Chapter 15 - Discovered

She kept her head lowered, hidden behind the hood of her long black cloak.  She clutched the edge of the fabric, pulling it tightly around her as she looked over her shoulder.  She searched the darkness that surrounded her, reaching out for any sign of someone (or rather, something) that might be following her.

Sensing that she was alone, she continued marching forward toward the three-story building with blacked-out windows.  It looked like any other building in the middle of downtown Phoenix, Arizona.  Even though it was late, and all of the other office buildings were closed for the day, the doors to this building were always open to those who entered.  Even the streets were eerily quiet since this was the business district and the entertainment district was a few blocks down.

Stepping through the front door, she lowered the hood of her cloak, and nodded to the receptionist as she walked past her to the elevator.  Once inside, she took it to the top floor and exited.

Her footsteps echoed off the walls as she walked down the brightly lit hallway to the door at the end.  There were doors on both sides of the hallway that led to separate offices, but she had no use for those ones.  It was the one on the end that mattered most.

She opened the door, and was greeted by another woman, a personal assistant.

The assistant smiled at her.  “Here to see Dominick, I presume?”

“Who else?”

“Yes, he tells me he’s expecting you—and that you’re late.”

“I came through a sandstorm.  He knows very well that can’t be helped.”

“I have no doubt,” the assistant said.  She waved her hand to another door beside her.  “You may enter now.”

She gave a curt nod to the assistant and stepped into the adjacent office.

“You would think, even with wings, that sandstorms wouldn't be a problem for us,” Dominick said as she stepped up to his desk.

He was an older man, but looks were deceiving. His face was smooth, with a defined jaw, and dark hair that was cut short in a professional appeal.  He wore a black suit that was crisp, clean, and evenly pressed.  He possessed an air of authority, professionalism, and yet he was humble as well.

The office was spacious, but not so large that a person felt overwhelmed by the space.  A richly carved oak desk stood before a wall of glass, one of the many windows that looked over the downtown core.   The walls on either side of the desk held tall dark bookshelves filled with books of various sorts from around the world and covering all eras of history.  There were a dozen plants of all shapes and sizes decorating the office with various shades of green foliage.  Some held blossoms, which filled her senses with their delicate fragrances.

“Orchids,” he said, reading her like an open book.  “Lovely flowers with perfumes so soft that only sensitive noses can pick up.”

They stared at each other for a moment.  There was no need for them to exchange a verbal dialogue, but still, she found herself uttering the words that had been echoing around her mind since the afternoon.

“They’ve found her, Dom.”

Dominick studied the petite woman before him.  She was young—perhaps too young.  Yet, she grew up under their watchful eye and care.  She was strong enough for her age, and the task at hand.  That was all that mattered.

“Of course they would.  It was only a matter of time that they would find her after all.  There’s nothing we can do to deny that fact.”

She was silent, waiting for further orders.  Her mind swirled with thoughts.  She was scared, worried.  Was the sacrifice enough?  What if everything happened in vain?

Dominick scowled at her and got up from his seat, turned his back to her, and looked out the window.

“You should work on guarding your mind, Luna.  Your shield is far too penetrable.”