The Takeover

by Teyla Branton

  “Don’t answer that, Mari,” Ritter said, and I was glad. They were still mostly our enemies, despite having agreed to help us.

  Fenton looked annoyed, but his only response was to fold his arms and lean back in his chair.

  There was a whole lot the captives were overlooking, most particularly, the electric grid that would keep my thoughts and Mari out. But if we could somehow become the Triad—that opened up an entirely new set of opportunities that didn’t involve more fighting and dismembering.

  Ritter had already brought up the monitor embedded in the table in front of him and was examining the plans Stella had managed to find of the San Francisco and New York locations. They were scrambled, vague, and incomplete, but he studied them with enough concentration that I knew he believed this was a plan we might carry out successfully. A plan that wasn’t suicide.

  Ava glanced at Ritter and came to the same conclusion. “Is there anything else you’d like to share?” she asked the captives. One by one, they shook their heads.

  “But where are the Triad?” Mari said. “They used to have their main offices in LA, right? So they’re probably in San Francisco now, but who’s to say they aren’t in New York?”

  “Oh, that’s easy,” Jeane answered, her beautiful face looking bored. “They’re in New York. After Erin damaged their building in LA, they moved the West Coast headquarters to San Francisco, but the Triad transferred closer to the action in DC. They were all there before I escaped. Except David. He stays at various safe houses that he owns.”

  “How can we be sure they haven’t moved since you left?” Ritter barely glanced up from his screen as he asked the question.

  Jeane smiled and rolled her neck, staring at him between half-lidded eyes. “Because I’ll call and ask.”

  “You think they’re going to tell you?” I asked. Her arrogance was unbelievable.

  Jeane reluctantly transferred her gaze to me. “If I have something to give them, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to meet with me. With a little luck, we can get my brother there as well.”

  Her brother Ropte. Was she really willing to risk his life? “How?” I didn’t hide the suspicion from my voice. I was on the verge of wanting to strangle her as much for the lack of clarity as for the not-so-subtle invitations she was sending Ritter. As a null, she had a lot to offer a man who might want to disconnect from an ability. That wasn’t Ritter, but she still rubbed me the wrong way.

  Jeane gave me the same seductive stare she’d bestowed on Ritter. “Because, I’ll be taking them something Stefan’s been hunting for a while: his long-lost daughter. You.”

  Pandemonium burst out as everyone spoke at once. “That would do it,” said Bedřich, while Mari exclaimed, “Yes! We’ll walk right in!” Cort nodded and said, “It could work.” And “It’ll be a tough sell,” came from Keene. Jace’s face flushed as he spoke: “She can’t go in alone.” Then from Chris, “Might be better to get them outside the headquarters.”

  More comments twisted and slid around each other, each person offering an opinion. Only Ritter, Ava, and Dimitri remained silent.

  And me.

  “Even without knowing you’re a sensing Unbounded,” Jeane continued, “Stefan will want you for breeding. He knows you’re Ava’s descendent, and with the right sperm donor you could have a sensing child. You’re much better than the little twit he has there making eyes at Lew now.”

  I stared at her for several seconds before I could process her comment enough to say, “You and Lew didn’t tell them I’m not a combat Unbounded?” I swallowed the word.

  Jeane regarded me with wide eyes. “Honey, I never tell anyone anything unless I have to. You never know when it will become useful.”

  “What about Lew?”

  She shrugged. “He might have said something after I left, but I’m not sure it would have come up, and Catrina isn’t nearly as strong as he is, so she can’t break through his shield. And it seems anyone who might have known about you had that particular memory extracted before Delia died.” She gazed at the three Emporium captives. “Only they know now.” About the sensing, she meant, because they still believed me to be Stefan’s daughter.

  Two emotions warred inside me. If Stefan didn’t know for sure about my ability or my parentage, it made Jeane’s idea singularly perfect. I could waltz right in. They might not trust me, but even with Lew and the newcomer Catrina, they’d wouldn’t be able to break into my mind for a good long while. Stefan might not believe I’d turned from the Renegades, but Jeane was right that he would jump at the chance to have me.

  That terrified me more than I cared to admit. Still, it was a real chance—and I’d take that over a suicide mission any day.

  Everyone soon quieted under Ava’s granite stare, but the different feeling in the room was amazing. Hope floated like protein atoms awaiting our absorption.

  I had to hand it to Ava and Ritter. They’d known the original plan was weak, but they’d played it off our prisoners to create a strategy that was actually possible.

  Maybe. If only so much didn’t depend on me.

  AVA STOPPED THE DISCUSSION SO our mortal guards could remove Shadrach and the Emporium prisoners, including Jeane. “No,” Jeane protested. “I want to stay here. I deserve to know everything. You have to promise me that Lew will be okay.”

  “What about your brother?” Bedřich mocked. “Blood should be thicker than sex, even for a—” He said a word I didn’t understand, but Jeane apparently did.

  “You Czech pig!” She launched herself at him, her nails poised to rake his thin face.

  Without thinking, I pushed hard against her unshielded mind, sending a blast of light. At the same time, our guards dived for Jeane, with no chance of separating them in time. Bedřich’s hands started to rise to protect himself; he would also be too late.

  A half instant before she gouged his eyes, her hands slowed and opened. She ran the inside of her fingers caressingly down his cheeks instead. “Never mind. You’re not worth it.” She gave a seductive laugh before turning docilely toward the door. “Take me back to my room, please.”

  We all stared at the change in her. Ritter’s brows arched in calculation as he studied not Jeane’s retreating back but my stunned face. This was twice now, so the first time hadn’t been a fluke.

  “All right. Let’s see what we’ve got,” Ava said after a few seconds. She waited until she had everyone’s attention. “Our new directive is to capture and contain the Emporium Triad.” She paused before adding, “By whatever means possible. Targeting only the Triad means we still have to get people inside, but hopefully only at one location. That also means we can do this as soon as tomorrow, which will maintain the advantage of surprise. Stella, can you show us the building?”

  A holo of a New York high-rise appeared over the table. Twenty stories tall, with probably several more beneath the ground. “This is the New York headquarters,” Stella said. “With everything that’s going on in New York and DC, I believe Jeane’s right about Stefan and Tihalt living there now. Plus, Ropte’s close enough for us to lure him there in a respectable timetable.”

  “Impressive.” Dimitri studied the building, one hand absently rubbing his chin. “If we cut off the Emporium’s head, we should be able to take over long enough to set them back years, if not permanently.”

  Mari had a black knife in her hands and was twirling it gently. “Cut off the head. I like that.” Sometimes she worried me with her knife fascination, though I sensed she was at peace with herself now, more than she had been before leaving San Diego.

  Keene’s gaze went from Mari to the holo. “Going in will be dangerous. We’ll have to spin it just right.”

  “We’ll also have to make sure the other headquarters overseas don’t send reinforcements in case we do end up fighting more than we hope,” Dimitri said. “But the way I see it, this is really our only option. That is, if we’re going to act at all.” There was a gentle question in his voice, but Ava met it head on.<
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  “You know we have to.”

  He nodded. “I do know. I just don’t like it.” His stare flitted to me and away.

  “Wait,” said Jace. “Erin reported seeing Stefan visiting Ropte. Maybe we could lure them all to his place. There would be fewer soldiers hanging around.”

  We all thought about that for a moment. It was a solid suggestion, one that would certainly fulfill my wish about not walking into Stefan’s den. “Stefan won’t be traveling without a lot of people and talent around him,” I ventured, “but it could work. Right? Especially with the reinforcements from Mexico.”

  “My father rarely leaves headquarters,” Cort said. “And all the paperwork needed for the succession will be at headquarters. DNA, video recognition—it’ll be very involved, if I know them. Still, it does seem easier. If we could somehow convince Tihalt to leave.”

  Ava looked at Ritter, who was staring at the holo of the headquarters. No emotion showed on his face, but the connection between us told me his mind was in turmoil. Finally, he sighed. “If we try to have Jeane turn Erin over at Ropte’s, there’s no way Stefan will buy it. He has enough experience to know we’ll be up to something. He’ll make it impossible for us.”

  Mari made a sour face. “Jeane did escape the Emporium and run to Ropte, so you’re right that Stefan probably isn’t going to trust her.”

  “That’s exactly why this plan is only going to work if Jeane takes Erin to their headquarters.” Ritter sighed and shook his head. “He’ll only feel secure at his own place. We need to stroke his confidence. Even then, it’s going to be suspicious. We’ll have to send Erin in with a fake offer from us. Something that sounds plausible. Because Stefan’s going to think we fooled Jeane into taking Erin captive for some reason. Keene’s right that the spin is what will sell it.”

  Ava’s gaze settled on my face, and I felt her probing mentally, but I kept my shields tight. At my refusal to let her in, she pushed out the tiniest breath of frustration that only Dimitri and I were close enough to hear. Too bad for her. I wasn’t about to let my terror at facing Stefan stop us from trying to end this battle once and for all. “It’ll have to be there,” she finally agreed.

  “Right. But there are a few other things we have to address.” I began ticking them off on my fingers. “First, they’ll have an electric grid over the entire building, and that puts me alone in there until we can cut the power. They’ll have primary and backup generators like we do here. Second, we have to worry about any prison cells they may have inside that they might throw me into regardless of any spin we dream up. That means we need a backup plan. Third, we have no idea how many personal guards I’ll have to deal with until you guys are able to shift in. Fourth, we need to find a way to get Ropte there.”

  Ritter inclined his head, and I suspected he was already far ahead of me in working out the details of my list. “And we still don’t know what Ropte’s ability is.”

  “I’ll question Jeane about it,” I said.

  “So what happens if—when—this does succeed?” Jace asked. “Erin won’t pass their blood test.”

  “We’ll have to get around that,” Keene said, “Obviously, Delia had something in mind to get around that since she planned to use Erin to take over Stefan’s place. It must be possible. But I’m not totally pleased with the idea of trusting that . . . that . . . Jeane.”

  Mari snorted at his lack of words. “Snake? Traitor? Whore? I bet that’s what Bedřich called her.”

  A smile tugged on the corners of Keene’s mouth. “Whatever she is, she can’t be trusted.”

  “Erin shouldn’t go,” Jace insisted, looking more to Ritter than anyone else. Ritter, who felt the same but wouldn’t stop me because there was no other way.

  “She won’t be alone,” Keene said. “Cort or I will be there too. One of us can go in separately for a reunion with dear old Dad.” His bottom lip curled on the last words.

  “As long as we interrupt their electrical shield. I can get all of us right into any room where Erin is,” Mari added.

  “But I’m the one you should send.” Jace sat forward, hands splayed on the table. “Stefan is my father, not Erin’s.”

  Silence fell in the room, with Keene, Mari, Oliver, and Chris looking confused. “What are you saying?” Chris was the one to ask.

  Jace glanced at our brother. “Just what it seems. You know the sperm they stole didn’t get to the fertility clinic in time to use for Erin—they saved it for me.”

  “No,” Chris whispered. I knew he wanted to protect Jace from this as much as I wanted to, but there are some things from which you can’t protect even those you love.

  “Yes, I’m Stefan Carrington’s son.” Jace stumbled over the man’s name. “I just found out today, but I think I’ve known all along.”

  I wanted to cry out for Jace to shut up, because he was right that I wouldn’t pass the DNA tests, but sending my younger brother into that place . . . I’d rather die than let him face Stefan.

  “Jace,” Ava said, her gray eyes liquid and softer than normal, “you’ve made a good point, and certainly, you’ll be there for the op, as we all will, but Stefan believes Erin is his daughter. We don’t want to take the chance of muddying the waters at this point. Her unique abilities make her the logical choice to infiltrate their headquarters. You’re right that for DNA, we’ll need you at some point. And I’m guessing you’ll be the successor who ultimately takes Stefan’s place and helps reform the Emporium.”

  “Mari can find me inside, once you turn off the generators,” Jace protested. “Erin can come in then.”

  Ritter shook his head. “I have no doubt that the Emporium learned a lesson after what we were able to do the last time, and I’m betting the generators will need to be shut off from the inside. Erin’s abilities will help us do that. The second she succeeds, Mari will shift you in.”

  Jace slumped back in his chair. “Okay, you’re right.” He didn’t look angry, and I wondered if that meant he was as scared as I was at the idea of entering Stefan’s lair.

  Next to me, Ritter took my hand under the table. Though he felt cool against the clamminess of my skin, I wasn’t going to let go in order to hide my apprehension from him. As our ops leader and experienced combat Unbounded, Ritter could shut down this plan at any moment, but he wouldn’t shut it down, I knew, no matter how much he hated it, because this was our best chance. Our only chance.

  “So Erin will go in with Jeane,” Ritter said, the words heavily reluctant but determined. “Now that we’re not attacking all the locations, we can use the bulk of the ex-Emporium recruits from Mexico to form a blockade around the facility. That way no one inside can run for help and no reinforcements can enter. We’ll take down the electricity in much of the city, so the Emporium will only be left with generators, which, at some point, Erin will interrupt. And telephone service also needs to be taken down until we’ve secured the building.”

  Heads nodded as Ritter continued. “After we subdue the Triad, we’ll shift in more of our people. Or before that, if we have to. I’m not going to trust that they will all just fall into line when we take over.”

  Cort coughed gently before adding, “There’s bound to be some fighting. But if we can take them over completely, it’ll be that much easier to control any reaction from their other headquarters.”

  “So how am I shutting down the generators?” I was working through it in my mind, and all I kept seeing was Stefan throwing me into a locked room. “After all the training, I know how to bypass them, but Stefan isn’t going to make it easy.” I’d have to somehow overcome the guards.

  “Stefan will definitely have them secure,” Ritter said. “That’s where Cort comes in.” Everyone, including Cort, looked at Ritter blankly. “Cort hasn’t played double agent since Keene left the Emporium,” Ritter continued without missing a breath, “and it’s doubtful they’ll trust him now, but using that old cover, we should be able to get him inside. This time he’ll take a few prisoners to pad
his homecoming. Namely, Mari and me.”

  Ava’s soft gasp told me this wasn’t something she’d expected. Stella stopped paying attention to the holograph and started shaking her head so violently her neural headset threatened to fly off. “No. If they got their hands on a shifter . . .” she began.

  “They don’t know what Mari looks like.” Ritter raised his voice to talk over Stella, his eyes locked on Ava, upon whom rested the ultimate decision. “Even if they’ve heard rumors that we have a shifter, they can’t know it’s Mari. She’ll go in disguise, of course.”

  “No.” Keene sat up stiffly in his chair, looking murderous. “It’s one thing having her shift inside and taking backup, but going in like that . . . we have no idea what their reaction might be.”

  Ritter held firm. “We need to move around freely inside their headquarters. Either Mari or Erin can use Mari’s ability to shift to the generators and disable them. That means getting Mari inside is the only way this plan has any chance of success.”

  “It’s too dangerous!” Keene shouted, jumping to his feet. Volatile energy danced around him.

  Ritter released my hand and also arose, leaning over the table on his fisted hands. “Would you rather have her storm the front doors as we planned before? I’ll protect her, Keene. You know I will!” The two men glared at each other from across the table, neither backing down.

  “Keene, it’s my decision!” Mari tugged at Keene to sit in his chair.

  He ignored her, but when he spoke again, his words were slightly calmer. “They’ll put her in a protected cell. She won’t be able to shift from there. After everything Erin and Delia have been able to do, they’d be stupid not to lock her up. If she goes in as a prisoner, no one will be able to use her ability.”

  Silence for too long, and then Cort said calmly, “I probably should have spoken up sooner, but for the record, there’s no way my father will ever trust me again. In fact, he’s more likely to kill me on sight, even if he could be made to believe that I was still working undercover, which I really doubt.” He looked around at us, his mouth lifting in a sad smile. “I might as well tell you—it was me who killed my father’s successor. Yes, my own brother. I told my father he was in danger, but he never believed I did it to save his life.” He glanced at Keene as if willing him to understand. “I said before that my brother wasn’t the first sibling I saw die unnecessarily for a cause I no longer believed in, but he was the first family member I had to kill. That was when I realized I was working for the wrong side. I never wanted to do that again.”