Evolution

CHAPTER 17 | into the lion's den

📎A/N. Hello my lovelies. With any luck, you are all having a wonderful weekend. We are heading into winter here in NZ and it is getting a little chilly. For those of you with a bit of heat, can you please send it my way :)

This week, I decided to post the reader world map for Evolution. I am always completely blown away at the range of countries where my story is being read. Thank you all so very much for your continued support. 

I hope you enjoy the chapter. It's a little long, so settle back with a drink and a box of popcorn.

❤ ℳ

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As Petra approached the gates that halted her path the day before, she slowed, expecting it to be closed.

That's odd.

Unlike the previous visit, they were wide open, and no one stood guard. She picked up her speed and drove through the narrow opening that had been cut out of the mountain range. Not long after, the road became a dual carriageway again, and she continued down the only access that lead in and out of Daniel Locke's property.

Not for the first time, she questioned her sanity. Anyone else would have brought back up. There was something odd about this part of Colorado. The entire parcel of land which encompassed a section of the national forest, as well as two very large valleys, and a number of lakes and streams, had been in Daniel Locke's family for nearly three hundred years. Wanting to know what she was heading into, Petra spent hours trying to discover what lay on the other side of the gates. Much to her disgust, she could find nothing. Not even Google earth had images of the land. Which was weird, as there wasn't a public place that couldn't be located from the satellite images.

Petra glanced around at her surroundings. She was about a mile beyond the gates, and there was nothing to see apart from trees, hills and more trees.

So why was there people at the gates stopping me from getting in, if this is all there is?

Ignoring her inner doubt, Petra noticed a blur from the corner of her eye. She slowed the car to take a better look, only to discover a pair of gray wolves racing through the underbrush of the dense forest that flanked to her right.

Petra pursed her lips and her brows scrunched together. In of itself, there was nothing strange. This part of the country had a high population of wolves. It was the size of the wolves that stood out. While her idea of roughing it was a three-star hotel and she hadn't the first clue about animals, she was fairly positive they weren't supposed to be that large.

Once the wolves disappeared into the forest, Petra shook off her concern as paranoia and focused on the rough gravel road. After another ten minutes of weaving up hill and down dale, Petra turned a corner and was thankful it was her last. Another gate was in front of her. This time, there was a large building just beyond. She had finally arrived at her destination.

Just as she reached the iron gates, they swung open and a woman she recognized from the day before, stood on the other side. Following the woman's directions, Petra swung her rental to the right and found herself in a car park the size of the one at her local mall. What was more surprising was that it was almost a quarter full. As she got out, the woman that had ushered her through approached.

"Dr. Baghurst, I'm Jo, if you follow me, Mr. Locke and Miss. Johnson are expecting you."

With that Jo swung on her heel and strode off, not bothering to check to see if she'd follow. Petra, not wanting to be left behind, locked her car and raced to catch up. As they neared the large building she had spotted earlier, a small group of people holding steaming hot travel coffee mugs, headed towards the carpark and nodded to Jo as they passed. They looked as though they were about to say something to her when they spotted Petra, clamped their mouths shut and their faces turned to stone as they picked up their pace.