Lycan Legacy - Paladin: Tales of Luna White - Werewolf by Veronica Singer (funny books to read TXT) 📕

Manny laughed, then halted when I didn’t join in. “You’re serious? You have an invisibility suit and you left it behind? Why didn’t you bring magic suits for all of us?”

“I told you: It was too small. We took it from a foreign agent, and we haven’t been able to duplicate it.”

Mike jumped in. “That’s not the point. We shouldn’t be talking about what we don’t have. We need to concentrate on what we do have.” He stared at Manny and said, “Ell Tee, you did not hear that part about the suit, understood?”

“Understood,” Manny said. “But one of these days we’re going to sit down and have a drink and a long talk.”

Mike looked at me and I nodded. It wasn’t right to keep so many secrets from Manny.

“Manny, when this is over,” Mike said, “I promise we’ll all get together and tell you everything.”

The fact that they were both talking about ‘when’ and not ‘if’ was a comfort.

“Anyway, we won’t need to blow the wall to get in,” I continued, returning to the planning.

“Kinda hard to walk through a twelve-foot-high wall without blowing it,” Manny said.

Mike looked at me and raised an eyebrow in query. I shook my head. The short-range portal trick that had gotten us out of the genie’s bottle would get us through one wall, but not two. I wanted to save the portal trick for an emergency.

“We can scale the wall,” said Mike. “It’s no worse than that time in Fallujah.”

“Yeah, we can scale the wall,” said Manny. He looked at me. “How about you? Are we going to have to drag your wily ass over the wall?”

No, Manny, I can jump over a twelve-foot wall, I thought. Diplomacy, Luna. “I brought my climbing gear and gloves.”

Manny seemed skeptical. I continued, “I’ll haul your geriatric ass over the wall if I have to.” Okay, maybe not so diplomatic.

“And the razor wire?”

“I can handle the razor wire.” At Manny’s disbelieving look, I added, “I have hydraulic-powered ceramic-jawed cutters that can cut through almost anything.” I guess you could describe werewolf claws that way.

Mike stared at the charts. “So, if we can evade the sensors, guards, and any dogs, we can get to the main building. The door won’t be easy. We might have to use a breaching charge—”

He stopped at my head shake.

“I can pick the lock and get through any sensors on the door,” I said.

With an exasperated sigh, Manny asked, “If you can do all this, why do you need us?”

“Because I can’t watch my back all the time; because I can’t handle explosives or shoot; and because I can’t haul the hostages away without help.”

Manny’s face darkened and he stared at the chart for several moments. I worried that he would reject my help and pull out of the mission.

He finally looked up, his blank face hiding all emotion. “You’re sure you can do all this?”

“Between Mike and me, we have it covered,” I said. Mike nodded emphatically.

Manny smiled. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. We’ll scale the walls covertly. But we’ll leave remote charges to blow the walls for our escape and to create a distraction. We’ll get inside, leave some more remote-control charges as we go, grab the hostages, then try to sneak out.

“If we run into trouble on exit, we’ll set off the distraction charges and get away in the confusion. If we get separated, we’ll meet at the US Embassy compound. Once the hostages are safe inside, we’ll decide the next step.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” said Mike.

Manny sucked air in through his teeth. “But it doesn’t look like we’ll be ready to go tonight. Tomorrow night or the night af—”

“No,” I interrupted. I closed my eyes momentarily and felt for Logan through our pack link. Despite my transfer of energy, his life force was ebbing. “Logan won’t last another day. His vital signs are too weak.”

“Listen, Luna, I know you’re worried about the guy and want him out as soon as possible. But you can’t know how he is. In hostage situations, the captors don’t want the hostages to die, so they at least give them food and water.”

“I know how he is,” I said. “Just like I know he doesn’t have much time left.”

Mike stepped in with a rational explanation. “Logan has a bio-link that gives us a read on his location and his state of health. If Luna says he’s close to dying, he really doesn’t have much time.”

Manny shook his head stubbornly. “I’m the expert and I say we’re not ready to go. Flying off half-cocked will be a disaster.” He pointed a finger at me. “You hired me for this job. Now take my advice and wait. Even if you’re right about this Logan guy, saving one hostage is better than saving none.”

I hate men pointing their fingers at me and demanding I obey. Sometimes diplomacy is overrated.

“You’re right, Manny. I hired you.” I crossed my arms and squeezed my biceps to keep from sprouting claws. “And now I’m firing you. Thank you for your service. You can keep the money and I’ll take your SUV and the demo.”

I turned away from his astonished expression to face Mike. “Mike, can you teach me how to set off those explosives?”

“No need,” said Mike. “I’m going with you. You can’t fire me, and I won’t stay behind.”

Manny spluttered, “This is insane! Mike, you can’t follow this crazy woman on a suicide mission.”

“I’d follow Luna through the gates of hell, Manny.”

16

One hour later we were driving through the midnight streets of Riyadh. Manny was at the wheel, Mike in the passenger seat, and I was back in the rear seat.

Manny had a few comments about going off half-cocked, but he had stopped complaining as soon as Mike and I had picked up our packs and made to leave. He even smiled while driving.

We parked the SUV about three blocks away from the compound where Logan was