Free Nocturnal by Jami Lynn Saunders Page A

away,” Piper said.
    â€œApparently she adjusted it to draw them here, which is why I had you destroy it,” Rebecka said.
    The woman lying on the ground began to stir, and Rebecka nudged her with her foot. “Why, prophetess? Why did you do it?”
    â€œBecause I’ve had other visions,” the woman croaked. “Horrible visions. It’s better we all die and let the ferals take the city. Eventually, they’ll die out on their own. If we save them all, we’ll repeat the same mistakes our forefathers made. We’ll experience global destruction again and again.”
    â€œThat’s not your choice to make,” Piper said. “I think a meeting before the council will correct this fault.”
    â€œIt won’t correct it,” Rebecka said. “But it’ll put her away for a long time. That is, if the rest of us survive.”
    Piper took the prophetess Mariana before the council, while Rebecka and Salvatore returned to the doctor and the others. Destroying the machine had ended their distress.
    â€œShe reprogrammed a frequency generator we had for repelling ferals,” Rebecka explained to Jack. “She recalculated it to attract them. It’s probably been drawing them for months.”
    â€œAll we can do now is keep making more canisters,” Jack said.
    â€œI’ve been thinking, Jack,” Abby said. “If we cure some of the ferals, won’t the uncured attacked the cured?”
    â€œIt’s a possibility. What do you suggest?”
    â€œI suggest we pull back the hyenas, let the ferals cross the bridge into that large clearing and then gas them all at once. We could mask the men with the un-scenting salve like they used on you, then hide out in the trees. We keep our defensive line above the clearing in case some ferals make it through.”
    â€œI like it,” Jack said. “If it works, we can save thousands on both sides. But the salve won’t stick with all the rain. Still, we’ll apply it anyway.”
    â€œI’ll contact Rathbone,” Rebecka said. “If this works, the population of Olympia is going to skyrocket.”

The rain continued. Piper finally accepted that Gabriel was dead—until they received a signal. The Morse code simply stated, “Ferals moving in fast. Rains too heavy. Had to land. Return soon.”
    â€œGabriel,” she whispered. Her tears mingled with rain as she returned to the hospital lab.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, momma?” Pippa asked.
    â€œI’m fine,” she replied. “Your father is still alive. They had to land because of the storm.”
    Jack listened, knowing Gabriel’s hours were numbered. The doctor continued to facilitate the creation of the airborne cure, Rebecka serving as his eyes. The city of Olympia was on edge, its fear palpable, but its determination still strong.
    â€œIt’s organized,” Abby shouted as she and Salvatore entered the small building, dripping wet from the downpour.
    â€œRathbone and the hyenas are above the clearing?” Rebecka asked.
    â€œYes,” Aiden said. “They’re situated in the treetops and ready for action. But Rathbone says we need more bombs. They don’t have enough.”
    â€œWe just sent another load,” Rebecka said. “They’ll receive it within the hour. Jack is working on the final batch.”
    Jack Tanner, Rebecka Hayes, the Reyes women, Salvatore, Aiden, Rathbone, and every human, werecat, hyena, and nocturnal spanning the mountain continued to work nonstop, despite the rain. They knew they had only one chance, and they worked tirelessly throughout the day. Dusk finally settled. Jack Tanner’s black eyes widened, and he stared blindly around the room at his friends. He set down a small gas-filled canister and quietly announced, “It’s begun.”
    Rathbone looked down the slope, staring through night vision goggles, but nothing had stirred. All