Erasure and Affirmation (Hypernaturals 11)

Planning

Denise built a plan based on all the recent surveillance and data we have about the target building. During mission prep meetings, we looked at the alarm plans. The remote monitoring. The shipping logs.

Denise knows how to run an operation. I am impressed. I see in a new and different light why Victoria made her Lead. I worked with her and Anne before on things, but never with Denise in charge like this. At first, I wondered about it. Cert always ran Crew. Then I thought some more and realized Denise ran her houses. Protected her staff. Organized all aspects of the place from food to drinks to how to deal with the special needs of clients safely. She dealt with the real estate and the politics to keep her house open and her staff working. She went from working girl to running the place three times. There has to be a reason and not one that has anything to do with sexual talent or appearance.

As the briefing went on, I watched Morgan's reactions to the plans as they unfolded. Her nodding approval as Denise pointed out various aspects of the approach and plans for the placement of people. Morgan is not a disapproving person, but earning her approval is a different bar.

"The Siren biological facility is heavily secured and highly monitored. We are guessing this is the most secure facility the Sirens have. We didn't know about it until now, and that is saying something. The senior Sirens. The Assembly. Ever since the Siren's re-announced their presence to Vampires, the Crew has been keeping track of all known Sirens. When Ginger and Wyatt made themselves known, the Crew made a new effort to find the older ones. They are everywhere. Just like we are, except half of them are men. A Vampire conundrum if there ever was one, because Siren's are resistant to Juice." Denise said.

"Not counting the possible semi-Siren Sandy, who is addicted to Juice. She does not scent as Siren to me, but her addiction had to come from someplace. I can't see a human developing that." Morgan replied.

Denise looked at me. "Which is the only reason that raping bitch is still alive and in my jail and I have not torn her apart." Denise said.

"That would be a race." Jessica said.

"As I am fastest, I would win." Morgan told her wife.

"Not if we are holding you down." Helen said.

"Can we focus?" I asked.

Denise nodded agreement and tapped a front elevation picture of the target. "In all that Crew tracking and tracing, this facility was under our Vampire radar. I suppose another question might be if they can hide this one, how many others can they hide? This one cost millions, so how many can the Sirens afford?"

That point got considerate looks and nods from Anne, Luciana, Helen, Jessica, Morgan, and myself.

Morgan brought up a related question: "How many Vampire secrets above and beyond what they learned from holding Melissa captive do they know? There is no way to know this. Vampires hide. Blend in. Use agents in places like Johns Hopkins rather than building our own infrastructure."

Denise shook her head to that question and looked at the kitchen table covered in pictures and drawings between us. "Perhaps some answers to all of those are in the building we are about to go into. In the documents, computers, or people. The one-story building we are watching has a secure front entrance. Bulletproof glass, interior lobby, mantraps with biometrics, before one finally gains the actual interior of the building."

Denise shuffled some paper to a different shot. "The campus that the building sits on has 3-meter tall iron picket fencing, with very sharp points on the top. For a human or a Siren, they would be a formidable obstacle."

Shuffle. New picture.

"There is a gate at the street side front to get into the parking lot. Badge required."

Shuffle.

"Around in the back is another sliding gate, enunciator panel, and cameras for deliveries. Once in the loading dock area, there is total camera coverage. Doors that have to be opened from the inside."

Switch to a floor plan.

"Once inside the loading dock there is a large secured area with cages and secure cold storage, and then access to the inside of the building. Secured with badge reader, biometrics, and cameras."

Switch to a different floor plan.

"Code requires fire exits, so there are other openings into the building. Those will set off alarms and only open from the inside or when the alarm is going off."

Anne took up the narrative. "The place was designed and built by senior Sirens who started life as cops more than likely, then moved into other areas, like the FBI, CIA, NSA, and so forth. Same three-letter agency penetrations as Vampires. Once we knew to look, or more importantly scent them we found them everywhere."

Why the Crew did not take this building while I was unconscious is very clear. I was only out two days. The Crew, under Denise's direction, went slowly and carefully. Traced out all the wires. The remote alarms. They know who monitors what. They know the frequency of all the wireless alarm connections. They have which satellites the dishes on the roof point at. The Crew did all of this while making sure that the Sirens did not know they were being looked at.

I did not mention this as I did not want to point out to the Crew members here that their delay is what allowed me and mine to force our way onto the mission.