The drive took [i]hours[/i]. Over that time, most of the group chatted with each other between bouts of silence and assisting the kombi. Taking a cue, perhaps, from Ellen and Angeline, they spoke of the things they had learned about their abilities, none of them entirely sure how it would become relevant when they arrived at their destination. Ellen told a few stories from her time working as a crab fisher, mostly the dramatic stories and that would have made for their own reality show episode--with only [i]some[/i] embellishments. 

The plume of smoke was a welcome sight, despite the fact that it meant they would actually have to [i]act[/i] soon. The first time Ellen had faced someone with her magic, it was something she had done suddenly and without thought. She vastly preferred that method to this one, stewing for hours and considering all of the possible ways it could go horribly wrong and end in death. 

When they departed from the van, the group made their way up the hill enough to get a look at the set-up being used by the thieves. Something about their whole set-up didn’t make a lot of sense to Ellen. She didn’t mind the old caravans, newer trucks, and obviously broken-down red van. But the whole… fact that a group whose home base was here had found their way 5 hours away to a deserted house just as it had medical supplies delivered… It didn’t make sense.

Were these guys mercenaries for hire? If so, did the FOE or some Aussie equivalent organization hire them? 

Ellen had initially thought the attack was carried out by the FOE, something targeted towards them--and she wasn’t entirely sure that was wrong yet. Who else could have had such… luck?

She was too cynical to believe it was luck, so either these guys were hired for this particular job (which meant someone else knew about this pick up) or these guys had magic of their own, the kind that perhaps told them where to go to relieve people of their supplies. In either case, there was a strong chance they were expecting someone to come after the coolbox, which… unfortunately, was nowhere in sight.

There were four or five people they could make out from their vantage point. Numbers were perhaps the only advantage Ellen and the others had. She watched them for a few moments, and tried to see if she could make out any other movement before she backed away from the hill and turned to the group, speaking softly.

“We need to find the coolbox. Here’s what I think. Abi, you and I are going to do a wide pass, use the trees for cover, to try to get behind these guys and see inside of the caravans. I’ll use my doubling ability, so I won’t make any sound. But we should get cover anyway. Matt, cast your fog thing centered at their fire, obscure their view. They can’t shoot what they can’t see.” And maybe they would waste some of their ammunition shooting at the fog, or each other. Maybe they would fall into the fire and take care of themselves. A gal could dream, right?

“I’ll convey to folks up here where the coolbox is so the others can have a more focused approach. Matt probably won’t be able to hold that for too long, so once it dissipates and they start shooting in earnest at us, use your Time Out to make everyone down there stop fighting. You can certainly try to persuade people towards peace.”  Ellen couldn’t speak to Zephyr's ability to make people actually want a ceasefire. And she didn’t want him wearing himself out, they might need his strength later, if the coolbox was still intact. 

“But that leaves Hans, Brooks, Mark, and maybe me depending on my recovery, outside of Zephyr’s range, able to take them down, or whatever you can manage based on how close you can get. Angeline, you can stay with Billy and the bus, so when it all gets fucked up, you can ride in and fix our shit. Maybe start scoping out plants now.”

Ellen looked over each of the members of the group. She had included all of them, and those with magic had some sort of magic to do to contribute to the group. She was well-aware she had suggested putting the youngest kid in the most danger--but none of them had run alongside Abigail. That kid was fast. Zephyr would have to get down there as well, hopefully using Matt’s fog as cover. 

In truth, not all of Ellen’s “plan” made the most sense-- [i]but this was why Ellen had tried to insist someone else take the reins and control of the plan-making.[/i]. If they were going to assassinate these thieves, then they really didn’t need to rush to find the coolbox at the same time. But Ellen wasn’t planning for just one thing...well, she wasn’t sure she would consider it a plan at all. It was more of a series of things they could do with their magic that MIGHT be able to help them get the shit they needed and MAYBE not die in the process. 

Ellen looked at Hans with a helpless shrug. “Hey, it’s a helluva lot better than my plan last time.” She said.