Wild Side [h.s au]

Chapter 12

Harry

A few hours after I'd left Elena to take care of her new assignment, I was summoned to a meeting about Vortex. We have to carefully plan out our next move now that we've discovered their intentions. Our relations with Vortex have been rough, especially in the past few weeks, but we've never had to actually attack them, only make sure they never get far enough in our territory to actually cause damage to our base and the people living in the North under our protection.

My mind is analysing our possibilities as I sit in the conference room, on the right to David who is seated at the head of the table. All of my closest and most trustworthy friends are present, ready to help with planning and possibly participate in the attack as well. I never send them on missions all at once, not wanting to deal with the loss. I know very well how damn great I am with accepting it, hence the episodes where I'm reliving the events that ruined me, the nightmares that have luckily been almost non-existent lately, and my detachment from everyone. Yes, so damn great.

Pictures of Vortex base, all kinds of data and information are scattered over the table, the videos of their attacks being played on the monitors. Anything that could help us plan the attack has been brought in here, the massive amount of details we have to think about not making our job easier.

My head snaps up at the sound of faint knocks on the door, followed by David's short "come in." As the door opens, all of us look at the two familiar figures entering the room, my eyes glancing at David then back at them. My palms flat against the table as I push myself to my feet, looking at none other than Elena and Alex.

"What is this?" I ask, my gaze shifting at David.

"I thought they could help us."

"What? No. I don't trust them," I argue.

"H, they've been here for almost two weeks and they haven't done anything that would make them suspicious," Louis tries to reason.

My lips press in a tight line, my muscles tense. I absolutely hate when I find out something in the last minute, the situation not giving me enough time to think this through. "All of you do realise we're letting two Vortex soldiers on our private meeting about the attack on Vortex, right?"

"We're not Vortex soldiers," Elena remarks, her stern tone letting me know she's ready to fight if needed.

"Have a seat," David tells them, giving them a smile. "You too. Sit down." He looks at me.

I watch them intently as each of them takes a seat on the opposite side of the table all the while feeling the looks of my friends sent my way. When they settle, I reluctantly lower my body onto the chair, leaning back and crossing my arms. Involuntarily, my eyes drift to Elena only to notice her cold gaze is already set on me, her light pink lips pressed in a hard line.

David opens his mouth to speak, but I'm quick to cut him off, "alright, you're here to help. Tell us how would you attack the base you're so familiar with."

"Easy," Elena says. "We'd focus on their weaknesses and turn them into our strength."

"And how do you propose we do that?" I challenge, raising my eyebrow.

"Vortex has only two shifts, the night and the daily one. Soldiers during the night shift are more cautious, there's a larger number of them, and they're always ready for an attack, but no one would expect an attack during the broad daylight," she says. "And right now, your biggest advantage is that Vortex isn't expecting your attack at all."

"That's smart thinking, but we're still at much bigger risk during the daylight," Liam says.

"That's why we'll go prepared."