Chapter 161: Finding the Enemy

We needed information. Needed to find the Erasers. Needed a lead.

"We interrogated fifty Eraser soldiers. All suicide before talking. All fanatics. All useless." Nina reported. Frustrated. Angry.

"There has to be another way. Another source. Another path." I paced. Thinking. Planning.

"What about the vampires? They have spies everywhere. Information networks. Secret contacts." Marcus suggested. "Let me ask around. See what I can find."

"Do it. Fast. We're running out of time." I approved.

Marcus returned three days later. Looking grim.

"I found something. Not good. Not safe. Not easy." Marcus pulled out files. "The Erasers have a headquarters. In Antarctica. Underground base. Heavily fortified. Nearly impossible to reach."

"Antarctica? That's the most remote place on Earth. Perfect hiding spot." Cole studied the location. "How do we get there? How do we attack?"

"We don't. Not directly. Too dangerous. Too protected. Too suicidal." Marcus showed defense details. "But they have supply runs. Ships bringing equipment. Food. People. Once a month. Next run is in five days."

"We intercept the ship. We board it. We infiltrate. We get inside the base." Luna understood the plan.

"Exactly. But it's risky. The ship is guarded. The crew is Eraser. The cargo is monitored. Any mistake and we're dead." Marcus warned.

"Better than waiting. Better than hiding. Better than losing." I decided. "We do it. Who's coming?"

"Small team. Elite fighters. Best of the best. Six people maximum. Any more and we're too obvious." Nina selected the team. "Me. You. Cole. Sarah. Maya. And one more."

"Thomas. Young Thomas. He's earned it. He's ready." I chose.

"He's eight years old. Looks twenty but he's still a child." Luna protested. Protective mother.

"He's also the most powerful. Most skilled. Most necessary. We need him." I was firm. "And he volunteered. Multiple times."

Through the bond Sarah and Maya supported me. Thomas was ready. Had to be. No choice.

"Fine. But he stays close. Stays protected. Stays safe." Luna gave in. Reluctantly.

We prepared. Trained. Planned every detail.

Five days later we flew to Chile. Closest point to Antarctica. Hired a boat. Tracked the supply ship.

Found it. Cargo vessel. Large. Slow. Perfect target.

We approached at night. Quiet. Dark. Invisible.

Boarded the ship. Silent. Fast. Deadly.

Took out guards. One by one. No alarms. No alerts. No warnings.

Reached the cargo hold. Hid among supplies. Waited for the ship to reach Antarctica.

"Two days to reach the base. Two days hiding. Two days hoping we're not discovered." Cole whispered. We were cramped. Uncomfortable. Tense.

"Then we make it two days. We survive. We succeed." I stayed positive.

Day one passed. No problems. No discovery. No issues.

Day two started fine. Then alarms blared. Lights flashed. Footsteps running.

"They know. Somehow they know." Sarah tensed. Ready to fight.

"Stay hidden. Maybe it's something else. Maybe not us." Maya hoped.

The cargo hold door opened. Eraser soldiers entered. Twenty of them. Armed. Searching.

"We know you're here. We know you boarded. We know your plan." A voice announced. Female. Cold. Commanding. "Come out. Surrender. Or we sink the ship. Kill everyone. Including you."

We had no choice. We stepped out. Surrounded. Outnumbered. Caught.

"Luna Triad. How predictable. How foolish. How perfect." The woman stepped forward. Leader. Commander. Enemy.

She looked familiar. Very familiar.

"Victoria? Victoria Sterling? My cousin?" I recognized her. Older. Harder. Different. But her.

"Not just your cousin anymore. I'm the Eraser Supreme Commander. Leader of the entire organization. Architect of the Guardian extinction. Mastermind of the final solution." Victoria smiled. Evil. Victorious. "And you just delivered yourselves to me. Gift wrapped. Perfect."

"You? You're leading the Erasers? After everything? After Humanity First failed? After Morrison failed? You're still trying to destroy supernatural beings?" I was shocked. Hurt. Angry.

"I never stopped. Humanity First was just one attempt. Morrison was just one ally. The Erasers are the real plan. The final plan. The successful plan." Victoria circled us. "And soon. Very soon. All Guardians will be dead. All supernatural beings will be extinct. And humanity will be safe. Forever."

"You're insane. Completely insane." Cole growled. Ready to shift. Ready to fight.

"I'm dedicated. I'm committed. I'm right." Victoria signaled. More soldiers appeared. Fifty. Hundred. Too many.

"Take them. Lock them up. Keep them alive. For now. I have plans for Luna Triad. Special plans. Painful plans. Final plans." Victoria ordered.

We were captured. Disarmed. Locked in cells. Deep in the ship.

"We walked right into a trap. Right into their hands. Right into disaster." Sarah was furious. At herself. At the situation.

"We didn't know. Couldn't know. Victoria hid perfectly." Maya tried to rationalize.

"Doesn't matter. We're caught. We're prisoners. We're in trouble." I looked at everyone. At my family. At my team. "And we need to escape. Fast. Before we reach Antarctica. Before we're taken to the base. Before we're killed."

Through the bond I felt Thomas. Young Thomas. Still free. Still hiding. Still undetected.

They'd missed him. Somehow. Some way. He was still loose on the ship.

"Thomas. Can you hear me?" I sent through family bond. Special connection. Luna power.

"I hear you. I'm hidden. They didn't find me. What do I do?" Thomas responded. Scared but brave.

"You free us. You find keys. You unlock cells. You save us." I instructed.

"I'll try. I'll do my best. I won't let you down." Thomas promised.

Our only hope. Eight year old boy. Against hundred Eraser soldiers.

On a ship heading to the most dangerous place on Earth.

With Victoria Sterling. My cousin. My enemy. My family.

Leading the organization dedicated to our extinction.

We were in trouble. Deep trouble. Possibly fatal trouble.

But we weren't dead yet. And while we lived we fought.