The place Damian was currently could be called a village, yes. It had little houses, and most people there had almost no access to the internet, which meant a village in modern times.
But it was nice and comfy, and the number of cute animals around made the place feel alive, warm, and cozy. A place Damian was glad to be, even with all the crazy things happening in the world, like organizations going after him for stealing a stone and a serum.
Despite being isolated, the small village named Tree Sap was close to a big city, Middlebury. There, Damian could get access to everything he needed, such as the internet, but that also meant danger, as people were still after him.
"Look, Damian, this chicken is Mary, and the cow is Milkie. Did you like it?" Vanessa said, pointing her little finger at both animals.
That was something Damian did not think would happen. Still, Vanessa, Serana, and Hazel liked animals. They were feeling happy about their country life, especially Vanessa, who was tired of the overwork inside Garmony Upper School and could finally relax for the first time in a long time.
Their once small wooden house was now more extensive, with rooms for everyone, meaning no one had to sleep on the couch anymore, which was far from being comfy, especially with the bugs and mosquitoes that were always there, attacking their weak spots.
Also, Damian made a fireplace, warming the place and giving it a cozy aspect, which he enjoyed, especially during his night-hour reading.
"They are lovely! We must go to the nearby city to get supplies and a car. You know it, right?"
The supplies Damian needed were not food — that was plentiful where they were, all straight from nature — but they still required cleaning supplies and some tools to continue the construction of The Dawn headquarters.
They wanted something underground and needed the internet for the organization to work correctly and keep a decent chain of contacts. If Damian was alone, that might have been a problem considering he was a wanted man, but it was good that Vanessa was there, as she had contact with someone who could get them internet straight from a satellite.
Damian knew he had things to do, but the girls kept saying they wanted to stay there, taking care of the animals, so in the end, only Damian and Vanessa went to the nearby city of Middlebury, leaving Hazel and Serana home.
Well, not that it was terrible. It would be easier to lay low having fewer people, so if one thought about the situation from that point of view, then it was good. Anyway, Damian and Vanessa left during the early hours of the morning, as it would take them three hours by foot to get to the city because they were superhumans with a lot of stamina and speed, or else it would take way longer.
"We must first get ourselves new cellphones and maybe new identities. Is it possible?" Damian asked.
"Of course. Let's first buy some cellphones in the black market so that no one can track us, and there we can also get the identities."
Vanessa had a lot of information about the world, and contacts, something Damian had yet to get, but he knew it was only a matter of time. So, he remained close to her, trying to learn all he could and get some of her contacts.
The city of Middlebury was immense, with buildings reaching up to the clouds and cars streaming down the streets constantly, bursting with life, completely different from the village he was currently living in.
They first needed a car, but none of these things could be bought using normal means, as people could find ways to trace them, which was not ideal. So Damian remained on the back foot and let Vanessa take the lead as the two entered the black market.
"How do you know these things?" Damian asked her.
"The black market is like a chain. It is everywhere in most big cities, so you can find it anywhere if you have contacts. Look, there is our entrance," Vanessa said, pointing at a guy standing near a soda machine in the city's metro.
Vanessa went close to the man, who looked like a beggar, a common sight in the metros. "We know the deal," she said.
Damian did not understand it, but the 'beggar' seemed to have, as he pushed the soda machine to the side, opening a passage leading to an entire underground area filled with people.
"Let's go," Vanessa said, leading the way, leaving the shocked Damian behind.
It was like an underground city with many places and things to get to! Vanessa first got themselves a car, parked in one of the few exits one could use a car, and then continued looking for the other things they needed.
They could only buy things using cash, not a credit card, but Vanessa bought everything with her money.
"I have a foreign account in the name of someone else so that no one will suspect our withdrawings of money."
"You are prepared for these things. Should I worry about my safety?" Damian asked.
She went close to his ear, whispering, "only in bed, you nasty boy," slapping his butt afterward, catching him off guard.
"What phone do you want? We have fake numbers too, and identities."
The people down there in the black market were quick, and in less than one hour, Damian and Vanessa got themselves their fake IDs. Vanessa was a little worried about not getting a fake ID for Serana and Hazel, but both were from the dungeon, meaning they were untraceable.
They also got themselves a cellphone with a new number, and Vanessa used that to call a specific number: the guy that could help them with the internet.
"Done. He will arrive in the village in two days. We need the tools now, right? For this headquarters of yours. Speaking of which, I want to see your leader someday," Vanessa said as the two left the black market using their new car.
But the moment they arrived on the main street, a fight broke out! It was a superhuman man wearing a cloak, flying around, acting like freaking superman, fighting against a colossal octopus beast that decided to attack using one of its tentacles, not targeting the flying man, but Damian's new car!
"You gotta be kidding me!"