Lover
Page 32
“A cartel describes a group of people or companies seeking a market-controlling position in order to control availability and prices of goods. In this case, the market is the worldwide organized crime, the goods are power, and the price is life. They already have captured the rightful rulers in a large part of the world.”
“How could they be allowed to do that?”
“The rightful rulers weren’t appropriately prepared. That’s a long story, and I’ll soon explain it to you. After the Invasion and the Imperatrix’ departure, the old structures were no longer stable.”
“An invasion, Mistress?”
“The Jellies. Um, Harvesters.”
The Dragon cocked his triangular head. “The Harvesters were here? I cannot see anything of it.”
“You see the consequences I’ve just illustrated. We have several devastated drop zones. But overall, we’ve won, thanks to the help of the Dragons.”
“Yes. That is another question to you. I cannot always have been the only one of my kind, as my Memory tells me. What happened to my kind?”
“Memory?”
“We Dragons receive certain knowledge from our mothers before birth.”
Ugh. Yes, right, I had heard about it during the first term, and now that I owned an Analogy myself, I could imagine how they did it.
“Your kind has left this planet.”
“Before the second wave? Why?”
“Advance defense. They departed to hunt down Jellies.”
“And their duty to protect this planet?”
“The Imperatrix literally said, When the second wave of the invasion reaches you despite our forward defense attempts, defeat them. You’ve seen how it works. This isn’t our subject now, Mighty. I need this American woman.”
“Shall I lead you to her?”
“If you know where she is?”
“She was allowed to greet me, and then she was brought to an operation central to follow the attack. An older man called Grand Master by my teacher ordered other people to guard her there.”
“Then she might still be there. Lead me there, Mighty.”
“Shall I carry you, Mistress?”
Chapter One-Hundred-And-Forty-Three
The people of Tokyo were offered a rare image—a young and still mighty Dragon with a short woman on his back ran across the streets, sometimes jumping from car roof to car roof. Some fell on their knees when they saw the holy creature, and almost all were gaping.
In any case, nobody tried to stop us. Street gangs feared the Dragon cult far too much, cultists were confronted with the living symbol of their power—it was unthinkable to turn against him.
Achrotzyber stopped in front of a nondescript low building. “Here it is, Mistress.”
“Here it was,” I saw at first glance. No guard before the wide-open door, blood stains on the street—there had been a fight.
To be sure, I checked anyway.
The hall contained all necessary installations of a provisional operation center, with screens, radio, and wall panels. Shot through. There had been a brief but fierce fight in the building, too, and my target had left. Where to?
In her plans, Jana didn’t tend to unnecessary complexity. She and her suits had arrived on a plane and the respective airport was in the attackers’ hands, so why shouldn’t she use it for her escape?
I could take the airport location from the maps on the wall. Someone had marked the spot with a big checkmark.
If I didn’t catch her there, I’d have to follow her to the States. That prospect didn’t appeal to me.
I left the hall. “We must go, Mighty.”
“As you command, Mistress.”
Chapter One-Hundred-And-Forty-Four
“Stop.”
Obediently, the large Dragon stopped. There were two kilometers left to our target, and Achrotzyber would be without cover for the last leg. Too risky if the folks here had linear rifles. I climbed from his back and activated my camouflage.
“What do you plan, Mistress?”
“The airport might still be in the insurgents’ hands. The two of us didn’t come to lead a war. I only want this woman.”
“You will kill her quickly?”
“I will arrest her. Her knowledge is useful for us.”
“Then I should protect you.”
“You’re not invisible. Your appearance would warn her, and her weapons could hurt you.”
“Your second argument is irrelevant, but I have to accept the first.”
“Fine.”
One problem was left—if Jana was already or still here, where should I find her? Luckily, she was so kind as to help me.
A big, fiery-red van shot toward the airport apron with squealing wheels. Its destination could only be the racy two-engine jet guarded by two limousines and six armed men.
No, Jana.
I reached the plane long enough before her to apply a few little cuts to the gear in a well-proven manner. The moment the pilot released the brakes, all three gear posts would break away.
The guards’ turn came next. A little prick in the right place let them one by one collapse. These six wouldn’t interfere.
It was inevitable that Jana’s driver would notice this. He stopped at a distance of two-hundred meters, briefly studied the situation, reported it to the back—I read it from his lips during my approach—and would then commence retreat.
It didn’t get that far. I tore the driver’s door open and paralyzed him, too.
At the latest now, Jana and her two remaining men had to have figured out that an invisible person was on the game. Before they were able to act on their findings, I had slid past the driver into the back and applied two more pricks.
Only now, I dropped my camouflage. “Jana, you’re arrested.”
I really thought that after having lost all her men, she’d realize the hopelessness of her situation. Sadly, Jana didn’t know when she had lost.
She managed to point at me with one arm. There wasn’t enough room to dodge inside the van. The linear-accelerated projectile from her underarm rail hit me full—and to my bad luck, it also penetrated my armor. A hellish burn rushed through my nerves. Toxin!
“Poor fool,” she explained with a smirk. “The Wyvern’s venom is absolutely lethal. It will be a pleasure to watch your death struggle, Johanna Meier.”
Chapter One-Hundred-And-Forty-Five
—Neutralization in progress.—
I didn’t have to pretend to present my pain-struck features to Jana’s obvious pleasure, but it wasn’t over yet.
Torturous minutes went by. It’s just pain, Jo, I prayed my mantra. It’s just pain!
A pain like I never had felt before, getting worse by every second. Gladly, I’d have squirmed, but I couldn’t even do that.
Help.
My nanos helped. The pain faded away. The awareness of Achrotzyber’s presence further comforted me.
“Is it coming to an end now?” Jana asked with mock compassion. “You won’t cross me again.”
“You err,” I whispered. “It’s coming to an end, but yours.”
A single strike with his sharp claws sufficed for Achrotzyber to tear the van’s roof away. Horrified, Jana stared up into my helper’s grim face.
“He’s immune to your venom, Jana,” I quietly advised her while I slowly rose and moved out of her underarms’ direct line of fire. “And I am, too. Don’t do anything foolish now.”
I could watch the realization dawning in Jana about what kind of opponent she was facing. I could see as well how she was making a decision, how she tried to hide it, and how her underarm tensed. Had she so totally dedicated herself to the Cartel that she was ready to sacrifice herself?
Could I dodge? I wasn’t sure whether I could bear a second dose of venom so soon after the first—not to mention the fact that it hurt like hell!
Achrotzyber had at least noticed the last sign. One of his claws penetrated Jana’s skull. Her gaze broke.
“Pardon, Mi
stress. I know you wanted her alive, but your life is more valuable.”
“It was right,” I quickly assured him. “The logical consequence. Thank you, Mighty.”
Part Twelve
Epilogue
My fight against the Cartel is over. My time as lonesome thief, too. I’ve found a duty—or should I say, the duty found me? At my scaly companion’s side I’ll protect and help mankind—without teaching them dependency. They must learn to face their own mistakes without Dragons, and there I’ll support them silently. Inconspicuously and invisibly. After all, that’s what I can do best.
I will keep silent, protect, and settle.
I?
Bullshit.
About the Author
I am Valerie J. Long, born in 1963. I live and work in Germany as an IT project manager. I like role playing games, and I like putting my ideas on paper. I like all kinds of Science Fiction and Fantasy, I like music, and I like making you bite your nails off.