The Becoming (Daughters of Darkness Book 1)

Awakened Warrior

I sat still as a statue under his gaze, before I had a chance to think about an answer Ruth came into the room Tegan trailing behind her. My eyes turned to them Logan following my lead. Ruth bowed slightly, “Sorry to interrupt but I believe we have found a place that Selene could be using as her hideout...” Ruth nodded to Tegan who stood with the rolled up poster sized papers in both of her hands. Tegan nodded back and moved forward, kneeling down to the floor. She set down both of the rolls, grabbing one she stretched it out in front of her, “This is a map of a small community outside Reno, Nevada. It would be the perfect place for her to stash her kidnapped victims and the reason I believe that is because it would take to long to get them to Arizona or New mexico, with Tristen being in the state he was in when we last saw him...” She paused looking up at me for a moment as if unsure she should have mentioned Tristen. I nodded for her to continue which gave her the confidence she needed, “Right... also it would make sense that she would need to be so close with all her staged attacks because scouts could get the information to her quicker and she’d have to move fast to have caught us unaware as she did...” She grabbed the other poster and rolled it out over the other. 

Ruth knelt down next to Tegan, “We looked at all the area’s in this community and we found something that caught our attention. This is a blueprint for an old abandoned ranch out in the area. If you look here...” She pointed to the drawing but I couldn’t really distinguish what any of it meant, “This is the barn that was used for dairy cows, but it’s been abandoned for several years but what’s really interesting is this...” She pointed to what looked like several rooms under the barn. My eyes widened as I looked at the drawing. “Apparently back in the 1950s the family that owned the lot built a fall out shelter for them and a couple of there neighbors...” Which meant that underneath that old barn was a complete underground lair where Selene could conduct her evil deeds without anyone from the human world knowing and not having to worry about anyone from the Bloody Rose detecting their presence. 

“Why this community? Why not someplace else?” I asked in a skeptical tone even though they had presented convincing evidence that she could be hiding out there. They both looked up at me in surprise, then there eyes flickered to Logan, “You didn’t tell her?” Ruth spoke in a confused voice. My gaze flickered to Logan, “Tell me what?” I said in an urgent tone. Logan turned and looked at me, “It has to be this community...I saw it in my dream...this was the only place that fit what I had seen...” I took a breath, loudly exhaling as if I was pushing every worry from my mind. I closed my eyes, “Okay, well what’s the plan then?” my voice was void. A silence stretched out between us. I opened my eyes, “None of you have a plan do you?” They all looked at each other with innocent looks then their eyes flew on me, “We kind of hoped you might be able to come up with one...” Tegan said speaking for the entire group. 

I looked back down at the strange blueprints focusing on nothing and everything at the same time. My mind was running through everything that had happened in the past month, calculating, examining, re-caluclating and organizing it all. The longer I stared at the strange drawing the more I understood. I looked up into the eyes of my friends people who were depending on me to bring back the people they cared about and  the people that I cared about. My chest filled with conviction and strength that I never thought I would feel again. A sly smile played out on my face, “I think I can get us in without losing any blood...” The others looked a little skeptical but I was certian my plan was fool-proof. I pulled myself to the floor, I pointed to what I assumed was a barn loft, “Right there. You see that tiny window...” I continued, “If we can get up through that window during daylight, we can hideout in the loft until they come out in the night and when they do, we take out the guards she sends, and sneak in...” I sounded pretty positive my plan would work. 

Tegan cleared her throat, “What about any guards that are out there in the daylight, how do we take them out without them warning the others?” what she asked was a good question, that had I been her I would have asked. “I’m a good actor, all you need to know is that I’ll get the guards into a position then you can take them out without any worries. Ruth will have to be the one who goes through the window and hoists us up, since she’s our personal spider-man...” Ruth snorted and I smiled again. Logan put his hand on my shoulder, I looked over to him, “Don’t do anything stupid...your more important then you think...” In his eyes I could see everything he wanted to tell me, everything that he had  already told me. I gave him a gentle smile to hide my real intentions and plans. Once we got in that underground place I was going to make Ruth and Tegan hide, while I knowingly got caught. I knew that was the only way I would find Tristen. It was a risky move but I hoped that I would be able to get him free, and then find the headmaster and Evan, because they were sure to be there somewhere too.