Page 145 of Blue Arrow Island
“It’s not,” I say. “Focus on now.”
“He’ll pay,” Niran assures Marcus in a level tone.
Stella picks up a piece of paper from the wooden table. “I wrote down everything I could as soon as I got here, while it was all fresh. We had twelve people in holding cells, including McClain. I know seven of them joined Ray and are working against us. And then from our people, I know Darien, Juno and Jax also joined.”
“Darien?” Niran shakes his head. “I’ve always liked him.”
Stella ignores him and continues. “So eleven people, including Ray. Only Nova was carrying a gun, so that’s the only one they have. And I counted four hunting knives. No stun sticks, they’re all locked up.”
Marcus nods. I see why he considers Stella such an asset. The information she gathered is crucial to what we’ll do next.
“I should go back up, Adele,” Niran says. “And do recon.”
“Yeah,” Marcus agrees. “I gave her my gun. Come back within an hour if you can. We need to move as quickly as possible.”
Niran puts on a holster and is choosing his weapons when there’s a creaking noise, sunlight illuminating the space. Someone opened the door.
Marcus’s arm shoots out and he moves me behind him, drawing his knife. I lower my brows over being treated like a damsel in distress, my gun already in hand.
“It’s me.” Adele is breathing hard as she descends the stairs. “I got it.”
Small pieces of her light-blond hair stick out at her temples, just as sweat-soaked as her skin.
“Good work,” Niran says. “I was just about to come offer you a hand.”
“Didn’t need it.” She passes Marcus the device.
He turns off his aromium, then grabs a nearby bucket with one hand and passes me the device with his other. By the time I get my aromium off, he’s bent over the bucket, throwing up.
I hardly feel the usual drain of energy from switching it off, adrenaline making up the difference.
“The fuck, man?” Niran says as he watches Marcus. “Are you okay?”
“This happens every time he switches his aromium off,” I say tightly.
Wyatt, who hardly ever speaks, says, “That seems like a problem.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” I agree.
“Can I fucking puke in peace?” Marcus gripes.
I turn to Adele and ask, “How’s your wound?”
She presses her lips into a thin line. “It hurts, but the stitches are holding. I’m fine.”
Marcus secures two handguns in his holster. He told me to be his voice of reason, and I wish I could do it in private, but it has to be now, in front of the others.
“Every gun we bring into camp is a gun that could end up in their hands,” I say.
He nods and meets my gaze. “They’ll only get these if I’m dead.”
Though his aromium is off, his eyes have the lethal gleam I’m only used to seeing when it’s on.
“Niran, you’re with Adele,” he says. “You guys enter camp by the holding cells. Wyatt and Stella, circle around and come in by the command housing block. You know where the ladders are. Briar and I will come in by the garden. Stay out of sight, watch your backs and pick them off.”
“Lethal force?” Wyatt asks.
“Yeah. They made the wrong choice, and I’m not giving them a chance to do it again.”
