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Merl handed him the wrist scanner and he snapped it on.
Merl then gathered everyone into a huddle. “Hands on each other’s shoulders. We’re doing a group fold to my home. I’ve already lit up the portal. Ready?”
~
Rachel had never felt anything like this in her life. The ramped up tension in the team flowed from person to person. She especially experienced the sensation where she touched Duncan’s shoulder on one side and Luken’s on the other.
“Now,” Merl called out.
The trip through nether-space was a streak of power and a flash of energy. Within a split-second, they arrived in Merl’s living room.
Merl addressed Duncan. “Which weapons did we use in your vision?”
“Wrecking shotguns and unidentified swords. Rachel threw her daggers.”
Merl’s eyes glinted. “You heard the man. Arm up.”
Rachel wasn’t sure why her shielding powers would be blocked, but right now it was more important to trust the vision.
Another blast of energy flowed over Rachel as the team acted as one. Weapons appeared in each hand.
Just as Merl had said, the portal was lit up in a soft glow and open to the grid.
“Inside now,” Merl shouted.
Owen led the way since he was closest, and in the space of a few seconds everyone stood on the darkening grid floor. With a sudden snap, the portal closed.
Duncan took the lead and once more commanded the team’s minds. I’m heading in the direction of Yolanthe’s portal. But we’ll be meeting wreckers at a halfway point. The moment I raise my right closed fist, stop and turn to the grid wall off your left shoulders and prepare to do battle. Ready?
An almost uniform response of ‘yes’ returned.
Rachel followed after Duncan as he ran swiftly through the grid. Joshua and Owen were on her heels, then Alex, Merl, and Luken. Endelle brought up the rear.
When Duncan began to slow, she watched for his signal. Sure enough his hand shot up and Rachel drew to a halt as did the rest of the team. Rumbling could be heard through the grid wall.
They’ll be blasting through in five-four-three…
Though Rachel was ready with a dagger in each hand, her heart sounded like a drum inside her ears.
As each warrior raised shotguns, the rumbling reached a deafening point. At the same moment, a blast sounded on the other side of the grid and the darkening wall crumbled in front of the black ops team. All the warriors fired at a long line of wreckers, at least a dozen of them, with more coming. Most of them fell where they stood.
One warrior caught her eye and leaped from the grid, heading straight toward her. Clearly, he believed her a weak link. But without hesitation, she flipped her dagger and caught him in the throat. He dropped his sword and fell to his knees.
More wreckers came.
Moving to the back of the line and staying out of the way of battling swords, she drew a second blade. She scanned the encroaching Third Earth wreckers and found a target, one just emerging with a roar from the grid but leaping high into the air. She levitated swiftly, flicked her wrist, and the point of her blade hit his eye, piercing through to his brain. He fell.
She immediately resumed her position and continued pacing behind the battle.
At least another dozen wreckers emerged from the gaping hole in the grid wall. Some with shotguns, others with swords. They were fierce with three braids hanging on either sides of their faces, and wearing maroon battle harnesses. The wreckers leaped with loud shouts as each moved to attack the black ops line. She focused on those targets with shotguns and made each throw count.
The action was heaviest down at the end where Endelle, Luken, and Merl battled at least ten wreckers.
At the other end, Duncan battled with his sword as did Joshua, Owen, and Alex. The clanging of steel-on-steel reverberated in the tight space.
She threw a blade at a wrecker lifting his gun and brought him down. She then quickly slid two daggers from her belt, holding one in each hand.
She felt the movement of a fold behind her and spun as a wrecker appeared. She threw her first blade too quickly and caught the warrior in the shoulder. He grimaced as he pulled it out.
