Chapter 91 Callum's Preparation
CALLUM
The letter arrived six hours ago. Since then, I've been organizing the rescue operation.
Tom sits across from me, studying the hand-drawn map. "Five magical wards. I can break them, but it'll cost."
"How much?"
"Fae magic counters human magic effectively. But wards this strong? I'll manage three, maybe four before backlash knocks me out." He traces the ward positions. "After that, I'm useless for combat."
"You don't need to fight. Just get us inside." I mark the entry point on our copy of the map. "Break the wards, fall back to the vehicles with Isla. We handle extraction."
"And if alarms trigger?"
"We move fast. In and out before response teams arrive."
Isla joins us, medical kit packed. "I'm not comfortable with this. You're taking eight wounded wolves against fortified position."
"We've got insider help. Someone unlocked Valentina's cell. Placed weapons throughout the building. Gave us optimal timing." I show her the letter again. "Dawn attack. Vampires are weakest during daylight."
"Vampires are never weak." Isla's not convinced. "Sluggish maybe. But still dangerous."
"Less dangerous than at midnight. That's why the letter specifically says come at dawn." I stand, start gathering weapons. "We need silver bullets, stakes, UV flashlights, fae-blessed blades. Everything that kills vampires efficiently."
Tom pulls out a cloth bundle. "Got the fae-blessed blades from my contacts. Six of them. Cold iron mixed with silver, blessed under moonlight. They'll cut through vampire flesh like butter."
"Good." I distribute them to the fighters. Danny gets one. Three others who've proven themselves in combat. "These are backup weapons. Primary is still guns with silver bullets."
"What about body armor?" Danny asks.
"Everyone wears vests. Won't stop silver bullets completely but might prevent fatal hits." I check the pile of equipment. "We've got eight vests. Enough for the combat team."
"Who's the combat team?" Isla asks.
"Me, Tom initially for ward breaking, Danny, Marcus, James, and Sarah. Six fighters total." I look at Tom. "You fall back after wards are broken. That leaves five of us for actual extraction."
"Five against how many guards?"
"Letter says twelve hunters stationed around the building. But at dawn, some will be off-duty. Estimate eight active guards." I mark their positions on the map. "We avoid them where possible. Engage only if necessary."
Sibyl appears in the doorway. She looks exhausted. "I had another vision."
Everyone stops. Sibyl's visions are rarely good news.
"What did you see?" I ask.
"Three futures. In one, you succeed. Valentina extracted, minimal casualties. In another, you're captured. Mordaunt turns you into thrall. In the third..." She pauses. "Everyone dies. Valentina included."
"What determines which future happens?"
"Timing. Approach angle. Whether the insider help is genuine or trap." She sits down heavily. "Too many variables. I can't see clearly which path leads where."
"But success is possible."
"Possible. Not probable." Sibyl meets my eyes. "The vision where you succeed? It requires perfect execution. No mistakes. No delays. Everything exactly as planned."
"Then we execute perfectly." I return to the map. "Entry point is west side. Tom breaks wards here, here, and here. Creates gap in magical defenses. We breach at 7:05 AM exactly. Four fighters enter. Two guard the exit."
"Why 7:05 specifically?" Marcus asks.
"Shift change. Guards rotate at 7:00. Five minutes of confusion while new shift settles in. That's our window."
"The letter didn't mention shift change," Isla points out.
"No, but standard security protocol does. I'm assuming they follow standard procedures." I check my watch. "We leave here at 6:30. Gives us twenty minutes to position and prepare."
"That's thirty minutes from now," Danny realizes.
"Yes. Everyone gear up. Final weapons check. Then we move."
The crew disperses. Checking equipment, loading magazines, preparing for combat.
Isla pulls me aside. "Callum, if this goes wrong..."
"If it goes wrong, you lead. We've discussed this."
"I'm not a fighter."
"Neither was I before prison. You'll learn." I grip her shoulder. "Keep the shelters running. Keep helping newly turned wolves. That's what matters. Not revenge. Not politics. Just helping people survive."
"You're talking like you won't come back."
"I might not. These odds are terrible." I'm honest with her. Always have been. "But Valentina's in there. We can't leave her."
"Even if rescuing her kills everyone?"
"Even then." I check my weapons. "Because if we abandon her, what are we? Just another pack that sacrifices people for convenience. I won't be that."
Isla's quiet for moment. "You're either very brave or very stupid."
"Definitely stupid. Jury's out on brave." I finish my weapons check. "But stupid or not, we're going."
Tom calls everyone together. "Final briefing. Wards break in sequence. West ward first, then north, then south. Creates triangular gap in defenses. You'll have ninety seconds before magical backlash forces me to stop. Use that time to breach."
"Ninety seconds?" That's tight.
"Best I can do. Wards are strong. Fae magic works but there's always cost." Tom's already looking drained. "After ninety seconds, I'm out. You're on your own for everything else."
"Ninety seconds is enough." I address the whole team. "Listen up. This is precision operation. No heroics. No unnecessary risks. We get Valentina and we leave. Anyone who tries to be hero gets left behind. Clear?"
"Clear," they chorus.
"Good. Roles one more time. Tom: wards. Me and Danny: extraction. Marcus and James: exit security. Sarah: vehicle coordination with Isla. Everyone knows their job?"
Nods all around.
"Then gear up. We leave in fifteen minutes."
The next fifteen minutes pass quickly. Final preparations. Last-minute adjustments. Quiet goodbyes in case they're permanent.
At 6:28, we're ready.
Eight fighters. Limited equipment. Desperate plan.
I look at my crew. They're scared. Wounded. Exhausted from weeks of running.
But they're here. Ready to risk everything for one person.
That's what community means. That's what we're building.
"If I don't come back," I say before we leave, "Isla leads. Keep the shelters running. That matters more than revenge."
"You're coming back," Danny insists.
"Maybe. But if I don't, promise me. The work continues."
"We promise," Isla says quietly.
"Good." I head for the door. "Let's go get our friend."
We pile into vehicles. Three cars. Two fighters per car plus drivers.
The drive to the blood club takes eighteen minutes. London traffic is light this early but we're careful. Can't risk police attention.
At 6:49, we park two blocks from target.
Tom gets out first. Approaches the building carefully. I watch him work.
He can see the wards. Shimmering barriers of magical energy invisible to everyone else. He pulls out his fae-blessed knife.
Cuts the first ward. It sparks. Dissolves.
One down. Four to go.