The Wannabe Warrior
Chapter 36

Zane POV

Following Madison out of Alpha’s office, I felt we were starting to get somewhere. Dad told me we had more help coming than we expected. Alpha Daniel’s Luna was loved by many other packs. Four were direct family-related packs, others were like cousins or close family friends.

Alpha called a few others too, to try and get more supporters here. I don’t know how trustworthy other people Alpha has called. I will be cautious of any that are not ones I already know, as true friends or the ones that Madison can vouch for. I have a gut feeling, there is more to this than just the advisor.

We are going to set up tents and marques in the back behind the pack-house, near the laundry entry, so they can enter that way for meals, and can use the bathrooms that were built outside near that area made for special occasions, though often used when we have large amounts of warriors around. We wanted to keep at least three barracks for ball attendees. Any former Alpha, Beta and other hierarchy member would be placed on the second floor of the packhouse. We are going to use the ball as an explanation for their arrival, which is not unusual as each time we have a ball, we do bring in help, though this time we are not using any of the advisors I may suggest. He would bring it up as soon as the ball is getting closer, and if memory serves me well, it is about three weeks before the ball, that the advisor would suggest he could get extra help for security at the ball. He started doing this about two years ago. This time we are ahead of him and we are sure it would have been an excuse to bring in traitors to fight from the inside.

Gerome sat in front of many screens all lit up, typing and recording information in a spreadsheet. Getting closer, I notice he is taking screen shots of each rogue and putting them into the spreadsheet and giving them a number. On the spreadsheet, they have over two hundred rogues so far added. Some have scars making them easy to identify, and some look like twins, and I wonder how he can see the difference.

Madison is looking at each screen, one by one, looking at the display. What? I don’t know what she is looking for, and I leave her to do her thing.

‘Gerome, how is it going? Any new information on what they are doing in the caves or the mines?’ I asked, looking at some of the mine camera views.

‘The rogues are still in groups of six, but are five minutes apart, exiting the caves and entering the mines. I feel there is a link between the two undergrounds. They have had plenty of time to make new tunnels or extend old ones. I have seen some hints of mining equipment. There are some old parts lying around the mine,’ He takes a breath and continues ‘I am hoping we get more cameras set up at the last few caves, and I want someone to look at the other side of the mountain that the cave system is part of. I feel they may have built an entrance on the other side.’

‘Madison?’ I call

‘Humm?’ she answered distractedly.

‘Can you teach Graham to use the app on your tablet? Get him to set up the cameras. Has he seen you use it often enough?’

‘Yeah, he had an idea for the app. I have talked about it over the years as I developed it, I can give a quick lesson.’

‘Good, I would get dad to send him to get the cameras setup and send someone else to walk between the mine and the caves. Gerome wants and I agree that there seems to be a link between the two, and they would do the walk. Maybe they have built something above ground whilst doing whatever they are below.’

‘That would be great. The more I can replace out, the better. I feel time is running out, the change in their habits in only a couple of days is too co-incidental. They have ramped up their patrols, just like we have, and the number of rogues so close to us has me worried. Never have I ever heard of so many rogues congregating together like this. Rogers are solo or pairs or a small family exiled for some reason, never ever like this.’ Gerome says as he continues to work on trying to identify the rogues.

I walked around the room, looking at the equipment and wondered how Gerome managed to get so much done in such a short time. I glanced over at him and looked at him properly and noticed bags under his eyes and wondered when he slept last.

‘Oh, Madison, I just remembered, Mary asked if you had given Karen permission to pick the herbs and plants in the garden. Mary was out gathering some potatoes and noticed her in the garden.’ Gerome says nonchalantly.

‘No, I have not. Did Mary say which plants she was taking?’

‘Henbane and valerian, from the green house, and she had other plants in her basket already.’

‘Zane, we need to inspect Karen’s room and get her away from the kitchens, she is making a potion to put them to sleep. I need to go now, before she can do any harm.’

‘Thank you, Gerome, for remembering.’ Madison says as we are leaving the room.

I mind-linked dad to the situation and he said to meet him downstairs, we will get some warriors to go with us.