Page 84 of House of Kallan
“In hindsight, I believe that, but there’s no way we could have known,” Iker said. He was hugging Jex to him like he’d been lost. Jex looked slightly amused, but I could also see the haunted look in his eyes that he tried to hide.
“They wanted to take back what was stolen from them?” Maryn asked.
Tatum shrugged. “It was likely happenstance that they broke through the barriers into the room where the kids we’d received last were being groomed, but… why not?”
“I might believe that except Haven wasn’t the only building under attack,” Kohara said. “There were a dozen others. On the list were one of the sanctuary programs that Temp works for, our weapons and research department, the HQ administrative building, and the archives. Honestly, I think they were trying to cripple The Harem Project, wrongly thinking that they are behind the resistance against them.”
“They are,” Tatum said. “They’re just not the active runners.”
“Those were the places where HP would feel the impact the most,” Bastian mused. “Thatwouldhave handicapped us a bit if all those departments were taken out. I hate to say it, but the families they attacked were definitely a distraction.”
“How did they know we’d respond?” Declan asked.
“I think they were taking their chances more than anything. Maybe tracking who showed up where, assuming that those same people would have been the ones to respond to the attack on HP,” Maryn said.
“If that’s the case, they weren’t wrong,” Kohara said. “I definitely would have responded to The Harem Project being attacked.”
There were several nods around the group.
“Was that the goal or were they attempting to retrieve something valuable?” Idris mused.
“We responded in the heat of the moment,” Kohara said. “When we were attacked on the mountain, it didn’t take us long to determine that they weren’t there for the kill. They were there to abduct. This was different. They went to the houses to kill.”
“But that’s not what they were doing at Haven,” Tatum said. “Once they had a big enough hole in the wall, they were trying to take the kids.”
“Then we can surmise that the six families were a distraction, yes. The operatives sent there were on assignment to kill. But those that went to Haven were there to retrieve? And perhaps those that went to the other sites of HP were on the sameassignment. What they were after—besides the kids and possibly the pregnant women—is still up for debate,” Kohara said.
“If HP had been better prepared, we might have found someone with a coherent thought to keep alive and question,” Iker said.
“The only place we’re going to find them is within their own facilities. They only send those they consider expendable out,” Maryn said.
“Pity,” Iker said.
“I think we need to reach out to the other families. Give them a warning,” Idris said. “Make sure they know what to expect. Assure everyone that whoever shows up will be there with the intent to kill. More than anything, warn them they’ll be facing children with the same agenda.”
“It seems that was what caused all six families to lose someone because they couldn’t bring themselves to believe that children were attacking them,” Hadrian said. “I’m not sure we’d have reacted any differently had we not been so involved with Haven recently.” He looked at Tatum, giving her a soft smile.
“But we all hesitated upon seeing them,” Declan said. “The difference was that we’d been seeing them for a while as we worked to find the Breeding Houses. On some level, we knew that we’d be facing these kids, eventually. Even if it was on a subconscious level.”
“Maybe we should suggest that they buddy up,” Kohara said thoughtfully. “If each family has a buddy family or two, that would strengthen their numbers and their chances. If they choose families from different classes, it’ll give them a wider array of weapons at their disposal.”
“Individually, we’re strong; but together, we’re an army all ourselves,” Idris said.
“Maybe that’s the answer,” Maryn said, sitting forward. “We’re weaker when split up. Our Savages can attest to that. They’re a strong motherfucking family, but even they could be overwhelmed. But if we’re together, right there, if Silence wantsto make a statement, they’re going to have to come at us with guns blazing like the Fourth of fucking July.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“You want us to establish an army?”
Maryn shook her head. “No. But we can learn a thing or two from a military base. I think we should shut down our individual homesteads and build a base. With all of us there. Our kids. Our families. Everyone we need to protect.” She looked at Tatum. “We’ll reestablish Haven there, where we can make sure those kids and the women are safe. We’ll invite the families on the list to join us.”
“With some clearance,” Iker said, frowning.
She waved her hand. “Details can be worked out. But think about it.Wemight not have lost someone today, but it very well could have gone the other way. The families we went to protect have all lost someone. That could have been us. When help arrived, they bolstered again. It likely would have been a fucking massacre had we not come.”
“I’m in,” Idris said. “My family is in.”
“You think they will be?” Iker asked.
