Operation Honey Trap vs The Emperor of the Apocalypse-Chapter 119: Girls’ Talk

It was the day before the mission, and there was a big farewell party planned for that evening.

Lots of secret preparations had been underway for the past few days and the hum of excitement across the team was palpable.

There was one last mission-related activity scheduled for the morning; Delphi and Alton were currently at Green Lake with the mission team to see if Delphi’s blood could control the tubiàn rakali.

There was no hiding in a tree this time. After discovering that the tubiàn dingos could climb, Alton wasn’t taking any chances.

The soldiers were milling about in the tree line just past the sandy strip of the shore, their dragons at the ready in case they were needed to defend against the vicious creatures.

"No one is allowed to deliberately engage the rakali," said Alton as they prepared to lay their baits. "You’re all needed for the mission tomorrow, and we can’t afford to have any injuries; including to the dragons. We lay the bait, wait to see if they respond, climb on the dragons and leave quietly if they don’t. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" they chorused.

"General Chastain, me, Lieutenant Espey and private Brenner will stay here in the tree line with the dragons. The rest of you head back another fifty metres. The less people, noise and human scent the better when they’re sniffing the bait. Stay alert for General Meyer’s signal to retreat."

Baer and Wolf carried the bait down to the edge of the water. The plan was to roll the bloody carcasses in the lake like berley, then drag them onto the shore and drip the little vial of Delphi’s blood over them.

The women left Delphi at the frontline and moved out of the immediate vicinity. They settled on the other side of a low embankment, lying flat so they could peer over and watch the proceedings.

Baer and Wolf started to swirl the carcasses in the knee-deep shallows.

Opal was chatting to Indy.

"Niko seems like a very impressive leader?" she asked, seeking Indy’s view.

"Actually, you’re right. I was surprised at how he stepped up yesterday. He’s usually such a dork, but when shit gets real, you can definitely rely on him."

"He was cool and calm under pressure. Not a hint of panic or fear."

"I’m not sure he ever does panic or fear, but you’re right, he was very decisive and brave," Indy acknowledged.

"Are you two dating?" asked Opal lightly.

Indy laughed, "who can really ’date’ these days? It’s kind of a defunct concept, and we’re about to go to war. It seems like there’s only room for marriage or casual relationships in this environment. If you can call that dating, then I guess yes... maybe..."

"Is that what you two have? A casual relationship?"

"Why, are you interested in him?"

Indy wasn’t sure how she felt about it if she was. She did feel kind of proprietary about Niko. She wasn’t even one hundred percent sure if she wanted him, but she felt pretty sure she didn’t want anyone else to have him.

It was Opal’s turn to laugh. "I couldn’t say yet, it’s far too early. I just like to know all of the relationships in the team, so I don’t step into any landmines and blow them up."

"I’m not really sure what we have together. I think both of us are too serious about the Rebellion to be ready to talk about the future in detail. I think we’re becoming good friends though, and what the future holds for us is anyone’s guess."

"Fair enough," Opal nodded.

Arrie was right where she wanted to be, at the end of the row lying beside Loveday. She plucked up her courage when she heard Indy and Opal busy chatting.

"Lovie..."

"Arrie?"

"C... can I ask how you feel about Baer?"

"Hmmph," she sighed. "He’s very pushy. Very handsy. Won’t take ’no’ for an answer. Unless I really put my foot down with him."

That sounded familiar...

"Do you like him?"

"Do you mean as a person, or as a man?"

"As a man."

"I’ve told him I’m not up for a relationship at the moment. The timing is obviously very off."

"But would you like him and want a relationship with him if we weren’t going on a mission?"

"It’s hard for me to think about it seriously, because we are going on a mission and the Rebellion is precarious even when we’re here at HQ, but hypothetically, if things were more stable, I don’t think he’s the man I would pick. I think he’s a man who I have fate with, without destiny. Why are you asking?"

"I asked because I think I might have feelings for him," Arrie looked down, unable to hold Loveday’s gaze, "and I don’t want to take them any further without talking to you first."

"Really Arrie?! I had no idea," said Loveday in surprise, her mouth half-open.

"Shhhh," whispered Indy, pointing at the bait now lying on the shore waiting for a big rat.

"Sorry," Loveday mouthed at her. "I never realised Arrie," she whispered much more quietly. "Are you serious about him?"

"I think so. I was already struggling with a crush on him before he saved me from that soldier, and that seems to have solidified things for me. I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while. On the night we honey trapped the men after the wrestling matches, he hit on me and I struggled then with whether I should be agreeing because of our orders to recruit the men, or whether he was yours and I was betraying you. I’m sorry Loveday," she said in a tiny ashamed voice.

"You don’t have anything to be sorry about. I certainly wasn’t dating him them, and I’m still not. Those were our orders, and they encompassed any man you could recruit, so you did the right thing Arrie."

"The trouble is, for whatever reason that triggered an attraction to him that I haven’t been able to get out of my system."

"Well the consorts did tell us to be very careful, and that sex would play with our emotions. It’s not a crime Araminta."

Arrie smiled gratefully at Loveday, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes at her kind words. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Did you have sex with him yet?"