It's been a while, I'm terribly sorry! However, as most of you know, my original plan was to write out the entire fic before posting it (I did the same thing with Doppelganger and I was very happy with the results), but I figured since I haven't posted in forever, I would post this chapter. There isn't really a whole lot of action in this chapter, but it's definitely important. By the by, I have about 25 chapters written for this fic already...but it'll be a while before they're posted. Call it a curse of a perfectionist...sorry...but this fic is my baby, so I want it to end up the way I want it to :) Okay, hopefully I won't be absent for almost two months again...Enjoy. :)

P.S. I also edited the ending of the previous chapter...sorry! I replaced it, but I'm not sure how long it's going to take to actually be updated on this site. I'm a perfectionist, sorry! (another reason why I am fully writing this before I post it! Otherwise I would constantly re-edit chapters and I know that would get annoying!)

3. Quantz

Locke quietly followed Xane to the Quantz hideout, which was deep in the forest near Kohlingen. He was skeptical of the entire situation due to the fact that he was never sought out, yet alone from the leader of a well known treasure hunter organization. I didn't think my work was that well known...He thought as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. Actually, I didn't think my work was known at all…

As they walked in silence, Locke eyed Xane to get a closer look. Xane looked as though he was a few years older than Locke and he carried himself well, as if he were an Imperial soldier, not a man who stole for a living. His hair was neatly combed, his clothes spotless, and his stride confident. Locke looked down and frowned at his own mud caked boots, old pants, and ripped shirt. He had basically worn the same outfit every day since he left Kohlingen, and although he washed it frequently, it looked worn out and rather pathetic. Not only that, but his hair was getting to be too long to keep down or combed back, so he kept what he could in a ponytail, and the rest hung around his face. If anything, Locke was the more suspicious looking of the two, and it made him slightly self-conscious.

When they reached a mountain wall, Xane stopped in his tracks and motioned Locke to step aside. What the hell is he doing? Locke thought, making a face as he watched Xane place his hand over the rock. A blast of magic burst out from his hand, causing the rock to display a door for them to walk through. Locke's eyes went wide from disbelief of what he saw, and had to blink several times to comprehend what just happened. Magic was used during the War of the Magi…He thought to himself as he cautiously walked through the magic-made door. My grandmother said that after the war, magic ceased to exist…It's probably just my eyes playing tricks on me. That couldn't have been magic…right?

"Now, here's the thing you need to know about Vaughn," Xane started to explain as he faced Locke. He noticed that Locke was watching how the rock slowly started to form again over the door and wasn't listening to a word that he was saying. To grab his attention, he slammed the door as hard as he could, causing Locke to jump. "Listen to me when I talk to you."

"Oh, sorry," Locke apologized as he continued to look at the doorway. He lifted his hand to point at the closed door and without looking at Xane, he manage to squeak out the word, "How…"

"Vaughn will explain everything," he interrupted, snapping his fingers in front of Locke's face to catch his attention again. "Anyway, like I was saying, here are some things you need to know before you make an ass out of yourself. First of all, Vaughn won't put up with any kind of bullshit whatsoever, so you better listen to him and watch what you say. Don't ramble on about nothing because he'll become irritated. However, you don't want to be nervous or too quiet either, 'cause that'll cause Vaughn to be impatient and probably pissed off. He doesn't want a weak-minded person in Quantz."

While still looking in the direction of the where the door was a second ago out of the corner of his eye, he crossed his arms and scoffed. "Okay, so then how am I supposed to act?"

"You have to be calm, collected, and confident when it comes to being around Vaughn," Xane replied, remotely answering Locke's question. "That's basically our motto."

"Why does he want to see me, anyway?" Xane shrugged his shoulders and led him to the door to Vaughn's office. Locke grabbed the older man by the shoulder and whipped him around. "You're not being very helpful to me here. I mean, you seek me out to see your leader, but about what?"

"Don't question it, boy," Xane said as he shrugged off Locke's grip and continued to walk toward a large wooden door at the end of a hallway. He stopped Locke by holding his hand up before opening the door. He faced him and pointed with the finger on the hand that he stopped him with for emphasis as he talked. "You don't want to screw this opportunity up. That's my last warning for you. Let's just hope you're smart enough to listen to it."

Locke blinked in surprise and sighed when Xane opened the door. He followed Xane in the dimly lit room and craned his head to observe his surroundings. The walls were lined with bookcases, pictures, and a coat rack stood in the corner. The bookcases were not all filled with books; instead, many treasures that Vaughn had collected over the years were put on display for the world to see. There was a large wooden desk at the opposite side of the room with a man sitting in a large leather chair. He was writing a letter and motioned Xane to come in further without even looking up. Locke looked up at Xane and nervously swallowed. Breathe, Locke! It'll be okay! Don't pass out…He thought to himself to help him remain calm.

"Hey, Vaughn," Xane said as he crossed his arms. Locke narrowed his eyes at how informal Xane was to his boss, but decided not to think anything of it. "I found Locke Cole like you asked me to."

Slowly, the man put his pen down, looked up, and sat up straight, allowing Locke to get a good look at him. He had a healthy build, jet black hair which was neatly combed back into a ponytail, a medium complexion, and an all around sly look to him. He looked like he couldn't have been any older than his late twenties, causing Locke to narrow his eyes at him. He's quite young for being a leader of a group of this magnitude…He thought as the man kindly smiled at him, revealing nice, white, straight teeth.

"Well done, Xane. You're dismissed." Xane nodded then left the room, leaving Locke alone with Vaughn. "Please, sit down."

Locke gulped as Vaughn pointed to a few chairs that were located in front of his desk. He slowly walked to one of the seats and sat down, not realizing just how nervous he was. Due to his antisocial behavior from being a lone wolf of a treasure hunter most of his life, he wasn't very comfortable when it came to a one on one conversation. His leg shook slightly as he waited for Vaughn to speak again.

"Now, Locke, I'm assuming you know why I've called you here," he questioned as Locke shook his head.

"I have a few ideas, but I'd rather have you explain it to me so I don't say the wrong thing." Vaughn let out a chuckle as Locke tapped his fingers against the arm of the chair he was sitting in.

"Well, we'll get to that in a second," he said as he continued to smile. "But first, let's talk about you. I've heard a great deal about you, Locke. I've heard of the things you have found and the discoveries you have made over the last few years and I must say I'm very impressed. How old are you? Twenty? Twenty-one?"

"Just turned twenty-three, sir." Locke answered politely as Vaughn nodded.

"I was close. However, are you aware that there are many treasure hunters who are in their late thirties who haven't accomplished half as much as you have?" Locke couldn't help but feel his face flush and he slightly sank back in his chair. He wasn't used to being complimented in such a manner and it made him slightly uncomfortable. "When I heard about your many accomplishments, I just had to see if you've ever heard of Quantz."

"Of course I have," Locke began with an awed smile. "Every treasure hunter in this entire world who is serious about their work has heard of Quantz. I remember when I was younger, I heard a few men in Kohlingen—that's where I'm from—talk about it. Heh, that memory just sticks out in my mind."

"How long have you been treasure hunting?" Vaughn asked out of curiosity. He brought his hand to his face and rubbed his freshly shaven chin as he waited for Locke to answer.

Locke thought about it for a second then shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, it was just one of those things that fell into my lap. I've always liked history, so I guess looking for stuff to unravel history seemed to be my calling."

"You've made quite a reputation for yourself ever since you became a treasure hunter. For example, I heard you caught wind of the treasure that was rumored to be in the caves that was in the forest just east of here." He tapped his chin with his fingertips as he looked at Locke for an answer.

"Oh yeah," Locke replied as he leaned back in his seat. "I was looking for it when your man Xane found me."

"Did you find anything of interest?" Locke slightly frowned at the older man and he crossed his arms. "What's that look for?"

"Now, wait just a second here, Vaughn," he said as he stood up, feeling defensive and protective of his findings. He emphasized the man's name because a red flag warning went off above his head. "I don't know why you called me here, but if it's just because you want me to find things and have you benefit from it, you're dreaming."

"That's not it at all, Locke," Vaughn replied as he stood up. Although Locke was glaring, Vaughn looked calm as he explained himself. "I have respect for what you find and I would never take it from you. I was just curious to see if you found anything, because we've heard the rumors of that cave as well."

"Why should I trust you?" Locke countered as he widened his stance.

"Have I given you a reason not to trust me?" Locke looked to the side when he realized that Vaughn was right, but he still wasn't sure if he should trust him or not. Locke had a hard time trusting people in general, and the fact that the man was a treasure hunter didn't exactly help. Treasure hunters weren't stereotyped as the most trustworthy and liable people. However, he knew he wanted into impress Vaughn more than anything, so he finally sighed and reached into his pocket for the box of jewels that he found earlier.

"Fine," he said as he placed the box on Vaughn's desk and tapped his finger on it. "I found this."

Vaughn looked at it for a second, and when he saw the lock, he pointed to it. "Are you going to unlock the box or not?"

"You're a treasure hunter, too," Locke challenged with a huff as he sat back down. "Can't you open the box yourself?"

"Of course I can," Vaughn stated as he reached into his drawer and grabbed his collection of picks. "I was just wondering if you already knew what was in the box."

"Come on, do you really think I would go through all that trouble of finding a box and not pick the lock?" Locke asked as Vaughn insulted his treasure hunting ability. "You know, you are the one who went to find me."

"Yes, I'm completely aware of that. Oh my," Vaughn exhaled as he opened the box to see the jewels inside. Locke's lips started to turn up into a smile as he watched Vaughn's face start to glow in delight. "Where did you find these?"

"Oh, they were in a trunk full of moth infested clothes," he said, not revealing the dagger that was at his side. "I would've looked around more thoroughly, but Xane interrupted my search. I might have to go back sometime, I don't know."

"Hmm." Vaughn took out one of the diamonds to examine it closer. He picked it up with his thumb and forefinger and turned it every which way before he nodded. "Yeah, these are real all right. Nice. Nice find there, Locke."

"Thanks," he said sincerely as he ran his fingers through his tousled hair. He started to feel more insecure again as Vaughn quietly mumbled something as he continued to look through the collection of gems that were handed over to him. He cleared his throat to break up the uncomfortable feeling that was in the room, and Vaughn looked up at him with a smile.

"How would you feel to be a member of Quantz?" Locke's jaw dropped in surprise, causing Vaughn to laugh at him. "Oh, come on, don't give me that look. You are more than qualified to be part of the group. Why else would I have sought you out?"

"There must be some kind of—very unfortunate—mistake," Locke stated as he stood up, chuckling in shock. "I mean, I'm nothing special."

"Let me rephrase this in terms that we're both more comfortable and familiar with," he said, leaning closer to Locke. "I'm a treasure hunter. You're a treasure. Naturally, I had to hunt you down. Understand?"

"Yeah." Locke couldn't help but sink back in his chair and blush again at the flattering remark. "I don't deserve that though."

"Look, Locke," Vaughn started as he stood up. As he spoke, he walked over to a table that was against one of the bookshelves, which had several bottles of hard liquor placed on it. He picked up one of the crystal containers that obtained amber colored liquor, and poured himself a glass, not bothering to ask Locke if he wanted something to drink as well. "I'm a business man. It might not look like it, but I'm running a very important business."

"Okay," Locke said slowly, not sure if Vaughn was just going to ramble on things that didn't apply to him and brag about his business. "Again, no offence, but I really don't want to be here all day if you're just going to waste my time. There are a million treasures out there that are just asking to be found."

"Exactly," Vaughn said as he rushed back over to his desk and pounded it gently with his empty fist for emphasis. "I want you to go on a hunt for me. If you're successful and bring back what I'm looking for, I'll let you join Quantz. If you're not successful…Well, frankly I don't want to even think about that."

"I'll find it," he stated confidently as he nodded his head. "What is it and where?"

"It's based off another rumor, but then again that secret passageway that you found in that cave was also considered a rumor." He chuckled as he slowly drank from the glass that was in his hand. "The waterfalls that are located in the forest a few miles from Kohlingen conceal what was once a campground for a band of thieves."

"Oh yay," Locke drawled with an annoyed sigh as he steepled his fingers against his chest. "Another hidden campground. There's one I haven't heard before."

"Assumedly the band of thieves were attacked and killed by another band of thieves. What a wonderful world we live in," he added with yet another chuckle as he continued. "The leader of the thieves was presumed to possess a very important relic that he carried around with him at all times."

"That's the treasure?" Locke assumed as Vaughn nodded his head. He stood up, exhaled, and started to leave the room. "Consider it found."

"Xane is going with you," Vaughn said with a lift of his eyebrows as he took a sip from the crystal glass that was in his hand. Locke stopped in his tracks and exhaled in disgust, causing Vaughn to sit in his chair and place his glass down. "This is a test run, Locke. When you're officially in Quantz, you'll be able to go out on your own. As for now, however, I want you to go with Xane."

"I'm sure he's gonna love that," Locke stated as he slowly turned toward Vaughn.

"He doesn't have a choice in the matter either, you know," Vaughn reminded him with a smile. "You will go out tomorrow, first thing in the morning. As for tonight, Xane will direct you to your new room."

"Thanks," Locke replied as he walked out of Vaughn's office. After he shut the door, he turned around to see Xane about three inches in front of him. He screeched to a halt s he wouldn't run into him then said, "Hey, sorry, man." Locke looked at Xane and saw the look of hatred in his eyes, so the playful smile that was on Locke's face fell into a frown. Although Xane was several inches taller than Locke's 5'9" build, they were still able to glare into each other's eyes with the same merciless gaze. "Were you listening to the conversation between Vaughn and I?"

"Frankly, I don't give a damn what Vaughn has to say to you," Xane retorted as he crossed his arms across his chest. "I just need to talk to him about a few matters that don't concern you, so walk to your little room and butt out."

"Unfortunately, you're the one who is supposed to show me to my room," Locke informed Xane as he motioned with his hands to lead him there. Xane frowned and scoffed, causing Locke only to give him a smug smile. "So if you're not going to tell me what you and Vaughn need to talk about, I suggest you lead the way and get me out your sight. Besides, it'll only be a matter of time before I have my own private meetings with Vaughn, leaving you wondering and curious. And, oh, just so you're aware, Vaughn ordered you to go on a hunt with me tomorrow morning. Of course, that will be the only time before I'm able to go out on my own."

"Let's get one thing straight right now," the older man said he put his hands on his hips. "You don't know the way this place works, so don't think you can run it."

"Just give me time." Locke crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows at Xane.

"Boy, I hope your treasure hunting hand is a quick as your mouth," he challenged and started to move closer.

"It's quicker," Locke retorted as he walked by Xane, purposely letting his shoulder run into Xane's at the same time.

"Find your own damn room," Xane shouted after Locke and started to walk into Vaughn's office.