said. “Followed by hardcore, hands-on tactical training. You got away scot-free from these guys because of my lessons. And yet now you don’t trust I’m on your side?”
“Nope,” Derek said.
“Sorry,” Daniel said.
Maya crossed her arms and shook her head. I shrugged.
Moreno broke into a grin. “You guys do me proud. I’d give you all a hug, if that wasn’t a little creepy. And if I was the hugging sort. But if you survive the rest of this, I’ll take you all out for beer and ice cream.”
“You don’t need to be sarcastic,” Rae muttered.
“Oh, but I’m not, and they know it. This is exactly what I trained them for. Trust no one except one another. Excluding you, kid, because I don’t know you, and you have a bad habit of screwing up. But these guys are doing the right thing. Next step?”
“Turn the tables,” I said. “Capture someone who’s behind this and get them to talk.”
“Mmm, yes. That would work. But even better?”
“Stop them,” Derek said. “Don’t just take down one. Take them all down.”
“Without running to the Nasts for help,” Daniel said. “Because in another year, some of us will be off to college, and we need to be able to look after ourselves.”
“Starting with proving we can look after ourselves,” Maya said.
Moreno beamed. “You guys are ace. See, this is what I told Sean. The best time to train operatives is when they’re still young and malleable. None of that shit about waiting until they’re eighteen and legally old enough to consent.”
Maya shook her head. “I suppose you’d also suggest he have the Cabal terrorize them for weeks first, so they’re properly motivated.”
“Exactly. Personal rights and freedoms are vastly overrated. And there’s nothing wrong with a little PTSD. I’ve always found mine useful. Keeps me on my toes.”
Rae stared at him.
“I’m kidding,” he said to her. “Mostly. Don’t you joke around like this with your instructors? Oh, wait. You don’t have any. Which is why you got tricked—again. And got captured by these guys.”
“Can we tie him up now?” Rae said. “And gag him?”
“Doesn’t do any good,” Derek said.
“We could try.”
“No, actually, Derek’s right,” I said. “Tying him up is pointless. He’s an Evanidus.”
When she frowned at me, Moreno groaned. “No fight training. No intelligence training. And no cultural training? You are a half-demon, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“Evanidus half-demon,” he said. “Special power?” He disappeared and reappeared a foot away.
“Oh,” Rae said.
“So there’s no sense tying me up. Just take my keys, and I’ll find my way…”
He trailed off as I held up the syringe from his backpack.
“I know you used tranq darts when you hunted Maya and the others,” I said. “I guessed you’d have some sedative in your first-aid kit, just in case one of us decided to be difficult.”
“Smart girl. Now, uh…before you use that on me…”
“Get you away from here, so if you aren’t one of the bad guys, and the actual bad guys come looking for Luke, they won’t find you conveniently passed out in the tent.”
“You got it. Hands on my head, I presume? Quick march to a secluded spot in the woods where I can take a long nap?”
I nodded. “First, though, we’re taking your cell phone. Both to check for calls and so you can’t wake up early and get in our way.”
“And don’t forget—”
“Luke’s phone,” Daniel said. “It’s our best source of intel. Take that and search him for a backup.”
“Gold star, kids. Gold star.”
Ten
Moreno didn’t walk quietly to his resting place. I don’t think that would be physically possible. He had us bring the phone and tell him what was on it, and then he spent the ten-minute walk speculating about who might be behind the intended kidnapping. It wasn’t blind speculation—it was advice. If it was a Cabal, did we remember our lectures on the differences between
“Nope,” Derek said.
“Sorry,” Daniel said.
Maya crossed her arms and shook her head. I shrugged.
Moreno broke into a grin. “You guys do me proud. I’d give you all a hug, if that wasn’t a little creepy. And if I was the hugging sort. But if you survive the rest of this, I’ll take you all out for beer and ice cream.”
“You don’t need to be sarcastic,” Rae muttered.
“Oh, but I’m not, and they know it. This is exactly what I trained them for. Trust no one except one another. Excluding you, kid, because I don’t know you, and you have a bad habit of screwing up. But these guys are doing the right thing. Next step?”
“Turn the tables,” I said. “Capture someone who’s behind this and get them to talk.”
“Mmm, yes. That would work. But even better?”
“Stop them,” Derek said. “Don’t just take down one. Take them all down.”
“Without running to the Nasts for help,” Daniel said. “Because in another year, some of us will be off to college, and we need to be able to look after ourselves.”
“Starting with proving we can look after ourselves,” Maya said.
Moreno beamed. “You guys are ace. See, this is what I told Sean. The best time to train operatives is when they’re still young and malleable. None of that shit about waiting until they’re eighteen and legally old enough to consent.”
Maya shook her head. “I suppose you’d also suggest he have the Cabal terrorize them for weeks first, so they’re properly motivated.”
“Exactly. Personal rights and freedoms are vastly overrated. And there’s nothing wrong with a little PTSD. I’ve always found mine useful. Keeps me on my toes.”
Rae stared at him.
“I’m kidding,” he said to her. “Mostly. Don’t you joke around like this with your instructors? Oh, wait. You don’t have any. Which is why you got tricked—again. And got captured by these guys.”
“Can we tie him up now?” Rae said. “And gag him?”
“Doesn’t do any good,” Derek said.
“We could try.”
“No, actually, Derek’s right,” I said. “Tying him up is pointless. He’s an Evanidus.”
When she frowned at me, Moreno groaned. “No fight training. No intelligence training. And no cultural training? You are a half-demon, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“Evanidus half-demon,” he said. “Special power?” He disappeared and reappeared a foot away.
“Oh,” Rae said.
“So there’s no sense tying me up. Just take my keys, and I’ll find my way…”
He trailed off as I held up the syringe from his backpack.
“I know you used tranq darts when you hunted Maya and the others,” I said. “I guessed you’d have some sedative in your first-aid kit, just in case one of us decided to be difficult.”
“Smart girl. Now, uh…before you use that on me…”
“Get you away from here, so if you aren’t one of the bad guys, and the actual bad guys come looking for Luke, they won’t find you conveniently passed out in the tent.”
“You got it. Hands on my head, I presume? Quick march to a secluded spot in the woods where I can take a long nap?”
I nodded. “First, though, we’re taking your cell phone. Both to check for calls and so you can’t wake up early and get in our way.”
“And don’t forget—”
“Luke’s phone,” Daniel said. “It’s our best source of intel. Take that and search him for a backup.”
“Gold star, kids. Gold star.”
Ten
Moreno didn’t walk quietly to his resting place. I don’t think that would be physically possible. He had us bring the phone and tell him what was on it, and then he spent the ten-minute walk speculating about who might be behind the intended kidnapping. It wasn’t blind speculation—it was advice. If it was a Cabal, did we remember our lectures on the differences between
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