Henri – 26

 

Henri – 26

 

"With that photo, we have a visual for teleporting in," Taegan said. "Perhaps onto one end of balcony?"

 

"Before we do," Miranda said, "one of us should go on the roof and look through the skylights. We don't want to drop in to find out he's got a guard—or guards—who will see us."

 

Ransom nodded. "Good point. If he's been there for a while…" He paused to look at Henri. "Any chance this was where he was holding you prisoner?"

 

Henri debated, then shrugged. "Anything is possible. It would negate the idea he would have moved his base of operations after my escape, in case I tried to come back to deal with him. But he might be egotistical enough to figure that wouldn't be a problem. After all, he'd be pretty sure I teleported well away from there without stopping outside first to see where he was holding me. Has the building been abandoned for more than a year? Never mind, you said it's been like this since Katrina."

 

"It would certainly behoove him to have a permanent base of operations." Allyn looked at the floor plan again. "There's only one door leading to the big, second floor room, so his securing it would be easy enough."

 

"Meaning our getting inside will be interesting," Taegan commented dryly.

 

"Why here?" Allyn asked pensively, looking at the photo again.

 

"Why not?" Taegan replied. "It's abandoned, and given the neighborhood, it's not a tourist attraction. Also, from what I found out, preservationists are fighting to keep it from being demolished, so there's no chance someone will try to buy it until that's settled." He asked Ransom, "Can you bring up the building on a map site, preferably the earth view?"

 

Ransom did, and grinned slowly. "It's hard to tell from this, but if the skylights over that room aren't blacked out…"

 

"Yep," Taegan agreed. "We'll have a chance for a two-pronged attack."

 

"Meaning?" Miranda asked.

 

"One of us will go into the main area and create enough of a disturbance to draw Xavier's attention. That will give us a chance to get into his lab before he realizes what's happening."

 

"It should be me," Henri said. "I'm the one he's looking for. If I call him out, dare him to try to catch me…"

 

Taegan started to say something but Ransom beat him to it. "That would be perfect."

 

::It's not perfect,:: Taegan said tightly in Henri's mind. ::It makes you a sitting duck.::

 

::I have been since the day we decided to draw him out. What makes this any different?::

 

::You'll be on his home turf. One man down there waiting. One shot from a tranquilizer gun, and he'll have you again. Even more dangerous is…:: Taegan slammed his fist on the coffee table. "If he's managed to create a shifter—or more than one…"

 

"Then we'll have a fight on our hands for sure," Allyn replied. "Though, if you think about it, they might not be much of a threat. They'll be new, and one can hope, still learning how to deal with their animal forms."

 

"Don't count on it," Ransom said. "He's not creating them for a petting zoo."

 

"True. But if he's using what he took from Henri, who doesn't have a predatory bone in his body…"

 

Allyn chuckled when Henri muttered, "Had to go there, didn't you?"

 

"I guess we'll find out when we get inside." Ransom shut off his laptop. "Unless anyone thinks differently, Henri goes in as himself. The rest of us will be in our wolf forms."

 

"Makes sense," Taegan replied. ::Just be damned careful,:: he told Henri. ::Get out of there as soon as I tell you the plan is working.::

 

::And join the rest of you.::

 

::I… Yeah.::

 

::I'm not going to desert all of you,:: Henri told him emphatically. ::Despite what Allyn said, I'm as much of a predator as the rest of you. I can, and I will, fight tooth and nail to stop Xavier and any of his people or creations.::

 

Taegan smiled wryly. ::Somehow I knew that's what you'd say.::  

 

"If everyone's ready." Ransom shot a knowing, amused look at Taegan and Henri. "I suggest we get a move on. But first, I gather you and Henri can mind speak, Taegan. Allyn and I can as well and he said he and Miranda can. I suggest we see if the five of us can communicate that way." He added, mentally, ::It would make things much easier all around.::

 

::Much,;; Taegan agreed, glancing at Henri.

 

Henri nodded. ::I heard you, Ransom.::

 

"And me?" Allyn asked.

 

Both Henri and Taegan said they could. Then the men looked at Miranda. "Obviously, I heard Allyn. Ransom?" She waggled her hand. "You said something about easier all around. If Taegan and Henri said anything, I didn't get it."

 

::Can you hear me now?:: Ransom asked her.

 

The other men broke out laughing, which seemed to bewilder Miranda.

 

"He asked if you could hear him now," Allyn told her.

 

"Barely. It was like he was whispering. I got the 'now' and that was it."

 

"Okay. I'll be the intermediary for her, guys," Allyn said. "If you need her to know something, tell me and I'll pass it on."

 

With that problem settled, there was nothing left to do but go find Xavier and deal with him.