Found (Book 1 of the Haven's Army Trilogy) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 4

The next night, I waited until everyone was asleep and snuck out again. Nina was outside and I followed her back to the clearing.

After mentioning Ronnie the night before, Nina hadn't said anything, just led me back and left.

When we arrived, Nathan was already there. Nina approached him, but told me to stay back, which I was totally fine with.

When he saw her, Nathan jumped up. "What are you doing?!" he shouted. "You aren't supposed to leave!"

"But I always do!" Nina argued.

"Yes, but things have changed. War is closer and I don't want you hurt." He grabbed her arm and dragged her along. I noticed he kept her away from the shadows, probably so she couldn't shadow travel away. Nina struggled with her crutches. She tried to jerk away but couldn't.

I hesitated, then followed.

I tried not to make noises in the dense foliage, and I kept a safe distance behind them but not enough to lose them.

Soon they came to yet another clearing. Nathan pulled back a few bushes to reveal a silver door in the ground. He sat Nina on the ground and put in the combination. Then he pulled the door up. I was surprised at how strong he was for how lanky his figure was.

When he had opened it he pulled Nina to her feet and pulled her into the darkness through the door.

The next day, there was no training so I decided to investigate. As I was leaving, Kathryn walked up.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "Can I come?"

"I found something," I told her. "If you come, you mustn't tell anyone, okay?"

She nodded. I grabbed her arm and shadow-traveled to the clearing.

"Here we are," I told her.

She looked confused so I took her to the spot and began pulling away leaves.

"What are you doing?"

I whipped around. It was Nathan.

"I lost a necklace near here," Kathryn explained. "I made it myself."

"Well," he said. "Get out of here. If I find it, I'll return it to you." She nodded and I pulled her a bit away and shadow-traveled when his back was turned.

*********

"So did you find my necklace?" Kathryn asked Nathan at dinner that night. She had to pretend like she didn't know anything.

"No," he said. "Nothing. Not a trinket or chain."

"That sounds like a poem," Kathryn said thoughtfully.

"Go away."

Kathryn mumbled and walked back to me.

"Did he?" I asked, still playing the part.

"No," she replied. "Let's leave."

I knew she didn't mean back to the housing. She meant back to the trapdoor. I knew (and so did she) that it would be best to go while Nathan wasn't there.

We ran into the forest and I quickly shadow-traveled to the spot.

"You're getting good at that," Kathryn complimented.

"Thanks." I beamed a little.

We quickly pulled back the bushes and I put in the combination I had seen Nathan do. I tried to lift the trapdoor. It moved a little but not enough for us to fit.

"Let me help," said Kathryn. She held the handle and pulled upward. Soon, we had a crack wide enough for us to fit through. I held the door up as Kathryn slipped in; then she held the trapdoor for me from below.

We walked in darkness for a few seconds until we came to a dead end. I put my hand on the ground, hoping to use the Hearth's powers to feel something in the dirt. But when I reached down, it wasn't dirt but cold metal.

Suddenly, the section we were in dropped like a stone! We fell down fast and I knew if we hit the ground, we'd die. I knew we couldn't jump out or stop the lift.

We were going to die.

I think Kathryn realized this too because she shook my hand and looked determined, the face that masked her fear.

When I finally thought it would go on forever, the lift began to slow gradually. When it was almost stopped, it came to a level.

The bright lights almost blinded me and I waited for my eyes to adjust. When they did, I saw machinery like I had never seen before.

They were glass spheres with babies so small they couldn't even be ready for the parents yet.

I realized what it was even though I had never seen it before.

"Cloning."

"What?" Kathryn asked me.

"Cloning. It's how the founders make all the people. This must be where Ronnie clones himself." I was getting excited by then.

Then, I heard something down the hall. I also heard something behind me. The lift was going up. Someone was there.

I walked down the hall with noises. I realized it was talking. Soon I peeked around a corner and saw Nina talking to a man who was tall and lanky with long black hair. I decided that if Nina was fine with him, he was good. I decided to get Nina's attention. A rock had found its way into my shoe. I threw it down the hallway. Nina turned to the sound. She said something to the man and walked toward the sound. When she came past us, I grabbed her and covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

Her eyes widened. I let go.

"Good. You found it," she whispered.

"You wanted us to find this place?" I asked.

"Yes," she said.

"Nathan's coming," said Kathryn.

"Not good," I said.

Before I could finish my sentence, Nina was hobbling over to Nathan. She cuffed him behind the ear and he cringed. Then, she grabbed his arm and dragged him down the hall.

We snuck by after they had passed. I couldn't believe she would do that to him.

He's mean, I thought. He deserves it.

We made it to the lift in one piece. I decided we should go home, so we did. I was grateful for the sleep.