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our move. Now. Every minute we wait gives Brenner more opportunity to secure his presence.”
    The sound of harsh whispers down the hall drew my attention to the threshold, where Summers and Foster appeared a few moments later. Their eyes were bloodshot, the skin around their lips taut with thirst and fatigue.
    “We haven’t been able to reach anyone,” Summers said as he slid into the chair Constantine had vacated.
    “That doesn’t necessarily mean the worst, does it?” I asked. “They may be keeping quiet on purpose. Brenner might have the shortwave frequencies under surveillance.”
    “Perhaps.” Foster leaned against the doorframe, fingers tapping restlessly against the chipped wooden surface. “As I see it, we have two options. The first is to wait for reinforcements and then mount some kind of offensive. The second is to go in now while Brenner is still preoccupied with taking full control of the building.”
    Constantine slapped both palms on the table. “Now.”
    Val laced her fingers with mine, and when I squeezed hard, she nodded. “We’re in.”
    “There’s a secret entrance we can try,” said Summers. “A tunnel from the basement of the public library two blocks away. But the library has a metal detector, so we’ll have to go in without guns.”
    “Where exactly does the tunnel lead?” I asked.
    “The arena. Its opening is concealed in the forested section.”
    I reflected back to the last time I’d hunted there, only days ago. Even in my feline form, I hadn’t sensed anything like what Summers was describing. That was encouraging. Besides, Brenner would most likely be focused on breaking into the War Room. With luck, the arena wouldn’t yet be under surveillance.
    Unexpectedly, I felt my panther stir. Disjoined images cascaded through my brain: a flash of tawny fur and red-gold mane; fierce, glittering eyes framing a broad muzzle; light glinting off wickedly curved teeth. They were the memories of my panther, forced across the thin barrier that separated her consciousness from mine.
    “Malcolm! He might help us.”
    When everyone turned to look at me, I realized I’d spoken the thought. I couldn’t think of him without also being reminded of Karma, and I tipped my head back to rest against Val’s abdomen, trying to quiet the fluttering panic that filled my chest every time I imagined what Karma must be going through. Now was not the time for speculation. I had to believe she would be safe until we could come for her, but every intervening minute decreased the odds of her survival. Constantine was right. We didn’t have the luxury of concocting an elaborate plan. We had to move.
    “You might be right about Malcolm,” Constantine acknowledged, and I felt my panther thrill to his words. Not only did she respect Malcolm’s position as alpha Were, but she also wanted to see him avenged on Brenner. “But even if he doesn’t come to our assistance, this plan has a fair shot at getting us inside undetected.”
    “We need to prioritize our objectives,” said Val, “and I think the first order of business is to find any pockets of resistance so we can make a coordinated assault.”
    Summers shook his head. “That’s a waste. We should focus on Brenner. Everyone in Headquarters will catch on once we’re disrupting him.”
    “We can have it both ways,” I said. “One group searches for allies while working on some kind of distraction. An explosion, maybe? Or triggering some kind of alarm? The other group takes a position near the center of action and waits to take advantage.”
    “Yes. Good.” Constantine’s eyes were bright. “The first group should be large, to firmly draw Brenner’s attention to our target.”
    “But if the library has a metal detector, how will we smuggle in an explosive?” Summers’s voice was tight with frustration.
    “I have a small amount of C-4 on me,” said Foster, unzipping one of the many pouches in her black vest and withdrawing a golf