The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Unexpected Obstacles

A quick turn then they were going up the ramp with its built-in steps and into the brightly lit interior of the powerful gunship.

"Two!" he called out across the passenger bay in its white, gray and blue, everything telling the tale of the vehicle's power and technological advancement. "Everybody's onboard. Seal the ramp and take us out to orbiting distance.

"Acknowledged, Lord Commander," a synthesized voice said in the passenger bay and they could feel the vehicle lift and pull away from the airstrip. At the same time he heard the ramp close behind them.

Looking back to confirm it was closed, he felt a ripple of shock at who he saw there, lingering as if trying to avoid notice. Then he was brushing the shock and dismay aside. Why not? He had already made concessions to expedite this mission. What was one more?

"Well, don't just stand there, shuffling your feet, Ventru. Get yourself a locker and gear up. We've got a war to win!"

"Thank you," Ellie whispered as she flashed him a brilliant smile and stepped past him to select a gear locker from the thirty the gunship was equipped with.

Lash winked at her in reply then frowned after she was by. For all the rules he was breaking he surely was going to the Day Witch's kingdom on the Sun to burn forever, turning to ash in torment, only to be brought back to have it done again, over and over.

But, if it won him this war, he would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

"Two, did you get a look at who was piloting those two helicopters?"

"Affirmative, Lord Commander," the gunship's AI replied.

'Lord Commander?' Naryan silently mouthed as she joined him, brow raised.

"I'll explain in a moment," he said in a quick aside before returning his attention to the AI. "And the results?"

"The craft were piloted by humans."

"White Flames?" Naryan said with a frown.

"Unless you are currently aware of a different rogue faction of humans that have an axe to grind against Ventru," Lash grimly replied, looking over at her. She quickly shook her head.

"No, it's more like how the hell did they figure out where we were!" the Silver Legion captain said.

"You weren't followed, were you?" Lash asked, his brow raised this time.

Naryan shook her head again.

"I had the pilot double back several times to make sure," she added.

By this time they were being joined by what Lash was privately calling his command group: Truk, Narcist, and Ballan.

"Going by the anger in your eyes, Wolf, I'm guessing we're talking about the attack on the hub," Truk said, earning himself a hard nod.

"I would like to think they as yet are unaware of our logistical and support networks," the big vampire growled, his face a mask of frustration. "And as far as I know, our communication system hasn't been compromised. Yet, everywhere we turn, we find these filthy White Flame dogs taking a shot at us. I want to know how they are finding us out so Light-damned quickly!"

Truk shook his head as the others pondered Lash's words.

"Like you said, Wolf, it's like they're reading our mail. They show up everywhere we go. My question is, once we leave a spot, do they stay and finish what they were doing? Or stop, because we're not there any more?"

"Are you saying the White Flames are attacking not just Ventru, but this specific team?" Ballan asked.

After a quick look at a fuming Lash, Narcist pulled Mordecai's data vault from a pocket.