Helen appeared to think about it for a second then smiled broadly. "I think I would be honored to keep your secret. The idea of an emergency shelter in a place no one knows about is perfect!"
Lana smiled, "Sorry Megan. I'll return her as soon as I can." She beckoned Helen to follow her and Helen quickly abandoned the table to go with Lana. At the teleporter, Lana explained the measures of security.
"I'll give you access once I get a chance. Honestly only 4 people from the Cursed have access at this point: Sil, Borden, Quinn, and Dennis."
Helen nodded. "In that case, I'm honored since even the top ranked people don't have access. How is it meant to operate as an emergency shelter, though, if access is denied?"
"My plan is to close off a certain area and have a teleporter go straight to that area. It will have a different access. I'll also have it closed off so the people inside will be safe, though they will probably feel like prisoners, unable to get out. That's my idea, anyway. I'll give you a tour and take your suggestions under advisement."
With that, Lana entered the codes and they all went in. Griddlebone really liked the idea of being able to enter whole new worlds through this strange technology, though she didn't like the feeling of using it.
Helen noted the beasts, "are you a beast tamer?"
Lana chuckled, "after a fashion. I found Caser just after he was born, his mother dead. I saved him and raised him. Yesterday he brought home a girlfriend so I invited her to stay with us."
Helen looked at her, "you are certainly special, aren't you?"
Lana laughed, "I don't know about all that. So," she fanned her hand out, "the shelter will be going in down here. We live up above. Let's go enter you in the system to give you teleporter access then we can look at where the shelter needs to go."
Helen nodded. She had butterflies in her stomach. The idea she was in a place most humans were forbidden from with a girl who has wings that didn't have them a few weeks ago had her excited. Lana guided her to the surface, with her entourage following close behind. Lana led her up a ramp rather than use an elevator for effect.
As they got closer and closer to the surface, Helen's voice got softer. She had been asking what exactly Lana was looking for in a shelter when she saw the branches of two willows seemed to hug each other. By the time they were fully on the surface, Helen was no longer able to speak. She stood there, looking around at this tree sanctuary and couldn't imagine how such a thing was created.
"I have a plant ability and I can't even imagine this. Who did this?"
Lana replied sheepishly, "me."
She looped her arm in Helen's, "let's get to the command post. Did you want to look in one of the houses while you're here?"
Helen looked at her with wonder, "does a tree have branches? Of course I want to!"
Lana giggled. She first took Helen to the command post and got that portion done. Then they stopped off at her house. "This is the nicest house we have. It's mine and a bit ostentatious but it's home."
Helen entered the yard area and felt at home. Inside the house, "I would call this home, not ostentatious at all. It's not really fancy to me but comfortable and warm."
Lana chuckled, "I grew up in an orphanage. This is very fancy to me." She gave Helen a quick tour.
Helen looked to be analyzing how the house was built. "Do you grow them or do you seed them? I use seeds."
"I grow them and speak to them. I'm able to ask them to change shape and such."
Helen nodded. "I can control them as well so our abilities are similar but not the same."
Lana looked excited, "do you like ancient trees?"
Helen chuckled, "I've only heard about them."
"Do you want to see one?"
Helen got excited, "I would love to!"
Lana escorted her out of the shelter and smiled when the branches parted ways for them to exit. As soon as the branches parted, however, Helen paused in her step. "That's a …." She gasped. "I've only seen these in books! How? Was it always here?"
Lana shook her head. "I can grow anything as long as I understand it's full growth cycle. It took a lot of studying but I was finally able to grow one. Since you said you do seeds, would you like a few?"
Helen looked at her with wonder, "you can get me seeds?"
Lana chuckled, "I just need to advance its growth a tiny bit to make it think the season changed to produce seeds." She placed her hand on the tree and did just that. Soon the ground was covered in seeds. "Feel free to take as many as you wish."
With hands trembling from excitement, Helen picked up as many seeds as she could put in her small bag at her waist. "Thank you for this!"
Lana giggled, "might as well share with a fellow enthusiast. I needed this tree as an ingredient for my energy bars. I'd let you try one but I had them all in my bag. I can only assume my husband took them with him."
"Why would he take them?" Helen asked as they returned to the interior of the shelter and headed back toward the ramp to go below.
"He likes them." As they descended the ramp, they heard the sounds of children. It appeared the day's lessons had already ended and they were returning to their area. Helen looked at Lana inquisitively but Lana gave her no response. This girl really is good with her secrets. Helen thought.
Back in the depths of the caverns, Lana made sure to steer Helen away from the kids. She made a mental note to think of a way to do this while keeping both areas separate. Lana thought it was best to put the emergency shelter directly below her own since the ventilation was already prepared for it. She shared her thoughts with Helen as they talked about making it a stand-alone shelter. Every hole from the dumpers within the shelter had a grate so fresh air would be pumped below.
"Have you thought about establishing an emergency command post here as well for all three factions? Create the shelter and put the command post to the side? We can ask the other two factions and Quinn when he returns."
"I can speak for Quinn on this. He'd be okay with it as long as the secrets are safeguarded. The safety of those that are already here is paramount. As long as the proper measures are in place, he'll be fine with it."
Helen paused, "how well do you know Quinn?"
Lana shrugged, "how well does anyone know anyone? I met him in school like Peter, Sil, Logan, Layla, and a few others. While I wasn't part of his core friend group, I did speak to him many times. He was always kind to me and treated me with respect. It wasn't because of the number on the watch, either. He's special. As long as you're a good person he will be respectful toward you. Why do you ask?"
"I'm… interested in him."
Lana laughed, "there is a line for his heart. He has not even made it available. He's too busy with other things on his mind. While I always had Dobin, he only had himself. He had to grow up faster than most. While he'd be good to you if you can win him over… that is a very difficult fight. His heart is already taken, though even he has failed to realize it."
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