He drummed his fingers on the table as he considered the confined chambers and limited exits on the drawings. “How many guards are we looking at once we get inside?”
“Could be a couple dozen,” Lucan said. “We can only guess, based on the security camera images that Gideon’s been collecting on the place.”
Dante smirked. “Well, shit. We’ve taken out nests of Rogues in bigger numbers than that.”
Chase and the Order’s other longtime members chuckled at the reminder. Two decades ago, missions like this one were commonplace, when they’d all worked together from the original compound in Boston. It wasn’t often they came together on a joint patrol now, but it was always easy to settle back into the old rhythm of the tight brotherhood they still shared.
Rio glanced over at Mathias, a smile stretching the scars that marred his left cheek. “What kind of party favors are we bringing these assholes tonight?”
“My team will have extra arms and ammunition waiting for us in Dublin. They’re also bringing explosives, should we need to blast our way in—or out.”
Kade gave a wolfish grin. “Show of hands. Who besides me wants to play with the fireworks?”
With the exception of Nathan, the team from Boston all thrust their hands up, along with Aric. Then Dante and Brock joined them too.
As the jokes and chuckles traveled the table, Lucan’s comm unit buzzed with an incoming call. He left to take it while the discussion continued.
“It’s going to be close to sunrise when we land,” Hunter said. “Even if Riordan anticipates that we’re on to him, I doubt he’ll be prepared for a full-scale attack in broad daylight.”
Chase nodded. “And we’ll be covered on that front. Mathias’s vehicles are equipped with light-blocking windows, and we’ll be storming Riordan’s gates wearing full UV tactical gear.”
“What about females or young children?” Tegan asked. Once the coldest member of the Order, having a mate and an adult son of his own had added a new, protective dimension to the lethal male. “We gonna have to sweep for civilians once we get inside?”
Mathias shook his head. “Not a concern. Riordan hasn’t been mated for years. Unfortunately, his Breedmates seem to have an unhealthy habit of dying under mysterious circumstances. He does have a brother, Ennis, whose reputation is almost as repulsive.” Mathias cleared his throat. “Then, of course, there is the matter of Riordan’s son.”
Chase grunted at the reminder. He wasn’t about to forget the delicate matter of potentially going into combat against the male Carys loved. Tavia had stressed to him that she and their daughter both expected him to reserve judgment, to do what he could to spare Riordan’s son if at all possible.
He’d given his word. But he couldn’t guarantee the male wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire if things went south inside the stronghold.
With those grim thoughts riding him, he nearly didn’t notice that Lucan had gone markedly quiet, still on his phone call at the other side of the jet’s cabin. But everyone else had stopped talking now too.
Lucan’s sober expression and silence drew more attention than if he’d been roaring vicious curses at the top of his lungs.
He ended the call and walked over, his grave eyes locked on Chase.
“What’s going on, Lucan?”
“It’s Carys.” Two words, spoken so seriously, it seemed to suck all the air out of the room. “She’s gone missing from the party in London.”
“Gone missing?”
Chase felt his veins freeze over. At the table with him, Aric exploded with a shout of disbelief and worry.
“What do you mean, gone missing?” Chase murmured. “For how long? Where would she go? For fuck’s sake, tell me we’re turning that house upside down looking for her right now.”
“Brynne searched the house. Gideon had Carys’s GPS signal on site and active, but when they located her earpiece . . .” Lucan shook his head. “It appears she’s been gone for more than an hour.”
fted his head to look up at the catwalk and his blazing amber gaze lit on her.
The roar he let out when he saw her shook the stone walls and the rafters high above.
Carys’s hand flew to her mouth, tears stinging her eyes. “Rune!”
“Carys? No!” His outraged eyes went to his father. “How did you get her? Goddamn it, let her go!”
Ennis Riordan chuckled as he sent a sidelong glance at Rune’s father. “I told you the bitch we saw in Boston was more than just a fuck to our boy, Aedan.”
“Obviously something more than he wanted us to believe. But what was she doing in Fielding’s house tonight?”