“It’s a complicated society, fueled by warfare, not unlike many of the old-world societies,” Imulah said. “I firmly believe that the Cazadores’ martial ethos kept the Metal—er, Vanguard—Islands safe all these years.”
“How do you mean?” Rodger asked.
“Did you ever read Niccolò Machiavelli or Charles Darwin?”
“I have,” Magnolia said.
“The state of nature, and survival of the fittest,” Imulah said. “The islands are prime examples of these theories in action. If it weren’t for the warrior mentality, I’m not sure the islands would have survived.”
Magnolia agreed with a nod, but she didn’t say what she was thinking: that the warrior society hadn’t saved el Pulpo from defeat at the hands of her people. Then again, his son could still achieve victory and retake the islands.
A group of militia soldiers, led by Brett, walked into the mess, distracting her from the conversation.
“Excuse me,” Rodger said. He got up and walked over before Magnolia could stop him.
“Great,” she whispered.
“What?” Imulah asked.
Brett halted as Rodger approached.
“Hey, I think you owe Magnolia an apology,” Rodger said.
Brett’s eyes went to Magnolia and then Imulah.
“I don’t apologize to Cazador sympathizers,” he said.
“What did you say?” Magnolia called out.
Rodger stepped up closer to Brett as Magnolia got out of her seat.
“You better watch your mouth,” Rodger said. “You’re pissing everyone off, and we’re not even to the target yet.”
Brett smirked. “Like I give a shit if I piss off—”
Before the words had left Brett’s mouth, Rodger shoved him against a bulkhead. He hit it hard, then let out a scream of rage and tackled Rodger to the deck.
The entire mess hall got up from their seats to watch.
Magnolia tried to move in to help, but Rodger headbutted Brett in the nose. The crack echoed, and Brett yelped. He rolled off, holding his gushing nose.
But Rodger wasn’t finished yet. He grabbed Brett by the throat, choking him while Magnolia tried to pull him back.
“Rodge, enough!” she shouted.
Two soldiers crowded around and helped Magnolia pull Rodger off. Brett scrambled away, glaring at Rodger like a frightened, wounded animal.
“Get him out of here!” Magnolia shouted.
Brett pushed out of the soldiers’ grip and stalked off through the open hatch, again muttering something about Cazador sympathizers.
Chest heaving, Rodger watched them leave. Everyone in the mess stared at him as he wiped blood from his face.
“What y’all lookin’ at?” Rodger said.
Imulah sat back down and returned to his meal. The sailors and soldiers did the same.
“Come on,” Magnolia said to Rodger.
They left quickly, not speaking until they got to the CIC. Ton and Victor stood outside the hatch. Magnolia pulled Rodger back around the corner, out of view.
“What the hell was that all about?” she said.
“I’m sick of people talking shit.”
“Yeah, but was attacking Brett necessary?”
Rodger didn’t reply. Still breathing heavily, he opened the hatch to the CIC.
X was there, his spear arm lying across a table covered with several well-worn maps. Miles sat on the deck.
“You’re late,” X said.
General Forge, Lieutenant Colonel Ranker, and Colonel Mac were also inside, looking out the portholes at the dark water.
“Shut the hatch,” X said. “We’ve devised a plan for recon. I’ll let General Forge explain.”
General Forge stood stiffly, his stone jaw set as he looked over the map. He pointed to a bay and spoke while Lieutenant Colonel Ranker interpreted.
“The general says this is the location of the outpost, and he’s marked where the drone captured footage of Raven’s Claw and also the submarines. This is an oil refinery, and part of the reason the Outrider was set up.”
Forge then pointed to several buildings near a sprawling equipment complex. Magnolia had seen the video feed. The pump stations, vacuum pipestills, and drums were like what she had seen back at the Bloodline outpost.
“This is why we can’t nuke the island,” X said. “The oil in there will determine whether the Vanguard Islands survive or die.”
Forge pointed to the eastern part of the map and spoke.
“He says this is where he proposes sending our stealth speedboats,” Ranker said. “It’s a little over a mile hike, and it will allow Renegade and Shadow to stay out of view while two strike teams make sure the targets are still in the same place.”
“What about mines or booby traps?” Magnolia asked.
“There could be some out there, but I doubt they will be anywhere near the route we’re taking,” Mac said. “Still, I’ll bring my best scouts and minesweeping equipment.”
“It’s a good plan,” X said. “But keep in mind, this route wasn’t in the footage from Cricket, so we have no idea what conditions there will be.”
“The Barracudas can handle it,” Mac said. “I’ve requested permission to lead the scouting mission, and General Forge has accepted.”
“Good,” X said.
Forge stepped back and looked at X.
“He says once we confirm the targets are there, he will attack with the warships and take out the submarines and Raven’s Claw,” Ranker said. “Then you can go in, find Horn, and deal with him and Moreto, if she’s there.”
“What?” Magnolia asked. “What do you mean, if she’s there.”
X scratched his week-old beard.
“I’ve got classified information,” he said. “This doesn’t leave the CIC.”
“Okay,” Magnolia said.
Rodger nodded.
“First, we saw something that makes no sense,” X said.
He pulled out his personal tablet and set it on the table. Then he tabbed it on and scrolled through to the footage time-stamped ten hours and fifty minutes into Cricket’s mission.
“Here,” X said, pointing to the frozen frame.
Magnolia and Rodger looked down at what appeared to be a group of people in black suits walking outside a building at the oil refinery. But these weren’t the skinwalkers Magnolia remembered. They weren’t wearing armor or human hides, nor did they carry weapons.
“Who are they?” Magnolia asked.
“We don’t know,” X said.
“They aren’t Cazadores,” Mac said. “I can tell you that much. There are too many of them to have been crew from Raven’s Claw.”
“Maybe they’re people from bunkers or ITC facilities that Horn kidnapped and enslaved,” Magnolia said.
“That’s my guess, but there’s no way to know from the video,” X said. “What it boils down to is, the skinwalker army could be bigger than we thought.”
“I still want to know what you meant by ‘if Moreto is there,’ ” Rodger said.
“Like I said, I was going over Cricket’s footage again,” X said. “I noticed something and double-checked with several others, but there is no evidence that Colonel Moreto is at the outpost. Not a single video feed captured her.”
Magnolia swallowed, implications sinking in.
“You got to be fucking joking,” Rodger said.
“Do you think she’s…” Magnolia began to say.
“I think it’s possible she never left the islands,” X said.
“We have to warn Lieutenant Wynn,” Magnolia said.
X shook his head. “We can’t break radio silence now. Wynn is prepared for an attack, and I trust him to hold security while we’re away.”