Page 32 of Mysteries, Menace, and Mates

Horvan and Saul stood next to the TV screen. Dellan was perched on the coffee table, a laptop on his knee, and Rael sat on a cushion beside him.

Horvan arched his eyebrows. “Good of you to join us.” He gestured to Hashtag. “Get over here.”

Hashtag wove his way through the room to the front. He gave Dellan a nod, and an image filled the screen. “This is our objective—Thurland Castle, in Carnforth, Lancashire. It’s set within ten acres of parkland, and yes, it has a moat.” He paused. “Once we narrowed the search down to two possibilities, I contacted Milo and asked him to see what he could find out.” Hashtag smiled. “This is definitely the place.”

“What’s the nearest airfield?” Brick asked.

“There’s an airstrip in Penrith, about an hour’s drive,” Hashtag told him. “It’s a remote location. The nearest inhabited place to it is Tunstall village, to the northwest.” Another nod to Dellan. “Now I’ve taken a shit-ton of surveillance photos during the past week, and Aelryn sent footage taken by the drones.” He pointed to the most southern point of the castle. “This is the only way in, through this archway on the other side of the moat.”

“What have they got in terms of security?” Crank asked.

“I’ve seen guards, but not many. They walk the periphery three times a day, but that’s all.” Hashtag grinned. “Either Theron thinks he’s impervious, or else he thinks no one knows about the place.” Then he frowned. “But that presents us with a problem. We have no idea how many people are inside.”

“We could’ve asked Fielding.” Crank snorted. “Likehewould’ve helped.”

“But we wouldn’t be where we are now if not for him—and Jake. Okay, so he didn’t help us willingly.” Doc’s tone was grave. “Just like we wouldn’t know about this place but for Seth being able to see it remotely.”

“What movement have you seen?” Jake stared at the screen.

“None apart from deliveries. No one goes in, no one comes out. And before anyone suggests using the old Trojan Truck ruse again, forget it. After what happened in Maine, to quote The Who, they won’t get fooled again.”

Aric frowned. “The what?”

Brick leaned in. “British Rock band. Before your time. In fact, before the time of nearly everyone in here. And the only reasonIknow about themis my folks used to love them.”

Jake snorted. “Careful. You’re treading on my memories.”

“And mine,” Doc added.

Dellan shook his head. “Noneof you are going in there if we have no clue what—or who—is waiting for you.”

“I agree.” Horvan smiled. “But we have a plan.” He glanced at Saul, who moved to stand in front of the screen.

“We’re going to be working with a UK-based Fridan team, led by Aelryn. We have accommodations thanks to another Fridan leader, Richard Deveraux. Aelryn says there’s plenty of space for us to use it as a base camp.”

“Usewhatas a base camp?” Roadkill demanded. “Details, gimme details.”

“We’ll be staying at Leighton Hall. And if you think that sounds pretty grand, that’s because it is. We’re talking an English stately home.” Horvan grinned. “You’d better be careful not to break anything, you got that?” He glanced at Saul. “Over to you.”

“Once we’re on the ground,” Saul continued, “we delay incursion until we’ve sent someone in to assess the location and report back on numbers.Thenwe go in, probably the next day.”

Roadkill widened his eyes. “And who exactly did you have in mind? Because getting inside will be the easy part. If they’re caught, no way will Theron simply let them walk out.”

“We have a plan for that too,” Saul informed him. “A cover story. All we have to do is make sure Theron believes it.”

Roadkill folded his arms. “Okay, but you still haven’t said who.”

Saul gazed at Eve, and Roadkill’s initial instinct was to yell,Absolutely not.

“She’s the perfect choice.” Saul smiled. “She can sound like she belongs there. She knows what to look for. And she has an advantage—her experience with the Geran forces.”

Eve glanced at Roadkill, but whatever she was thinking, she’d hidden it.

She learns fast.

Brick gaped at Saul. “She can’t go in there. They’ll know who she is. And after the last mission, they’ll know what she did.”

“We’ve planned for that too,” Saul announced. “And if all goes well, theywilllet her walk out of there.” He met Roadkill’s gaze. “Well? I’m waiting.”

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