Page 65 of Lion's Share
Agent Morse studied us both for a long moment, and I could sense the way she wrestled with herself, trying to come to a decision. Finally, she said, “There might be a way. But it would require you to trust me completely, and it would put all of us at considerable risk.”
“We’re already at considerable risk,” I told her, smiling wryly.
“True.” She pulled what looked like a small tablet computer out of her jacket, its screen glowing faintly in the darkness. “The surveillance data is stored on encrypted drives in our mobile command unit. But the real problem is the real-time transmission to DAPI headquarters. Even if we destroy the local copies, the remote servers will still have everything.”
“So we need to corrupt the data at the source,” Ben said.
“Exactly. And that means getting close to the command unit while Dr. Rosenthal’s team is distracted.” Agent Morse looked directly at me. “Ms. Lowell, how much control do you have over your electromagnetic abilities?”
The question caught me off guard. “Not very much,” I admitted. “I’m just beginning to find my way around all this. Why?”
“Because I have an idea,” she said. “But it requires you to do something that will definitely get Dr. Rosenthal’s attention.”
A chill went through me, but I tried to keep my voice steady. “What kind of something?”
“A demonstration,” Agent Morse replied immediately. “Show her exactly how powerful you really are, but on your terms, in a controlled situation. While she’s focused on that, I can access the command unit and ensure all the surveillance data gets corrupted.”
I stared at her, a sort of horrified understanding dawning within me. “You want me to confront Dr. Rosenthal directly.”
No hesitation as Rebecca Morse replied, “I want you to show her that you’re not someone to be captured and studied. I want you to prove that you’re in control of your abilities, not the other way around.”
The idea was terrifying…and oddly appealing. Ever since this nightmare began, I’d felt like prey being hunted by enemies I couldn’t fight. The thought of taking control, of facing Dr. Rosenthal on my own terms, sent a surge of something like excitement through me.
But Ben looked less enthusiastic, to say the least. “Sidney, that sounds incredibly dangerous. If something goes wrong — ”
“If something goes wrong, we’ll already be captured anyway,” I broke in, cutting off his protests. “At least this way, we might have some control over what happens.”
Agent Morse watched our exchange with intent eyes. “There’s something else you should know. The electromagnetic disturbances you’ve been generating aren’t just affecting our equipment. They’re attracting other things.”
“What kind of other things?” I asked, doing my best to sound utterly innocent. After all, there were a whole lot of “things” hidden within the forest.
“We’ve detected large, unidentified thermal signatures moving through the forest. Whatever they are, they seem drawn to areas with high electromagnetic activity.” Her voice lowered, even though there wasn’t anyone out here except us. “Dr. Rosenthal thinks they might be some kind of undiscovered species. She wants to capture them, too.”
I swallowed. Dr. Rosenthal wasn’t just hunting me — she was hunting every magical creature that called Silver Hollow home.
“We have to stop her,” I said, the words flat.
“My thoughts exactly,” Agent Morse agreed. “But we need to be smart about it. And we need somewhere secure to plan.” She gestured toward the darkness behind her. “My vehicle is parked about fifty yards that way, hidden behind some fallen trees. We can talk there without worrying about being overheard.”
Ben and I exchanged glances. Getting into a federal vehicle felt like crossing a line we couldn’t uncross, but we were already far beyond the point of playing it safe.
“Lead the way,” I said.
Agent Morse guided us through the dim landscape, moving quietly while Ben and I did our best to mimic her…although I doubted we were totally successful. The SUV was exactly where she’d said it would be, a dark shape tucked behind a massive fallen oak that made it invisible from any direction except the narrow path we’d taken.
The interior looked pretty much like a standard SUV, except for the police radio and the riot shotgun tucked into a holster set up against the center console. I tried not to look at it while Ben and I settled into the back and Agent Morse climbed into the driver’s seat. However, I had to admit that I appreciate the tinted windows, which would probably make us much less visible to anyone who might be searching for us out there in the darkness.
“Dr. Rosenthal has the odds on her side,” Agent Morse said as she pulled out her tablet again, since she’d tucked it into her jacket pocket during the hike over to the SUV. “All we have is surprise, local area knowledge…and your abilities.”
“And hopefully, the fact that she doesn’t really understand what she’s dealing with,” Ben added.
Rebecca Morse smiled grimly. “I suppose so,” she said before returning her attention to the tablet she held, which showed a detailed map of Silver Hollow overlaid with various colored markers. “This is our current tactical situation,” she went on. “Dr. Rosenthal is setting up her teams here, here, and here.” She pointed to red markers positioned around the outskirts of town. “The mobile command unit is in the parking lot behind the library, with a clear view of both the main road and the forest access points.”
“She’s trying to box us in,” Ben observed. His tone was so neutral, you would have thought we weren’t discussing anything more important than the best route to drive to the coast.
“Exactly. But she’s also made herself vulnerable.” Agent Morse tapped the screen, zooming in on the library area. “The command unit is relatively isolated, with only a small security detail. If we can create a significant enough distraction elsewhere, I can access it without being detected.”
“And the distraction would be me,” I said.
