The planes landed in a little air field called McCloud. The three planes disgorged their occupants and moved off to refuel. The night sky was still a deep blue black without even a hint of the morning sunrise lightening the eastern sky.
Alexander watched as Kenneth gathered them all and looked north towards the impressive peak of Mount Shasta. It stood only a little more than a dozen or so miles away by his guess. A large truck rolled up to them on the air strip. Kenneth smiled and waved the man forward, stopping him for just a moment as he spoke through the lowered driver’s side window. The truck pulled off and headed directly toward the snow covered peak in the distance. Alexander could see that there were dogs sitting calmly in the bed of the truck. Why would Kenneth, or anybody else, need a dog, much less five?
Kenneth turned away from the truck as it sped off and addressed the gathered group. There were about one hundred and forty or so vampires split pretty evenly across the Houses. Kenneth looked toward the mountain, “That’s where we’re going.”
Alexander was still numb from Wolfgang’s betrayal. How could he have sold out his entire House to this weakling? He was supposed to fight for them and yet he had given them up for Kenneth’s machinations. And now he just pointed to a mountain and said, ‘go there.’ His feet almost moved, almost.
“Why are we going there and what about the dawn?” Alexander asked quietly. He raised his eyes to meet Kenneth’s, his voice giving his body and mind strength to resist again, to not let himself be led around like a stray puppy by him, not again.
“Alexander?” Kenneth asked in a mockingly sympathetic tone, “Am I not here with you? Do you honestly think that I have any intention of allowing myself to burn in the warm embrace of sunlight?” He was openly smiling now, “No, I have much more important things to do this night.” He opened his arms wide to the gathering around him. “Your House Heads have not abandoned you, nor have they betrayed you.” He said that looking straight at Alexander. “I need each and every one of you.”
Kenneth turned around as two House Dukart vampires brought out a pretty good sized table looking platform that was covered with black squares all around it. The two vampires set the thing down on the ground. It stood up about two feet off the ground. It was about six feet by six feet.
Kenneth smiled at the thing as he walked around behind it and again faced the gathering of vampires. “This is the reason why we are here. Under that mountain,” he said pointing to snowcapped mountain in the distance, “Is where the werewolves have been living. And this,” he gestured to the thing on the ground in front of him, “Is the city that we will destroy tonight.”
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“The Shape Shifters built a city under a dormant volcano?” asked one of the Himurans.
“Yes,” answered Kenneth calmly. “That was how they have remained hidden all these years, out of sight of satellites and our scouts. We never thought to look underground.” He looked over the group of vampires. “This is why your House Heads signed those documents promising your service to me for a short while. That is why we had to fly here. Today, we bury a city and kill every last werewolf we find.”
Alexander had to admit he was curious. He hated himself for other reasons. Kenneth had given him a sliver of hope when he was sure there hadn’t been any to find. Hope that his whole life hadn’t been a lie. Hope that his Head of House hadn’t sold out his House for a pittance. Kenneth had used hope as a weapon against him once…twice before. He hated Kenneth for killing him inside then giving him that hope. He hated himself for so desperately clutching to it.
Kenneth pointed to the model of the city. The city was arrayed in a circular pattern. The blocks, Alexander assumed they were supposed to be buildings, were short squat things that looked a little haphazard. There wasn’t a whole lot of detail to the model, but there was a large square building right in the center that was almost twice as tall as any other structure.
Kenneth pointed to the Himurans, “Who is your most senior?”
A young delicate looking woman stepped forward. Her features were soft and her eyes were deep brown pools that took in everything around her and there was no refection in them. Her black hair hung down to her waist freely. It moved like water as she walked.
“I am, Sayuri Hamasaki. I serve Fumiko Nakahara and House Himura. I lead my House here,” the woman strongly said.
Even though she stood only five feet tall, maybe five feet one inch, the woman was full of confidence and inner strength, she was solid in ways he had rarely seen from men who would tower over her. It had been a good choice by Fumiko to send her.
Kenneth smiled, nodded, and looked over to House Brandt, “And you?”
A tall man stepped forward. He had light brown hair, but striking blue eyes. He towered over them both. He must have been six and a half feet tall or so.
“I’m Carlin Sommer.”
Kenneth watched him approach, “I’m placing you in charge of your House forces. Can you handle that?” He asked, staring him straight in the eye, Carlin nodded.
“Good, now,” he pointed to the model in front of him, “I know this model is crude. Please forgive the lack of detail. I didn’t have time to reconnoiter the place as much as I would have liked to. That and the model was something Brian and I threw together in a matter of minutes but it’ll get the job done.”
Kenneth leaned over and began pointing out various things on the model. “We will come in here on the eastern side of the city. Once there, you,” he said pointing to Sayuri, “Will take your House forces on a sweeping maneuver around the south side of the city. Once you reach the far western side of the city you will then engage and move back eastward toward the center.”
“You, Carlin,” he said pointing out the northern side of the city, “will take House Brandt up north along the eastern side of the city and move down south once you hit this point next to what can only be described as an indoor forest, if you can believe that.” Carlin nodded.