Chapter 28: Rescue mission

SERA

The scouts returned within two hours.

"Seven guards," the lead scout reported, spreading a hurriedly drawn map on the table. "Vivian is inside, on the second floor. We spotted your sister through a window, alive but restrained."

"Entrances?" Kade asked.

"Front door, loading dock at the back, side window on the first floor." The scout pointed to each location. "Guards are positioned here, here, and here, two at the front, three at the back, two patrolling inside."

"Seven guards and Vivian," Marcus said. "Against how many of us?"

"Doesn't matter," I said, standing. "I'm going in."

"Sera.."

"We're going now Kade." I looked at him, and he nodded.

"Fine, here's the plan." "Sera goes in and draws attention, Marcus, you take four fighters through the back during the chaos, get to Lila and rescue her."

"And Vivian?" I asked.

"She's yours," Kade said simply. "Do what you need to do."

Minutes later, we were moving through the forest toward the warehouse. My power eager and ready. I'd spent weeks learning control, learning to hold back.

Tonight, I wasn't holding back anything.

The warehouse appeared through the trees, a dark structure that had clearly been abandoned for years. Broken windows, rusted metal, exactly the kind of place someone would use to hide a kidnapping victim.

"Remember the plan," Kade said quietly. "You create a distraction, we get Lila out."

"I remember."

He caught my arm before I could move forward. "Sera, don't lose yourself in there, stay in control."

"I will," I met his eyes. "But Vivian is going to pay for what she did."

"Good."

I walked toward the front entrance alone. Two guards stood outside, they saw me approach and raised their weapons.

"That's far enough," one called out. "This is private property."

I didn't slow down.

"I said stop.."

Silver light exploded from my body.

The power hit them like a wave, throwing both guards backward onto the floor. They crumpled, unconscious before they hit the ground.

I opened the warehouse door.

Inside was a large, open space filled with old crates and rusted machinery. Three more guards rushed toward me, weapons out.

"Stop her!" one yelled.

I raised my hand, and power surged forward in a blast. The first guard flew backward, the second tried to shift into his wolf form but I caught him mid transformation, my power forcing him to his knees with a command he couldn't resist.

The third guard was smarter, he fired his weapon.

The bullet didn't reach me. My power formed a barrier, solidifying into a shield.

I flicked my wrist and the guard joined his companions on the ground.

"Sera Blackwood."

Vivian's voice echoed from the second floor. I looked up to see her standing in the hallway, looking down at me with a mixture of fear and defiance.

"I knew you'd come," she said. "So predictable, so desperate to play the hero."

"Where's my sister?"

"Safe for now." Vivian moved along the hallway towards a door, "but if you take one more step, I'll slit her throat myself."

My power erupted brighter, "Try it and see what happens."

"You think you're so powerful," Vivian said, her voice shaking with emotion. "You think being a Silver Blood makes you special but you're just an Omega playing Cinderella."

"And you're just a desperate woman who can't accept that Thorne will never love you."

Vivian's face twisted with rage. She pulled a knife from her belt. "I'll kill her, I swear I will."

"No," I said quietly. "You won't." I released my power fully.

Silver light flashed through the warehouse like a tidal wave, every window shattered, metals bent and Vivian..Vivian was lifted off her feet by invisible force and slammed against the wall.

The knife fell from her hand, dropping to the floor.

I walked calmly towards the stairs, my power maintaining its hold on her. She struggled, gasping, unable to break free.

"You hurt my sister," I said, climbing the stairs. "You kidnapped her, terrorized her, used her as bait."

"She's..fine…" Vivian choked out. "I didn't.."

"Liar."

I reached the hallway, Vivian eyes were wide with fear, all her bravado gone.

"Please," she gasped. "I was just..my father.."

"Your father isn't here." I moved closer, "It's just you and me and you're going to pay for every bruise on my sister's body."

I released the hold slightly, letting her drop to the floor. She scrambled backward, but there was nowhere to go.

"Sera, don't.."

My power lashed out, precise and controlled. It struck her shoulder and she screamed.

"That's for Lila," I said. Another strike, this one to her ribs, the crack was audible.

"That's for Maya."

Vivian was crying now, curling into herself. "Stop..please.."

"And this…" I let my power wrap around her throat, not crushing, just holding. "This is so you remember what happens when you hurt the people I love."

"Sera!"

I turned to see Marcus emerge from the back stairwell, carrying Lila in his arms. My sister looked pale, frightened but alive.

The sight of her broke my concentration.

"Sera!" Lila's voice was weak but it was hers.

I released Vivian completely, letting her collapse to the floor gasping. Immediately, I was at Marcus's side, my hands on Lila's face.

"Are you okay? Did she hurt you? Are you.."

"I'm okay," Lila whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I'm okay now."

I pulled her into my arms, careful of Marcus still holding her, and just held on. My little sister, safe, alive. Behind me, I heard Vivian trying to crawl away.

"Don't," I said without looking. My power reached out, wrapping around her ankle and dragging her back. "You're not going anywhere."

Kade appeared at the stairs, taking in the scene. The unconscious guards, the shattered windows, Vivian broken and bleeding on the floor.

"Is she hurt?" he asked, looking at Lila.

"Drugged, dehydrated, but no major injuries," Marcus reported.

"Then let's go." Kade moved to Vivian, grabbing her by the arm and hauling her upright despite her cry of pain. "You're coming with us."

"You can't, my father will.."

"Your father can come get you," Kade said coldly. "If he dares to set foot on my territory."

We left the warehouse, Vivian limping, Lila safe in my arms. The unconscious guards would wake eventually and report back to whomever.

Back at the compound, Elena took Lila immediately to the clinic. I didn't want to let her go, but she needed medical attention.

"I'll take care of her," Elena promised. "She's safe now."

Vivian was thrown into one of the holding cells prepared for defaulters. She collapsed on the floor, still crying, clutching her ribs.

"Please," she begged. "Let me go, I'll tell you anything, I'll…"

"You'll tell us everything," Kade said. "Starting with what Cassandra has told you."

Vivian's eyes widened, "how did you.."

"We know she's been feeding you information," I said. "We know you're working together, tell us what she said."

"I don't..she didn't.." Vivian was shaking now. "She gave me some information but…"

"But what?" Kade demanded.

"But I think she was lying," Vivian whispered. "The information she gave me didn't match what I saw when I scouted the compound. She was playing me, using me to.." She stopped, realization dawning on her. "She was using me to get information about my father."

I looked at Kade, he looked back at me.

Cassandra hadn't been betraying us? She'd probably been spying on the Council.