"Thank you, Sean." Emma smiled at him.
He scowled at his former employee. "I've contacted the army, and they've agreed to provide extra security at your facility here and in Ohio and California. They'll also provide antiaircraft missile launchers, radar equipment, and the necessary personnel to man the equipment. They'll start setting things up tomorrow."
"How did ye explain this to the army?" Connor asked.
"I told them it was a routine exercise to combat domestic terrorism," Sean replied. "Which is true, in my opinion. Those damned vampires are the worst terrorist threat our country has ever faced. If there's anything else I can do to wipe the Undead off the face of the planet, just let me know."
An uneasy silence pervaded the room.
"Well, we're verra grateful for yer help, Sean." Angus shook hands with him. "Now, perhaps ye'd like to visit yer grandchildren? They're across the hall in the nursery with Radinka."
Sean gave him a wry look. "I'd rather stay here and see what your plans are."
A flicker of annoyance shone in Angus's eyes before he motioned to a chair. "Of course. Have a seat."
Angus resumed his pacing. "Roman's busy taking care of the wounded, so he canna report on his most recent project, discovering the formula for Nightshade. Laszlo, do ye know if he's made any progress?"
The small chemist sat up. "Yes, sir. He's completed two test serums. The problem, of course, is finding a test subject. At best, the serum will paralyze a vampire. Worst case scenario..." He grabbed a button on his lab coat and twisted it. "It could be fatal."
Connor leaned back in his chair. "Och, luckily, we have a volunteer. He's waiting in the silver room."
"The prisoner?" Laszlo plucked at his button. "That - That doesn't seem very humane."
"He's not human," Sean Whelan hissed. "He's a monster."
Angus sighed. "I'm actually in agreement with you there, Whelan."
"Hell must be freezing over," Connor muttered, then raised his voice. "We might as well put the prisoner to good use. He doesna appear to have any more information for us."
"And I hear ye've been working on something new, Laszlo?" Angus asked.
"Ah, yes." The chemist tugged at his button. "You see, I was talking to Jack last night at the party, and he told me about a device the FBI put into a hair weave for Lara in order to track her. Unfortunately, Jack could hear it, so he had to remove it. But then the Malcontents kidnapped Lara, and he was unable to find her for days."
"Aye, we know," Angus grumbled impatiently. "Get on with it."
The button popped off onto the table. Laszlo grabbed it and stuffed it into a pocket. "I started work tonight on a tracking device that would be completely undetectable to vampires and shape shifters. Then we could all be tagged, and if anyone gets kidnapped, we could rescue them quickly."
"Sounds like a great idea, buddy." Gregori gave the small chemist a thumbs-up.
Laszlo blushed. "Well, I was kidnapped once myself, so I know how frightening it can be."
"How exactly would ye tag us?" Connor asked.
"The device would most likely be inserted beneath the skin." Laszlo started fiddling with a new button. "The incision would heal during our death-sleep, so no trace of the surgical implantation would remain."
"How far along are you?" Angus asked.
"I-I just started tonight. I need a few nights - a week perhaps."
"Right. Good luck to you." Angus motioned to the door.
Laszlo blinked. "Oh. Of course. Thank you." He scurried out the door.
"All right, we need to talk strategy," Angus said.
Phil raised a hand. "Something just occurred to me. We could take Laszlo's tracking device, implant it in Sigismund while he's in his death-sleep so he won't know it's there, then pretend to be moving him and accidentally allow him to escape - "
"The devil take it," Angus exclaimed. "He might lead us straight to Casimir."
Excited murmurs spread about the room.
Sean Whelan jumped to his feet. "If we discover where he's hiding, I could send a special task force to stake Casimir and all his followers in their death-sleep!"
The murmurs stopped. Phil winced at the appalled looks on the Vamps in the room. If Sean felt it was entirely acceptable to stake Malcontents in their death-sleep, what would stop him from doing it someday to the Vamps?
Angus cleared his throat. "We appreciate yer help in matters of security, Whelan. But when it comes to killing Casimir, we'd rather do it with honor. Face-to-face on the field of battle."
Sean snorted. "You think those monsters have any comprehension of honor?"
"Perhaps no', but we do." Angus turned to Phil. "Ye have a great idea there, lad."
"Aye, but 'twill be a week or so before Laszlo has the tracking device ready," Connor said. "We canna wait here, twiddling our thumbs, while Casimir continues his attack."
Angus nodded, and resumed his pacing. "We need to act."
"If we can't find Casimir, we let him find us," Jack said.
"A trap," Angus murmured. "Go on."
"We should set the trap far away from the remaining Romatechs," Emma suggested. "Draw his attention away from them."
Phil nodded. "Then we'll be taking control of the situation."
"Verra good," Angus said. "We just need to bait the trap. Dinna Sigismund give us a list of Vamps that Casimir wants to kill?"
Phil clenched his hands into fists underneath the table. He couldn't let them use Vanda as bait.
"I have the list here." Connor retrieved a sheet of paper from his folder. "Ian and Toni. They would do it."
"But they're still on their honeymoon," Emma protested. "Is there anyone else?"
"Zoltan and Dougal." Connor read from the list. "They were at the Romatechs that were bombed tonight. They have some burns and scrapes, but they'll recover during their death-sleep."
"Good," Angus said. "Then we have two."
"I'm on the list." Jack raised a hand. "I'll do it."
His fiancée, Lara, winced. "Then I'd better go, too. You guys will need a day guard."
"Actually, Jack, we have another assignment for you," Angus said. "I want Roman and his family to go into hiding tomorrow night. Usually Connor and Howard go with them, but I think it makes more sense for you and Lara to go."
Jack stiffened. "But I'll miss all the action. I'm the best swordsman you have. No offense, Jean-Luc."
The French Vamp waved a hand in dismissal.
"The two of you are the perfect choice," Connor explained. "Ye can guard at night, and Lara during the day. And ye'll still be alive for yer wedding."
Lara looked relieved, but Jack was grinding his teeth.
Connor gave him a sympathetic look. "I know how ye feel, lad. I've been there myself. But keeping Roman safe is verra important. If he succeeds in making Nightshade, it could be our greatest weapon in combating the Malcontents."
Jack heaved a resigned sigh. "All right. We'll do it."
Lara took his hand and squeezed it.
"Who else is on the list?" Angus asked.
"I am." Phineas raised a hand proudly. "Dr. Phang at your service."
Angus smiled. "Verra good, lad."
"I'll go, too," Robby announced. "They should have backup, someone Casimir isna expecting."
"Like a secret weapon." Angus nodded. "Good idea."
"Look, guys," Gregori spoke up. "I'm not a warrior, but I know marketing and publicity. You guys from the hit list can sit on a hill for a week, but if Casimir doesn't know about it, he'll never show up. You've got to stage and promote this deal without it looking like it's been staged and promoted."
Angus folded his arms. "What do ye suggest?"
"A believable scenario." Gregori rubbed his chin as he considered. "Zoltan and Dougal just narrowly escaped death tonight, so it would be logical for them to go out and celebrate. They would go to a Vamp club. The most popular one is Vanda's, but it was destroyed tonight. Is she all right?"
"She's fine," Phil replied quietly.
"Good." Gregori flashed him a smile, then grew serious again. "When it comes to Vamp clubs, I've been to most of them. We need a dark, seedy place, perfect for an ambush." He snapped his fingers. "I've got it. Vampire Blues in New Orleans."
"I like it," Angus said. "And the Coven Master there is a good friend. Colbert will help us out."
Gregori tapped his chin, still thinking. "We'll need publicity."
"What about Corky Courrant?" Emma suggested. "She does celebrity gossip on her show."
"Yeah, but let's face it," Gregori said. "Dougal and Phineas aren't celebrities. Corky wouldn't care what they're doing."
Phil felt a heaviness in his chest. There was a surefire way to get Corky's unwitting participation. He glanced at Connor, and the Scotsman was giving him an apologetic look.
Connor cleared his throat. "There was one more name on the list. Casimir wants Vanda Barkowski dead. And Corky hates her with a passion."
Phil's heart squeezed in his chest. Damn. He didn't see any way out of this.
Gregori winced. "There has to be another way. Vanda lost her club tonight. She's suffered enough."
"But she's a feisty lass, no?" Angus asked. "She might want revenge."
"She does have an anger problem," Gregori admitted. "But we've been trying to help her get over it."
"Her anger might be just what we need," Connor said. "We take her to the club, let it slip to Corky that she'll be there, and let Vanda throw one of her famous fits. Corky shows it on air, and when Casimir realizes Vanda is still alive, he rushes to the club, hoping to kill her. And that's when we kill him."
Gregori nodded. "That would work, but we need to make sure Vanda would be safe."
"I'll go with her," Phil said quietly.
"Can ye convince her to do it?" Connor asked.
Phil sighed. Did he have any choice?
CHAPTER 16
It was close to dawn by the time Phil returned to the cabin. Phineas teleported back to Romatech, leaving him alone with Vanda. She was folding laundry at the kitchen table. He noted the stack of clean towels and clothes, including her purple catsuit.
As soon as Phineas disappeared, she threw her arms around Phil and hugged him. "I missed you."
He held her close and nuzzled his chin against her hair. Connor had suggested he simply invite her to New Orleans for a holiday. No need to let her know what the real plan was. She might refuse to be their bait, and they were too desperate to take that chance. This was war, and a time for desperate measures.
Phil hadn't argued the point, although he'd doubted he could purposely mislead Vanda. Now that she was in his arms, he knew for certain that he couldn't.
"How bad is it?" Vanda asked.
"Bad enough." He took her hand and led her to the couch. "The Malcontents used mind control to get ahold of some military helicopters. They bombed those two Romatechs from the air."
"Oh no." Vanda sat beside him on the couch. "What's Angus going to do?"
Phil described Sean Whelan's plan to help the Vamps. Then he explained Roman's plan to make Nightshade, and Laszlo's plan to make tracking devices. Vanda nodded, listening carefully in spite of numerous yawns.
She blinked sleepily. "I'm really glad to have a safe place to hide, but I feel a little guilty that I'm not doing anything to help." She sighed. "What am I saying? I worked with the resistance in the last war, and it was scary as hell."
Phil hesitated, not sure how to proceed. "The Coven Master of New Orleans has invited us to stay with them for a few nights."
Vanda yawned. "New Orleans?"
"You're about to conk out. Let's get you to the closet." He pulled her to her feet.
She leaned against him as she walked. "I've always wanted to see New Orleans."
"Gregori told me about this club called Vampire Blues. I think you'd like it."
She gazed up at him with a confused look. "It's a vampire club? I thought I was supposed to be in hiding."
Inside the closet, he sat on the blanket and pulled her down beside him. "Vanda, I have to be honest with you. Angus is desperate to draw Casimir out. If we can kill him now, we might be able to avoid an all-out war. Think of all the lives that could be saved."
Her eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"
"They want you to go to this club so you can be seen. You're on Casimir's hit list, so there's a good chance that as soon as he knows you're there, he'll show up to finish you off. There'll be lots of guys there to protect you. Phineas, Zoltan, Dougal, Robby, and me."
"Oh God." Vanda pressed a hand to her chest. "You're using me as bait."
"We didn't want to. The guys wanted to do this without you. Some of them are on the list, too, but we realized we really need you."
"Why? What can I do?"
"If you're there, we can get Corky to announce it on her show."
"Because she hates me." With a groan, Vanda fell back onto the blanket. "Lucky me."
