Chapter 6 Plan B
Over the next thirty minutes the house was tense with work. The windows and doors were barricaded shut with anything the family could get their hands on. Even Dr. Paulie’s surf boards didn’t escape use as they were hammered into place across doors. (All except his favorite one. No one had the heart to do that to the old guy.) Furniture was shoved against windows, offering both protection from incoming fire and a way to obscure a shooter from inside. Each meta was assigned a position facing the most likely angle of attack. Farrow and Cole were moved to a small room in the center of the house that had no windows—assuring them the best protection. Neither of them had awakened, but there wasn’t time to worry about that now.
With periodic checks, Meg kept tabs on Williams and his soldiers—whom they had all taken to calling his “rabid dogs.” They were already at the airport, landing. Their ETA was fifteen minutes, as far as she could tell.
Everyone was ready. Well, as ready as you can be for a squadron of mindless, bloodthirsty mutant metas to come attack you in your home. Maze was right at Meg’s side as she sat on the floor by her assigned window with a pile of clips within arm’s reach. Meg absently patted her coyote’s fur and felt the canine’s muscles twitch nervously beneath her hand.
“It’s gonna be okay, buddy. We’ve been in scrapes before, haven’t we? We’ll get through this one, too.” Maze knew there was more wrong than just the guns draped in everyone’s hands. He knew Meg was hurting deep inside from her little excursion into Williams’ ninth circle of hell. He whined at her and blinked his crisp yellow eyes slowly. Meg hugged him.
Creed was positioned toward the top of a koa tree that provided thick foliage, camouflaging him perfectly. Meg knew exactly where he was, but even she couldn’t see him. He had taken the sniper rifle and its four magazine cartridges with ten rounds in each with him. Meg turned on her radio headset and whispered, “Creed?”
“I’m here.” Meg could barely hear him, he spoke so softly.
“I’m going to leave radio communication open from here on out, okay?”
“Copy, that.” He was keeping his words to a minimum, as was his training.
Meg hesitated, then added, “Thank you.”
Creed was silent for a moment. Just when Meg was about to repeat herself, thinking he hadn’t heard her, he whispered, “Don’t thank me.”
“We can argue about it later,” Meg let a smile slip into her voice. “ETA, ten minutes.”
“Direction?” he asked, letting the previous subject drop.
“Stand by,” Meg breathed and focused, and grazed the mind of Williams to get a feel for his location. “He’s coming from the southwest.”
“Southwest, copy that,” he responded. Meg heard him breathe slowly through movements as he adjusted his position in the tree based on her new information.
Waves of love and pride for her family rippled off Margo as she scanned the room full of her family. “We knew this day would come.” Her voice was steady when she spoke. Everyone turned to face her as the strength in her words commanded respect.
“It was always just a matter of time. We tried to live in peace far from Williams and his vile, inhumane ways, but he would not let us be. He has hunted, tormented and tried to kill us. He continues his crimes against humanity by using them as expendable test subject.” Margo’s eyes flashed with unrestrained fury remembering the first time she saw her three children at the Institute.
“You hearing this?” Meg whispered into her headset, wanting Creed to feel a part of her mother’s zeal.
“Every word,” he breathed.
“He will not be dissuaded from his vengeance. He will not be altered in his sick thinking. And he will not be ignored any longer. Our family and those we love will have no peace until Williams’ reign of atrocities is ended. None of us asked for this to be our war, but it’s ours now. We are united in our goal to rid the world of this cancer.” Meg felt her mother’s rage vibrate through her and was empowered by the fervor.
“These mutant—metasoldiers he’s bringing with him have been created for the sole purpose of our destruction. We will be their destroyers. We need to send him a clear message today. He needs to know we will not give in. We will not back down. And we will finish him. Everyone stay safe and stay sharp.”
She bowed her head and started an earnest prayer for the safety of all of them and for the souls of those Williams has tainted, that they may find peace. She ended her prayer asking for strength and wisdom as they went into battle. As everyone whispered, “Amen,” Meg felt the temperature of the room begin to boil with energy. Everyone felt it. They were itching to fulfill their purpose.
We are the destroyers now, Meg thought.