[h2]Ranch House, Unknown Location[/h2]

Half of Dawn’s attention was on the maps spread out before her, the other somewhere far in the distance, flickering about the edges of her Gift’s range. As such, it was only at the sound of her name that she started, tearing her gaze away from the table and upwards, towards the doorway. Upon seeing who was standing there, she immediately brightened, stepping around the table to better meet the visitor. [color=#2d50ff]“Drake. It’s good to see you, ah, up and about again.[/color]” She smiled, clasping her hand on the other’s shoulder for a moment before releasing. [color=#2d50ff]“You’ve been out for a few weeks, now. I was getting worried, actually.”[/color]

By now, it was reasonable to expect that whenever Drake died that he would come back to life not too long after. It was...still rather unpleasant an experience, to say the least, and definitely something that she preferred not to see on a regular basis, but it was a reassuring bit of knowledge nonetheless. 

[color=#2d50ff]“We were attacked by Liberty not long after you, ah...went out. So we had to move here.”[/color] Before she could say more on the matter, another of their group had joined them in the office- Mina, their resident doctor. Dawn nodded her head in greeting, stepping back to allow her better access to Drake. [color=#2d50ff]“Good morning, Mina,”[/color] she said. [color=#2d50ff]“The watch went well. Hadn’t picked anything unusual up, which is the best we can ask for, I think.”[/color]

Aside from Drake’s awakening, it had been nice and uneventful. It was shaping out to be a relatively alright day so far.

Which is why something had to happen to put a damper on it. 

Dawn stiffened suddenly, fingers curling slightly against the sides of her legs. [color=#2d50ff]“I’ll be right back,”[/color] she murmured, then unceremoniously took her leave, striding off as quickly to the basement as she could without outright running. Upon her entrance to the molded depths of the house, she sucked in a sharp breath at the stench of rot and infection. Dawn composed herself, stepping fully into the basement and allowing both captor and prisoner to fully hear the sound of her footsteps.

[color=#2d50ff]“Montana.”[/color] Her voice was firm. She said nothing more- little else was needed. Dawn had preferred not to enter the basement in the days that they had been there, not particularly wanting to stroll in and gawk at the scene that had been built beneath their feet. That had been allowed to pass. There was a reason why that had changed now, and if anyone knew it it would be Montana himself.

Her eyes flickered to the prisoner behind him. Starvation and fatigue had been imprinted deep into her face, showing the full, grisly truth of what she had undergone in every crevice and hollowed crack. 

A fresh pang of guilt throbbed in Dawn’s chest.

She turned back to Montana, watching him carefully.