“We can’t.” As they spoke it became more noticeable they were doing more than just speaking in unison. They also were both using the exact same mannerisms in seemingly practiced moves. They even blinked at the same time. Nate and Nataly pushed their glasses up farther on the bridges of their noses and continued, “We may not be identical in looks. We have identical matrixes; it’s a techno mage thing. Our brain wiring is completely identical, so when in the same precise situation, our brains process it completely the same.”
“You guys didn’t do that on the way here.” Genie had found her voice again, though she still looked a tad in shock.
Nate and Nataly sat back as far as they could on their stools without falling off, rubbing their hands on their thighs for a second, drying off some of the sweat on their palms before they responded. “We weren’t in the exact same predicament. One of us was up front, the other in the back. And you probably didn’t notice it when we crossed because we didn’t speak much. We usually don’t because we know how much it freaks people out. But it’s hard for us to shut up when our nerves are rattled.”
“So, what has y’all so freaked you’re shaking worse than a chihuahua on steroids?”
Rather than explain it to them, the matrix twins each pointed a finger at the ten small flat-screen monitors that sat on the van wall. Monitors now showing images, grizzly ones. There was so much carnage Genie and Deelah could barely decide which screen to look at first. One screen was knocked out of contention, seeing as how there was something coating the camera that they suspected was blood. It was like looking at a horror film with crystal clarity, made that much more gruesome with the reality factor. Body parts were being flung left and right; some bodies seemed to plain explode. And in the center of all that carnage was Jelissa.
“Did she rip that guy’s arm off and slap him with his own hand?” Deelah couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. She knew the female she saw was Jelissa, but something about her was way off. And more than the fact she was ripping apart everyone with the nerve to come at her.
“Uh-huh,” was the only response Genie could manage. Her gaze was glued to the screen. It was like watching a bad train wreck.
“If it wasn’t for the vacancy in those eyes, I’d say she was rescuing herself.” Deelah was talking to herself more than to anyone in particular; everyone else seemed to be mesmerized by all the carnage, and incapable of rational thought. She saw it but wasn’t exactly horrified by it; must have been a wolf thing. What did horrify her was the look in Jelissa’s eyes that said nobody was home. Eyes that looked like a never-ending abyss.
As much as Deelah’s wolf wanted to join in on the fun and roll around in the blood like mud, she did the smart thing instead. She could now both sense and smell Jelissa, something she hadn’t been able to do since they’d been here, and they weren’t that far away. Whatever was going down inside that building must have affected the magick that had been cloaking her. Activating the tiny device in her ear, Deelah broadcast her thoughts. We have visual on Jelissa, and it feels like the wards are going down. But I’m afraid she might try to kill everyone on sight if any of you go near her.
While several places in Detroit, especially in the downtown area, had been fixed up and made beautiful and magnificent once again, there were more than a few that still had not. And their enemy had picked the perfect area in which no one would give a damn what they saw going on, whether the perpetrators blended in or not. There were two, three, and four-story apartment complexes up and down the street surrounded by other houses throughout the neighborhood that probably at one point in time stood upright and teemed with people and families. Now almost all those buildings, including the houses, were halfway burned down, dilapidated, hulled-out husks, though a few did have people living in them. But all those factors made it easy for the rescue squad to go unnoticed as well.
They had just arrived within the vicinity when they received the broadcast from Deelah. It was Tialanna who responded to the message. Deelah, stay put and keep us updated.
After getting a disgruntled acquiescence from Deelah, Tia broadcast to everyone else as a whole. Okay, everybody, listen up. The magick wards seem to be crumbling, so magick is now allowed outside only. We have no idea where Seraphina is inside that building, so no risking it once behind those walls.
Her point was proven when the glamour completely failed on the apartment complex they were headed towards. When they were first approaching, they could only sense signs of life inside; the outward appearance was that of a torn-down husk. But once Tia made that broadcast, they could not only see lights and shadows of activity, but also hear fighting and chaos. And while she was more than sure none of the humans would give a shit what was going on, there was no need to draw any unnecessary attention. Tia broadcast her thoughts again; first to the only fae they trusted as part of the guard, then to everyone else and made a couple adjustments to their strategy.
Zalene, set up another glamour, this one on our terms, shielding us from humans and Seraphina’s people. Ferenc, Deborah, go ahead of everyone and find the missing kids. If what I’m afraid of is happening, they won’t be safe in there for very long; they’re probably no longer of any use to her. Get them out of there. Stay clear of my daughter. Sounds like she might be as
