Chapter Twenty One
The Hunters Become the Hunted




Dust and sand billowed wildly in a massive cloud around their jeep as they drove along. They were going probably faster than they should have been, but Damian was driving and there were no law enforcers around so….
Essa looked down at the screen showing the blip representing Fealon. She had Damian adjust their course slightly to the right then hollered back to Lily over the rumbling crunching of the tires.
"Got anything on what the location's like where Fealon's headed?"
Lily leaned forward and shouted back, "Yeah. Looks like mountain ridge Treachner. Vaugly in the direction of the volcano there, the one called Mt. Armageddon."
"Isn't that the largest active volcano anywhere?"
"Yeah, the Tistian Plains are behind the Treachner ridge. He may be headed there for a pick up or rendezvous."
"Thanks Lil!" Things were quite for a while as the sun beat down and sand got everywhere you didn't want it.
Damian ate up the miles and as the fifth hour of the evening struck they saw the distantly imposing mountain range grow to life size.
The little village at the base was filled mostly with goats and small camels and cows. However they did pull over there for the night.
The people there sold them food and water but they were suspicious naturally, no one would take them in for the night. As the rest of the gang ate the delicious roasted beef over rice and drank their honey sweetened camel milk, Nexo got busy folding down the back of the jeep.
After that he started tying the heavy duty rainproof canvas tarp to the roll bars and frame of the vehicle. This achieved a tent of a kind.
Then he folded the backseats down and laid the front seats back into a reclining position. This created a semi-comfortable place for the girls in the front and the flat back for the boys.
I wasn't a feather bed but it would work for one night. Full and sleepy the foursome bundled into the jeep, stretching out and wrapping up warmly they all dozed off the the flickering light of their campfire of the canvas, and the gentle bleats and lows of the vast herds around them.

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Not far, deep within the vast caverns of the volcano Armageddon, KK looked moodily of into the dark starry night stretching in every direction. The slight sound of a step scuffing on stone caused him the glance over his shoulder. His condesending gaze found Fealon standing unreadable and waiting.
"Is it done Fealon?"
"Yes, sir. It was just as you said, they are predictable and easy to manipulate."
"The device?"
"Right here sir." Fealon palmed the small round button like device.
"You've been tracked hopefully. I have little doubt that you were. Well expect them, what?" Meerw, "Yes, tomorrow night I think. We are prepared here for them. We'll just throw into motion the final preparations, shall we?" Fealon watched as KK strode over to a curtain and yanked it aside.
The red glow from deeper inside the volcano shone on the gleaming metal behind it. Fealon smirked and Mille meowed loudly from her shoulder perch.
KK tilted his head and smiled faintly, "Yes, destiny will not be stopped."



Tbc later. I'm being sent to bed.

Chapter Twenty Two
The Smoky Mountain



        They were hiking up the mountain as the sun rose behind them. It's pale gold rays struck the gray pebbles and dirt around them, turning them a slight blue color.
Nexo spoke for the first time in several hours. "I hate to rain on the parade, but we don't even know what to look for. A secret door? A passage way?"  
Essa hiked her small backpack higher and answered him without stopping or slowing her ascent.
"This mountain has a large crater instead of a peak, it's not super steady because of the last eruption from 100 years ago. Once we reach the crater we'll find the entrance."  
Nexo walked and walked and walked, he closed his eyes, blocking out the now heavy sun, sweat dripped off his hair and down his nose. His feet continued their set way even with his eyes closed.
"Nexo." He stumbled slightly, "Nexo, listen." His ankles felt wobbly and his head tipped forward towards the ground, his eyes felt good closed.
"You are with me. You are safe. Sleep." The next thing he knew a sharp, tingling, stinging feeling on his cheek woke him. He forced his eyes open and saw his friends staring down at him in concern. Damian was rubbing the back of his hand absently. Nexo touched his cheek trying to clear the wool from his mind.
Damian grimaced, "You my friend, have a hard face."
"You slapped me?!"
"You just keeled over and wouldn't wake up. We were really scared!"
"What happened?"
"I dunno. I was feeling really tired, then I heard this really nice voice in my head. It said it was safe to sleep."
Damian sneered, "And you believed it?" 
Nexo glared back irritated, "I couldn't help it. I couldn't seem to fight it or think."
Everyone shared glances. 
"Well if you hear it again tell us immediately okay?"
Nexo nodded wearily and they trekked on. Half an hour later the reached the crater.
The view was spectacularly breathtaking. Vast green plains surrounded by the small strip of tanned desert. 
Everyone looked at the other and took a deep breath.
"For Simon." Damain put his hand out in front of them, and the others placed their's on his one by one.
They all shared a solemn glance then single file they all made their was to the boulder ringed doorway.
Inside it was dark. Stifling. Nexo could hear the fast breathing of the others, his heart beat in his ears.
Once he stumbled over rough ground. After walking about fifteen minutes they all could see a faint red light glowing around the bend of the tunnel.
Turning down it and squinting into the light they'd become unaccustomed to they beheld a large room.
Severel hundred feet away the floor dropped into a cliff that led into the writhing pool of magma far below.
The teens all stood quietlty and close together.
It felt like the perfect place, for a trap!



Okay moar later. Leave comments or questions. Hope u all enjoy.