Hindley cleared her throat. "The X represents where a member of the squad lost his life. He was caught in a bizarre landslide that nobody saw coming. It could've been a monster pushing an unsteady pile of boulders… which would be worrying, implying that these beasts are more sophisticated than what we've dealt with so far."
So, it could be a killer environment or murderous beasts with higher-than-average intelligence. It was a hell of a mission. I chewed my bottom lip and nodded, accepting the full stack of papers as she handed them over. I would do everything I could to bring all the Hellraisers back home.
"We were impressed with your last mission, so it was decided that your team would go," Hindley said. "I’m sending your squad from the Salt Lake City mission, the young Taylor twins, and Sylas. I'm sure you remember him. He spoke fondly of you and the others from his experience in the Immortal Plane."
Sylas wasn't a problem, but the twins? My stomach wound in knots as I stared at her, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. I was usually so confident. These were my baby siblings, though… No, not babies. They're growing up. Was this supposed to be a kind of punishment or test for the twins after they’d mouthed off? I doubted Hindley was that petty, but she probably had other people in the Bureau who were part of the decision to send the Hellraisers.
Hindley read my shock easily enough, though I’d tried to hide it.
"If you're worried for your siblings, I assure you that it was a calculated move due to their skills. They're a handful. Other captains have had much worse trouble trying to handle them than you did earlier, and we're desperate for good soldiers. They're capable, although they need to learn teamwork with others and how to work independently from one another. You should feel proud," she said.
I clenched the papers hard in my hand, feeling helpless for a moment. "They're… they're not ready." It was the only thing I could think to say. If it was already decided, then I needed to speak openly to Hindley. I can’t send my siblings out like this. I may not be ready to look over them like that. I was afraid that she might be jumping the gun on their inclusion in the missions.
To my surprise, she shook her head. "This isn't a debate. It's an order from me to take them with you. I trust you. The Bureau trusts you, Captain Taylor. Your siblings are working harder and performing far better than most new soldiers, many of whom have been training for far longer in earlier programs." She hesitated, searching for the perfect words. It was true. The twins had started late, inspired by my joining the Bureau and how I’d shirked my mother’s opinion. "Their skills aren't the problem, as shown in the physical portion of the drill. It's their attitude that needs fixing, and you seem best suited for the task. Are you not ready?" She had swung this whole thing around on me. Bryce used to say soldiers were only as good as their captains. If I wanted to have a good team, then I needed to learn how to be a good leader who could balance inner-group politics with mission priorities. It was going to be a difficult process. I swallowed any doubt and put on a brave face.
I was going on this mission. Jessie and Jordan would learn to straighten themselves out in a survival scenario. Maybe this would convince them that drills and exercises were also “the real world.”
"I'm ready," I assured her. A new wave of motivation rushed through me, and my voice steadied with more confidence as I added, "I can do it."
The corners of Hindley's eyes lifted a fraction. "Excellent."
That, I decided, was approval. It was all I was going to get. I held the papers close to me as we wrapped up our meeting. I won't fail this mission. I can't.
9
Dorian
I hadn't heard anything. How had the monster snuck up on us like that? This place confounded me, since it worked against all my senses. Nothing operated like it was supposed to in these areas, making it as strange to work with as the Higher Plane.
"Everyone, stay calm and silent," Lyra whispered. Her voice was perfectly composed, though I could hear her thudding heartbeat. Humans were louder than they realized in tense situations. "We need to avoid a fight if we can."
We remained still in the craft as the creature stalked and lurked around the plane. The visible breath fell over the window again, but I saw nothing in front of the plane. It was coming from something that we couldn’t see. Leaves crunched underfoot. The sounds were crystal clear now. I usually relied on my heightened senses like any other vampire, but that ability hadn't served me well on this mission, thanks to the properties of the Leftovers.
But now, I felt the monster’s aura. An itch settled into my bones. This was how an aura always came to me—grating, at first, with a buzzing that settled into my body. Darkness was easy to sense, since it was almost primitive when I felt it. A creature’s aura had to be sensed from a short distance away, making it a distinctly different physical sensation.
"In front of the cockpit windows," I whispered evenly. Cam was closest to the area, and Lyra motioned for him to move back to the center of the plane. I couldn't see the creature, but I knew it was there. In the dark plane, Lyra shot me a look.
"You're sure?" she asked. Her voice was filled with worry. This reminded me of the time Irrikus sent invisible forces to us, but this
