(49) When all else is lost the future still remains

The group decided the command center would be the best place to plot their strategy as there were still maps of the various parts of the world stored in long metal tubes in one of the cabinets. Taking out the relevant one, Shan spread it out on the map table. Handing Kayne a pen from one of the desk drawers, Shan asked exactly where the dhampir was headquartered, if he was.

“Here.” Kayne tried to circle the location, muttered an oath when the pen wouldn’t write. He cast a small spell to make it work before circling an area right on the Louisiana/Texas border, on the edge of the Toledo Bend Reservoir.

“A Texan—figures,” Shan said with a snort of derision. “How did he end up living in what appears to be a national forest?”

“Money and magic talk, as they say, and they paid a small fortune for that bit of property, claiming it was for a research facility and the only place that would work.”

“They? Meaning he and his father both live there? That could make things a bit easier.”

Kayne nodded. “According to my sources, which are varied and many, they do.”

“Did we, never mind I’ll look,” Addie said as she began searching the map cabinet. “At least there’s some logic to how these were stored,” she commented a couple of minutes later as she handed the men another map.

When they rolled it out Shan tapped his lips. “Wonder why he had one for this particular area, unless he was interested in that pair, too, for some reason. Oh well, at least he did and this will help immeasurably.”

“Are those elevations?” Race asked, looking at the contour lines on the map.

“You bet. Both for the land and the water. So we know we’re not going to be dealing with flatlands, which will help. I’d give a million, though, for internet access so we could find better maps and information about this area. Kayne, do you know if they’re in residence there right now? I don’t want us going on a wild goose chase.”

“They were as of this morning, and it’s not that far from there to Baton Rouge, so I suspect they won’t leave until a day or so before the conclave.”

“Which means they’re on their way to someplace else as you speak,” Race said, laughing.

Shan smacked him on the back of the head. “Bite your tongue. We don’t need to be jinxed.”

“Lower and to the right,” Race muttered before moving out of Shan’s reach.

Shan growled something about behaving before going back to studying the maps.