"No," he answered. "Just make it happen."

"I will."

It was all he could think to say. Jonny began walking again and hardened himself once more as he turned the corner to the open area where his troops were gathered. Charles and the team leaders were dispatching vamps already to predetermined places Brandon had found during his search. The night air was abuzz with activity and anticipation, and he joined Charles.

"Which location did you choose?" Jonny asked.

Charles handed him the iPad with the locations of all the teams flashing in separate boxes. With the more advanced knowledge of strategy, Charles was given free reign to choose where the teams went. Jonny studied the color-coded areas. Charles was always yellow.

"Small location," he murmured. "So you have a lead."

"Instinct. We've barely missed him twice. He's smart enough to evolve his tactics, to use a couple spots as decoys and then hide elsewhere."

"Speaking of tactics, we need to move camp," Jonny said. "My instincts are telling me we can't stay in one place too long."

"Agreed. I have a backup list no one else has seen." Charles maneuvered the screen to his email and sent the file to Jonny. "Just have Stu send out the message before dawn about who goes where."

Jonny nodded and observed the screen as it returned to the five raid parties. Something else was bothering him, but he wasn't quite able to pinpoint what. It was more than concern for his vamps after the disastrous raids the night before, more than his uncertainty about Ashley. "I can't shake the feeling something isn't right," he said for Charles' ears only. "If you run into anything unusual, if anyone does, contact me immediately. I can stop another ambush before it kills our people."

"At a steep cost," Charles reminded him. "You risk losing Valon and Brandon."

"But if I save a hundred of my people, I'll do it."

Charles nodded. "The Natural cleared to go?"

"She is. Make sure she doesn't try anything," he said, aware of how quickly Ashley was likely to change her mind about their deal if she sensed Brandon in danger.

"I've got a backup Taser," Charles replied.

"Good." Jonny lowered the screen. "I'll monitor from here."

Charles nodded and left his side for the small team awaiting him. Ashley was already with the vamps wearing yellow wristbands. The one, Hector, she'd partnered with on her previous raid seemed to be less uncomfortable about talking to her while the rest of them stood aside.

They respected her, which was enough for Jonny. But they also harbored few good feelings for any Natural.




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