"Are you sure this is a good idea Emily?" John asks as we walk up the front steps of the isolated house.
Based on what I have read long ago, I only inferred that Lexa would be here. In a lone house in a barren stretch of open field on the outskirts of Alabama. Yellowhammer ranch, it's called.
There isn't anything to be seen for miles. No towns nor people. Nothing but a dirty country road leading off in the distance surrounded on both sides by plains, plains, and more plains.
The sun is high with limited clouds, thus making today's temperatures hot and dry until John and I hide in the porch's shadows.
"Lexa is a very intelligent and skilled Loric John. She's basically a technological wizard," I say with a playful smile. "She'll be an excellent ally in our fight against the mogs," I assure, not at all for the first time.
"I know, but if it's a trap?" he asks, nervously taking hold of my hand.
"Then we'll find out for sure," I say firmly. "Everyone, stay alert."
The others – Five, Nine, Ella, Crayton, Henri, Malcolm, Adam, and Adelina – wait on the lawn, far enough away so as to keep the entire porch in sight. Six and Sam having gone invisible and scoping out to the left. While Eight and Marina teleporting off to the right to explore all angles.
With Pixie and BK at our feet in their preferred forms of a beagle and rabbit, I take a deep breath and knock on the front door.
For a while there is silence.
Then we hear something shifting on the other side. John and I glance at each other in confusion, neither of us sure what is going on nor what to do.
The sound travels beneath us until all of a sudden a trap door opens below our feet and we fall. It happens so fast; we aren't quick enough to get out of the way.
We scream.
It isn't a long fall, but our screams echo down a deep narrow chute.
Until finally, we land with a thud in a dark room.
With a groan, John struggles to pick himself back up and questions, "What is this? Are you okay Emily? Are you sure this is the right house?"
"I'm fine," I answer initially. Then add, "This has to be the right house."
We can hear Nine call down to us from above, asking if we're alright. Telepathically, I reach out to their minds and communicate to them that we're both okay.
"Emily? Is that you?" says a voice from the darkness.
Our panic increasing, John takes a step forward in an attempt to keep me safe, all while activating his lumen.
"Who's there?" he questions, aiming his lit palm ahead of us.
A shadow then comes into the light, soon to reveal a tall woman with long black hair pulled into a tight ponytail.
"My name is Lexa. Are you Emily? And, John Smith?" she answers.
"How do you know our names?" John questions.
"Oh please. You two are all over the news, not to mention the FBI and government databases. You didn't stay as off the grid as you would've liked," she says.
I put my hand on John's shoulder and nod once to let him know that she is for real.
"Lexa. Why do you even have a trap placed there anyway?" I ask.
"For Mogadorians of course. I can't have them snooping around one of my safehouses, now can I?" she answers.
"One of your safehouses?" John repeats.
"John, we've got a lot of catching up to do. Come on. I'll take you back to your group. I'm assuming those are the rest of the Garde?" she asks coolly.
"Yeah," he replies, still somewhat distraught. "Sounds good."
And so, Lexa leads us out. John and I follow, hands held, both of us relieved that we are alive.
Soon we are all settled in the house's living room, catching up on stories and eating pizza until it's late and getting to sleep thereafter.
~
The following couple of months are spent training with the Garde. Sam has developed legacies as well in that time; telekinesis at first, followed by technopathy: the ability to communicate with machines.
Turns out, being out in the middle of nowhere has its advantages. We run drills and practices in the field outside, spar against one another, and go through the items in the Garde's Inheritances. We can be as loud as possible and no one within miles can hear.
Lexa has also been keeping an eye on the news. Exploring practically every webpage there is online to see if there are any stories or rumours about us that could potentially lead the Mogadorians to our location; and thus, removing anything before it's too late. She is constantly on a laptop, omitting the times we eat or sleep, scrolling through pages and pages of newsfeeds.
Malcolm has also been working hard with the rest of the Cêpans to teach the Garde about their Inheritances. Using his knowledge from the bunker in Paradise and what Pittacus told him upon his arrival to Earth, he's been able to help figure out what some of the items do – that Henri, Adelina, or Crayton couldn't figure out. He also told us more about the things Pittacus said when he was in contact; some regarded my legacy.
"Eneration. A legacy of defence and offence. One must focus on their energy levels to turn it into a blast. Channel it into one area of the body and project it out from there," he said, quoting Pittacus Lore. "He told me one of our allies would possess that legacy, but he didn't tell me who specifically."
Based on everything I've learned throughout the months, I now know how to control my Eneration and use it more efficiently. I still feel drained afterwards, though everyone has been helping me develop it further.
Nine continues drilling me, not just with Eneration but with telekinesis too.
Ella has mostly taught me how to use my telepathy effectively.
Eight and I have done more meditations, which have helped keep me in a state of calm while my legacy is active.
I even tried the Xenoitis stone again with Henri; it's helped – though I've still had visions of my time in captivity – it has furthered my development with my legacy.
In fact, Six introduced another way to train my legacy. She's been teaching me Tai Chi. Katarina taught her the basics before she developed her legacies. Early in the morning and late at night, with Six by my side. It may not be as helpful as the Xenoitis stone, but I like this method the best; I don't get any nightmares or visions from it.
With all of us improving greatly and our team efforts as acceptable as can be, there is only one objective left to complete. It's time to kill the Mogadorian Leader.
It's time to kill Setrákus Ra.