17
The cool breeze touched Camellia’s face and ruffled her hair, helping her to breathe when she saw the extent of the army Jacob Abrams had sent to exterminate the GhostWalkers. Her fingers crept up to her lips and pressed there as she stared down from her vantage point and studied the crazy scene below. It seemed surreal. Jonas, Kyle and Jeff might not think it was any big thing, but that many men gathered in one place willing to murder men, women and even babies was just too much for her.
A part of Camellia wanted to start a battle with them right there. Send the fog with burning droplets in it. Embed illusions in it that would turn them against one another. Bring her plant-based weapons into play. Had she been on her own, she might have been so overcome with emotion that she would have done it, but she had to consider the safety of Jonas, Jeff and Kyle.
The clouds covered the moon for the moment, and she’d managed to keep the fog rolling through the valley so that as the army began its climb and they ran into more fog, it would be believable. Moving that many men with stealth wasn’t easy. They didn’t want to use vehicles. They had air support. Helicopters, two of them. She could see the helicopters were well armed, just as the army was well supplied.
Shaker had made it clear the helicopters were to stay back until he called for them. He was bringing the army in slowly so as not to tire them out or to tip off anyone at the compounds. He’d ordered the mercenaries to hang well back. Those men were farther down the mountain in the heavier groves of trees, most catching up on their sleep.
At the moment, Shaker leaned over a small table with six others, all observing a map, clearly showing where he wanted each of the other commanders to bring in their troops. Camellia thought that was a good thing. That meant they would divide this massive group into smaller, more manageable units, which meant the two GhostWalker teams had a better chance to take them out before they reached the compounds.
Both Blue and Gray are in place. They found natural resting places that won’t raise suspicion if anyone spots them. Not that it was likely that anyone would. The fog she’d created was thinner and more blue-gray in color; it hung through the entire valley now. The owls blended into the fog-shrouded trees so perfectly, it was extremely difficult to spot them, even though they were very large birds.
Kyle made his move to connect with Gray. The owl had positioned himself where he could oversee Shaker’s table. He was above it, close, hidden in a little grove of trees near the edge of the small clearing. The snag was taller than Gray normally would have perched on, but it gave him a good view of what the seven men were doing as they laid out their plan of attack. That meant Kyle could see everything he needed.
Camellia didn’t like the fact that she was so far away from Kyle. He would be disoriented and have a migraine, at the very least, after using the owl’s eyes to see what the men were doing. She had never tried healing anyone over that distance.
I have no doubt that you can do it, Jonas whispered, brushing a loving caress through her mind.
You can do anything, Jeff echoed.
Does Shaker look familiar to either of you? Jonas asked. Kyle, really concentrate on his face and then on the man to the right of him. They have the same features. Similar height, even mannerisms. What do you think?
Camellia had never seen either of the men before, and she waited for the verdict. Both Jeff and Kyle took their time studying the two men, comparing their features.
Definitely could be related, Jeff confirmed. And you’re right, they do look somewhat familiar, as if I’ve seen them somewhere, but I can’t recall where.
Maybe we trained with them? Went on a mission together? Kyle ventured.
I don’t forget missions. Could have been early training, before GhostWalkers.
Jonas felt frustrated to Camellia, although his tone didn’t sound it. He was getting some kind of bad feeling from the leader of these men.
We know they’re here to kill everyone, Jonas, she reminded gently. He is sending his army to murder every man, woman and child, even babies. Of course he would feel bad in some way to you. It looks to me like he’s going to stay back here, safe in his command post, while everyone else takes the risks.
Camellia poured her contempt into his mind even as she continued to build the density of the fog in the valley. Shaker had his mercenaries resting at four thousand feet. They still had another five thousand to climb, go over the summit and back down nearly four thousand feet to reach their destination.