Page 48 of Cast By Flames (Dragon's Breath)
“I’m afraid so.” He looked genuinely remorseful. “Think of the Murrah Building, and it’s like that.”
I swore under my breath. Back in 1995, terrorists had used fertilizer and other ingredients to bomb a federal building in Oklahoma City. It destroyed a massive chunk of the structure and took a hundred and sixty-eight lives. People felt theexplosion from miles away. If this group had something similar planned, it would demolish one of our crucial staging areas.
Leaning my head outside the cell, I called for the guards to bring a notebook and pen. A moment later, they handed over my requested items. I supposed they’d heard the conversation and didn’t want to waste time.
For the next thirty minutes, I wrote down every detail the guy could recall. Meanwhile, Rayna and Freya managed to get some extra information from their prisoner that would help as well. It was almost three in the afternoon by the time we finished, and we rushed out of there, knowing we’d have to act fast.
Chapter 13
Bailey
With Freya flying me and Rayna riding her horse, we managed to get to the Sooner Mall in less than half an hour. We might have reached it faster, but we had to stop at the interstate where the Taugud territory ended. Rayna left her horse in a safe place, and Freya shifted to human form before we walked across the bridge into Thamaran-Kandoran territory.
The mall sat directly beyond that. Except for one former department store, the rest of the place was only one level. It was a smaller complex designed to serve the local area.
We suspected the attackers were waiting for the supply drop-off to detonate the bombs. They had to be stationed nearby—perhaps across the street in one of the neighborhood houses—and watching closely. If we behaved normally, I didn’t think they’d react to the arrival of three females. We couldn’t risk letting them know we were on to them yet.
Walking toward the mall, we encountered two of the four guards protecting the entrances—a man and a woman, both in cargo pants and black T-shirts with pistols strapped to their legs.They blocked our path.
“Bailey,” the woman said, nodding at me. “We weren’t expecting you…or your friends.”
I’d only met the guards as part of a tour of the storage facilities a few weeks ago with Aidan, but most people in town recognized me from my slayer activities and being mated to the local pendragon. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember either of their names.
“We’ve got a problem,” I replied, keeping my facial expression neutral in case anyone watched nearby.
The woman frowned. “What’s that?”
I couldn’t blame their caution, considering the strategic importance of the place.
Freya leaned closer to me. “We need to check them before we say anything else.”
I agreed.
“Safety first,” I ordered and lifted my top to expose my stomach.
Honestly, I sometimes considered asking Aidan to make me a camrium sports bra so I wouldn’t have to flash people anymore. It didn’t matter that slayers couldn’t get infected. There was always a chance that information was wrong or had changed. Also, it would leave the most vulnerable part of me exposed to bullets and blades.
Everyone else followed suit until we were sure no one was infected.
After she tucked her shirt back in place, she gestured at me. “Now, what’s the problem?”
“Please stay calm and do not react because we can’t risk tipping anyone off.” I waited for the guards to nod. “We have credible intelligence that bombs have been planted and will be set off this evening.”
Both guards stiffened, but they relaxed a fraction after I gave them a warning look.
Freya whispered in an urgent tone. “We must begin searching immediately.”
“We don’t have much time,” I explained more gently.
“Go ahead,” the male guard answered this time. “But we have to stay here until we’re relieved of duty.”
Of course, that was their priority until they received other orders.
“I prefer you did. We’ll let you know if we find anything or if it’s time to run.”
They nodded, appearing less than pleased at the news.
I turned my attention to Rayna. “Can you check the guards at the other entrance and, if they’re good, begin searching that side of the mall? Freya and I will start here. Let us know if you find anything.”
