WinterMoor

~Chapter Twenty~

Corey rushed into the office, covered in mud and dirt. They had been searching for hours.

"What's happening?" Layton asked instantly.

He caught his breath for a few moments before talking. "The caves all have people in them. The border gates have been checked, there's no holes or signs of people crossing them. We checked out the other cave, they've dug into it, underneath the ground." He explained. "The guards have closed if the cave but they aren't going to check it without your word, Alpha." He turned to Lexi. "Luna." He added quickly.

"Please stop worrying about how you're addressing us." Layton told him. "You're my best friend Corey. You don't need to address is by Alpha and Luna unless we're out or I'm pissed."

"I thought you were pissed." Corey explained.

"Well.." He seemed to evaluate the situation in his head and shrugged. "So they've dug underneath the border fences?" He checked.

"Yes, at least in that cave. I'm assuming that's what's happening to the rest." Corey told them.

"Meet us downstairs in the main operations room, we'll be able to do more down there. Get one leader form each group for me please, Corey." He told him, standing up and locking all of the cabinets and logging off.

They walked downstairs and went through security, scanning the chips in their hands.

They walked into the main operations room. It was the first time Lexi had been in here. There were already a few people down there.

"Lexi this is Achillios. He's the overlooker for the safety of the pack members." Layton told her. They sat down at the head of the table. "Can we get everyone on lockdown please? I don't want anyone going outside unless they need to. I'd the warriors, guards and Border Patrol members to be informed that they might be needed. I don't want anyone to panic, but we're going to need their help as soon as we decide to do anything." Layton explained.

"What time is it?" Lexi asked, reaching for Laytons watch. ,"If it's already 12 shouldn't we wait until the morning to tell the warriors and everyone? They need to sleep, are we going to do anything but investigate until morning?" Lexi told him. "If you don't think it's a good idea, that's fine. I know I'm out of place suggesting -"

"No. Lexi, you're right. They shouldn't be called out yet. Let's still get everyone on Lock down unless it's an emergency. Tell them not to panic please. None of the caves are anywhere near the village." Layton told Achillios. He nodded and walked out of the room, picking up his phone.

Layton and Lexi handled numbers of possibilities and problems, talking with the leaders of each trained group.

"We need to see how many rogues or people we're dealing with. How big are the caves?" Lexi asked.

"The majority are quite small, but there's one that's fairly large. I don't know why we didn't fill them in. I didn't think it would be an issue." Layton scribbled something down in his unreadable hand writing.

"When's the last time we used the drone?" Layton asked, an idea sounding in his mind.

"A few months ago." Corey told him. "What are you thinking?"

"How loud is it?" Layton asked.

"About 30 decibels. It only hums." Corey told him.

"Could we use the heat detecting camera to fly over each cave? Not too low of course." Layton stood up, going out of the room and coming back a few seconds later with a large case.

He placed it on the table and unzipped it, assembling the drone and holding the control panel. "There's only one way to find out."

He got one of the guys to run up and place the drone outside. He started it up slowly, flying it into the air. He sat down.

Layton still looked stressed, everyone watched over his shoulder and Lexi placed a hand on his thigh, comforting him.

"Corey, right down the co ordinates of each one." He told him, flying south. "I know where one is. I'll fly it to that one first. Am I high enough?"

"Plenty." Corey told him, writing down numbers and sliding them to him on the table.

You could see the red and yellow patches where there was areas of heat. He pointed out the first cave and there were about 15 small dotd of red.

Corey counted. "There could be a few more but that's a good indication. Fly to the next one, 476 256... west." He told him.

They went round each cave, finding roughly 15 spots in each cave, and 30 or so in the larger one. They flew the drone back and someone went to fetch it.

"What do we do now?" Lexi asked.

"We wait." Layton told her. "We'll wait until morning, then set something up. We can either attack before they do, or wait it out and defend." He explained. She nodded.

She hadn't moved her hand from his thigh. She tried to pull it away and he took her hand, pulling her towards him.

"Come sleep on me." He told her.

"No." She replied frowning.

"You need sleep."

"So you do." She stood up, kissing the top of his head and walking towards the door. "I'm going to go and make everyone coffee. Who wants one?" She asked.

Everyone smiled slightly and most people said yes. She went upstairs to the main kitchen and made everyone a drink.

A few pakc members approached her.

"Excuse me.. Luna?" It was a young girl, she must only have been 15 or 16.

"Can I help you?" She asked. The girl had two small toddlers by her feet.

"Is it safe? Mums at home, but.. but we're meant to be on lockdown... I need to get them home." She said stuttering.

"Wait here. Let go and see what I can do to help. Okay? Don't worry everything's under control." Lexi told her, she took the drinks downstairs and placed them on the table.

"I'll be back." Lexi told them.

"Lexi, where are you going?" Layton asked.

"If you ask, you won't like it. I'll be back in about 20 minutes." She kissed his cheek and started to walk away but he stood up and wrapped his arms round her.

"Where are you going? It's not safe." Layton asked, kissing her shoulder.

"There's a young girl upstairs with two toddlers, she needs to get home. I'm going to walk her." She told him and he smiled.

"No, Lexi. You need to stay here. I need you here..." He told her. He turned to one of the people in the room.. "Can I have a guard to walk her home, please?"

"She's by the kitchen." Lexi told them.

Someone nodded and walked out of the room.

"I need you with me. I can't cope without you right now, beautiful." He whispered to her and she nodded, turning round in his arms and hugging him tightly.

"This will all be over soon." He told her.