Chapter 19: The Hidden Base

Jay and Elena stayed low on the rooftops as they watched the strangers disperse across Arborn. Each man moved with purpose, their black cloaks blending into the night. Jay's instincts told him that their search wouldn't stop until they found him or his allies.

"We need to find where they're meeting," Elena whispered, keeping her eyes on the men below. "If we can locate their base, we might be able to gather more information about their plans."

Jay nodded. "But we can't follow them too closely. If they notice us, it could turn into a fight, and we don't have enough support to take them on right now."

Elena agreed. "Let's split up and keep our distance. We need to know what they're planning without drawing attention to ourselves."

Jay and Elena parted ways, each taking a different route to follow the strangers. Jay moved carefully along the rooftops, using the cover of darkness to remain unseen. His years of training in the orphanage had taught him to move silently, and he was grateful for those skills now.

As he followed one group of strangers, he noticed they were heading toward the outskirts of the village. They moved with a sense of urgency, as if they were expected to report to someone. Jay kept his distance, careful not to make any noise.

The strangers led him to an abandoned building on the edge of the village. It was an old warehouse, its walls crumbling and the roof partially collapsed. Jay watched from a distance as the men entered through a hidden door at the back. This had to be their base of operations.

Jay made a mental note of the location, knowing that he would need to return with more information. He retraced his steps, finding Elena on the opposite side of the village. She had followed another group of strangers to a different location, an empty barn that seemed to serve as a meeting place.

"They're using abandoned buildings to coordinate their efforts," Jay said, keeping his voice low. "It's the perfect cover—they can move in and out without attracting attention."

Elena agreed. "But why are they here? What do they want with this village? It doesn't seem like there's anything of value to them."

Jay thought about it for a moment. "It could be a strategic location. If they control Arborn, they can move freely between different regions without being detected. It might be part of a larger plan."

Elena nodded, her eyes narrowed. "We need to gather more information. If we can learn their intentions, we might be able to stop them before they cause harm to the village or its people."

Jay knew they had a difficult task ahead. They couldn't afford to make mistakes, not when so much was at stake. With a shared nod, they decided to return to the inn and regroup with Owen. They would need his expertise to navigate the technology and communication systems that the strangers might be using.