Behind the Walls. NOVEL By Claire Darcy.

53. Warning: Danger.

ACE.

I kept my attention on Tyler. It wasn't difficult to do. Like, not at all. He spoke so well and looked so handsome. "Okay, the plan isn't simple, but it's the best we've got," he said.

The discussion had been heated, disagreements rising and falling as Tyler, Sebastian, Josh, Frankie, Dallas, Andy, Rowan and I all thought up the plan.

"No violence, no mess. Just a break and enter, and a retrieval. We'll get the scope of things so we can plan our next move. I like it," Andy said with a nod.

"'No violence'," Josh mused, "I doubt it. What happens if Frankie's 'method' doesn't work to distract them?"

"We've hardly got Plan A down and you're already asking for Plan B?" Frankie asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"I'm just trying to be logical, Frankie," Josh said quietly. I looked to Sebastian, and he nodded at me to run through the plan.

"Okay, so we send Frankie's group- Group 1, right through the front doors. While they're distracting the front guards, we get Group 2 - Sebastian's group - through the fire exit on the far left side. By then, Group 3 will have the alarm shut down. Seb can get Group 2 through the maze of the first to fifth floors. Above that, the floor plan is different. But the tech room we're looking for should be on the...?"

"Seventh floor," Sebastian said, "They'll have any maps we're looking for in there. The maps of the Camps, and the maps to get to the Camps. If we want to rescue those camp kids, this will be how we lay the foundation."

Frankie decided to interfere, "Rowan's got the device needed to acquire the maps. Digitised, of course. So long as nobody fires any high electronic frequencies nearby, it'll be done in seconds."

"So we get the maps," I continued, "But this is a messy plan. What's the escape plan?"

"Out the windows," said Tyler with an uncharacteristic smirk, "Using grappling hooks."

"And how do we know when to get out of there?" Frankie asked. Sebastian thought for a moment.

"Group 3 will be controlling things from outside the building, they set off the signal."

"What signal?" Andy asked.

"Use your imagination," Tyler said with a grin. Cute, but this plan wasn't. There was something missing.

We were all quiet for a moment, taking in the plan and absorbing the directions.

"What are the groups?" Josh asked.

"Andy is in Group 3," Dallas decided, "Him and you and whoever else has got the smarts. Maybe Rowan." Andy didn't argue. Neither did Josh.

"No way," Sebastian said, "We need Rowan in Group 2. He's good with tech but you guys will manage without him. We need him on the inside."

"Why can't Rowan be in Group 1?" Frankie asked. Rowan wasn't speaking, so Tyler replied.

"Rowan would be a distraction to the guards, definitely, but not the kind we're looking for. Frankie, you take the usual girls- and a couple of Dallas' boys to linger in the doorway; just in case."

"Don't worry about us, Tyler," Dallas said with a nod, "We'll be spotting on all stations. I've got your back."

"Perfect," Tyler said, "Then that leaves Group 2 as Sebastian, Rowan, me and Ace?"

Rowan finally spoke. "Not Ace," he said quietly.

"Why not? I'm the one who suggested getting the maps, why am I suddenly uninvited?" I asked abruptly.