My Shifter Boss

Chapter 10

Marissa had set up her headquarters much like the Guard. She had always like how the Guard had been run, although she didn’t like the idea of a council. She wanted to be in full control, using a council only as advisers who actually had no power except what she gave them. Bobby had continued his position as her right-hand man, and he was really the only person she listened to. Although he agreed with most of her plans or ideas, occasionally he brought a new perspective to her. But if she didn’t like it, she shut him down just like her council.

In the improvised conference room, Marissa had Bobby and her three closest council members around the table. Bobby had acquired the blueprints of the building the Guard used as their headquarters. Marissa had spent two days studying the blueprints and devising a plan of attack. She was ready to present it to the group of weres in front of her. Bobby would be angry, she knew, that she hadn’t shared with him first, but they needed to act fast now that a new Head had been elected.

“I’ve planned an attack on the Guard’s headquarters,” she began without preamble. No one spoke or even gasped at her claim. “I want this to happen quickly. Within the week if possible.”

The weres in front of her exchanged looks of unease. Bobby stared at his boss as if she were mad. “Marissa, a week is a very short time in which to plan an attack, especially on a fortress like the Guard.”

“You planned my escape in two. With the group we have here, we should be able to plan it in a week,” Marissa told him.

Bobby sighed and wished again that she’d asked him before bringing this idea to everyone. “I had the element of surprise on my side when we attacked and got you out. They’ve no doubt doubled the security, changed all the codes, completely redone everything to prevent you and me from returning.”

Marissa nodded her head. “I’ve thought of all that, Bobby. I still have friends inside, people I asked to stay there as spies. We’ll get the plans to them and let them know when to release the locks.”

Another were spoke up, an older man with a scar on his cheek. “May I make a suggestion?” Marissa nodded her permission and he continued. “An attack on the Guard is a workable plan, if we have the right measures in place. How many do you have working at the Guard?”

Marissa thought and looked at Bobby, who said, “I know of three we have on the inside.”

“Yes, three is accurate.”

The scarred were, Jay, hummed in thought. “An attack at the front of the building is stupid, but if we could get access to the roof and come down through the apartments, we’d regain the element of surprise.”

Marissa cocked her head. “How would we get access to the roof?”

Jay’s companion to the right, a female who had been on the security team as a techie, said, “There are access panels all over the roof so that maintenance can go up and repair whatever. If we can get to the roof, we can have one of your insiders unlock an access panel to let us in”

Marissa nodded. “So we can get in. Good. But how do we get up there?”

“Helicopter? Mission Impossible style?” Bobby suggested, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Marissa raised her eyebrow. “Thank you for the suggestion. Try to be helpful.”

Bobby shook his head at her admonishment. “Marissa, access to the roof is strictly guarded. The blueprints show no fire escapes up to the roof. Someone would literally have to be dropped from the sky to get to the roof.”

“And,” the female were, Katrine, continued. “We couldn’t lead an army down through the roof. One or two front men would have to go in, get all the way down to the doors without being detected as intruders, and let us in.”

Jay lifted his hand. “I volunteer to go in from the roof. I have a friend with a helicopter, actually, who would drop me from a height above. I’d parachute in, just like during the war.”

“Would you need a second?”

“It would be better if I didn’t, but I should take someone, yes. It would be safer with one other person.” Jay scratched his cheek over the scar. “I have a guy in mind. We change out of our gear and into civilian clothes and walk down. You’ll just have to make sure someone is there to open the access panel for us.”

“That will happen, no problem,” Bobby said, apparently now on board that a realistic plan of action had been found. “Luckily, one of the guys inside is in maintenance, so there won’t be a question about why he’s up there.”

Marissa nodded and rubbed her hands together gleefully. “Yes, this is all coming together.”

The last adviser, a young man with eyes the color of steel, lifted his hand. “I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“What is the purpose of attacking the Guard? What do we hope to accomplish?”

Marissa pointed at him. “An excellent question.” She swept her eyes over the group, looking at each of them before continuing. “The first goal is to take over the Guard headquarters and turn it into our own.”

Everyone in the room nodded their heads. If their ultimate goal was to take over the city and create a were paradise free of all humans, the Guard’s headquarters were the best place to set up the government. It was more centralized than their current base, and it was already set up as a building for a government entity.

Bobby was the only one who seemed suspicious of Marissa’s second goal. “What’s the second?”

She looked at them to make sure every eye was on her. “We will kill every were we can who is affiliated with the Guard. Eliminate as many enemies as possible, and we’ll have less to worry about later.”