United as One (Lorien Legacies #7)(15)

“Yeah, yeah,” interrupts Nine, clearly bored. “Most of us have had the shit luck to be stuck in the place once or twice. It’s their big base.”

When Nine is done speaking, Lawson lets the ensuing silence linger. Behind him, the twins bristle at this breach of decorum. Lawson stares at Nine like he might an out-of-line cadet, but Nine doesn’t even notice. He’s right back to doodling explosions on a piece of US Army stationery.

“We’re aware of the base,” John says diplomatically. Or maybe just without any emotion. “We infiltrated it once before, but we’ve never had the resources to properly attack it until now.”

Lawson nods at that and seems about to respond. Before he can, I lean forward to look at Ella. Maybe she knows why he’s parked himself in West Virginia and hasn’t made good on any of his threats.

“Ella, why has Setrákus Ra stopped the Anubis there? What is . . . what is he waiting for?”

All eyes turn to Ella, although a lot of the military people look uncomfortable to be gathering intelligence from a preteen girl sparking with otherworldly energy. Ella looks equally uncomfortable with all the attention, and she emits a harmless flare of Loric energy when she opens her mouth to respond.

“Do you want . . . ?” She hesitates. “Do you want me to make contact with him?”

“Whoa, hold on—,” I say.

“Can you do it without him knowing?” John asks Ella. “Without putting yourself in danger?”

“I think so. If I’m quick,” Ella says, and then before anyone can protest, she closes her eyes. The glow emanating from her skin intensifies once again.

Everyone in the room goes silent, watching Ella warily. It’s a little bit like being at a séance.

“She’s a telepath,” Sam explains lamely, looking around at the baffled faces.

With a gasp, Ella opens her eyes. A whole lot of people jump, myself included. I can’t help it. Ella’s a little creepy.

“You okay?” John asks her.

She nods, taking a deep breath. “He almost sensed me,” she says, a note of pride in her voice. “His mind is busy. He was hurt badly.” Here Ella glances at me, and my stomach tightens. “His trueborn aides placed him in the vats to accelerate the healing process.”

“They use the vats to grow their soldiers—,” John begins to explain to Lawson.

“We already know about the vats,” he says, waving this off. “Do you have any idea when he’ll be done with . . . whatever he’s doing? When the attacks will resume?”

Ella shakes her head. “His wounds were almost fatal,” she says. “They would’ve killed someone without his augmentations.”

I feel a brief swelling of pride at that. Pride and a massive ache of missed opportunity. If I’d only hit him a little harder.

“We talking hours? Days? A week?” Lawson persists.

“I can’t be sure. More than hours, I’d guess, but probably not days . . .” Ella cocks her head, remembering another detail that clearly troubles her. “There are also others down there with him.”

“In the vats?” John asks.

“Yes,” Ella replies.

Nine makes a face. “Like, floating in goop together? Damn, that’s nasty.”

“The vats work differently than before, now that they’re powered with what . . . what he stole from us,” Ella continues. “While he heals, Setrákus Ra is also working. He is— I don’t know exactly. These others with him, he is making them into something new.”

I don’t like the sound of that. Judging by the faces around the table, no one does. I remember back to that vision of Setrákus Ra’s past that we all shared—how hell-bent he was to grant people Legacies. That’s got to be what he’s doing down there.

Before I can say anything, Lawson butts in, his head cocked. “What did Setrákus Ra steal from you?”

Ella first looks at me, then at John, like she’s asking for permission to tell Lawson that Setrákus Ra mined a bunch of Loric energy from the ground in Mexico. I don’t know how honest we’re supposed to be with these people; my instinct is, not very. I’m sure everyone on our side of the table has figured out what that scumbag is up to, but it doesn’t seem wise to share that information with the military. No need to freak them out any more than we need to. Or give them any ideas about what’s possible when you hideously exploit a resource.

I’m relieved when John subtly shakes his head in response to Ella.

Ella turns back to Lawson. “Something precious to our people,” she says.

Lawson seems to know there’s more to the story, but he doesn’t press the matter. Instead, he motions to one of the officers standing by the door. The guy immediately exits, off to fetch something for his boss. I get a sinking feeling. Mysterious hand signals are always a bad sign.

“All right, then. If we’re ready to discuss counterstrike opportunities—,” Lawson begins.

“About time,” mutters Nine.

“—we should have all our intelligence assets available,” Lawson finishes.

At that moment, the officer who Lawson sent scurrying into the hall a second ago returns. He leads in two guards, both of them armed with assault rifles and in full combat gear. They don’t take their eyes off the prisoner who stands between them, shackled hand and foot, and looking close to exhaustion.