The Chapters

Chapter Twenty-Two

Before you asked, this is what we, as a team, decided. Karla, Ivo, Isak, Janaki, and Amias are staying as the team creating the distraction. At the same time, Amias will disable the heat sensors to get Last Orders within the borders and Isak will use a Deducoel card to launch Zahara, Lia, Alexien, Tirto and I to the airspace above the Kinship, past the walls.

From there, the group in Last Orders will engage the Death Towers and draw them away from the Kinship down the mountain. The group above the Kin will use small devices that produce pulses that will distract cameras, freezing them in place. Then we'll brainstorm from there.

Currently, we're about fifteen minutes away from the heat sensor towers.

So everyone agreed to that?

I took their input and we switched a few things around. I just gave you the top layer of our plan. There are a lot more smaller details for each group.

And are you going to inform me of them?

You'll see them in action, don't worry.
If your plan works.

It should work. I got confirmation from the Author.

Oh.

"Are we ready over here?" Karla walk into the section of the hall where Lia, Tirto and I are seated, waiting for our cue. Zahara follows closely behind her, almost stepping on her heels.

"We're ready," I state, tightening the small pack I have around my waist. "We're just waiting now."

"Good, we're almost there."

"Aren't you supposed to be all the way in the weapon room?" Tirto cuts in as Karla starts pushing Zahara in front of her. "We need to start preparing, don't we?"

The oldest Omega of our group sends him a gaze that could shatter rock. "I can be up there ready to play my part of the operation in less than a minute. What about you? Aren't all of you supposed to be up on the platform?"

I know better than to engage with Karla when she's in a dangerous mood like this, but Tirto obviously hasn't been around Last Orders long enough to get the hint.

"We're down here because we're not needed until later," the extra says boldly. "There's no use in being in harm's way when we aren't doing anything."

Zahara sits down next to me as Karla takes a step further into the room and comes close enough that she can lean right into Tirto's face.

"You have never been in real danger before these past few days, have you?" Karla asks in a low voice, almost softly. "Not where you're running for your life, away from people coming to kill you. This is new for you. You didn't grow up fearing for your life, so of course you wouldn't value the lives of the people who are going to be fighting for their lives as well as yours. So I can't really blame you."

Tirto doesn't blink from what I can see. After a long moment, Karla draws back and looks around the room again. "There's only four of you here."

I breathe a silent sigh of relief. That could've been much worse, but it looks like Karla held herself back this time.

"Four?" Karla repeats again, waiting for an answer.

"Alexien is up on the platform already." Lia stands up from the floor and straightens. "Would you like us to go up there, too?"

Karla mumbles something under her breath but answer clearly. "You'll want to get in position as soon as possible. Now would be good."

"We should get in position," I agree as Lia walks straight past the Omega, most likely on her way upstairs. "Everyone bring your stuff upstairs."