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Aleister peered through the binoculars—having no trouble seeing them even from their basecamp on Deronda Drive—and smiled.
“I count about twenty-three; a lot of ‘em armed, but a lot of them not. I mean, they’re just, like, gathered right out in the open.” He lowered the scopes. “There’s never going to be a better tim—”
“Forget it,” said Leif from inside the cargo van, the windows of which were rolled down. “They’re outside the shield—meaning they’re not a real threat. Instead I want you to check on everyone in the column and make sure they’re ready to go; and then—” He grunted coarsely, gutturally, as though experiencing great pain. “Then I want you to find the highest hill and wait for the beasts—which are in hiding amongst the trees and houses, but should start appearing with
