“After you,” I said, gesturing with my hand.
Freddy smiled so wide that I thought his face might get stuck that way, Joker-style. He nodded to himself, as if he was confirming that this was really happening, and then he slowly stepped forward. The moment his foot hit the ground, the first brass ring made its presence known. A foot thick and set flawlessly into ground, the ring was perfectly level with the stone floor. It was about five feet into the room and its radiance illuminated the stairway considerably. The light had a slight yellow tinge to it, but not nearly as much as I had anticipated. Just as Freddy said, the next ring, about ten feet further in, sprang to life right after the first. Then the next, and the next, until the last ring flared to life. There were eight rings in total, the last of which sat just under the great table.
I couldn’t remember if Freddy had called it the great table or not, but it was a fitting description. The giant marble slab was huge. And when I say huge, I don’t just mean that it was a big table. I mean, holy crap, that table was enormous. It was easily thirty-feet across and probably a foot thick. Just as Freddy told us, the vine underneath of it formed the base, although it looked far more like an old twisted tree trunk than it did a vine. A gnarly looking thing, it must have been at least ten feet thick itself. But, the more you stared at it, the more you got the impression that it was actually several smaller vines twisted together into a much larger construct. The still water of the well underneath looked so perfect and calm I almost thought it was a mirror. I planned to take a closer look as I stepped into the room.
I’d never felt anything like it, but the rush was amazing. The air was heavy and warm, as if it was holding you tight. It reminded me of snuggling into a soft blanket. There was a general sense of euphoria and peace. I couldn’t help but smile and as I looked back I noticed the rest of the team doing the same. Each breath felt effortless and smooth, the weight of my chest vanishing and becoming non-existent. Then there were the smells.
With each inhalation the scent in the air changed. First it was the new growth and flowers of spring. This was followed by oceans and beaches and warm summer air. The next breath brought forth the aroma of fall, my favorite. I could smell dying leaves on the breeze and pumpkins and spices and campfires. Finally, there was winter. A crispness in the air brought hints of snow and the smell of pine. Then the sequence repeated, my next breath taking me back to spring. It was amazing. After enjoying a few cycles, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and got my wits back about me.
Once I adjusted to the sensations, I looked back at the well under the table and watched as the façade of the mirror was shattered. First we heard the sound of wood bending, like trees swaying and flexing in the wind. Then, several of the vines under the table started to untangle and extend towards the edges of the marble slab. Like a time-lapse video of plants growing, they moved and twisted and reached out, forming a shape that mostly resembled a chair. There were six of them, one for each of us. There were a few “wows” from the team and someone even whistled. It wasn’t until the vines had finished their dance that I looked around the rest of the room.
I’d been so fixated on the great table in the center, that I didn’t even notice all of the pillars around us. Although to be fair, they were positioned in such a way that our view of the table from the doorway was completely unobscured. They were skinnier than I’d imagined, and they mushroomed at the top. Perhaps as thick as a flagpole, the marble pillars, the exact same green as the table, rose up all over the room, stretching out as they approached the ceiling. Their tops reached wide, almost branching out, and giving one the impression that the roof was simply a tree canopy. When I looked close, I thought I could make out subtle designs upon the ceiling that actually resembled tangled branches, but I couldn’t be sure. It was possibly a trick of the light, my imagination, and the high that this room seemed to cause. Upon each pillar was inscribed four runo-glyphs, one in the direction of each door. I looked at several of them before I realized that none of them repeated. I couldn’t see them all, but somehow I just knew that each one was unique.
As Freddy had said, the pillars did seem to be randomly scattered about the room. There was no discernable pattern, but they were more heavily concentrated away from the entrances, almost carving The Circle into quarters. A clear path stretched from each entrance to the center, none of the pillars within fifteen feet of the table. Although the floor itself was the same grey stone as upstairs, the green marble pillars did look as if they were growing out of and part of the floor. Not one of them “took root” on top of the brass rings or too close to each other. But to be fair, looking at them this way, it was difficult to tell exactly how close they might be to one another. It was almost like looking at an optical illusion, as if some other image was behind them waiting to appear when you looked just right. With each movement I made, they seemed to shift or waver. It was kind of cool. I started swaying back and forth just to watch it. I turned to see if the team was looking at me funny, but they all seemed to be equally transfixed by various parts of the room.
I wanted to get a better look at the table, so I started forward. Whether because of some herd mentality or equal curiosity, the team was shuffling after me. As I said before, the great table was huge. The closer I got, the bigger it seemed to be. It was a solid piece of green marble, with grayish veins running throughout its surface. I reached out and placed my palm on the table and watched as goose bumps popped up on my arm. There was power resonating from the marble that gave me a sense of strength and resolve. I sat in the nearest chair and it felt more comfortable than any chair had a right to be. As if it could read my mind, I twisted to face my team and the chair turned with me.
“These chairs are amazing. Do you think they’d mind if I snipped off a piece of this vine and took it home?”
I was half expecting Freddy to freak out and scold me for even saying such a thing out loud. But he just calmly smiled and shook his head.
“I do not believe it would be permitted. Even if we had something capable of cutting the vine,” he replied plainly.
“Bummer. This is so comfortable.”
The rest of the team scattered around the table and everyone found their own chair. I leaned back in mine, the whole thing shifting like some intuitive recliner. The pod-esque shape of the chairs made me smile. Almost like they were sprouts to hold seeds. I guess it was a logical shape for magical wooden chairs grown from a vine. The facial expressions on the rest of the team made it clear that they were just as comfortable as I was. Vector’s chair was even sitting a bit higher than the rest so that we were all at even height around the table. It was clear that this place took itself very seriously when it came to making everyone feel equal and welcomed. A moment later my attention was drawn to the sound of Danny exhaling heavily.
I looked up and noticed him staring at the table. He was shifting his lower body side to side, like spinning in an office chair. But he kept his eyes transfixed on the table itself. He stopped and looked up at us.
“You all have to try that. Look at the table when you move,” he said.
We all mimicked him, each in our own way, and I could see what he was talking about. The brown veins in the table were almost shifting and pulsing. Freddy had mentioned that they moved with the mood of the room, but I suddenly thought they were something else. I think they were the vine itself, shifting about as we adjusted our chairs. I placed my hand back on the table and continued to move. I thought I might feel the vines moving under my palm, but the only sensation was the original sense of power. I don’t know how long we sat there lost in comfort and fascination, but it was Erika who brought us all back to reality.
“We should probably go start setting up for company,” she said.
“But mom, I don’t wanna go to school today.”
Everybody smiled, but no one laughed. It was almost like we were too relaxed to chuckle. That thought made me smile more as I twisted about in my chair. But she was right. We had things to
set up. So, as much as I’d rather sit here for the rest of my life, it was time to get to work.
“Okay, Erika’s right, we gotta get ready. Everybody on your feet.”
There was some lighthearted groaning and sighing, but slowly everyone got out of their chair. We headed back towards the north stairway, all of us stopping just outside of the room and turning so we could watch the lights turn off. A perfect reverse of our entrance, the first ring to go dark was under the great table. Then, one after another, the rings turned off until the last one, the ring five feet in front of us, went dark. I could feel myself mentally saying good-bye to the room as we started to ascend the stairs. The walk to the top was definitely longer than the walk down.
Once we were back in the world’s biggest basement, I found the dwarves in charge and we started discussing our security plans. They had no problems with any of the measures I wanted to put in place and they even went into detail regarding their own plans. There were about forty dwarves in the room now and they told me that sixteen others would be stationed at the stone doors. As much as I respected the GHOST organization, I got the distinct impression that these dwarves were far more combat capable than our own security personnel. So, I decided our earlier plan was a good one, we’d cover the surface entrances.
There wasn’t much for Freddy or Danny to do right then, so they waited below while the rest of us headed to the surface. Freddy was excited to continue examining the room and Danny said he wanted to meditate before the meeting. We left them in the company of the dwarves and found a guide to the top.
We took a different door to the surface, just because it was closer to the northern stairs. The dwarf used the same sequence to get us back up. The wooden doorknob put in place and turned to the left on the bottom and to the right on top. Of course, realizing that this was the opposite side of the door, I guess technically it was the reverse of the trip down. Maybe the dwarf was actually returning the internal magical mechanisms to their original position. Or something. I don’t really know. Magic in general gives me a headache.
Once on the surface, Erika escorted Kara out of the stadium and towards the water. They would find a nice secluded spot so Kara could use the living energy of the waterway to top off the charge on her magical gadgets. While they were gone Vector and I walked around the entire stadium and looked things over. The place was very quiet, with just a few employees working in a central office on the far side, where their cars were parked.
The stadium itself was not very secure. There were a great number of ways that someone such as myself could easily slip inside unnoticed. We’d do our best to position GHOST personnel at some of the key points, but we didn’t have unlimited troops. I realized that our best bet was simply to secure the ways down and if nothing else, we’d get a warning should trouble be en route. Gathering all of our extra guards together, I explained some things to be on the lookout for and where the key breach points were.
I set three GHOST guards at each of the eight entrances down. I’d originally hoped to use two, but I just knew the inevitable bathroom break would leave someone alone and that’s always when trouble happens. So, that only left me a couple of extra guys to wander around the stadium and keep an eye on things. I put a couple of guards down by the cars, just in case someone wanted to wait for us there, although I’d been told that the wolves were unlikely to park with us. Apparently they preferred to secure their own vehicles out in the open. I guess I couldn’t blame ‘em. If someone got tricky with some demolitions, Vlad and the Team van were in trouble. Another reason to keep a couple men there to watch things.
Kara and Erika returned a short time later and we distributed the hearing shells to one guard at each of the eight stairs down. Their normal communication gear would work fine on the surface, so they didn’t need an additional means to talk to each other, just a way to reach us. We gave instructions on regular check-ins and I reminded them that if anyone had to leave the door for any reason, two guards should always remain and one of them had to have the hearing shell. As soon as everything was as safe and secure as we could make it, we got word that the wolves had arrived. I wanted to head over and make sure they made it down all right, but there were some formalities that each party was supposed to adhere to. One of them was that no one would meet or talk until we were all downstairs. So, finding our dwarven guide we headed back down into the basement.
All of Kara’s motion censors were placed and secured at each of the stair openings and we gathered Freddy and Danny back up. Then we all started back down the northern stairs towards The Circle. This time I have to admit that we were all moving faster. What can I say, we like comfy chairs.
CHAPTER 16
We were the first ones down, so Freddy got to watch his light show once again. Moving into the room brought forth the same calming sensations as before. I led the team over towards the table, but we didn’t sit. Observing another formality, we waiting until all parties had arrived before we were seated. And yes, I remember back in the library where I said that I wasn’t going to sit down so that I could keep an eye on things. But, between the rooms calming effect and the slithering vine security system, I was willing to let the room handle things. Or maybe that was just the excuse I gave myself so that I could sit in those comfy chairs again.
A couple minutes later, Kara let us know that her sensor on the east stairs was tripped and the first group of three was heading down. A few moments later the west stairs were tripped and our final guests were in route. Out of habit, I kept my eyes scanning the room searching for trouble, but most of my attention was jumping back and forth between the stairs. I didn’t know which pack was which or what any of the Alphas looked like, so I guessed all of the party guests were going to be a surprise. We heard soft footfalls from the east stairs a moment before they stepped into the room.
The first person through the door was a woman of Amazonian stature. Somewhere in her mid-twenties, she was easily six foot six, her black hair trimmed short and spiky on her head. Her skin was the color of rich mocha and her eyes were black as coal. She had a long face, a thick nose, and thin lips. Her sharp jawline flowed down a long neck into wide shoulders. A large yellow sports bra held sizable breasts in place and showed off her well-defined arms and abs. She was in amazing shape, but not overly muscular like a professional body builder. Tight yellow biker shorts covered half of her thick thighs and showed off her large calves. Her leather sandals had straps curving around her shins almost to her knee and reminded me of shoes from ancient Greece. She grimaced our way, sniffed the air a few times, and settled her gaze upon the west stairs.
Coming up behind her was a woman who had to be her twin sister. Long black hair braded into a ponytail and a slightly smaller nose were the only differences I noticed, other than wardrobe. She was wearing a short, tunic-like white shirt that barely dropped low enough to cover her lady parts. Golden trim accented the sleeves, a deep neckline, and the bottom of the shirt. A golden cord was tied at the waist, giving her strong hips some shape. Her sandals were of a similar fashion to her sister, but they were done in the color of gold. After giving us the briefest of glances, she moved forward to stand next to her twin.
The last person to come through the entrance was much shorter than the ladies who preceded him. He was about Danny’s height, maybe five foot eight, with silver grey hair. Deep dark eyes, a thick crooked nose, and a large mouth and chin defined his face. His tan skin was a bit leathered and tough and it gave him the appearance of one who had lived through many rough years. He looked to be in his late fifties, although it was clear that he was in phenomenal shape. He wore a golden sleeveless tunic, open at the sides, and reminding me a bit of a poncho. Two large black leather bracers sat on his wrists and complimented the thick leather belt that held his shirt together. Golden pants were shiny and loose and looked to be made of silk. His feet were bare and he walked up in between the ladies and stood just in front of them. The Amazon with the longer hair placed a hand upon his shoulder i
n a subservient fashion. Their attention was completely focused on the western stairs as our next guests arrived.
The first guy through the west entrance was tall, about six six, the same height as the Amazons. He was maybe thirty years old, with slicked-back blond hair, pale skin, and a very square face. His brow was prominent and it made his eyes feel a bit sunken in. His sharp nose sat above thin lips and a jutting jaw. He actually reminded me a little bit of Dolph Lundgren. He wore a blue tank top tucked into tan military style pants tucked into large black combat boots. His arms were huge and well defined and he wore an oversized watch on his left wrist. Aside from making me think he was right handed, I didn’t believe an electronic watch like that would be good for much more than show down here in manna central. He stopped and crossed his arms, turning his body at an angle so he could watch us and the other lycans.
The next two came through the door together, arm in arm. Both of them were young, early to mid twenties. She was maybe five foot five, although six-inch heels brought her height closer to six feet at the moment. Her skin was a light brown and her hair the color of dark chocolate. She had it pulled back into a multistage ponytail, four sections in all, swaying behind her as she walked. Her face was soft and round, big eyes and a button nose. Her lips were full and when she smiled she showed teeth. Tiny ears and round cheeks completed a face that was anything but wolf-like. Her expression and the look in her eyes however told a different story. Contrary to her sweet girl-next-door face, it was clear that she was a predator. As she stalked forward, the sound of her heels striking the stone brought my attention to her attire.
A black strapless leather bustier showed her midriff and seemed to be fighting to keep her large breasts from jumping out of its top. Her arms were covered in black silk gloves that reached up to her biceps. I could see multiple piercings in her belly button, the gems of which danced in the light as she moved. Her black leather skirt was so small that it barely covered her underwear… that is assuming that she was wearing any underwear. Honestly, she didn’t seem like the type. Fancy fishnet stockings were held up with visible garter straps, leaving the tops of her legs uncovered. The six-inch stilettos were also black with a few straps around her ankles to keep them secured. The gentleman by her side looked to be cut from a similar piece of Goth leather.
G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 2) Shifters Page 14
