Page 54

HORVAN PEEREDat the gateway through his night-vision goggles.

“No one on duty that I can see.” If the guards had been under Horvan’s command, they would have been out on their ear in a heartbeat.

Theron’s complacency was their good fortune.

Beside him, Saul gave a snort. “So we’re just gonna stroll across the moat? No incursion isthateasy.”

“We can hope, right?” Horvan tapped his earpiece. “Okay, we’re good to go. Eve, keep Jake and Orsini close until I tell you it’s safe to bring ’em in. Then head down to the basement. Take Aelryn’s guys with you to bring out the caskets.”

“Copy that. We’ve got a couple of bigass carts at the ready to remove them from the castle.”

“Brick, you know the drill. Gas bombs down the chimney, then deal with the guards as they come out. Notoneof them gets into the castle or across the moat, you get it?”

“Copy that.”

Horvan glanced at Saul. “You and Crank get in through a window, then open the front door. If you meet any resistance, deal with it appropriately. Once we’re inside, you two go find Vic and anyone else Theron is keeping locked up down there. But go quietly, okay? Like mice.”

“Copy that.”

“Mice like cheese, y’know,” Crank interjected in a morose tone.

Horvan rolled his eyes. “Are youstillgoing on about that?”

“All I asked was if we could go to London to this really bodacious American bar that has all-you-can-eat nachos and a cheese fountain, for God’s sake. I mean,cheese…,” he whined.

“Fine. If you can get through this mission without bugging me about it anymore, I’ll give you some leave, and you can go to London and eat your little mousey heart out, okay? But right now we’ve got stuff to do…. You know, like taking down a bad guy and finding your mate?”

“Vic likes cheese too. Just saying.”

Saul shook his head. “You and cheese. Are you sure you’re not hiding something? You know, like you’re really a mouse shifter?”

Crank frowned. “Us meeses, we like cheeses. Gives us a sad when there is no cheeses for the meeses.”

Horvan gave up.

“Want me to wait too?” Doc asked quietly.

“Yeah. Hashtag’ll bring you inside once we locate Alec. Then he’s all yours. Aelryn’s got an ambulance ready to take you and Alec to the clinic.”

“Copy that.”

Horvan smiled. “In case I forget to tell you… it’s been good having you on my team. Kinda like the old days.”

Doc chuckled. “And it looks as if you’ll see a lot more of me, given the recent turn of events. Because if Jake is my mate, then Dellan is sort of a stepson—so what does that make you?”

He grinned. “We’ll talk more about that later.” He returned his gaze to the gate, but there was still no sign of any guards.

“I like that you saved the best part for you and me,” Aelryn remarked in a low voice. “Taking down Theron. I appreciate being included in this.”

Horvan chuckled. “You’re with me to make sure I don’t kill the bastard.” He took a deep breath. “Okay, guys. The word is go.”

They moved stealthily toward the castle, creeping across the road bridge and through the archway into the courtyard. Brick and Roadkill split off with their team, heading for the barracks. Saul and Crank moved around the exterior of the castle, where they’d spotted a few open windows during their earlier recon. Horvan and Aelryn went to the main door, accompanied by four of Aelryn’s men.

“Well, goddamn.” Saul’s whisper filled his ear. “Not only do we have two open windows, they were kind enough to choose ones next to a drainpipe.”

“Then get up there, you spider monkey.”

Saul’s snort was way too loud. “Funny man.”