“I wonder how many troops they left behind?” asked Diego as he stuffed another camouflage net on top of a thermal tarp into a backpack.
Earlier in the day, the team detected the sound of a large division of troops on the move. They pulled over, and Lark climbed a tree with binoculars. She couldn’t estimate how many thousands marched, rode, or rattled past in trucks; the column stretched beyond sight. They stayed south, sent pigeons to Nelanta and Stonevale, and pressed on. General Stark had ordered Major Williams and the regrouped Stonevale forces to return to Fort Calder, so they should easily beat the invaders. Still, the sight of so many enemies with their artillery, the roar of their engines, and the added threat of two balloons overhead overwhelmed Lark.
Maybe they’re all headed to Stonevale instead of Marchland. Then Dad will be safe. But what if they pivot south? What if they attack the capital instead? Azaleen. I’m not there to protect her.The thought gnawed at her until she forced it from her mind.
“Why are we carrying those with us?” Harlan asked. He adjusted the strap on his Republic Army rifle, looking to Luke.
“In case we have to hide ourselves,” the captain answered. “We’ve got a map, but, until we get there, we won’t know how many hostiles we’re dealing with or where they’ll be stationed. We plan to infiltrate the crew guarding the maintenance shed once we confirm Calder’s inside. Ideally, we bluff our way in, grab the general, and get out undiscovered, but there are so many ways that can go wrong. Hiding beats heroics.”
“Makes sense,” Skye agreed.
“I have an infrared detector,” Wes said, checking his pack, “so we’ll know how many are inside the shed. And I brought simple night vision goggles for everyone. They aren’t picture perfect but will keep you from running into things in the dark. They’re battery-operated, and we don’t want the juice to run out, so don’t turn them on until you need to.”
Diego reached for a pair, fitting the strap around his head. Wes passed out the rest. Lark tried hers on and pushed a button on the earpiece.
“Wow!” she uttered in astonishment. “And they’re so light.” For a moment, the green-lit world erased her dread.
“Saddle up,” Luke said. He patted his holster, his sabre, and the knife on his belt at the small of his back, then yanked the rifle strap over his shoulder.
Lark looped her quiver of extra bolts over her head and pulled her repeating crossbow close. Gloves, knife, canteen, machete, binoculars.Ready.
“Silent running,” Skye reminded the team. They had five kilometers to cover through winding woods before they arrived at the target. Remaining undetected was imperative. They stepped out, quiet and sure. A mission to accomplish. A life to save.
Luke stopped as they neared the edge of the woods and held up a fist. They had snaked around the empty town, staying under cover except for a few tense road crossings. The captain crouched and waved fingers at the team. Pressing in behind him, Lark dropped quietly to a knee. Ten meters ahead, the treeline broke into a space that must have once buzzed with engines and voices. An aluminum garage at the end of a short road stood half-roofed. Beside it rusted an old automobile and van, with another rolled on its side. Saplings and tall grass sprouted up through and around them. Beyond lay the maintenance shed circled on the map. Light escaped from an open skylight in the low-pitched roof,and guards stood at the front and back doors. It probably had a roll-up door wide enough for trucks—locked tight, no doubt.
Beyond the maintenance shed, maybe two hundred meters away, a patrol marched along another road, torches bobbing in the dark. Their thin ranks encouraged Lark, yet she wondered how many remained inside.
Luke motioned down with a flat palm as he sat soundlessly on the damp ground. Everyone followed. Then he pointed to his watch and held up three fingers. They would have plenty of time to rest before the witching hour. Most people would be sound asleep, and the ones on watch, tired and dragging.
Holding up his goggles, Wes pushed the off button, signaling everyone to conserve their batteries. Lark switched hers off and pushed them up on her forehead. Now, she’d need to reaccustom her eyes to the dim light of a cloudy night. Better yet, close them for a few hours. She eased off her quiver and leaned against a pine, its sharp scent grounding her. But despite her focus and dedication, sweet visions of a few nights ago spent in Azaleen’s arms crept in, wrapping her in warmth and renewed resolve.
If we fail to rescue General Calder, it will hurt Azaleen’s standing among the nobles and damage her reputation. We won’t fail.
Skye tapped her shoulder, snapping Lark awake. Luke waved, and they huddled up. “Wes, can you get a good read with the infrared from behind that overturned car?” he whispered.
Wes nodded and headed out, sprinting the short distance in a low crouch. He aimed the gadget at the building, making a sweep from one end to the other, up and down. Upon returning, he reported in a hush. “Two front, two rear, four inside. I can’t tell you which one is Calder—if any. Inside, two figures are lying down, one seated, and the other is moving around, making noise. Several lamps burning.”
“I can tell you for sure,” Lark whispered, pointing. “The skylight.”
“How’ll you get on the roof?” Wes asked. “The walls must be four, five meters high. I didn’t see a drainpipe or ladder.”
She caught the whites of his eyes in the darkness and grinned. “Yeah, but that’s a concrete block building with a good eave. I can sprint the wall, grab the edge of the roof, and swing myself up. If they’re making noise, like you say, they shouldn’t hear a thing. Get a peek inside and give you a signal.”
Luke nodded. “Wave if he’s in there. Come back if he isn’t.”
Lark didn’t remember what General Calder looked like. She’d been too busy gazing at Azaleen and playing with Caelen to have paid him any attention at the picnic. But she’d recognize the uniform. And if they’d dressed him in sackcloth instead, she figured he’d still hold himself like General Stark always did.
“Diego, you and Skye take positions behind the rusted cars and keep watch. If he’s in there, Harlan and I will try our hands at acting.”
He gave Lark the go-ahead. She flicked on her night vision, scampered across the grassy yard, and flattened her back to the wall. The guards at the rear entrance grumbled about the invasion interfering with the opening of football season. Inside, a biting bark interrupted a metallic clanging noise. Then it sounded again.
She glanced left and right, spying Skye and Diego keeping a lookout from their vantage point near the access road. Securing her crossbow by its cord and clips, Lark backed away from the block wall and took a deep breath. Her legs drove her upward. One gloved hand caught the eave, then the other. She hauled herself onto the roof and landed light as a cat. The clanging continued, and, after a breath, she slid on her belly up the slight incline to an open, framed-glass window about a meter long and half as wide.
“The major said I can’t touch ya,” yelled a frenzied man in the room below, holding a large copper pot and a tin ladle. “He didn’t say I couldn’t deprive you of sleep.”
“That’s enough,” sighed an older man with sergeant stripes on his sleeve. “You’re giving me a headache.”
Lark made a slight shift to view more of the room, thankful for a moonless sky as a backdrop. Two men in Verdancian uniforms lay on their sides on the floor—one young, one older, both with their hands and feet bound. She flicked off her night vision and pushed the goggles up. By the lamplight, she saw thestars on the older man’s shoulders, a pained expression on his face, and dried blood staining his uniform.Has he been injured?Urgency clutched her heart.