Evolution

CHAPTER 31 | waiting is a bitch

Jay tapped his controls, then bit on his thumbnail. Even though he was more than proficient at operating the high-end Altus LRX, this time it was for high stakes. "Number two is running empty."

Parker glanced over at his monitor. Sure enough, the battery was dangerously low. "It's been up there over two hours. Send number four out and bring it back."

"Sure thing boss."

While the drones were a perfect surveillance tool and gave them eyes on the ground, they could only last in the air for one hundred and fifty minutes. Granted, this was nearly twice the average life of the standard commercially available drone, but when money wasn't an issue, they could afford the best. And the Altus intelligence UAS's were top of the line.

A bang on Joe's pub's front door stopped everyone in their tracks.

"Can't they read the fucking sign," said Michelle.

Marie placed a coffee beside Parker and grimaced. "Keep your voice down."

All eyes were on Joe as he ambled across to the entrance.

She glanced around the room. Alice who, with Dr. E. had been clearing imported beer out from one of the fridges to replace it with morphine, hauled in a sharp breath. Despite returning from Atlanta with the formula for a Werewolf strong masking agent, Alice blamed herself for not finding a vaccine to the Lycan's poison. No amount of arguing would convince her otherwise.

"We're closed. The health department found some asbestos in the ceiling," Joe called out through the closed door. "Come back in a couple of days, it should be clear by then."

After a bit of a grumble, whoever was trying to get in, left.

A collective sigh of relief spread across the room when Joe returned. Now it was safe to resume their frantic activity, Parker pushed a button on her phone, then tapped the Bluetooth headset.

"How're things on the ground?"

"There's been a build-up of activity but no move yet to leave," said Daniel. He and Morgan had taken up a position at Kaitlyn's team's sharpshooters post. The remainder of the alliance forces were divided in a convoy of cars ten blocks away with the rest scattered in the abandoned buildings nearest the hospital. No one wanted to show their hand before time. "There's a good line of sight from this position."

"I agree," said Kaitlyn. She had already set up her sniper rifle before heading to her unexpected initial mission. "Make sure you don't touch the Lapua Magnum. I've got it the way I like it. And make sure none of those other immigrants up there touch it either."

Daniel chuckled. "Wouldn't think of it."

"I wish they'd hurry up," Simon said with a grumble. "It's freaky down here, and the rats are getting a little bolshy."

Parker couldn't help the smile that escaped her lips. Simon hadn't stopped complaining about his assignment since he was conscripted.

Daniel cut into the conversation "Murphy, are your teams in place."

"Affirmative. We've got ten teams ready to go depending on how many of Elise's roll out."

The only information that Michelle and Joe were able to furnish was that Bradley, and an unknown number of others, would be headed out that evening. While he appeared to be loose-lipped about most things, his destination wasn't something that slipped out.

Parker readjusted her headset. Unlike the werewolves, it was hard for her to distinguish the multiple voices on the open channel. She focused back on the real-time footage from the drones. Night had well and truly fallen, and the partial moon did not provide much light on the area. A few street lights gave them some visibility, which suited them just fine. The masking formula had been a godsend. They had moved half of their fighters into the nearest buildings, confident their scent would not be detected.