When the sun dipped behind distant mountains, Neige, Thorne, and Haze sat cross-legged on the rocky ground in a semicircle.

Haze motioned to Will and Terra. "We have a ritual we do before every operation. Join us."

Terra grunted as Will helped lower her to the ground and then sat close beside her. Neige opened a weathered wooden box beside him and pulled out an ancient Cognac bottle. Pouring measures into five shot glasses, he passed them around, with Terra's glass only half full by her request. They raised their glasses.

Neige made the toast, notable in of itself since he usually spoke so little. "Thank you, friends, old and new. It is my honor that you fight at my side. To success!"

Glasses tipped back in unison. The fine liquor that warmed her insides felt like confidence itself. This group was truly a team. The stony focused expressions now on the faces of Neige and his men encouraged her.

The men and Terra gathered their equipment and made their way to assigned positions. She stopped on the rocky ridge that overlooked their truck on one side and the compound on the other. Haze laid six mortar shells at her feet. A set of fighting spikes, liberated from the Enforcers they defeated two days prior, stood ready, stuffed in her boots. Terra's assigned role was to watch the road, warning the team if anyone approached and, if needed, to provide cover in a retreat.

Will carried only a handgun. Neige at first would not even allow that, but relented when Terra assured him that he knew how to handle it and Will promised he would only use it in an emergency.

Drawing Terra into his arms, Will kissed her deeply, inducing a pleasant warmth within her. His last repeat of a lecture about staying out of the action had earned him an irritated look, so he did not mention it again. Instead, he whispered in her ear. "I love you both. Be safe."

Terra smiled and whispered in return, "And we love you."

Before parting, Will put a hand on her belly. "How is our little girl doing?"

"She is quiet. I take that as a good sign."

Will followed the mercenaries down the hill. They wound around large rocks and brush to avoid detection, approached the main entrance, and stopped behind a berm about 50 meters from an iron grid gate. As the light faded, Terra could barely make them out. She did not dare shift to the aura yet because of the detection risk.

Thorne's voice came over the tactical earpiece she wore. "Terra, we are go. Do you copy?"

She replied, "Copy. Everything is good here. Good luck."

As per the plan, everyone shut off their communication devices for a moment. Neige, Thorne, and Will advanced toward the gate. Holding back, Haze triggered a directional electromagnetic pulse device, emitting a sharp twang, intended to disable any electronic monitoring systems they believed to be present in the compound.

Thorne made quick work of wrenching open the gate with a long pry-bar, and the three of them entered silently. Haze waited at the gate to cover them. So far, no guards were encountered.

Per plan, Terra shifted the aura while keeping her presence as faint as she could. Two glowing figures appeared. They flashed brighter, pulsing in the aura, and apparently aware that something was wrong.

She radioed, "Will, now!"

Will's Darkness cast took Terra's breath away, dizzying her. Even far away from Will, her mind swayed, and she staggered. Had she not steadied herself against a nearby tree, she might have collapsed to the ground. Those with Talent inside the compound would surely be disabled.

That was intense.

Terra's heart rate increased as the blunt pops of gunshots rang out from within the compound. But they were single shots, rather than automatic fire, precision rather than desperation. A good sign, she hoped.

With no reason to hide now, Terra shifted fully into the aura. She encountered no bright aura signatures, so the Enforcers were still down. She watched the movement of faint signatures within the compound, although she was not always sure who they were.

More gunshots rang out. This time it was Haze firing from cover at the front gate near the perimeter wall.

He made a call over his com. "Terra, would you lay a shell on two targets about thirty meters north of me?"

Terra touched her ear. "I see them. On its way."

She telekinetically lifted a mortar shell and launched it. Within the aura, she guided it to the target as Haze ducked down. The thundering flash shattered anything left of the night calm.

"Perfect!" Haze exclaimed. "Good throw, Terra."

Terra smiled at the compliment, but then a sudden stirring of her daughter within startled Terra. She grasped her belly.

What are you trying to tell me, little one?

Fearing this might be a warning, she scanned the area both visually and with the aura. There, in the distance, two sets of headlights rumbled up the road.

Terra said over the com system. "Neige, we have two vehicles approaching on the road. Two kilometers away, but coming fast."

"We are not done here," Neige replied. "Terra, do what you can to delay them. Haze, fall back and assist."

Haze came on. "Copy. On my way, Terra."

With only a half-moon providing dim illumination, Terra scanned the road through the aura and searched for ways to slow the trucks' progress. A long bridge over a rocky wash would do. She closed her eyes and focused on nearby boulders, telekinetically pushing them, one by one, until a rock barrier formed in front of the bridge. She smiled at the result.

That should slow them down.

Haze came up beside Terra, sounding a coded whistle so as not to startle her. He removed a night vision scope from his pack, put it to his eye, and gazed down the road. "Confirm two Dynasty military trucks approaching," he said over the com. "How much time do you need?"

Thorne replied. "Hostages now secure. We need ten minutes for extraction."

More gunfire broke out from the compound. This time it included automatic fire. Terra shuddered. I hope that is only cover fire for their withdrawal. Be safe, Will.

As the trucks skidded to a stop before the blocked bridge. Terra lifted a mortar shell and sent it flying, but before it hit home, it veered away, exploding harmlessly in the desert sands. Their Talents are resisting me.

Bright flashes appeared in the aura as the boulders on the bridge moved aside. The barrier would not last long.

She radioed, "There is strong Talent with the trucks. Likely Enforcers. Is Will available?"

Neige replied, "Negative. It is not safe to send him alone. We will come out together."

Terra recalled the secret condition she demanded before agreeing to assist in this rescue operation. Neige had to promise to look after Will's safety. It was up to her and Haze for now to slow the advancing Dynasty troops.

Terra turned to Haze. "Are we close enough that you could fire on them?"

"Yes," he replied, "but accuracy is not good this far."

"It doesn't have to be. I just need you to keep their Talent distracted while I lay a trap."

Haze supported his rifle on a rock and nodded ready. Terra lifted three mortar shells before her.

"Now."

Haze fired at the trucks in short bursts of automatic fire. As Terra expected, an Enforcer raised a shield to protect them from the darts while another continued to move the boulders. Terra launched the first mortar toward the trucks on a ballistic trajectory, letting gravity take over. Immediately afterward, she sent the other two, but on a lower guided path. Again, as expected, the first mortar veered from its flight and exploded well away from the trucks in a rumbling flash. Terra set gently down the other two shells on each side of the bridge, near the railing and on the opposite end from the trucks.

Haze jumped up and took Terra by the hand. "We need to move. They are preparing to fire on our position."

He led her further along the ridge as darts riddled the ground where they once stood, then gazed through his night-vision scope again.

Terra, sheltered behind a rock, turned toward Haze. "Tell me when they move on to the bridge."

"The last boulder was just removed. They are starting across."

Putting fingers to her forehead, Terra shifted fully into the aura and focused on the two mortar shells that laid in wait. As the first truck pulled near, she detonated them, the percussive sound echoing off rocky hills. The truck shook and crashed into the bridge abutment, essentially blocking the bridge again. Hoping that the Enforcers were at least stunned from the explosions, she sent flying the last mortar shell toward the other truck behind. It struck true, disabling it in a fiery explosion.

Haze turned toward her with a crooked grin. "Outstanding!"

Just then, Will and Neige appeared, running over the ridge. Will carried a frightened little girl in his arms while Neige held on to the hand of a blonde-haired woman, presumably his wife. Thorne came into view a moment later with his rifle shouldered, scanning the path from which they came.

Thorne shook his head at the sight of two burning trucks down the road and turned toward Terra and Haze. "You two have been busy. How did you do that?"

Neige growled. "Story time later. We need to move out of here."

They hurried into the truck with Haze taking the wheel, Thorne in front beside him, and the rest in the back. The electric motor wound up to a high-pitch whir. Terra held her belly as the bounced along the rocky side road.

The woman sang softly to the sobbing little girl in her arms, while Neige wrapped a muscular arm around them both.

On the opposite side bench, Terra leaned against Will. She jerked up and cast Will a wide-eyed look as the baby within her kicked.

Before Will could inquire, the truck braked hard and skidded to a stop. Those in the back leaned forward into the deceleration as loose items slid along the floor. Terra would have tumbled to the floor had Will not steadied her. Haze shifted into reverse. The wheels kicked up dust and pebbles as he stomped on the accelerator.

Thorne yelled back. "Hostiles ahead!"

Barely a second later, darts tore through the truck, whistling and pinging with deadly intent. Neige pushed his wife and daughter to the floor, covering them with his body, while Will did the same for Terra.

Laying on her side and without even thinking, Terra shifted fully into the aura and sent a desperate telekinetic pressure pulse blindly ahead. The sheer power of it sent tingles down her spine.

The truck slowed and stopped. Thorne jumped out with his rifle shouldered, running ahead, but then lowered it. He shrugged at Haze through the dart-holed windscreen.

Neige grasped at his wife, yelling out, "Kori!"

Kneeling on the floor, Kori clutched at her neck, blood oozing out between her fingers. Her mouth and eyes opened wide as she desperately gasped for breath.