Neca nods. “We’ve still got all but two of Serpent 4, 5, and 8 and they’re dug in pretty good. Short of the Jags coming out of the citadel, they should be able to hold their own. The remaining coyotls on the other hand,” Neca smiles and shakes his head, “they’re in a hard spot. And Eagle must have been wiped out by Jaguar.”
“Good. Have your guys—”
“My guys?” Neca raises a brow.
I roll my eyes. “Have the rest of Serpent 2 pull out as if they’re coming to our aid.”
Yetic places a hand on my arm. “And you’re sure this is gonna work?”
“Absolutely not,” I grin. “But I don’t see any other way of getting those guys out of the citadel. And the longer we wait, the worse our chances.”
“Alright,” Yetic shakes his head. “How much longer until Olin and Serpent 7 reach the security lock?”
I hail my brother. ETA?
Another five minutes. How’s it looking on your end?
Axnohtic.
Perfect.
I roll my eyes and slap Neca on the shoulder. “It’s no wonder you two get along so well.”
“Who? Me and Olin?”
I nod. “You’re both so immature.”
“Ouch. And you mistook me for eighteen. Hmmm, what does that say about your taste in—”
I punch him in the arm hard before he can finish. “Shut up and fly.”
Neca places a hand over his heart in mock offense.
“You heard the lady, Nightmare,” Yetic intercedes in some sort of ill-defined attempt to defend my honor. Or perhaps Neca’s very presence is an insult to his manhood.
“Can it, the two of you,” I give Neca my most serious look. “Olin’s less than five minutes out. We’re going now, so get your butt moving. Serpent 2’s role is gonna be critical in making this show even remotely believable.”
“Your wish is my command!” Neca rockets into the air.
I call after him, “It was a command to begin with!” Idiot, I shake my head.
Yetic moves close and takes my forearm.
His touch sparks an animalistic desire in me. I pause to focus my muddled emotions on the plan. Standing on tiptoes, I peek across the featureless hundred meters of high flatland between us and the citadel at the heart of the combat chamber. Its steep walls run all the way to the ceiling. Another third of the fortress lies beneath the level of the plateau.
The bottom portion contains the only set of doors. They open into the inland valley that bisects the chamber, and we can’t get any closer to them without facing a direct assault from the Jag 49.
The key is to find entrance where there is no entrance. That means we strike where the plateau meets the wall. Meters thick and dotted with minuscule slits for windows, the wall is not only impregnable, it will be tough to defend. The lines of site from inside will be poor. That means our chances of reaching it will be good. I just hope we can pull off the impossible once we get there.
Yetic breaks the silence, “It’s going to be a long time to keep up an act. What if the Jags decide not to wait for a clear cut winner?”
I shrug, “Then we make our move early. Either way, it’s gonna be tricky.” I lean past Yetic and glance along the cliff-shelf upon which we’re standing. In both directions, intermingled cadets from Butterfly and Serpent await the visual order to spring over the top. I reach into the air and pull down as if grasping an invisible overhead branch. “Go.”
In response to the signal, Yetic tugs me into the air and flies over the crest of the cliff. Let the show begin.
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