Bless You
970 Words
The war room had become a command center.
Every monitor showed a different angle of Northern Ridge.
Thermal images.
Night vision.
Trail cameras.
Drone footage.
The attackers were still moving through the trees.
Or at least…
They were trying.
Del sat at the controls, completely focused.
“Got another one.”
She pressed the button.
Thwip.
A tranquilizer dart flew from the drone.
One of the attackers dropped.
Trey leaned closer to the monitor.
“How many left?”
Rae checked the feed.
“Eight.”
Del grinned.
“Not for long.”
Elijah shook his head.
“You’re enjoying this.”
Del glanced at him.
“Maybe.”
Elijah smiled.
“Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
“You already are.”
His smile disappeared.
“What did I do?”
“You married into it.”
Elijah blinked.
“We’re not married.”
“Details.”
Trey laughed.
Elijah looked at him.
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
Trey shrugged.
“Absolutely.”
Will stood at the center of the room, watching every screen.
Remi stood beside him.
Noah and Luke were positioned near the main monitors, tracking movement.
Luke marked locations on the large map.
“They’ve split into three groups.”
Will nodded.
“How many in each?”
“Three. Three. And two.”
Noah pointed at the screen.
“The group on the eastern side is heading toward the old logging road.”
Remi looked closer.
“There’s a camera there.”
Rae nodded.
“Already watching.”
The feed appeared.
Three armed men moved cautiously between the trees.
Del adjusted the drone.
“Got them.”
She fired.
One dropped.
Then another.
The third looked around frantically.
Del fired again.
He collapsed.
Trey smiled.
“Beautiful.”
Rae shook her head.
“You people are getting way too comfortable with this.”
Will looked at her.
“You started it.”
Rae shrugged.
“Fair.”
Suddenly—
Rae sneezed.
“Ah-choo!”
Everyone turned.
Rae rubbed her nose.
“Sorry.”
Remi laughed.
“Bless you.”
“Thanks.”
Then something strange happened.
The lights flickered.
Every monitor flashed.
Rae froze.
“Uh…”
Will turned toward the screens.
“What was that?”
“I don’t know.”
Rae stared at her hands.
A faint shimmer moved across her fingers.
Elijah stepped closer.
“Rae?”
“I…”
She sneezed again.
“Ah-choo!”
This time—
BOOM.
A wave of strange energy exploded outward.
The monitors flickered violently.
Everyone jumped.
“What the hell?” Trey shouted.
Luke grabbed the edge of the table.
Noah looked toward the windows.
Will immediately moved in front of Remi.
Elijah stepped toward Rae.
“Are you okay?”
Rae stared at him.
“I think so.”
Del looked at the monitors.
“Uh…”
Her voice made everyone turn.
The Northern Ridge footage had changed.
Every attacker on the screens had suddenly collapsed.
All of them.
At once.
Del lowered the drone controller.
“I didn’t do that.”
Silence.
Trey stared at the monitors.
“Did they all just fall?”
Noah nodded slowly.
“Every single one.”
Luke checked the thermal feed.
“They’re alive.”
Will looked at Rae.
“Did you do that?”
Rae’s eyes widened.
“I don’t know.”
Elijah looked fascinated.
“Your sneeze just knocked out fifteen armed men.”
Rae stared at him.
“Don’t say it like that.”
“It’s exactly what happened.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“That’s impossible.”
Remi stepped closer.
“Rae…”
A faint shimmer still surrounded Rae’s hands.
Remi looked at it.
“Maybe not.”
Rae looked down.
“What is that?”
No one answered.
Trey stared at the monitors.
“Whatever it is…”
He pointed toward Northern Ridge.
“It just saved us a lot of trouble.”
Del laughed.
“Best sneeze ever.”
Rae glared at her.
“Please don’t encourage this.”
Elijah’s mouth curved upward.
“I think it’s impressive.”
Rae looked at him.
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know what I just did.”
Elijah’s expression softened.
“Then we’ll figure it out.”
Rae stared at him.
For a second, neither moved.
Then Trey cleared his throat.
“Okay.”
He pointed toward the monitors.
“Back to the unconscious armed people.”
Elijah glanced at him.
“Jealous?”
“No.”
“You sound jealous.”
“I’m not.”
Rae rolled her eyes.
“Both of you are ridiculous.”
Will walked toward the main screen.
“Luke.”
Luke was already checking the data.
“They’re all down.”
“Any movement?”
“No.”
Noah looked at the thermal feed.
“Heartbeats are normal.”
Will nodded.
“Good.”
Remi looked at Rae.
“You really don’t know what happened?”
Rae shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at her hands again.
“But something inside me did.”
The room became quiet.
Rae’s expression changed.
“I’ve been having visions.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Now this.”
She swallowed.
“I think whatever is happening to me is getting stronger.”
Elijah stepped closer.
“Then you’re not alone.”
Rae looked at him.
Neither noticed the faint golden glow that briefly appeared in her eyes.
But Remi did.
And so did Will.
Will’s wolf stirred.
Something is awakening.
Remi looked at Rae.
Then at Del.
Then at herself.
Three women.
Three strange changes.
Three dormant powers.
And suddenly, the attacks didn’t seem like the only thing they needed to worry about.
Because whatever was awakening inside them…
was becoming impossible to hide.
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