Chapter 5: Headquarters

They stepped out of the smoking, damaged vehicle. Kane looked around. Other then the dilapidated mansion and the dirt road that led to it, there was nothing but woods swaying in the breeze as far as the eye could see. The wind had caused the mist had settled around the bottom of the trees in an almost ethereal way, creating the sense that it was nothing more than an expert painting. Kane pulled out a cigarette from his jacket and placed it between his lips. He then pulled out a lighter and attempted to light the smoke, but the wind blew the flame out. He tried unsuccessfully a few more times before Epplectan noticed.

"You know that there's a lighter in the car, don't you?" She asked obviously

"Thanks" he muttered as he leaned in the car to light his cigarette. He exited the car and took a long drag, exhaling the smoke into the fog, so that they merged. "God, you have no idea how bad I needed one of these."

"Seriously?" She said incredulously, staring at him with angry eyes and a slightly open mouth.

Kane looked slightly amused. "Don't tell me about how unhealthy they are, believe me, I already know and I really don't care."

"I'm not talking about that," she said in a frustrated voice. "I don't care that you smoke, but you really just used a lighter? I was only joking about the one in the car, and you actually used it." She shook her head in disbelief. "Why didn't you just use your power?"

Kane eyed her darkly. "Like I said, my reasons are my own." An awkward silence fell between them. Kane looked away from her to the condemned mansion "So," He said, breaking the quiet "This is it? Looks like its condemned. How do we get in?" He wondered aloud to Epplectan.

"How you get into any house," She said in a short tone "Through the front door." She turned from him and walked quietly towards the door, which looked at one point like in was painted a bright red, but time had caused it to fade so that now only a few small chips of paint remained, leaving it weathered gray and decaying. She turned the rusted handle and the door swung open.

"Why isn't it locked?" Kane asked, thinking it common sense.

"First off, this isn't a permanent base. We constantly move locations so as to avoid the state. We've been at this location for about a year. There is only one permanent headquarters in The Association, and that one isn't located in Serinthia, but in different country altogether. Plus, a lock wouldn't keep the state task force out. They would just break down the door, or blow the whole house up, which seems to be there preferred method. Plus if we need to get in or out quickly, we won't have to stop running to unlock the door. Its practical." She said simply

They walked into the darkened room. Everything was covered in clear plastic sheets and a thick layer of dust covered all the surfaces. Cobwebs were strewn across the ceiling. He could smell the mold that had grown on the woodwork due to the years of neglect.

"Not much of a headquarters…" Kane stated. "This place looks like it hasn't been touched in decades."

"That's because it hasn't." she said bluntly and shortly "Like I said, we're constantly on the move. Besides, this is just the mansion. It's been over sixty years since anyone lived here. The temporary headquarters is about 20 feet beneath us." She took a left down a narrow hallway that was unlit except for a ray of moonlight streaming in through a large window to the right, where a solitary door stood. Epplectan pushed it open, revealing stairs leading down into a pitch-black passageway. She went expertly down them, without any light. She had walked down this path quite a few times, so she had it memorized. There was no need for light.

Kane followed a few steps behind, only knowing where she was because of the soft sound her feet where making against the hard wood. It was like slowly descending down a well, the light from the doorway not being able to penetrate the darkness. The stairs started to turn right, and before long there was no light at all. It was all consuming; they could have been in a large box or deep space.

They continued for what seemed like a long time before Epplectan stopped abruptly. Kane, not knowing she had stopped, continued walking and crashed into her.

"Watch where the hell you're going!" She snapped at him. She had almost forgotten Kane was with her.

"You know, not all of can see in the pitch fucking dark you know." He retorted angrily

Epplectan ignored him as she fumbled around for the handle, and then found it. The door creaked open. The sudden light blinded them both momentarily when his eyes adjusted, he saw a large room with white tiled floors and vivid orange walls. There was a large, overstuffed blue couch sitting in the middle of the far wall that was facing a television that was flicking violent images of some bombing at the senate. In the center of the room was an oval, brown wooden table with papers strewn about it and chairs around it that matched the table in color and design. A new looking red computer was sitting on a black, metal wired desk in the corner and an antique looking pool table was in the corner opposite to that. The clash of mismatched colors was somewhat appealing to the eyes, but also somewhat overwhelming to take in all at once.

Epplectan looked mildly around the room. "Well, this is it. It's not much, but it's comfortable." She sniffed the air hopefully. "Great, smells like dinner is ready, but before we eat I have to tell you something." Kane looked blankly at her.

"I need to tell you who told me about you. I think you used to know him at one point." Epplectan said. There was a silence

"Well," Kane said "Are you going to tell me who it is?" he asked baldly.

"Foods ready!" came a gruff voice from the kitchen. A man walked through the room caring plates of food and setting them on the table. He was very tall with rippling muscles that showed though his shirt. He had Short grey hair and his eyes were the color of red soil. He bore a scar on the left side of his face, as though he had been slashed with a hot sword long ago. He set down the plates and looked directly at Kane. Kane stared at him for a few seconds before speaking.

"Hey Krist. Been awhile…" Kane said with a serious face "Your just as ugly as I remember. How you been?"

"Can't complain, especially compared to you. " Krist responded seriously. Then they both started laughing. Krist stepped towards him and pulled into a one armed hug.

"How long has it been, about five years?" Krist said while letting Kane go

"Yeah, "Kane said with a smile "About that. I thought you went off to fight in Latsiana? I heard from someone that you died there to."

"Don't believe anything you here, and only half of what you see." He responded with a laugh. "Yeah, I did go to fight in Latsiana, but I deserted when the higher ups gave orders that didn't sit well with me. I faked my own death so that they wouldn't come looking for me. After awhile I found the Association, and I joined up. I told Epplectan and Fantra about you a few months back and they seemed interested in you."

"Wait, who's Fantra?" Kane asked

"We can talk about that later," Krist said "Hey Epps, where did you find him anyways?"

"In a bar on the east side of Lethkil" She said

Krist gave his friend a long look and understood "Well," he said "Why don't we play catch-up while we eat?"

"Best idea I've heard all day" Epplectan said. "I'm starving, and besides," She said while glancing at Krist "We have things we need to discuss."