Phantom Game (GhostWalkers 18)

“You saying whoever’s up here can weaponize sound, like what Gator and Flame can do?” Jeff asked, naming two GhostWalkers from their team. “They can kill with sound.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I can use my voice, but I can’t do what they do. And I can’t do this. We’re going to have to be very careful.”

Knowing they were going to be facing enhanced soldiers changed everything. It was one thing to face wildlife, but this was something altogether different and very dangerous. It wasn’t as if it came as a huge surprise. The moment they recognized the trail had been diverted by the illusion in the fog, they suspected they were dealing with enhanced soldiers. Or someone who was very good at building traps with illusion.

They had reached the potential campsite Jonas had spotted earlier. The circle of rocks provided a shelter from the wind and watching eyes. The opening at the center was large enough to allow a fire, something they wanted just in case the wolves took too big of an interest in them. And if something other than wolves came at them, well, the rocks could stop bullets too. It wasn’t perfect, not a bolt-hole they could count on to last against a determined assault, but it was better than nothing. As an added benefit, when they hunkered down inside the ring, with the boulders looming over them, they escaped the strange warping of their senses.

“I’m going to take a look around while you set up camp,” Jonas said. “I can negate the effects of the illusion, and if I have to, I can control the wolves. I want to see how big of an area is being affected, who or what it’s protecting. Not to mention, I’d like to know how many people are behind this, who they are and what they’re up to.”

“Do you think they’re jamming us, or we just lost signal in all this pea soup? If you run into trouble, we can’t call on the others for help,” Kyle reminded.

“I’m aware. But we can still talk to one another if we have to. Conserve energy, but reach out if there’s trouble. Jeff, if you have to leave on the run, get Kyle out if the illusion is still making him sick.”

Jeff nodded. “I can get around the mirage. And I can lead others back to get you out.”

“Don’t stick around if anything goes bad. Better you two get out and go for help.” Jonas wanted to reiterate that point, because otherwise Kyle and Jeff would try coming to his aid. All GhostWalkers were intensely loyal to one another. They didn’t leave their fallen behind, let alone abandon a live teammate when the shit hit the fan.

Kyle glanced up, his gaze sharp. “You think it’s that bad.”

“I don’t know what we stumbled onto, but no one constructs a psychic defense this strong and this good without using it to hide something important. Most people would have been turned away. They never would have known this part of the forest was even here. Now, whoever put this barrier up knows it didn’t work on us. They’ll wonder why, and they’ll either sic the wolves on us, or they’ll come themselves. I want to take a look at what we’re up against. How many. What we need to do to protect ourselves. I especially don’t like the fact that someone in their unit can use sound to debilitate us.”

“Hell, Jonas,” Jeff said, once again using humor to lighten the situation. “I had no idea you knew so many words.”

“I wasn’t sure he knew the entire English language,” Kyle agreed. “Mostly just grunts.”

“Or ‘yep,’” Jeff added. “That’s his go-to word when he can’t think of anything else.”

“Or I can just throw a knife at you,” Jonas pointed out. He was very good with knives. Better than good. He’d grown up in a circus family, and he’d learned from an early age how to throw knives and stars with pinpoint accuracy, and how to balance on a high wire so he could be part of his family’s act. His circus days were long behind him, but the skills he’d acquired had transferred over to combat, and he practiced every day to keep those skills sharp.

“Circus freak goes up the sides of mountains only goats go up,” Kyle teased.

Jonas wasn’t so certain that particular ability was completely from his circus days. Perhaps more from Whitney’s gene coding. “I’ll be back by sunup.”

GhostWalkers were adept at disappearing into the night. They could hide in plain sight during the day, staying still for hours, but at night, they were virtually undetectable. Jonas could disappear. He was Smoke. His team had given him that name long ago for a reason. Unlike the others, Jonas didn’t need the special clothing that mirrored his surroundings or the skin that changed colors to mimic his background.