He tapped a button and the screen changed. Well, it didn’t really change, per se. It only zeroed in on a tunnel at the edge of the dungeon that seemingly led into the rock upon which the castle was built.
“There’s a secret accessway that leads to the sewer system.” Michael squinted at the screen. “The nearest manhole is just beside the mall.”
“And is this accessway still, you know, accessible?” questioned Dad.
“Even if it isn’t, I can make a way.” Michael snuck a peek at Aunt Anastacia. “I’ve been studying the spells I might need. I’m good to go.”
“Nonetheless, you’ll need help, just in case something goes south,” Emily pointed out.
“Where will you be?” asked Michael.
“Raining fire down from the skies,” Emily said somewhat smugly. “It’s time we burned down that mansion once and for all. Here’s the plan.” Emily didn’t wait for Michael to respond—the puzzle pieces were fitting together rapidly in her mind. “Michael will enter the accessway and go straight to the dungeon. He’ll rescue Rina and Joanna and lead them out through the manhole. While he’s doing that, Aunt Anastacia and I will attack the place from the front. Hopefully, the Alfred juniors will come out to meet us or probably try to get their parents out so they don’t burn to death.”
“And where will I be?” asked Dad.
“You’ll be with Michael,” said Emily. “In case the magic doesn’t work, you have your weapons. Plus, there are two of them in that dungeon. Michael can’t carry two girls.”
Dad nodded.
“While Aunt Anastacia and I are wreaking havoc on the mansion, Michael and Dad are rescuing the girls silently and escaping via the accessway.” Emily gained confidence as she spoke. “We’ll remain on comms so that the moment Dad and Michael are clear of the property and on their way to the safe house, we can disengage and hightail it out as well.”
“Aunt, you’ll need to carry a live animal with you—to sacrifice,” Emily said. “Because you might not be able to just drive out of there. You’ll need to pass through the tunnel of the dead to get away from the house.”
“How about you?” asked Aunt Anastacia, nodding.
“I won’t have any issue getting out of there,” Emily reasoned. “I’m impervious to magic.”
“Not when you’re the fire demon,” Aunt Anastacia replied. “Remember how I was able to stop you from flying off after you destroyed the horde? It was because the fire demon was in charge.”
“So you’re saying magic works on me when I’m not in control?” asked Emily.
“Sadly, yes,” said Aunt Anastacia.
Emily groaned. That put a wrench in their plans. She shrugged. “That changes nothing. I’ll simply be in charge the whole time. I know how to breathe fire, after all.”
“Good, then we have a plan!” Michael said hastily.
“Except we don’t have a time,” Dad pointed out. “When do we leave? How long does it take to get from the manhole to the accessway? How long do Emily and Anastacia have to wait before they attack?”
“We leave in one hour,” Emily announced. “We take separate cars, obviously, and we only engage the moment you and Michael have a line of sight to the dungeon. So you wait to enter the dungeon until you hear the explosions.”
“And then, when we save Rina and Joanna and make it all the way out of the sewer, we give you the signal to pull off,” added Michael.
“Michael and I will drive here to the safe house with the girls,” said Dad, “while you’ll fly, and Anastacia will tunnel through the land of the dead. Okay then.”
“Any questions?” Emily looked around.
No one spoke.
“Aunt Anastacia?” Emily fixed her gaze on her aunt.
Aunt Anastacia looked her in the eyes. “This is a mistake.”
“Be that as it may, do you have anything to add?” Emily held her ground.
The rove woman shook her head. “Everything we need for this mission is in the utility room. Let’s meet there in one hour.”
31
No one had much desire to go back to bed, so they went straight to the utility room. It was designed like an armory. There were lots of different kinds of guns on the wall. Costumes and combat fatigues as well. A couple tables with special equipment arranged on them stood in the center.
Dad didn’t waste time gearing up. He selected combat fatigue gear with night camouflage. In minutes, he started arming himself. Several frag grenades, a big assault rifle, a sniper rifle attached to his back, and one pistol. He also took a black bag from the wall and loaded it with demolition charges.
Emily and Michael spent the better part of half an hour watching Dad as he methodically went through the motions of gearing up for the mission.
At some point, Dad looked up and stared at both of them. “Don’t you two have gear to pick up?”
They both shook their heads. Dad shrugged and went back to filling up his black bag.
Emily didn’t really need any special utility. All she needed was already within her. Selena and Zee. It was the same for Michael. He was a warlock. His ability rested in his magical powers.
“Having a sidearm wouldn’t hurt, though,” Michael mumbled out loud to himself.
Dad looked up at him, and then gestured for Michael to join him. “Then by all means, come and get some. I hope you can shoot.”
Michael joined Dad. “Yeah. My dad taught me a thing or two.”
For a second, Emily thought Dad would punch Michael for bringing up Mr. Winter. But Dad didn’t as much as bat an eye.
“That’s good enough for me.” Dad nodded once.
Emily found a place to sit while she waited. She tried to work up her anger, so that by the time she arrived at the mansion, the fire demon would be ready to come out and play.
This was a simple hit-and-run mission. She had no intention of engaging the Alfreds for any actual fighting. Aunt Anastacia’s mission would be to
