April Rosevolt
"I can only hope that Reginald got our message and has relayed it to Damea. I have a feeling that we'll be needing his skill with fire when the time comes. I also strongly believe that with you we have a better chance than we ever did. You're much stronger than a Therian and with a little more training, you'll be better than we are when it comes to a fight. Those hybrids are built to kill Therian's. We're lucky to have you, April."
April let loose a slight chuckle at the irony of his statement as they stood outside of the camp entrance together. She was glad for the chance to be away from constant reminders of her condition. Touya didnât sense it much, but April knew not all of the therians trusted her. It was inevitable given many of them had lost loved ones, friends and family to her kind. Most of the slander was kept behind backs, especially with Touyaâs sensitivities, but it was something that needed to be addressed eventually. Before they reached a boiling point. Now with Val and his company invading the camp, her prospects of antagonism would likely increase, further exacerbating her headaches.
Maybe she would have to talk with them later. She sighed and glanced around at their environment, searching for a chance to escape again perhaps. On one side there was the constant hustle of therian activities, the deep rings of weapons and armor being expertly crafted. To the right of her was the incessant chirping of crickets. A cool breeze blew straight through the columns of dark knile wood, forcing her to rub her hands against her triceps. Not that it worked for the metallic properties of her limbs carried the heat away faster than flesh. Instead, she welcomed the cold as a physical diversion from the pains inside of her head.
âLucky to have a hybrid who canât even activate her wrist blades properly?â she grimaced, mentally chastising her own weaknesses. âRage isnât a reliable source of empowerment if thatâs what youâre hinting at.â
âWeâve had less than a week to train. How good are my prospects Touya? How good could they possibly be? They have an army of hybrids. One meager reject isnât going to do squat in such a situation,â the woman admitted, gazing deep into his blue eyes. She wasnât pleading for false hope or trying to fool herself. âWe canât stay away from Val forever Touya. Soon, weâll be fighting together. If the situation is as grim as youâre painting it, perhaps we donât have that luxury.â
She smiled softly and then hugged the uneasy therian, tiptoeing to drape her arms around his neck. The gesture was more for her own sake, a counter to the faint trembles that threatened to wrack her tiny frame. Speaking such blasphemous words didnât come easily to the former lieutenant, but she was trying to keep the greater picture in mind. After a few moments she stepped down and started to head back into camp.
âIâll leave you to your cooking shall I? Try not to poison Valâs food while youâre at it,â she laughed.
Dean âHavocâ Reginald
One didnât just relocate an entire facilityâs personnel and equipment on a whim. It took a predacious amount of organization and manpower to do so. Over the course of the next few days, the rebels packed as much equipment as they could carry. Supply and travel routes were rigorously planned in anticipation for their journey. Though their destination was relatively close, they needed to be ready for anything.
The overall plan was to move out in waves, thereby reducing suspicion. They prioritized members who were integral to devising the next stage of their mission. Included in the first wave of a dozen or so people were Damea, Miles, Kim and Abigail. Abigail as she obviously oversaw all their operations and Kim for his invaluable military experience. It was vital for them to convene with the therians first and discuss their plans, assuming the therians could be trusted.
Their local projects had almost ground to a halt as more manpower was directed into preparation. Reading the dispatch papers in front of him, Reginald noted that less than twelve agents were currently active in the field. News had slowly started to filter in now, rumors really of Victorâs attack on the therians. Though the information hadnât been made public knowledge yet, it certainly explained a lot of the contents in Touyaâs letter.
âAre there any last things you need before I head off?â Abigail said. As ever, the fiery red head exuded a slick veneer of calm surety. Unlike the others of her group, she wasnât carrying a backpack, likely having burdened another poor soul with her gear.
âNo, we should be all set on this end. I only hope the therians have a plan in mind other than an upfront battle. Thatâs exactly what Victor wants,â Reginald replied from the other side of his office desk. He wasnât much of a logistics officer, but with the shortage of workers just about everyone had been forced to double up on jobs. âAny thoughts on what might happen?â
Abigail tapped the bottom of her chin, âSometimes the best way to beat an opponent is to attack their strengths, though Iâm obviously referring to Victor here. No use playing mental games with a brain dead hybrid. The hybrids are the perfect army, almost. No hunger, no need to sleep, fearless and immune to pain to top it all off. We might as well be walking to our deaths.â
Reginald frowned at her observations. Though he was the one to discover such findings based on his surveillance of April, the woman had a habit of exaggerating facts. âDestroying the facility will stop the production, but what do we do with the current hybrids? They will continue to exist unless addressed.â
âWho knows, but someone has to stop Victor.â