Free All That We Are (The Commander Book 7) by Randall Farmer

provisional plans, just as they had expected.
    “The big problem we have is that we need a Crow of similar stature to fend off Rogue Crow’s upper end tricks, or at least be a plausible threat to do so,” Carol said.
    “That may be an impossible requirement, Commander,” Sky said.  “This sort of adventure isn’t Crow-like at all.”
    “It isn’t an adventure, it’s a battle,” Carol said.  “I have some ideas along those lines, about how to approach either Guru Shadow or Guru Thomas the Dreamer, using the argument of: ‘We either win now, or we all become members of the Hunter Empire’.”
    “It won’t fly,” Sky said.  Carol glared at him, predator leaking out.  Sky leaned back involuntarily.  “Mademoiselle Arm, the psychology isn’t right.”  Sky turned to Sinclair.  “Sinclair, would you go in on this attack?”
    Sinclair’s eyes widened in an ‘oh my God!’ fashion.  “Me?  I don’t want to be within a thousand miles of such a thing.”
    “Fuck.  I don’t understand this at all,” Kali said.  “Why is this any different than the Rogue Focus fight in Houston?”
    “Because Houston was a defensive action, ma’am,” Sky said.
    “It looked offensive to me,” Carol said.
    Sky put his head into his hands.  “I’m sorry.  I don’t know how to explain it any better.”
    “I think I understand,” Ann said.  Although new to the councils of the powerful, she had the feel of someone comfortable in her place and knowledge.  “In Houston, you were freeing the beleaguered Crows, Focuses and Transforms of Houston from Rogue Focus.  There are no beleaguered Crows and Focuses in Chicago, save for the ones who are part of the Hunter households.  Their captivity is an entirely different problem, and your planned attack would endanger the Chicago Transforms more than the Hunters currently are.”
    Kali exchanged glances with Carol, who shrugged.  “That just means we’ll have to sell it better.”
    “Good luck with that, ma’am,” Sky said, a very low whisper.
    Carol fumed.
    Duke Hoskins cleared his throat.  “Ma’am?”
    Lori turned to him.  “Duke Hoskins?  Feel free to jump right in.”
    He cleared his throat again.  “Even if you solve your political problem, I don’t believe your plan will work.”
    “Why?” Lori said.
    “These Hunters, unless they’re radically different than we Nobles, will not think of Chicago as their territory.  After you defeat the first Hunter and his pack, the others will go mobile.”  That earned Duke Hoskins a Tiamat growl, which didn’t bother him one bit.  He actually looked pleased, and he leaned forward and exuded Beastly predator.  “Our territory isn’t Boston.  We don’t even like Boston much – it stinks and is full of far too many normals.  Our territory is all of New England.  We like wide open spaces, places where you can run .”
    “Oh,” Carol said.  “That makes sense.  Thank you very much, sir.”
    “That’s what was eating you, Commander, wasn’t it?” Kali said.  Carol nodded.  She chewed her lip.
    “You have another idea, don’t you, Commander,” Tonya said.
    Carol’s face turned to stone.  She did have another idea, one she had been unwilling to share.
    “Come on, out with it.”
    The room grew quiet.
    “I want it on the record that you asked for this,” Carol said.  All eyes turned to Lori, who nodded.  “Okay, then.  Our deadline is simple: we must defeat Rogue Crow and the Hunters before the Rickenbach wedding.  The idea I’ve been sitting on is to use the wedding as a trap , where we lure in the Hunters and Rogue Crow and fight them there.  Sweeten the pot by having as many out-of-town Focuses attend as we can scare up.  Make it appear to be guarded by the usual half-assed Focus bodyguards and us Arms, who the Hunters still discount as ‘the Monster form of Focuses’.  Hide a large amount of our strength away from the wedding and reception, or inside, ready to show