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We’ve got some good places to start searching, but the sad truth is Jud could be anywhere.
“I have an idea,” Cora says. She raises her hand like she’s waiting to be called on in school.
Rev acknowledges her with a nod. “Go on, baby.”
She lets go of my hand and sits up straight. In a clear voice, she says, “Well, we have lots of good intel because of Bernard, right? So, what if, when we get to the city, Shep uses his Gift to talk to other birds or even other animals. I mean, I’m no expert, but it seems like animals like rats and cats and things would know a lot about the city. Plus, they can go inside places where birds might not go. Maybe they’d know where a new prisoner might have been taken.”
Rev’s eyebrows go up. “Good idea. Shep?”
The big Norwegian sits near Stealth in a chair dragged over from the dining area. He thrusts out his lower lip in consideration. “Ja.That is a good idea. I will do it.”
“Good,” Rev says. “Sarge is going to lay out the plan we came up with today. Tomorrow, we’ll focus on training in the teams we’ll be in when we hit the city. Sarge.”
Sarge takes up the center of the room with his broad shoulders and bald head. He has on fatigues, like most of the rest of us, but his have his name and rank embroidered on the pocket, setting him apart. “Listen up. We roll out at oh-six-hundred hours, day after tomorrow, for Operation Jud Recovery. We take three vehicles, two MTVs and a flatbed with the chopper on board.
“In the explorations my men and I have carried out, we’ve always run into equipment failure at the Louisiana state line. Our new friends shared intel that this could be because of a man named Jammer on Raptor’s crew. Thankfully, Jammer’s dead now, thanks to you all.” He pauses to nod at Rev. “But we’d do well to assume Jammer wasn’t the only Gifted soldier monitoring the state line. Our friends, here, told us about a trespasser they got with a Gift for calling down lightning. So, we know some Gifts could manipulate the environment around us. Some of us have Gifts of strength, healing, persuasion, cloaking. What I’m getting at is this: we have to be prepared for anything. We might run into weather disturbances, earthquakes, animal interference, supernatural surprises—we just don’t know. The only Gift we do know about ahead of time is Raptor’s control of the avian population in the area. That’s where Shep and Doc come in. Soon as we drive into Louisiana, you two will begin freeing any birds we see from Raptor’s control.”
Shep and I exchange a glance, and I see the determined look in his eye.
Bernard will help the two of us keep an eye out for Raptor’s spies, and when we find them, we’ll repeat what we did for Bernard, only this time, from a distance. We can totally do this. If Raptor hears about our approach, it won’t be from his birds.
Sarge asks, “Can you two work together if you’re not in physical proximity to each other?”
I shrug. “Never tried it.”
Shep nods to me. “We can practice, though.”
“Do that,” Sarge says. “Test it out tomorrow. If possible, I’d like you two on separate teams. We’ll proceed with the plan assuming you’ll be able to figure out the bird thing when you’re communicating by radio.”
“Roger that,” I say, and Shep voices his agreement.
“Stealth,” Sarge goes on, turning his attention to the only man in the room as big as Brawn. “You’ll cloak our convoy. We want to keep our approach a surprise as long as possible.”
Stealth sits spread-eagle, taking up an entire couch by himself. “I’ll try,” he says with a determined expression. Today, he worked on spreading his Gift to other people, including Cora. Tomorrow, he’ll work on spreading it to moving vehicles, something he’s never done before. Always before, he’s only cloaked himself plus whatever he happens to be wearing and carrying, so he’s got his work cut out for him.
“Under the cover you three lay down,” Sarge says, “we’ll set up base in Baton Rouge. There’s a hospital next to an airfield here.” He points on the map to a city I’m familiar with about an hour’s drive west of the Big Easy. “That’ll be our departure point and also the place we return to with Jud. Doc, when we arrive, you’ll go in the hospital and set up a few rooms for treating any injuries you aren’t able to heal on our exit from New Orleans, including Jud.
“While Doc’s prepping the hospital, Scrap will wire up a genny to the rooms Doc needs. Make sure we’re good to go once we get back.”
Scrap nods. “On it, Sarge.”
“Target and X-Ray will prepare the chopper over at the airfield. I’ll fill them in when they return.” He glances at his watch. “Should be home in another few hours. Brawn, you’ll help them load and arm the missiles. The rest of us will provide cover for everyone working a job in Baton Rouge, just in case your bird’s intel is wrong and we’ve got enemy in place there.
“Once we’re staged and ready to go, we split into teams. Now, listen up, here’s how the teams will break down.”
He flips the map over to show a detailed drawing of the streets in Raptor’s part of New Orleans. Sarge sets a model of a military truck down on the map on I-10 facing the city center.
“Alpha truck has Recon behind the wheel with Rev and Steel up front. You three are team Alpha-One.” He finds the three men in question and points to them. “Get up. Stand together. We’re gonna make this a visual exercise so we’re familiar with our teams.”
Recon, Rev, and Steel get up from their seats and stand near the big bay window. Three bad-ass motherfuckers with arms folded and gazes that could punch through glass. I wouldn’t want to be on their bad side, no siree.
“There’s team Alpha-One,” Sarge says. “Say it, gentlemen. ‘We’re team Alpha-One!’”
The three men shout, “We’re team Alpha-One!” Recon adds a “Hu-rah!” at the end.
“Good,” Sarge says. “Now, in the back seat of alpha truck, we’ve got Scrap and Shep, team Alpha-Two.”
Shep and Scrap get up and stand near the other three. They say their team name, and Sarge moves on, placing a second truck model on the map behind the first.
