Elevation

'Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.' - Polonius, Hamlet - William Shakespeare
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"Mom, I'm going to work." Harlyn announced, slinging her bag over her shoulder and glaring at the group of policemen that were staring at her like she was a suspect.

Her mother came rushing out of the kitchen, worry in her eyes, "Baby, you don't have to go in today!" she insisted.

Detective Thomas came out of the kitchen behind her and nodded in agreement, "Your friend just disappeared in the middle of the night from your house, no less... I think you should be here with your family right now. You need the support."

Her dark eyes narrowed on the detective. "I don't need you to tell me what I need," she hissed to her mother's obvious bewilderment.

"Harlyn Renee!" her mother scolded, "Don't speak to your elders like that. Detective Thomas is only trying to help and you know it."

She frowned, her eyes cast down in false shame, "Look, I can't stand being here right now. I just want to go to work so I can forget all about this for a few hours and pretend everything is normal for a little while."

Her house was flooded with people that kept staring at her whenever she' actually venture out of her room. It was obvious by their faces that some of them thought she'd dragged Amber off into the night and come back before sunrise somehow. Others had sympathetic eyes and truly looked worried for her friend. All of their stares were unwelcome.

No matter what they thought about her or her friend's disappearance, she hated them for looking down their noses at her. They didn't know her, they hadn't known Amber as a constant in their lives for the last five years, and none of them had a right to judge her for wanting to get away from it all.

Her mother's face softened and she nodded. "Of course, dear. I understand," she sighed in defeat, "I'll drive you, let me just get my coat."

She would have rather walked, enjoying the soft breeze in her hair and spring sun on her skin, but she knew her mother had a right to be concerned about letting her go anywhere alone.
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Reed Thatcher's hands clenched firmly onto the arm rests on either side of his seat as the plane touched down. He'd never liked flying; the animal in him needed its feet on the ground and fresh, wild air in its lungs, not the dirty crap the airlines recycled through their vents.

Twelve hours and two flights since he'd started his mission later, he felt ready to jump out of his own skin.

Waiting for everyone to get off ahead of him was like torture, as he waited at the back of the plane, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder and held out in front of him.

He could practically feel his eyes changing as he rushed through the airport, unnoticed by the throngs of people rushing to and from throughout the airport.

Luckily, Kearney, the pack's technological go-to guy and all around brain, had called ahead for a car to be waiting for him at the airport, so he wouldn't have to wait in line for a rental. His mind couldn't even begin to process what a torturous wait that would have been, as he glanced at the rental counter right before walking into the cool mountain air.

Showing his proof of payment, he sighed when his rental, a silver BMW Z8 Roadster with a hardtop, pulled out of the valet parking lot and into view. He'd always had a soft spot for beamers and mentally thanked Kearney for the excellent choice.

He tipped the valet driver generously and flashed him a wolfish grin as he got into the car. He doubted it was very often that the young driver had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of such an expensive, superior machine.

Navigating out of the airport parking lot was slow as ever, but once he was on the highway headed Southeast towards Northwood, there were few enough cars on the eh road that he felt obliged to speed like a bat out of hell.

The nature of his mission was simple: figure out if the many unsolved disappearances in the area meant an infestation and if so, gather a rough estimate of how many were there while remaining out of sight and report back to the Alpha.

The animal in him disliked the lack of overall bloodshed in the plan, but there was hardly enough true work for a pack warrior anymore, what with the steady decrease of organized vampire rebellion in the last century, so he was stuck doing reconnaissance missions just like everyone else.

Life hadn't always been so simple for the pack.

Up until the middle of the nineteenth century, when the vampire monarch had been slain by Giancarlo, Reed's Alpha and foster father, they had been at war for centuries. Only after the vampire king had fallen and no heir had claimed the throne, was there any hope of peace.

For Reed and several of his un-mated warrior brethren, the last century of peace was almost as torturous as the many preceding centuries of war. Their wolves had seen the heat of battle far too many times to forget the seduction of blood lust, it sang to them still.

Northwood, Colorado was like any other small town in the mountains off the beaten path.

There was only one gas station at the foot of the mountain, where natives and visitors alike could fill up on their way in and out of town. The single grocery store for thirty miles in each direction, the term 'grocery store' used very liberally, as most of the merchandise was either canned or store-brand, was conveniently located directly next to the gas station.

A few miles up the mountain, Reed came across the town's only Inn, Courtney Hill Bed & Breakfast, and decided to keep on driving. It wouldn't be the first night he spent out in the rugged terrain, and his animal sure as hell would thank him for a night out in the thick forest.

About another half mile up, the mountain folded into the last small valley of flat land before steeply cutting into the clouds jaggedly next to a decent sized residential area called Pinnacle Estates.

On the other side of the valley, towards the outer slope of the mountain, was Buyer's Court, a commercial area where various, different small shops were built basically one right on top of the next.

Closer towards the road that Exit 83 had led Reed to enter the town on, was a collection of older, run-down looking buildings that must have been downtown.

It was dark by the time Reed got into town, and he was glad for it when his eyes landed on the first vampire of the night. The hair on the back of his neck bristled and he could feel a growl beginning to rumble in the back of his throat.