Warrior, Opposed: Book One Of The Comhairle Chronicles

Chapter Five - Rules Are Made For Breaking

“We’ve received an urgent request for help from several civilians who are currently holed up in their household safe room. I’m going to assume it’s a fortified basement safe room as the caller had extremely poor reception, but we can’t know for sure as the call cut off before I could gather anything more than basic intel. From what I understand, marionettes attacked the house and killed several vampires before the remaining civilians managed to get into the safe room.

“What’s worrying is the scale of the attack. While the caller couldn’t give specific numbers regarding the marionettes, she did say ‘at least twenty’. This is a planned assault, not the opportunistic killing we’ve seen a spate of recently, and it would seem the Manipulator is stepping up his game. As of yet we have no idea what the motive for the attack is, whether it’s purely to lower moral among the supernatural community or if the Manipulator wants something specific from the house or occupants. Unfortunately we don’t have time to worry about that now.

“If the marionettes find what the Manipulator wants, they could well burn down the house, just as they have in previous attacks, and then we’ll have several dead civilians. We all know that the civilian populace is losing faith in us; in both what we stand for and our ability to protect them. They will hold us accountable if that house burns. We need to get those who are trapped out safely, or we’ll face even more negative propaganda than is currently plaguing us.

“Because of the sheer number of marionettes present I want to send in three teams. Aodh, Seren, your teams need to clear out those walking corpses. Corvinus, your team needs to locate and secure the civilians and get them to one of our safe houses. Edward’s team will stay here to guard the castle and I’m calling Caitrìona’s team back from patrol to ensure we’re not left under defended.”

The chief paused, eying Deòthas before announcing, “You’re staying here because of that stab wound.”

What stab wound? Tor wondered. The baobhan sith opened her mouth as if to argue but Tancred held up his hand and added, “Aodh had a vision Deòthas. He saw you pulling that damn iron blade from your side. You are off duty until it’s healed and Jäger says you’re fit for duty. Am I clear?”

Deòthas didn’t answer, although Tor suspected she had something to say from the fire in her eyes. That, perhaps, made her more obedient than he’d expected. Unfortunately, if she was staying put, then he could probably assume he’d be stuck in the castle too. Damn it.

“So where are we headed?” Seren asked from her place in the front row. The captain looked intensely attentive as she leaned forward, with her elbows digging into her knees. “Is it a residential area?”

“Thankfully not,” Tancred answered, understandably relieved by not having to engage the enemy in the urban environment. “We’ve pulled satellite photos and it looks like a solitary house, a little way out of Morpeth.  Nothing but trees and fields surround the building. Nate managed to trace the phone signal to an address before the line failed; Oak Acres House…

Tor didn’t hear the rest of the address as a strange rushing noise filled his ears and any excitement he’d felt was replaced by an all consuming mix of panic and resolve. He leapt to his feet before Tancred had finished speaking and when he managed to form words they came out as a fierce growl.

“I’m going too.”

The rows of ghaisgich turned towards him, clearly shocked that he’d interrupted. Tancred shook his head as if to dispute the proposition but Tor wasn’t prepared to stay behind. Not this time.

“That’s my parents’ house. I grew up in Oak Acres. I need to go.”

He might not have anything in common with the other members of his family, his parents might well be disappointed if they lived long enough to find out about the trials, but that didn’t mean he would let them be torn apart by marionettes… Nor that he could trust their protection to anyone else.