That pulled her up short. Was that something Whitney or Abrams counted on? Was this a trap planned in advance if Jonas was leading a team against them? Even that didn’t make sense. How could they count on Camellia and Jonas meeting? Her brain worked at a very fast speed, computing all the possibilities and discarding them just as fast. They couldn’t. Unless . . .
That fucking Whitney and his gift to all of you, the tattoo on your ankle. Jonas filled in the blanks for her. We weren’t aware of it immediately and weren’t able to start interfering with his ability to track each of you. But he was sophisticated in the way he placed his tracking devices on each of you. They aren’t the same.
Camellia took a deep breath and allowed herself to tap into Red completely. Red was aware of the six enhanced commanders and Shaker, as well as their movements in the fog. She did not confirm Angel was on the mycelium network. In fact, she rejected the idea of it. Camellia had been studying him and the way he was stalking her through the mist.
It would still be too much of a coincidence. They couldn’t rely on us meeting, Jonas. This is something else altogether. They’re all shifting positions. Guessing where you are, but they know you’re there. They haven’t alerted anyone else. Not the troops, not even the helicopter pilots. Don’t you think that’s strange?
They sent the helicopter pilots away earlier with the troops, Jonas told her.
Camellia considered what that meant, turning the information over and over in her mind. It didn’t make sense for Shaker to give that order unless he didn’t want the mercenaries to see what the enhanced men were doing. What was Shaker up to that he didn’t want all those men to see?
She pulled the map up that the two owls had pushed into her head. Because Kyle had already used Gray’s vision and hearing more than once, the owl knew how to assemble the lines and grids. Blue had followed her mate’s example. They had taken a snapshot of the map from various angles as they flew overhead and sent it to her. It looked to Camellia as if Shaker was sending all six commanders and their troops to Team One’s fortress for a hard strike from every direction, including air. He hadn’t spared a single man for Team Two. At least not now. There was no doubt his intention was eventually taking them all out. Team Two would not be spared.
The breeze blew through the fog, creating a subtle movement, proving a distraction. The blue-gray mist swirled just a bit, where before it had been still, just hanging dense and impenetrable. Now there was a slight sound, like a musical note on the lower end of the scale, that added to the ominous feeling in the fog. She used every very real resource available to her when building illusions to make them more compelling. Oftentimes, people overlooked sounds in fog. Sound could be muffled or distorted, and it was often the cause of a feeling of fear.
She found it was difficult to remain absolutely still. Muscles became cramped. She wanted to rub her shivering arms. Right now, Angel had the advantage. He could move at will while she had to remain frozen in place. He didn’t know exactly where she was, but the moment she so much as eased her weight from one side to another, he could spot her. Figuring out what was going on made it difficult to control her heart and lungs. She had to work at discipline. Jonas, Jeff and Kyle had a tremendous amount of experience with all the missions they ran. She had been living alone for so long, she hadn’t practiced as much as she should have.
No way is this about me. They didn’t come here knowing about me, or if they did, it was last-minute. This is about Team One and Ryland, Lily and Daniel. I’m not even certain this is about Abrams and Whitney having a beef. Did your team do something to Abrams?
Jonas would have to consider her speculation. Jeff and Kyle did as well. It was a fair question. They’d run countless missions, most covert operations. That was why they were called GhostWalkers. No one knew about them. They were sent in to get a job done when no one else could do it.
I honestly can’t think of anything, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have, Jonas finally said. Jeff? Kyle?
We’ve pissed off just about everyone at some time, but we were always under orders, Jonas. If Abrams was angry, you’d think he’d take it out on whoever sent us, Kyle ventured.
I have to agree with that, Jeff added. Even if Abrams had his hand in all the dirty operations we were sent out to stop, we were plugging the hole in the dam, so to speak.
Angel shifted his position, actively searching for her, moving back and forth in a grid. He had a powerful presence, much like Jonas. There was no doubt that he had the genetic code of several predators, and he was using them to try to get her scent. She had every confidence that Red would mask her from him, but just as he was searching for her location, the others were conducting a very thorough probe for Jonas, Jeff and Kyle.
Lewis just about stepped on me, Kyle whispered in their minds. He was sniffing around just under the tree where Jeff is, and he circled back. Now he’s crossing in a grid pattern with Gorman.
It’s Gorman you really have to watch out for, Camellia reminded him. He’s got built-in radar, even more so than the others.
Jonas, Jeff said, let’s kill them now and get it over with.
And what about Camellia? Angel’s up there with her. We don’t have all the information we need as to why these bastards are coming at us. Abrams would just send another army. What’s wrong with you?
Listen, Jonas, Camellia replied softly. In the fog. Listen.
All of them went very quiet. There was that low musical note, a repetition built into the breeze, almost like a rolling wave, coming and going. They were used to the mist now, used to Camellia’s illusions. When they would have said something, she stopped them with a slight hiss in their minds.
Keep still. Keep listening. It isn’t the breeze. It’s a voice.
Camellia could hear the softest of voices. At first she hadn’t realized it was anything but that low note rolling in the breeze. Muted. Just part of the reality of fog hanging in the clearing and cutting through the forest.
He’s experienced. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s laying the foundation right now that it’s cold and our muscles are cramped. We have to move. Our bodies can’t take being so still. I’ve always been able to be still for hours, but all of a sudden I can’t. We want to attack them. I can’t make out everything he’s saying yet, he’s that good.
If he’s that good, how come you can’t understand what he’s saying? Kyle asked.
He repeats it over and over, Camellia explained. The same dialogue and it gets in your head. Eventually you do what he says. I’m already feeling the need to move. Angel is close to me. He knows I’m here. The moment I move, he’s bound to see me. Jeff just pushed to attack them. He’s working on us.
Jonas sighed. Which one, Camellia, can you tell?
I believe it’s Shaker. I can barely see him. The fog is so thick now, and it doesn’t move, so even with enhanced vision, I can’t see his lips. It just feels like him to me.