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Back at base camp . . .

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“All right ma’am, we’ve almost got everything set and ready to go,” the tactical commander whispered. “We sent six teams back up the mountain, and a couple of our best infiltration specialists went to get the birds set for launch. We should be able to move the prize in about an hour.”

Eliza nodded happily. She had been half tempted to try and open the gateway right then and there all by herself, but she realized that doing so without Valar and Kelik could prove disastrous. Even though she knew she would never be accepted back in her own...