice again,” I said dryly.
“Fuck, Nyx, really?” Tex groaned.
His real name was Cruz Beckett, but everyone called him Tex. He was one of our team leaders. A huge black man from Texas who wore cowboy boots and a wide brimmed hat whenever possible.
“Why are you making’ him go all sentimental on us?” He askedaround a grin.
“Are you doubting our life choices?” Lachlan chimed in. “I’m offended personally.”
“Whoa,” I held up my hands in defense and glared good naturedly at North. “I was talking about Kaelin, not all of them.”
“It’s about time something happened around here,” Sakari said. “Half of you got to have all the fun in the Warren, while the rest of us had to stay home.”
North had found Sakari Tanaka in Japan and I was convinced he was a samurai reincarnated. He was usually quiet and subdued but I knew he was itching for action as he casually flicked a throwing star between his fingers.
Knox chuckled. “I think you have your answer, North. We’re all in, nothing’s changed.”
Knox Ashford was sprawled in an armchair, looking every inch the Marine he was, even though he was long retired. His wife, Macy, had been the first person we encountered when we escaped. Macy told us Knox was missing in action and after the Austria job, North made it his mission to find him. It took a few years, but we found him in some shithole prison in Syria and busted him out. A year later, he showed up atNorTacwith Macy in tow, and he’s been around ever since.
North nodded. “Tex, work with Atlas and get your team ready to take out the architects—”
We spent the next hour going over logistical planning on our contingency plans and what teams would lead what. North predicted Vetticus would try to take down as much ofNorTacas possible, except this was what we’d been planning for and this was why North had wanted to create a global empire. He wanted to become a force that would take great effort to destroy.
And he’d done that. Now, he was dangling himself in front of Vetticus, waiting for him to bite. As the meeting wrapped up, North looked once more around the room.
“Remember what I said—do not underestimate him,” he waved his hand. “Dismissed.”
Everyone filed out and went their separate ways except for me and Atlas.
“How does it feel?” Atlas asked.
North shook his head and sat down heavily in a chair.
“I’ve been patient for so long and now all I want to do is go out there and end it.”
He looked up at both of us, studying me then Atlas where his attention sharpened.
“I’m fine,” Atlas said. “It was just strange to hear him again after all thistime.”
North nodded, and I felt Atlas steel himself next to me for what he was about to broach next.
“You need to tell Kaelin and Graham,” he said.
Speaking to North like that would usually earn someone a quick temper and a fist to the face, but North just met Atlas’ gaze with a dangerous look, his jaw clenched in irritation.
“So I’m hearing,” he murmured.
“If not Kaelin, then definitely Graham,” Atlas continued. “You’re going to have him join the team anyway, so he needs to know what he’s actually signing up for.”
