Defy the Dawn (Midnight Breed 14)

“No. Right here in D.C.” Carys swallowed. “The Global Nations Council building has been attacked in broad daylight.”

“Not another explosion,” Zael said. “We would’ve heard it. This close to the government center, we would have felt it.”

“No, nothing like that.” Carys gravely shook her head. “Assassins opened fire inside the building a few minutes ago. Every high-ranking member on site today was killed.”

CHAPTER 10

Although there had been little question as to who had been responsible for the slaughter that took place in the Global Nations Council office, it was still a shock to see the brazen claim of responsibility by Opus Nostrum spread across the Internet and social media mere moments after the attack took place. Unsatisfied to simply issue a statement after the fact, Opus’s boasting claims were accompanied by live bodycam video footage recorded by the perpetrators as the killings took place.

Lucan had already seen the footage once, but that didn’t make his blood boil any less as he watched again with the Order and everyone else present in the D.C. compound.

Acting in unison, three men posted on the GNC building security detail had abruptly stepped out of rank and mowed down an entire office wing full of high-ranking council members and diplomats before turning their weapons on themselves. Every horrific second had been captured on video and streamed across the Web.

The victims of the attack were all humans, representatives from around the world. Many of the men and women were colleagues Lucan knew personally in his role as chairman of the GNC.

All of them executed in cold blood at the hands of Opus and their followers.

“First JUSTIS, now the GNC,” Gabrielle said quietly from beside Lucan. There was fear in her voice, and in the blood bond that connected him to her. “Will the Order be next on Opus’s hit list?”

Lucan gently stroked her worried face. “Make no mistake, both of these attacks have been strikes against the Order.” He met the grim gazes of his fellow warriors. “Opus hasn’t come for us directly, and they don’t want to. They tried that at the GNC peace summit and failed, which cost them their leader when we killed Reginald Crowe.”

Sterling Chase nodded in agreement. “Each time they’ve come up against us, we’ve shut them down, weakened their foundation.”

“Opus doesn’t need to risk taking us on in a true contest,” Lucan said. “What they want is chaos. They want fear and mistrust between Breed and man.”

“To what end?”

Lucan turned to see Brynne standing behind him alongside Zael. The former JUSTIS investigator’s cheeks were flushed with color, though whether in reaction to the bloody attack playing on the monitors or from some other cause, he couldn’t be sure.

“We’ve seen that Opus has both Breed and human members,” she said. “How can they do this? Why unite with the purpose of killing innocent people from both of their races?”

“To profit off the strife,” Zael murmured. “There are always fortunes to be made in war, regardless of which side you’re on. Unfortunately, peace is a far less lucrative business.”

The Atlantean was right. And unless the Order found a way to clamp a lid on the panic before it got any further out of hand, Opus might damned well succeed.

Lucan cursed as more video of screaming civilians and stampeding workers inside the GNC building filled the monitors. The attackers were dead, but the panic was still at a fever pitch.

“I’m heading out to the government center,” he said, turning away from the images of carnage and terror.

Gabrielle anxiously caught his hand. “It’s the middle of the day.”

He didn’t particularly relish the idea of a daylight tour of duty either, given that without proper equipment, his solar-averse Gen One Breed skin would start sizzling in under ten minutes. But it had to be done.

Opus attacked at a time of day that all but guaranteed little to no risk of Order interference. As the highest ranking official of the GNC and the leader of the Order besides, Lucan would be damned if he was going to sit back and wait for sundown before confronting the carnage and taking control of the situation.

“I’ll prep the UV gear for both of us,” Dante said, zero hesitation.

Chase and Tegan spoke up next, and soon the entire company of warriors—new and old—were volunteering for the patrol. It gave Lucan great pride to see the depth of commitment and courage in the faces that looked to him for leadership.

He only hoped he wouldn’t let any of them down.

Lucan nodded to his team. “Dante and Chase, prep the gear. Tegan and I will get the weapons and the vehicle loaded up. Brock and Kade, you suit up too.” He glanced to the other warriors. “I need the rest of you here. Hunter, you’re in command. Even if we don’t expect any direct hits from Opus, that doesn’t mean I want to risk leaving our base short-handed.”