Covens and Proxies

51

Toby's POV

Ten or so heavily-armed people converge, examining the body before one calls over the radio. In the silence, their voice carries on the breeze like a feather, but we still can't hear. In another minute, a few people in lab coats climb up and head for the guards. The scientists drag the body off, leaving a wet trail of crimson before disappearing underground.

"Did you hear anything?" Hoodie asks. I shake my head. "Even their guns have some impressive mufflers on."

I nod, knowing he's completely right. I scan the grounds again, counting forty total patrol guards--ten teams of four about fifteen minutes apart. With just over twenty of us total, that leaves two on one in their favor. Not the best odds, but we've all faced worst and come out better-off.

The sun starts filtering into the building, waking the others. Growling stomachs make everyone unseasy, looking mostly to me and Callisto for what to do. The witch is watching me, which means this is my plan that's got to be worked out.

"Al-right..." I mutter, glancing at the floor. For the first time ever, I'm thankful for an abundance of dust. I sketch out the plot, including the guards. "There are ten teams of-of four that make a roun-nd every fifteen minutes." Ben scoffs, drawing a glare from most everyone. "That's a lo-lot, but the area is big an-nd open with only some dusty-y ruins for cover. None of-of them will stop their bullet-letts, so don't try to use the-them for cover." I point to the thinner indents in the dirt. "We'll have to atta-tack in teams of two. Every team will-will take one of the patrols. We have to-o attack them all at once."

"What are the teams? What about when we get inside?" Jason sounds like he might as well pitch himself off of the mansion roof, earning a harsh glare from me.

"Callisto and I wil-ill go inside on our own." Everyone, even the witch, look shocked. "As-aside from that, every human takes a-a supernatural."

Jason laughs with Puppeteer. "You're fucking insane, Rogers."

I can't help but smirk over that. "Aren't we all?" Looking over the group, I analyze who'd be best as teams. After a moment, I've constructed a list: Masky and Jason; Hoodie and EJ; Kate and Jill; Rouge and Ben; Jeff and Smile Dog; Clockwork and Puppeteer; Bloody Painter and Laughing Jack; Judge Angels and Candypop; Zachary and Emra.

Helen raises his hand. "There are eleven teams." He states.

"Callisto and I are going to-to work towards the closest hatch-tch while you are all bus-y taking out the surface guards." I half expect someone to accuse us of being cowards, shying from a big fight, but it seems they all see the logic behind why we can't fight a surface patrol. When no one says anything, I make the last comment. "We'll wait for night be-fore attacking."

The others relax into routines, some of the paranormal disappearing to their own jobs. Callisto and Masky pull me aside. "Shouldn't we attack now and get it over with?" She snaps, as impatient as I am.

I almost want to throttle her for even possibly suggesting I don't see the urgency of the situation. "Everyone here works-works better at night. Besides, if-f we rush this o-peration, we risk her death ev-ven more. They obviously want her-her alive for something, which goe-oes against everything either of you-ou have said about them."

She nods, leaning against the wall. "I know... But we don't know what they're doing to her." She sounds like she might be sick, her face pale. "We got so lucky with those amateurs... These guys aren't like that. They've been doing the same thing for as long as the human race has been civilized."

The pit in my stomach tightens. "I know." I can't look at her without being reminded of all the shittieness I feel. I can't believe I just left her there. Especially after Jeff had tried to kill her.

"What if they want her magic?" Masky asks, staring at the ground. Both Callisto and I look at him like he's crazy--or more then usual, anyways. He looks at our stares and shrugs. "The last guys that had her wanted that, right? What if the God Killers found a way to harvest magic without, you know, being super obvious or stupid about it."

He might have a point. "So they won't ki-kill her until they've got her ma-gic." I guess, which he nods. Callisto doesn't look any more consoled, even if Masky just gave the enemy a valid reason to keep her alive longer then we originally thought. "What do we-e know about harves-ting magic?" I ask, looking at Callisto.

She's crying, to our shock and horror, but she doesn't look sad--more anxiously furious. She's shaking with clenched hands. "Those bastards..." She hics, whirling and breaking her knuckles on the wall. She pulls it back, glaring at her bleeding hand. "Taking magic is like taking someone's energy. When you lose some, even 3%, it can feel like you've run a 5k marathon with no training and no water. Taking more then 75% will kill a witch." She explains, her voice shaking as much as her hands. She glares at me as if I were the one doing it. "I'm not waiting until night to get her out."

Taking a deep breath, I nod "We'll get the othe-ers back here." I turn back to the room.
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Masky's POV

I don't move when Toby talks--I don't even tune in. I'm too busy staring at this witch, who just broke three knuckles on a wall, and is watching her hand bleed while she shakes in pure rage at another beast being caught and possibly already killed. Why? I don't understand it. Especially since the other one has been literally breed for death, for creating sickness and delivering torture.

Why would anyone show compassion for something like that? Why would anyone want to show compassion for it? But then, why did I say what I did? Was I really the only one that thought of that? But... Why? How? Where did it come from? I don't understand! I need my pills.