The Hunt

Chapter 33- Plan of Attack

Cecily tapped her finger against the com sitting in her ear.

"This is Cecily and Zeph, checking in. I'm ready for the first drop."

"Hold on," Reiko's voice whined. I'm almost there. Give me a second."

"Orion, checking in. I'm in position."

"Alma, checking in. I'm ready."

"Hold. On," Reiko bit out.

"You're sure this is going to work?" Zeph asked from behind the hunter. "Not that I'm questioning your ability, just... You're sure?"

"Mostly," she replied, fingering the ball of gauze that rested in her hand. "This is based off what you told me, remember."

"I know, it's just-"

"Hey. We're gonna be ok."

Cecily watched for his reaction. He looked back at her with a tense expression, but he must've seen something in her eyes, because he nodded.

"Reiko, in position."

"About time," Orion answered, an easyness in his voice.

"Shut up."

"Okay," Cecily cut in. "Getting ready." She took the match from her pocket and drew it against the stone of the building. "Dropping the first bomb."

Cecily lit the guaze and tossed it into the old building.

She grabbed Zeph're hand, secured the cloth thhat was wrapped around the lower half of his mouth, then hers, and they were running.

---

"You're sure this portion of the city is unoccupied?" Cecily questioned, motioning to the map.

Zephyr nodded. "It's under constrution. My father was planning on setting up a new section of town dedicated to refugees from the neighboring countries and any slaves that happened to be freed during the games."

Cecily nodded, tracing her fingers over the boundry of the section.

"Now, what did you way you wanted to do with it?"

Cecily smiled.

"I want to blow it up."

---

Orion watched the smoke rise From his perch near the palace entrance.

"You were right, Zeph," he said into the com. "They're still following the original protocol. It's like someone poked the beehive."

"Good," Alma replied. "The Saints are all ready. I'm inside."

"Did I mention how glad I am that you're a Saint?" Orion asked. "Cause I am."

"Remind me what you put in these bombs," Reiko's voice chimed in.

"Saltpeter and powdered sugar, on the inside," the hunter informed them, though her voice was a bit muffled. "Then wrapped it in gauze, then poison ivy, then more gauze."

"It'll spread thin enough to not kill, but hurt."

---

"Ok," Orion said, "so you want to put some of the guards out of commission."

"Without killing them," Alma had said.

Cecily nodded. "And some civilians. I'm gonna make a bomb."

Zephyr choked on his water. "Excuse me?"

"Not too strong, it'll blow in an unpopulated part of town, so no one will be bady hurt. You said the protocol for the palace soldier was to immedialty check for casualtties. How many will they send out?"