Chapter 677 Chapter 677
Deva sat down near the window. It had been a few hours since that moment in the storage room, and she was still struggling with keeping her brain on task.
Amari and Tripp came in and separated and sat down with the others.
Calum was talking to Illias quietly while they waited for the others to come in.
Calla came in and sat beside her. “Have you heard anything about Zain yet?”
Deva shook her head.
“Okay, everyone.” Calum straightened up and glanced around at everyone. “I got word that everything is set up for our arrival. We’ll be met with vehicles to transport everyone.” He grinned. “Space might be tight, but it’s a short drive, I’m told.”
“Teams meeting us there?” Tripp leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
Calum shook his head. “No. Liz sent two from her clan to help out.” He nodded to Creed, and Deva remembered that was his clan. “As well as Maxine sent us a few.” He glanced at Illias as he typed quickly on the keyboard. “We also have four members from some of the US hidden clans.”
“Hidden clans?” Amari looked at Tripp and then back to Calum.
“Yeah.” Calum ran his hand through his hair. “It’s safer for many there to stay hidden. They’re not officially listed with the Alliance because of Aiden Tomas and his friends. They have to stay out of sight with Tomas’ transport routes, so their clan isn’t at risk.”
Deva looked over to see Taggart nodding.
“Many have transferred to clans in Canada, but the base of the clans are still below the border.” Calum continued. “So, we have eight waiting for us and keeping an eye on the location we’re going to.”
“How long will we be there?” Asher asked.
“I don’t have all the details yet.” Calum picked up a piece of paper and looked at it. “We’re going to stagger the transports so we’re not all leaving at once.”
“Do we know which clans we’re taking everyone to?” Amari glanced briefly at her mate.
“No. Most of the kids don’t know what clan they’re from.” He turned and looked at Shaelan. “Shae hasn’t spoken to all of them yet.”
“Most of them are passed out right now because it’s the first real food they’ve had in a while.” Shaelan was leaning in the stairwell to the lower area.
Deva glanced over to see Taggart was looking back at her. She felt her face warm and looked back over at Calum.
“There will be around seven transport vehicles, I believe, but end locations haven’t been planned yet.”
“Are all of the kids okay?” Journee was looking at Shaelan.
Shaelan nodded slowly. “I can’t find any serious issues. Most are exhausted and slightly dehydrated.” She looked at Calum. “Tesha did a great job looking after them.”
Calum gave her a soft look, which made Deva look over at Taggart again. He was still watching her. She held his look for a minute and then turned her gaze back to Calum.
“When does Konner meet the sea clan?” Tripp shifted and looked anxious. Deva wondered if he was one who was always on the road too. Was any of the team members ever home for longer than a day? She couldn’t even remember the last time she went back to her clan land.
“At dusk.”
“They’ll be catching up to us after that?”
Calum nodded. “Yes. Not for long. He’ll want to get his chopper and head home with Willow.”
“Is the girl one of Konner’s clan or from the new ones they discovered today?”
“I’m not sure.” Calum glanced at Illias again. “If his meeting yields companies that are transporting our kind across the continents, we’ll be sending teams back to shut that down.”
“Burn them to the ground.” Amari’s expression was deadly serious.
Calum’s mouth quirked. “I don’t know the plans yet, but I’ll suggest that to Devin.”
Amari nodded, pleased with that.
“What about Shepard Addison? Do we have any news yet?” Calla hugged her waist and sat forward.
Calum turned and looked at Taggart.
Taggart glanced at Deva briefly and then cleared his throat. “Demir and Dobry have the place the King is.” Taggart nodded. “I just talk to Devin, and is same place the party for Christmas is to be.”
“Bonus.” Amari looked excited. “We can retrieve him and grab up Aiden and all his goons at the same time.”
Calum grinned. “Something like that. Taggart’s team members are staying on the building and watching all comings and goings.”
“Do we know when this party is yet?” Tripp was nodding his head slowly like he couldn’t sit still at the idea of it.
“Not yet. We have a few weeks.” Calum crossed his arms over his chest. “Before any asks, Devin says all the teams will be involved.”
“Whoyah!” Amari pumped her fist in the air. “It’s going to be a very, very good Christmas this year.”
Deva watched everyone in the room smile and agree. She was happy to hear that everyone would be involved.
“It’s going to be quite the task.” Calum went over to Illias and handed him back the paper. “According to Griffin and Noah, there are several levels below street level, and our kind are kept there.”
Deva stiffened. “He keeps some of them there? At his business address?”
Calum nodded. “There are cells in the lower basement.”
“Shit.” Tripp briskly rubbed his hand over his goatee. “That’s going to take some coordination with the party happening at the same time.”
“It is.” Calum glanced over at Creed. “Can you do a flyover and check for followers when we’re done here.”
Creed nodded.
“Great.” Calum looked around at everyone slowly. “Any questions?” He held up his hand. “About what we’re doing presently, not the Christmas op.”
A few of the others looked disappointed.
“I have a question.” Creed stood up. “One of the boys,” he pointed to the floor, “asked if the furry clans shed in the warm weather.” He lifted his hands out from his side. “I have feathers. I don’t know anything about fur.”
Calum laughed. “I’ll go talk to them for you.”
Deva glanced at Calla. She looked as uncertain as she did. If neither of them knew anything about it, she was going to conclude that shifters didn’t shed like wild animals.
“If everyone could find the time to mingle a bit with those below, that would help them feel more at ease when we’re moving them.” Shaelan smiled and then turned and went down the steps.
“I’ll go take a look around.” Creed went for the closest door.
Calum pulled out his phone and answered it. “Dad.” He smiled. “It’s true.” He nodded. “Hold on.” He went over and went downstairs.
Deva leaned back. She couldn’t imagine how that conversation was going to go. His father, to find out his mate is alive after this long. She blew out a breath.
“The Christmas op is going to be such a big win for the entire Alliance.”
Deva nodded and looked at Calla. “I know. It’s going to be a long wait until it gets here.”
Calla sighed. “I’m sure you can find things to do until then.” She gave her an amused look. “I think the temperature goes up in the room every time he looks at you.” She jerked her chin.
Deva followed where she was, looking to see Taggart was watching her again.
Calla leaned closer. “Amari told me.” She smiled. “He’s your mate?”
Nodding, Deva dragged her gaze away from the intense stare across the room.
“I guess it’s a little hard to get time alone right now.” Calla motioned around them.
“I’m still processing.”
Calla chuckled. “What’s to process? He’s a good man. He’s helped so many get to Canada to a safe clan.” Deva gave her a surprised look. “Slater was telling me about it. Some of Konner’s clan, and Deacon’s too, and something about Fallan, but I didn’t hear the details because that’s when we noticed the men looking for the yacht. When he told us about his scars, I wanted to cry. I can’t imagine what he’s survived.”
Deva looked down at her hands so that she wouldn’t stare at him. “It was just surprising.” She turned to her. “Getting off the plane and meeting my mate waiting there for me.”
Calla grinned. “No doubt, but with the way our world is now, I say take it before something changes.” She leaned closer again. “And he’s not at all hard to look at.”
Deva felt her face flush. “I’ve noticed that.”
Calla patted her hand. “Good. I expect details later.” She stood up. “My life is not enthusing me in any way. I’m going to go visit the kids.”
Deva watched her go down below and then turned to see Taggart sitting there watching her. She gave him a hard look, basically telling him to knock it off. He grinned and then got up and went out on the deck. Blowing out a breath, she got up. Her cat wanted to follow him, which is why she forced her feet to the stairs instead.