Page 21 of Prickly as a Porcupine

The group nodded, some hooted, and some cheered.They all knew what it was like to be kept in a cell.It was Grimm’s turn to understand the hopelessness of a tiny room.“So how can we trap them?”

“We lure them here, to campus, while Grimm is convinced that FUC is focused elsewhere.”

“What if we set up snares in the obstacle course?That should stop some of them,” Joline offered.

“That’s great!”Ariel beamed at her.“What else can we use?”

“Last year some henchmen let the hippos loose.I wonder if we could find a way to get them to help us herd them to the obstacle course,” Lyla offered, glancing to Gabby as if this was a memory they both shared.

Ariel had so many questions but decided to keep the conversation going.“That’s a good idea.You two work on that.Who can help Joline with the snares?”

Simon raised a clawed hand.“I used to be a boy scout leader and a hunter when I was human.I can make snares out of ropes, saplings, you name it.”Pride filled his face.He was probably glad to be a part of something again.His life had changed so much as he was a human before his genetic code was tampered with.

“Arty, can you help them find things to make snares out of?”

Arty blinked his large, orange eyes at her.“I think I can do that.”

Ariel tapped at her lips.“Do you think they keep chloroform here?”she said more to herself.She wondered if there would be a way to make some of them unconscious that didn’t use violence.

“I used to be a nurse,” Jennifer said softly.“Maybe I can find something helpful in the hospital wing.”

“I don’t want you getting in trouble for stealing.I’m hoping for things we can get by asking.Maybe even borrowing.Although I doubt they’d let us borrow anything like that.”

“I’ll be sure to be careful.Besides, one bottle of chloroform would go a long way.”Jennifer gave a wicked smile.Ariel was glad the shifter was on her side.

Ariel nodded.“I’ll talk to Huggie and see what we can borrow for party supplies so it looks like we’re celebrating something.Now we have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to pull this off.I’m hoping to start our party around three pm tomorrow.We’ll need our traps set up before then.”She looked at everyone around the room.It felt great to take control back, away from Grimm.She now had some people who could one day be friends, someone who was sort of her girlfriend, and her freedom.Grimm could never take that from her again.“If you know anyone who would be willing to help, please ask them.We may need more people.”She beamed a smile at her group of misfits.“Now let’s have some coffee, snacks, and plan!”

11

They all decided to spend the night gathering supplies and agreed to meet back in the empty classroom by nine pm.Then they’d prepare to get to the obstacle course around eleven am the next day.In addition to making sure all the gadgets and weapons in the prosthetic leg worked—aside from the tracking device, Ariel wasn’t sure how to confirm that was operational—Ariel was among the group looking for parts to make snares with Joline, Arty, and Simon.Joline was able to enlist the help of her roommate, Trina, who assisted Gabby and Lyla in devising a plan to wrangle the hippos.Ariel figured that at the very least, the chetah shifter could scare the hippos into submission.

Ariel had a few hours before she needed to go to bed.Their team decided it may be best to divide and conquer if they were to get all the supplies they needed, so she wandered the halls, racking her brain for what could be useful to make a snare out of when a familiar voice called over her shoulder.“Ariel, Paige asked me to check on you.”

She turned around to see a small blond woman with shadows roiling off of her shoulders as she approached—Agent Talbot.The woman gave Ariel the shivers.And it wasn’t just because Talbot had helped to apprehend her last year.“Why?”Ariel asked, wondering if the agent had been hiding in the room where they held their meeting earlier that night.By some random experimentation, Agent Talbot was able to wrap light around her and appear invisible.

Her blue eyes looked like they could see right through Ariel.“Because you’ve been too nice lately.”She gave the smile a cat would give a mouse once it was cornered.Ariel felt herself swallow her fright.Even the shadows floating off the agent like steam seemed to move more menacingly after Agent Talbot gave her wicked grin.

Ariel wished she could disagree with the agent, but it was true.She had left group therapy a few hours ago, and it was a great session.She hated to admit that.Paige probably had trouble understanding the transformation.Ariel went from a difficult patient to a very cooperative one overnight.She smiled at the agent, trying her best to return that predatory gaze.“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”Her short blond hair fluttered around her face as she crossed her arms.The shadows floated off around, seemingly as impatient as the shifter was.

Ariel had no reason to lie, and besides, she didn’t trust that everyone wasn’t spying on her at all times, anyway, so why not just come out with it?“Tomorrow, a good portion of the agents are going to try to get Grimm at a location he provided in a note to me.But I think it’s a ruse to lure the agents off the academy campus and he’s coming here instead.Stone and Sparks don’t agree with me, but that won’t stop me from preparing.”

“What did they say?”Shock and anger mingled on the agent’s face.She narrowed her blue eyes at Ariel as if trying to decide if she should trust her or if Ariel belonged back in a cell.

“That they couldn’t take the chance and pass up the raid in case I was wrong.”Or maybe they still didn’t trust her.Ariel didn’t blame them if that was the case.She’d really given them no reason to.

Agent Talbot’s mouth hung open in disbelief.“So, most of the agents will be out in the field, and you think Grimm is coming here?”She pointed to the floor for emphasis.A small trickle of shadow dripped off her finger before disappearing.

Ariel nodded.“What about you?Can you and some of your agent friends help us?We’re trying to set up a trap.”She figured Agents Sparks and Stone weren’t leaving them sitting ducks, but maybe if she shared some of their plan to the shadow cat shifter she could get more agents involved.Every little bit would help.

The agent bit her lip.“I will, but I’m doing this by the books.I’m going to coordinate a plan with Agent Stone.I’d hate to cross him.Plus, I’m sure he’s already working on something to protect you all.He wouldn’t leave you in potential harm’s way.Security of FUCN’A is of the utmost importance.”

Ariel sighed.She knew all this.“I’m sure, but Grimm knows that, too.”She didn’t want to add that she had no desire to give up her feeling of control she kept by planning their own trap.“I just have a bad feeling about this, and my mind would be at ease if you just left us to our own devises.Besides, if your security is so top notch, then Grimm and his goons will never make it to our trap, since we’re not leaving campus.”It was Ariel’s turn to do what was right.And if this blew up Grimm’s vile plan for whatever daycare he was hoping to hit, it would all be worth it.She just hoped she wasn’t too late.This would be her one chance at redemption.

Redemption.That was a word that hadn’t really crossed her mind before.If it weren’t for meeting Joline, she’d never think that was possible.She’d have given up.

Agent Talbot’s shoulders relaxed.“Okay.Give me the details of your trap, and I’ll relay the information.But this has to be approved by FUC, or it’s a no-go.”Agent Talbot gave her best glare as if she were a teacher threatening her unruly students that the pizza party would be cancelled if they didn’t behave.