Bad Choices (Hypernaturals 8)

Plans

After the boat ride, we walked around on the seawall and held hands. A bunch of kids plus one old guy hitting on a woman less than half his age (or so it seemed to any interested outside eyes. There were no obviously interested eyes. We received little attention.)

Once we returned to the Hotel we assembled in the Bridal suite, and laid out the most recent floor plans, updating them in pencil to have the things that were never put on them. Nothing major or even anything thought to be a thing that might affect the operation. An abundance of caution and an acknowledgment that what we are planning is big, dangerous, and needs no missteps.

A plan to block each door was created. The Roll-up doors require power and a key for the switch: we would remove the power in a non-obvious way, and hide the keys. Emergency exits are not meant to be block-able, but there is plenty of trash and stuff we can use laying around. The doors all swing out by code, so piling heavy garbage in front of them was deemed easiest. The regular people doors are all already chained from the outside. Some inconspicuous dirt in the locks would keep them from being unlocked easily, in case whoever was unlocking the front door tried to open a side door.

Nothing could be obvious: We would need to re-spread the dirt around after we rearranged things inside. Whoever from the LCPF walked around should have no alarm bells. It needs to look like in the year since they were last here that things were shuffled for some reason. Abandoned projects in the mostly abandoned warehouse.

When this event was about as planned out as it was going to get, Helen crawled up on the bed and sat cross-legged, facing Morgan and myself.

"I want to be absolutely bloody damn sure this is what you two want to do. We can still call this whole thing off, and let the human authorities deal with it. We can be there tomorrow evening and make sure the little girl they are bringing is OK. We can wait for her to be brought in and do our family ninja attack on whoever it is that is bringing her and take her out of the scene. Worst case, we are Juicing a few people, and maybe even the little girl, but we do NOT have to kill all these people."

Morgan took a very deep breath. Exhaled very slowly. "I know." she finally said.

That was so NOT an answer of any sort to what Helen just said.

Jessica perched herself on the edge of the bed and surveyed. Evaluated. Rachel stood at the edge of the bed and crossed her arms. Skye remained seated in her chair but looked very deeply and darkly serious, as did Marvin. I realized as the five of them looked at the two of us how much they cared for us. I know they have their own anger and their own issues around child molestation and the fact that these people killed their victims when they were done (at least Pierre does), more than likely to keep them from being able to identify them. They are angry, but they here are because of us. Because Morgan and I decided this is what WE have to do.

They would be insulted by offering them an out, and that is not what this is about. They are trying to save our souls. "Helen. I understand and appreciate what you are saying. I know that technically speaking, you are right. Legally speaking, you are right. Maybe even morally speaking. I know you are worried about how this is going to affect Morgan and I: to do this thing. You know neither of us likes to kill, no matter how many times we have now done it."

Morgan nodded. "I know I broke down a few days after I killed Tommy. I saw how helpless that made you feel when I was inconsolable. As much as Tommy was a mass murderer, and even though he was actively trying to kill Adrian and I at that point in time with a gun, I regretted doing it."

"He never had a chance, gun or no, against you two. Not with your training and speed." Jessica said. "That does not mean it was cold-blooded or somehow evil or whatever. He needed to go."