That’s why he’d had them dress in reinforced Kevlar suits protecting their vital organs. To give them sufficient mobility, their arms and legs were unprotected—though they wore gloves—, as were their heads. Unfortunately, not all risks could be eliminated. That’s why Blake had insisted on the hybrids wearing specially designed headbands with a built in camera that weighed no more than an ounce. The cameras were feeding live pictures to the four monitors in the center of the wall in front of him. Each monitor Blake had labeled with a name. This way, it was immediately obvious which hybrid saw what, and Blake and his colleagues could interfere and redirect them should it become necessary.

In addition, a software program Thomas had been working on had been installed in the console. Together with the video feeds from the hybrids’ cameras and their exact GPS locations, which were constantly being transmitted back to HQ, a live 3-D video was being created and projected on a larger screen above. It blended the individual camera feeds and created a more comprehensive image, giving Blake a full view of what was happening with and around his charges.

Blake zoomed in on Damian, who was driving the Minivan, which was equipped with a small cell and silver chains to transport a prisoner.

“Remember, take him alive if you can,” Blake reminded the four young men via the intercom that fed directly into their earpieces.

A few grunts came as a reply.

Samson leaned in to use the mic. “I mean it,” he emphasized.

“Yes, sir,” came Ryder’s reply.

“Grayson?” Samson prompted.

“Yes, Dad. I heard you loud and clear.”

Blake exchanged a look with Samson and muted the mic. “He’ll come through when it counts. You’ve gotta trust him. He’s just like you.”

Samson scoffed, though an expression of pride crossed his face for a fleeting instant. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Blake turned back to the screens. The Minivan had stopped.

“We’re here,” Benjamin announced.

“As we discussed, stick to the plan. It’s a go,” Blake said.

The four young hybrids exited the van.

There was little cover during daylight hours. The house was a ranch style dwelling in a somewhat dilapidated state. The neighborhood wasn’t much better: some parts of the Excelsior district were decent, but there were pockets with crack houses and gang-occupied properties the owners had long given up on. At least none of the neighbors would call the police when they saw Grayson and his friends approach the house, looking like ninjas.

The yard in front of the house was brown and overgrown with weeds. A few bushes lined the paved driveway, and a path led past the house to the back of it.

“Two at the back, two at the front,” Blake said into the mic.

The twins headed for the front door, while Grayson and Ryder quietly and swiftly took the narrow path to the back of the house. Old household appliances, parts of a bicycle and other trash covered the back yard.

“Doesn’t look like Mendoza can spot a good real estate investment,” Blake commented.

“When this is over, he won’t need any investments anymore.” The dry remark came from Zane, who was standing behind them.

Blake didn’t take his eyes off the monitors, when he replied, “You’ve got that right.” Then he pressed the button on the mic. “Enter on Grayson’s command.”

There was absolute silence in the command room. Nobody spoke, nobody as much as breathed. The air was thick with tension. Everybody’s eyes were glued to the monitors.

Blake focused in on the 3-D feed. With a joystick he moved the image on the screen, turning it so he could inspect the house from all sides.

“Going in,” Grayson confirmed and gave Ryder a sign.

Ryder kicked the back door in with his foot, lifting it out of its hinges. Simultaneously, the twins did the same in the front. Weapons drawn, all four rushed into the house.

Like a military team, they covered each other as they charged from room to room. They’d trained for scenarios like this, but Blake was surprised at how calm the four hybrids seemed, even though they knew what hinged on this mission. Pride swelled in his chest. One day soon they would make some fine bodyguards.

The kitchen was in disarray, the two bedrooms appeared unused. Blake followed the various camera angles as the hybrids moved through the property.

“Empty!” Damian announced.

“Yeah, the house is empty,” Ryder confirmed.

“Shit!” Samson cursed and turned to Blake. “We missed him. He must have taken her someplace else.”