“That’s breaking up the teams,” one of the Illinois guys stated.
“The teams were set up with us arriving before Horatio’s people got here,” Terrance pointed out. “Just as long as each team lead has accountability for each of their men-”
“Or women,” Dawn interjected.
Terrance gave her an exasperated look. “-Or women when the mission is complete, then we make sure we have each of our original team members.”
“I’ll create a diversion to capture their attention,” Troy added. “I’ll set those dumpsters on fire in the back, and when they go to investigate it, you guys start breaching the other side.”
“Do you think they’ll fall for it?” Jace asked dubiously.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Troy said with a shrug.
“I’ve never had to cloak a group that big, but I can try,” the girl I spoke with on the helicopter stated.
“Let’s try it.” Jace nodded satisfied.
I shook my head. “I don’t think we should do that. I can try to compel them from here. It’s less risk of anyone being seen.”
“That’s a considerable distance,” one of the guys from the Illinois team said doubtfully.
Most of the people who knew me started to laugh or smile. Their confidence in me helped. “How many on the roof?” I asked Herman and the guy who had the ability to see far distances.
“Five,” they both said simultaneously.
I closed my eyes and imagined the five people on the roof. I focused all my energy on honing in on them. From this distance, I couldn’t see them but I began to feel them. Drop any and all weapons onto the ground. I forced out.
Being so far away, I could barely see their silhouettes in the early morning hours, but I could see items being dropped of the roof as they fell under the lights mounted on the building. A faint resounding clatter confirmed the weapons striking the ground.
If asked, give your friends the all clear, nothings amiss. You see none of us. I compelled them further. I wanted to make sure they were unable to do anything to warn the others. I felt some of them try to resist me, but they were powerless, too.
“We’re safe from the eyes on the roof,” I said confidently.
“HQ,” Troy spoke quietly into his comms. “Do you have eyes on the roof top?”
“Standby,” one of the techies said immediately. He came back within seconds. “There are no eyes up there.”
“I’ll go check,” the man who had the ability to climb any surface stated as he looked at Remy, his team lead.
“Go ahead,” Remy nodded.
The slight man took of at a run and we were made to wait in anticipation once more. The cold night air was seeping into my core. My toes, fingers, and face began to feel numb.
It felt like it was hours before he finally returned, but when he did he was smiling. “They are oblivious. I even sat down next to one of them for a moment. He looked directly at me but he couldn’t even see me. What did you do?” He looked at me in awe.
I gave him a crooked smile. “I told them, if asked, to report that they see no activity and I told them that they couldn’t see us.”
“Let’s go,” Troy urged. “Back to our teams. Bravo team, continue watching the perimeter. Charlie team, breach the front entrance. Delta team, the side entrance. Alpha team, we need to get to the labs and get their fast.”
We all took off at a run across the wide expanse of lawn. The ground was frosted over predicting the coming winter. I could feel the ground crunch under my boots. I followed after Troy, noticing that some of the Illinois team was already gasping for air. They hadn’t physically trained as we had. We had already noticed their weakness in this area.
Knowing Will and Paul, Paul probably insisted that they sit out, while Will demanded that they accompany us. They could be a liability to us, but this mission could also stress the importance of their training and cause. We would have to trust their natural abilities and their instincts.
“There are two of them posted outside the door,” Herman stated at the back of our team. He was still weak by his ordeal but he had heart.
“There are two incapacitated behind the desk,” one of the Illinois team guys stated as he peered into the building. His eyes were capable of seeing pass the brick, insulation, and studs.
I imagined the two men positioned by the door. I felt their thoughts. I felt their evil intent. Come out with your hands up, I commanded them.