Interrogative murmurs started throughout the room. Like most folk present, Wessex gawked at Jessica in hoping to gauge her level of crazy. However, the stares and the murmurs bounced off the girl's hardened demeanor.

"We cannot be so bold as to assault the lion's den just yet," said Wessex. "Our contingency for Goliath's abrasive actions is to defang the viper: infiltrate Spearhead, neutralize their weapons labs, and topple their fighting ability. Stealth operations would limit their ...