by Celeste Raye
"It's a tragedy, but not so unusual. The weredragons travel the same as humans. He took time off and found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. King Maxxus will be saddened, yet he'll understand," Belle declared.
"There's more, I'm afraid. A military unit aiding civilians in Korea didn't answer their COM links for twenty-four hours. A second unit was sent to investigate, assuming the links were damaged. All the soldiers and civilians were dead, just like in Texas. The ones who investigated are ill now. They're in quarantine in the last building standing in that area. Supplies are dropped from planes. The CDC will arrive there tonight. The information they provided leads us to believe another weredragon was there, still in dragon form when he succumbed. We don't know his identity. However, none lived or worked within hundreds of miles."
"Coincidences can happen. I don't feel like that's the case here. You think they're the targets and the rest are collateral damage?" Belle asked. "I mean, they don't die of most diseases and shooting them would be too obvious. Perhaps this is someone's sick way of removing them from Earth without seeming suspicious."
"Biological weapons can kill millions and aren't easy to formulate. The creator would need to be a genius or a thief since we have those kinds of weapons stored. He would also need to be crazy. Killing hundreds of innocents to get rid of one weredragon is the mark of insanity," the director replied.
"Insane people who are also geniuses are not as uncommon as you'd imagine. History tells us that much. This person may have the idea that King Maxxus will retrieve the other weredragons once he knows they're in danger, then he would win. The Talonians would be gone."
"We'll consider that theory, but I have one as well. Only one weredragon was found in each incidence. In both cases, they weren't assigned there, and the one in Korea was still in dragon form. Both places were burning. Could the weredragons be involved?"
"Why? What motive would they have? Besides, they died too. Killing themselves while trying to destroy others would prove pointless," Belle argued.
"What if there were more and one was accidentally killed?"
"I think a group of dragons would've caught someone's notice. We keep track of the whereabouts of the Talonians anyway, though I find that to be against the alliance promises. More than one or two out of place at a time would raise suspicions. And again, what would be their motive?"
"I don't know. Like your idea, it's only a theory. We have to start somewhere, and it hurts to think humans are doing this. Anyway, I'm sending you to the weredragon liaison building in Houston. The weredragon assigned to the area will be there. He's slated to receive his first dose of the formula that Josie, King Maxxus's mate, made to keep the dragons healthier while away from their planet. He's listed as a close friend of the king. I'm hoping he'll be able to guide you in talking to the king, lessening the blow about the deaths and suspicions."
"You expect me to tell him we're suspicious of his weredragons! That's not fair! That's not my theory. It should be you, since you're the one who believes they would do such a thing." Belle was outraged.
"It's your assignment, so take your orders and deal with it. There are plenty of other agents that would love to have your ranking and cushy assignments. I could send you to the worst places on Earth if you defy me."
Belle knew it wasn't an idle threat. The director had a huge ego and when he was pushed, agents wound up in terrible places, soon to be forgotten. "Fine, sir. I'll give your condolences to King Maxxus."
"Question the weredragon too. I want to know if he's heard anything about the plot or who is in on it." Without waiting for a reply, the director disappeared.
Belle was greeted politely at the front desk until she flashed her badge. The woman at the desk frowned, and her eyes hardened. "What do you need from us, Special Agent Simons?"
"My name is Belle, and I'd appreciate it if you used it. I was sent by the CIA director here in Texas to speak with a weredragon who should be here for his infusion. I wasn't provided with a name. I'm also supposed to reach out to King Maxxus. We have a situation he deserves to be in on. Your cooperation would be advised for all our sakes."
The woman didn't reply at first. She was busy reading something on her computer. Belle was running out of patience when the receptionist begrudgingly stated, "I may not like it, but it appears you have authority to do whatever you please. I've been told to bring you to an office in the back. Once Blayze is finished, he'll be brought to you."
Belle followed the woman's lead. She really wanted to make faces behind her back, stick out her tongue or something more childish. However, there were cameras all over that would preserve her behavior and this woman was spiteful enough to leak it for the world to see. So, she remained aloof and professional as they proceeded from one locked door to the next. Security was tight, promising the weredragons were safe here.
The office was empty; not even a piece of paper remained on the desk. All that accompanied it were two hard chairs. Belle had nothing to occupy her while she waited. She was watching the door when the weredragon arrived. The name Blayze fit him. His burnt-orange eyes reminded her of a blazing campfire. His hair, though, was different than most of the Talonians she had met. It was a sandy hue with a slight wave to it, where the others had dark hair. He was simply hot. There was no better word to describe him: tall, muscular, and oozing sex appeal.
Untangling her tongue, she greeted him. "Good evening, Blayze. I'm Belle. I work for the CIA. I'm sorry to intrude on your plans. I wouldn't have if it wasn't so important. Please, sit down. This may take a while."
"No, lady, it will not. I do not know you, and I doubt that there is anything I could help you with. I do not mean to be rude. I am just stating facts. I work on an oil rig, not for the government. The CIA has nothing to do with me."
"That may or may not be true, depending on your answers to my questions," Belle retorted. "I've been advised that you are the only documented weredragon living in this area, and yet we found one a few miles away, where he shouldn't have been. His documentation says he's from New York. Do you have any idea why he was in Texas?"
Blayze tried not to laugh. So what if another weredragon was in the area. "Lady, we go where we please. It is the law according to the alliance."
"Stop calling me "lady." I'm Belle, and I'm aware that legally you can go where you please. Unfortunately, you're all kept on a short leash. We know where you are assigned and when you take vacations. I think that's wrong, but it's not up to me. The weredragon we found wasn't listed as being on vacation, and his employer wasn't aware of his absence."
"That is not my problem. I do not know every Talonian's location any more than you know every human's. Although, maybe you do. How many of your species do you keep on a short leash?" Blayze sarcastically replied.
"Too many. We pay too much attention to other people's business when we should be seeing to our own. I'm not trying to offend you or even annoy you. I didn't expect you to have information on the weredragon we found, but my superior demanded that I ask."
"What did he supposedly do that brought him to the CIA's attention? Maxxus will want to know," Blayze asked, calmer after her admission.
"I don't know that he did anything. We found him in a small town near here. He and the entire town were dead. Testing showed they expired from a biological weapon. We don't have a clue who set it off or how."
"Right away you suspect the weredragon. Maxxus was correct to be wary of humans, at least the ones in governments. Those I have met otherwise do not show such prejudice against our species, nor do they spy on us. We swore to never intentionally harm a human, and we uphold our word. If we were to commit such an atrocity, Maxxus would have us destroyed," Blayze argued.
"Don't blame me. I'm only the messenger. I don't think the weredragon is responsible either. The problem is, there was another incident in Korea. The same weapon was used on a military unit doing humanitarian work. They all died, along with innocent families, including small children. Another weredr
agon was discovered among them, still in dragon form. In both cases, the towns were on fire. The unit who found them is sick now too. It doesn't look good. Biological weaponry works quickly and can spread."
"I see why you are looking at us as the perpetrators. It would seem to be an obvious conclusion; perhaps too obvious. I assure you I know nothing about any of this. We do not create weapons of that nature. Maxxus would never sanction it. He needs to know what has occurred. Under other circumstances, he would wish the bodies to be sent home for the burning ceremony. I know that cannot be allowed or death would come to Talonia, and we are just now recovering from the nuclear devastation. How much more bad news can Maxxus endure? He will not appreciate your government's accusations."
"I need your help with that. My director has bestowed upon me the honor of reporting all this to your king. I tried to get out of it, but he threatened my job. I don't relish the idea of being stuck alone in Siberia, or worse. So, will you help me talk to King Maxxus? I have to find a way to soften the blow of the deaths and make the accusations sound less threatening. I've done a lousy job of it with you. I expect I won't do any better with him."
Blayze smiled sincerely for the first time. This human was honest and without prejudice. She was treating him as an equal and seeking his aid, despite the difference in their positions. He was warming up to her, forgiving her for the bad impression she had made in the beginning. Her superiors had stuck her in an impossible situation, and she was doing her best to follow their orders and yet not alienate the weredragons. Facing Maxxus alone would be tough.
"I will help with Maxxus. We are friends and have been all our lives. No matter how you phrase the news, he will no take it well. He has a quick temper and it has been tested often lately. We can begin by congratulating him on his new mate and the son she has given him. Then, we can ask about the recovery of Talonia. Those may ease his anxiety before we hit him with the bad news. The shouting and name calling may be kept to a minimum. Just remember, he will not be aiming his anger at you. It is just his nature. The one thing I really suggest is that you do not call him by his title. He despises the use of it and has made it taboo on Talonia."
3
Blayze
Blayze led Belle to the communications room. It contained the newest, most reliable equipment available and was meant exclusively for the weredragons' use to speak directly to their planet. In this case, it was almost a waste of money. Blayze was on location for his job half the year, and no other weredragon had chosen Houston as its base. The staff treated him like royalty each time he returned, thus the overprotective attitude of the receptionist.
Belle stood against the wall as Blayze booted up the giant screen. He felt her nervousness all the way across the room. It was unexpected, given her position. True, Maxxus was intimidating, both in size and demeanor. However, she held a ranking that could bring intimidation to a whole new level. At the moment, with her shining crown of red hair trying to break free and the darting of her lovely green eyes, she seemed more like a trapped creature than someone who could make him disappear forever.
Blayze skipped the formality of going through the communications office and rang straight to the king's quarters. A disheveled and disgruntled Maxxus answered, holding a screaming baby. Blayze burst out in uncontrollable laughter.
"You find it funny, do you, Blayze? I do not. He has been at it for ten minutes. My ears are going to explode, and my nerves are shattered. The more upset I become, the louder he shrieks, and the louder he shrieks, the more upset I become. He wants his mother, but Josie's in the middle of a conference with some scientists on Earth. It must be urgent. They called while we were still sleeping, waking Phoenix."
Blayze's gaze found Belle's and she nodded. The information about the weredragons and the biologics had leaked to the scientists. They needed to tell Maxxus before Josie did.
"Have you tried a lullaby?" Belle asked, daring to come forward.
"You mean one of those sweet songs Josie sings at his bedtime? I do not know any, and my singing would frighten any child. Who are you? Blayze, why are you reaching out so early? Is this connected with whatever Josie is dealing with?"
Maxxus was perceptive, too much so. He had already drawn the conclusion that the two calls were linked. The baby needed to be soothed so they could reason with the king. If his nerves stayed on edge, there would be no peaceful discussion.
"Do you know a lullaby?" Blayze inquired of Belle.
Closing her eyes, Belle began to sing. Her voice was clear, soft, and extremely beautiful. She sang "All the Pretty Little Horses." Phoenix's crying changed to sniffles as he laid his head on his father's shoulder. His eyes closed; long dark lashes rested on plump, pink cheeks. Blayze was mesmerized. Even Maxxus was relaxing. The song came to an end. Belle blushed when she opened her eyes and spied the two men staring at her as if she had performed a miracle.
Clearing his throat and returning to reality, Blayze commented, "We have news that requires your full attention, Maxxus. Can your son be put to bed now? We do not wish to wake him all over again."
In response, the king put the baby on the large bed behind him, in full view and hearing. Maybe that was for the best. He might not shout or curse if he feared disturbing Phoenix.
"Congratulations on your mating, and such a handsome son," Blayze began again.
"Cut to the chase, Blayze. You did not call so early to compliment me. I am willing to bet you did not even think about the difference in our times."
"Fine," Blayze conceded. "This is Belle. She is a CIA agent. We have a small problem here and some bad news to impart. Try not to lose your temper, my friend. If you do, do not blame Belle. As she informed me, she is only the messenger and does not seek to lay charges against weredragons."
"I thought we were going to soften the blow, not hit him over the head!" Belle almost screeched.
"His mood was not what I expected, and we cannot waste valuable minutes unless you prefer Josie gives him the scientists' view first," Blayze explained.
"My friend is correct in assessing my mood. As my Josie would say, rip off the bandage quickly. It will hurt less," Maxxus replied.
"I should have asked for a strong drink," Belle said under her breath. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you. You have lost two of your weredragons in the last couple of days. I was informed of the second as I arrived in Houston."
Maxxus tensed, his body stiffened, and his face turned to stone. "Send them home for the death ceremony," he growled.
"We can't," Belle softly answered. "A biological weapon was used to kill hundreds of innocents along with some of our military. Others are infected and will most certainly die. The deceased weredragons died from the same illness. If we sent them to you, the Talonians would be infected as well. I believe it to be a terrorist attack."
"If I drew the correct meaning from Blayze's statement, that is not what others believe. He said you are the messenger, so state the whole message, please."
"My superiors have a theory. Weredragons, who didn't belong there, were at each of the two sites. Everything was on fire. They see these as clues that the weredragons are the terrorists. I disagree. My theory is that the weredragons were the target and the rest of the deaths were to cover up the conspiracy."
"My men have no motive to harm humans, and we do not deal in biological weaponry. It kills indiscriminately. Good and bad are destroyed. When we are forced to kill, it is targeted to only the enemy. Why do you say my weredragons did not belong in those areas? The alliance gave them freedom to go anywhere," Maxxus asked.
Belle sighed. Her reply was going to cause issues between Maxxus and the government on Earth, but he had every right to know the truth. "Yes, they have freedom. Technically, they can go anywhere they wish, at any time they wish. They can move, vacation, or change occupations on a whim. They have the same rights as humans. However, the government keeps track of their locations. If a large amount were to suddenly go missing from where they were expected to be, an
investigation would instantly begin. In this case, it was only two, but they were discovered far from their home cities and not in places used as vacation destinations. It appears suspicious under the circumstances."
"My species is tracked, like animals?" Maxxus yelled, startling the baby. Luckily, it did not awaken. "The alliance did not allow for such intrusive treatment. This must be corrected instantly! And who would target my people? Why does a terrorist want them dead?"
"The only answer I have for that is someone feels threatened by their presence on Earth. Whatever, their plans are, the weredragons could get in their way. It's only a theory. I don't have proof of anything, nor does my superior. It's possible the scientists have gotten information that I wasn't told. If Josie has learned something important, will you share it with me? I'm on your side in this matter. You can trust me," Belle promised.
"I believe her," Blayze admitted. "I had my moment of doubt, but no longer. She has defied her director by telling us she disagrees with his theory and she has not really interrogated me as I assume he wanted. A few simple questions were all she asked, and she received my rude answers without taking offense."
"If Blayze trusts you, then I must as well. I will discuss this with Josie and get back to you. Key in your communication access so I can call you directly if Blayze is not available."
After shutting down the connection, Blayze turned to Belle and grinned. "Would you still like that strong drink? It can be easily arranged."
"You heard that?" she asked, blushing all over. "It wasn't meant for your ears, but yes, I still want it. In fact, I need it. I've never faced an alien king with news that he not only lost some of his people, but they are under suspicion of terrorist actions. It's like having a death wish of my own. You think the director had that in mind? Does he want me gone?"
