[Sarah]

“It is imperative that you bring this to me Charlotte.” The shifter said as he glanced up at her from behind the desk. “It could very well be the last, and I want to be the one to have It.” he growled, flipping a few pages in his book. “The herbalist said it’ll be here.” He said holding up a page of a map. There was a giant ring of mountains all topped in red, and there where smaller lines of red and smaller hills covered in red. “Volcano’s?” The woman who was Charlotte asked. The shifter nodded, “Mus will take you to the volcano, bring that James boy of yours too. There will be a guide waiting for you there.” He said dismissing her.

[Sarah]

Charlotte left the room, bowing her head to the two guards outside. Her chest felt like an elephant was sitting on it. She hadn’t been asked to do anything other than sit behind a desk since she had gotten hired. She had been told that the boss did some shady things and to expect that at some point she would be called upon to retrieve something for him. She had also known that the price of failure was her life. But the job paid well and there where so many in the business that she didn’t think her skills would qualify her for an exploration. And they didn’t, but he seemed to think she could bring it back. That or he just wanted to get the two out of his company without firing them. Charlotte shuddered at the thought of being caught and killed.

[Sarah]

“James, we’re leaving.” Charlotte called, only swinging the door to her office open for a moment. She had no desire to gather her things; she had no time to gather her things. The faster this was over the better off she would be. James was behind her in an instant, “where are we going?” he asked. Charlotte stayed quiet, no need for the office to know. No that they weren’t already guessing, their boss didn’t just call a private meeting to check up on the weather. “I’ll tell you on the way.” she said as they entered the elevator. The ride down was silent and long they each got lost thinking about their life becoming sands in an hourglass.

[Sarah]

The door opened and Charlotte spotted Mus instantly. Her face was buried in a book but once she heard the elevator ding her eyes snapped to meet theirs. “So you’re the ones he wants to send?” She asked walking over to meet them. “Eh yeah, I guess.” Charlotte said unsure if she was happy or disappointed with them. “Oh, I’m Charlotte and this is James.” She added holding out her hand. Mus shook it tentatively, “I know who you are.” She said leading them out of the building.

[Sarah]

There was a car waiting for them. Mus got in to drive and Charlotte left James to sit in the back. Mus glanced over at her. “You won’t have to worry about your boss killing you.” She said pulling out onto the road. “Oh it’ll be that easy?” Charlotte asked incredulous. Mus laughed, “No, if you don’t find the egg then don’t expect the volcanoes to keep you alive. You are… Never mind.” She began to say something else but stopped herself. Charlotte took that as a bad sign. She knew the volcanoes would be deadly but whatever Mus was going to say but couldn’t made Charlotte even more worried that the thought of burning alive.

[Sarah]

“Your boss is not a good man, he is trying to take something that isn’t supposed to be taken. If he disrupts the balance nature is going to do what it can to make sure balance is restored.” Mus said turning on a music channel. Charlotte took that as a sign she should stop asking questions. Charlotte had never really believed in ‘mother nature’ or anything like that. She had no qualms with ruining earth’s ecosystem or anything else. Realization hit her and she couldn’t help but giggle. That’s why he chose her, she had no morals when it came to plants and animals and the places they inhabited.

[Sarah]

Mus gave her a funny look but shrugged it off quickly. She could feel James’s puzzled look too. She wasn’t going to share, not with Mus in the car. She’d end up stranded in volcano land because their driver was too offended to return. Charlotte thought they were spending way too much time in silence. She turned off the radio and turned towards Mus. “Is there a reason why you aren’t giving us information?” she asked. Mus smirked at her, “No, I keep my mouth shut because I am strongly against what you are about to do.” Charlotte nodded. “Noted,” she said, “But we need to know what we’re getting into, heck, I don’t even know what I’m after. He told me it was an egg but nothing beyond that.” James leaned forward in his seat; he was the least informed out of them all.

[Sarah]

Mus looked from Charlotte to James and sighed. “I do this because I don’t think you deserve to die. What you’re looking for is a sickle egg, no one really knows where they come from but they are valuable. Not in egg form but one can pay to get their genes split or something and they hatch into dangerous reptiles. Your boss knows the position of one being held in an old research facility in the volcano area, this facility is still running and guards it carefully. The egg should be red with one big red eye and a small red eye beneath it. At the top are five horns that are surprisingly sharp. Your boss wants them because in his shady business he could use some dangerous and loyal creatures at his command.” Mus explained disgust plain in her voice.

[Sarah]

“Honestly, no one really knows how many that facility has, but after the latest bout of eruptions we think that they have only one stable one left. Before he was content with allowing them to keep on going but with the threat that faces the potential ‘last one’ he has decided to take action. You were chosen for your distinct lack of care for nature, but other than that, good luck getting in and out of that place.” Mus said. Charlotte and James exchanged worried glances. She could only imagine the amount of guards surrounding the place. But it the eruptions had been recent hopefully they could slip in and out without being noticed. Although if the eggs are as rare as her boss says the egg would probably be heavily guarded.

[Sarah]

“Do we at least get something to defend ourselves with?” James asked. Mus shrugged, “I don’t know, the guide of yours is supposed to take care of that. I only have to deliver you to the airport and my jobs done.” She said, Charlotte looked out the window, the airport was within sight. “It’ll remain an egg right?” She asked. Charlotte could only imagine getting there and having blood thirsty reptiles wandering the halls. Mus nodded and Charlotte and James could relax a tiny bit. It was one less thing they would have to worry about when their lives were thrown in the snake pit.

[Sarah]

The airport was waiting for them as well. Her boss had arranged a private flight. Mus wished them good luck and left as fast as possible. James was the first on the plane. Charlotte contemplated going back to pack some things. She wasn’t sure how long they would be staying at this new place. She didn’t want to stay overnight without clean underwear and a toothbrush at least. The flight workers assured her that everything would be provided. Everything happened pretty quickly, the flight people were adamant that they take off as soon as possible. Everything on the plane was fine, but with all the stress of losing their lives and the weird feeling of being thousands of feet in the air they both became sick.

[Sarah]

For an hour they stayed in the bathroom then for the rest of the flight they drank alcohol and slept. They were flying from Barakka to Lambastia with no stops so sleeping was how they passed the time. Any time they were awake it was only to easy to over think their mission and spiral into some pit of despair. James finally announced that when they got back, if they got back, he was quitting.  Charlotte, after her meeting with their boss didn’t think it would be that easy. He clearly didn’t want others to know about his escapades and she doubted he’d ever let anyone go alive.

[Sarah]

When they did finally land Charlotte had made peace with her life and was ready to die. She expected to die and she was still motivated to find this egg and deliver it to her boss. Charlotte wasn’t really sure why she was still loyal to the idiot but she was off the plan and in the middle of a lava filled volcano ring. James had gone a little crazy, but he was ready and willing to find the researchers and grab the egg. Charlotte also sorely regretted not packing a bag first. But when they landed she was given a change of clothing and was feeling a little more comfortable.

[Sarah]

The clothing Charlotte got was plain. Just a tan t-shirt and jean short shorts. James came out from dressing with a similar look. Instead of short shorts he had basketball shorts of course. James didn’t look very happy to be wearing them. Charlotte however enjoyed her new clothing; with the enormous heat it was great to have some relief. The flight people pointed her towards the volcanoes. “naturally.” She said, setting off. “Should’ve asked what our guide looks like.” James said once the people had packed themselves back up. Charlotte shrugged, it was too late now.

[Sarah]

Their guide wasn’t hard to find. She was a fierce looking woman. Her eyes where a venomous green and her skin looked like it was grey. Charlotte got a sense that she wasn’t ill, just strange looking. “Hello.” Charlotte said smiling. “Charlotte, James?” The woman asked. Charlotte nodded, “And you are?” she asked. “Yvana.” The woman replied sharply. Charlotte looked over at James who mouthed the word ‘rude’. Charlotte smirked but didn’t say anything. The woman was being short with them, that didn’t make her a bad person, necessarily. Still, Charlotte got an uneasy feeling when the woman motioned them to follow her.