by Eric S Kim
Paulina asked, “What the hell do you mean by that?”
“You’ll find out.”
Hamilton said to Lionel, “Choose two of your teammates to look after Paulina. Ms. Sepulveda will be sending her to Ironbark.”
Lionel had no objections. “Understood.”
The captain said to Victoria, “I want you and Rebecca to look after her.”
Victoria nodded. “Alright, when shall we leave?”
Sepulveda raised a finger. “I’m going to have transport sent here in about thirty minutes. So just be patient.”
2:48 PM
Every civilian had finally exited the arena and the parking lot. Hamilton, Sepulveda, Paulina, the Blackjacks, and the press stayed behind. News vans had already surrounded the arena. Even if the world would be informed quicker through social media, the press still had a chance to glorify law enforcement even more. Several reporters from both Orange County and Los Angeles gathered around with their cameramen and started their live and taped broadcasts.
The Blackjacks, on the other hand, had enough time to relax after protecting Hamilton in the building. Some of them put away their weapons, while others still surveyed their current surroundings for a possible intruder. Highly unlikely, but there would always be uncertainties. The fourteen troopers ignored the press and talked amongst each other. The ones that captured Paulina had garnered plenty of attention from their teammates.
Nick gave a snarky laugh as he lightly punched Preston on the shoulder. “You got her real good, man.”
Preston replied, “Don’t thank me. Thank Jerome. He’s the one who started it all.”
Elliott had just put his hat back on his head. “I’m already expecting a long interview for the news. Do you even enjoy that kind of stuff?”
Jerome took a seat on the passenger side of Lionel’s SUV and left the door open to give a response. “As long as I’m honest, I don’t mind.”
Victoria was about to put away her dart pistol, but Preston had other ideas. “Wait a minute, let me check that out for a second.”
Victoria handed him the pistol and waited as he examined the weapon on both sides.
“This is the one they sent us, huh?”
Victoria replied, “That’s right. It’s the LVA Paralyzer. The darts will shock the suspect and bring them down.”
“They should build stuff like this more often.”
“Give them time. The company is almost there.”
Jerome stepped in. “I hope you have another one.”
“I certainly do. Do you want to be the one to take it?”
“I already think it’s a good weapon for emergencies.”
Victoria opened the trunk of her SUV and handed the sniper a small box with a lock and key. “Instructions are inside.”
“Thanks.”
Several Blackjacks spent their time consuming energy drinks and bottled water. A member of the press had already joined in and asked Lionel if he could take pictures of his squad. The captain gave permission right away. Brandon Young, a nineteen-year-old African-American photojournalist, already grew familiar with this particular squad. Most of the Blackjacks recognized him and let him use his camera. One of them did warn him, however.
Sabrina Sinclair pointed her finger at him. “Be careful with me. I don’t want to see any photoshopping. I’m already perfect the way I am.”
Brandon smiled. “Now why would I want to do that to a beautiful woman like you?”
Sabrina’s grin had an almost naughty style attached to it. “Sorry. I’m not interested.”
“Good, because I’d like to stay healthy.”
The redheaded Blackjack stuck out her tongue at the photographer, who began to take pictures just as Lionel made an announcement to A-X-9.
Everyone else paid attention as their captain said, “Listen up. We’re still not done for today. Gordon Steele is still out there, and he may have the same kind of weapons that Paulina possessed. If you find him and it looks like he has perfected the use of witchcraft, keep him away from the civilians as much as possible. Understood?”
Almost unanimously, the other Blackjacks replied, “Yes, sir.”
“Good. Also, I’ve just been informed by Mr. Hamilton that he wants Maribelle Sepulveda protected for the rest of the day. Gordon might be intending to rescue Paulina, and it might start with Sepulveda. So, I’ll be sending five of you to her residence. There, you’ll keep a sharp lookout for intruders, or any suspicious activity outside her home.”
Lionel chose five of the younger Blackjacks: Jerome, Bryce, Sabrina, Preston, and Elliott. All of them agreed to separate from the group.
Lionel continued, “Victoria and Rebecca will look after Paulina when she is being sent to Ironbark Animal Kingdom. The rest of us will go to Mystic Lightning Headquarters to keep Mr. Hamilton safe.”
Cliff folded his arms across his chest and showed off his deadpan delivery. “So we’re the ones playing it safe, huh?”
Lionel had only one answer. “You can switch places with Victoria if you want.”
Cliff quickly turned away. “I don’t need your charities.”
Lionel did not take any offense, seeing as how he had grown accustomed to Cliff’s nonchalant attitude.
Brandon finished with his photography and reminded Lionel, “Some of the guys at my place want to do an interview with you and a few of your friends. Are you up to it?”
Lionel shook his head. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have time for that. We’ll be too busy defending our home.”
“Let me take pictures of the whole thing. I promise I won’t say anything when you beat their asses.”
“Zero chance of that happening. Not today, but maybe later.”
Brandon did not show a frown on his face. “I’ll be anticipating the real thing.”
Just as Brandon turned around and left the area, Hamilton had arrived. The first thing that Lionel had done was open the door to his SUV and grab a valuable item from the back seat. He handed the portfolio back to Hamilton.
“That’s all of them.”
Hamilton opened the portfolio and examined the fourteen signatures written on the bottom of the page.
He gave a little grin as he said, “They’re not as dumb as I thought they would be. Good work, captain. I’ll be sending this back to Mr. Quintana. Let’s move. I’m going back to Santa Ana.”
Lionel already understood. He gathered one half of his squad while the other half went on to look after two Latino women outside of Anaheim.
FOUR
3:47 PM
After sending Joseph Armstrong back to his hotel, Sepulveda had to make a few phone calls before she and the Blackjacks could even leave the parking lot. And when she did, she finally decided to leave for home. Jerome, Bryce, Sabrina, Preston, and Elliott followed her to Laguna Beach. Furthermore, Sepulveda brought two of them as the passengers in her sedan. Bryce and Jerome gazed out the window for possible attackers while sitting in her automobile. The woman drove casually on the freeway before exiting it to take the local roads. The other young Blackjacks followed her in their own vehicles.
Jerome had brought his automatic sniper rifle and his dual pistols. He kept his disassembled sniper rifle, an M39 EMR, in a metal briefcase for future use.
She laid out a few rules as she drove on the freeway. “Remember. When you’re inside the house, do not touch anything that doesn’t belong to you. And if you need to check the attic or the roof, or if you feel the need to eat a little snack, tell me immediately.”
Jerome and Bryce were already aware of the standard Mystic Lightning protocol that she had mentioned. The two young men acknowledged her commands while observing the other automobiles on the freeway.
Jerome began assembling his M39 EMR rifle in the back seat. “So, Ms. Sepulveda, are you sure this is the better way of executing a criminal?”
Sepulveda didn’t let go of the steering wheel. “It keeps the civilians entertained. Have you ever seen our livestreams?”
&nbs
p; “I personally haven’t heard of them.”
Bryce, who sat in the front passenger seat, decided to chime in. “My curiosity made me see one from two months ago.”
Sepulveda asked, “And did you enjoy it?”
“If it keeps your creatures from being famished, then I have no problem with it.”
“But you did enjoy it.”
“I can’t say that I really did. I mean, the victim was a fifteen-year-old boy who didn’t even have a fair trial. Nobody really had proof that he tried to kill one of your employees.”
Sepulveda laughed. “Trust me. He did. I saw it happen. And besides that, he still deserved it for being a Failure in the first place. We told him he’ll have a better life if he just went to Social Adjustments, but he chose to make things worse.”
Bryce added, “Still, it would have been nice to give him a chance to prove that he didn’t do it.”
“Please tell me you’re not sympathizing with the enemy.”
“Hey, I’m not feeling sorry for him. I’m just saying that he still had a second chance.”
“Well, it’s too late now. Today, the boy is nothing but fertilizer.”
Jerome kept quiet as he finished assembling his EMR. He caressed the cold metal surface with his fingers. He anticipated an attack from Gordon Steele. Although it would be unlikely that the remaining Failure would deviate from Hamilton as the one and only target, Jerome still had an uneasy feeling that Sepulveda would be added to Gordon’s hit list.
4:09 PM
Sepulveda reached her two-story house without any interference from dangerous factions. It was a home fit for a woman of wealth. The house was rather enormous on the outside, with a more lavish sort of architecture similar to the rest of the neighborhood. Along with several other houses, it stood on a cliff right above the beach. Sepulveda unlocked the front door and led the Blackjacks inside. They carried their own weapons with them, both in their hands and in their holsters. She offered them drinks, but they declined for now.
Jerome and the others surveyed the house when Sepulveda went upstairs to change her clothes. It seemed quite spacious enough. It included some extravagant furniture in the living room, and a balcony in the kitchen with a clear view of the coast. Everything about Sepulveda’s residence represented a clean and comfortable place to live.
Jerome informed the other Blackjacks of their arrangements. He and Preston would guard the second floor while Bryce, Sabrina, and Elliott would guard the first. They would switch positions after every hour. They immediately agreed with the procedure and continued on with their casual observations of the house. Meanwhile, Sepulveda returned to the living room. She changed into a pair of blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Even with ordinary apparel, the forty-two-year-old woman still kept a gorgeous appearance.
She said to the Blackjacks, “I just got off the phone. Someone else will be joining us. You guys remember Edward Connelly, don’t you?”
Jerome nodded. “We all do.”
Sepulveda took a seat on the couch. “Good. He’ll be here shortly. I’ll be needing some good company at a time like this.”
Jerome noticed a slight seductive tone in her voice. He chose to ignore it as he asked, “Right now, Bryce needs to check your surveillance cameras. Can we borrow your laptop?”
He pointed at the one on the coffee table.
Sepulveda replied, “Certainly.”
Bryce sat down beside her and picked up the laptop. As Sepulveda guided him in viewing the surveillance cameras around her house, Jerome informed her that he and Preston would be guarding the second floor. She gave the two of them permission to take the stairs and check for intruders in the bedrooms. Jerome placed his EMR in the leather holster strapped behind his back and brought Preston away from the living room.
The two Blackjacks went up the stairs and examined the second floor. They followed Sepulveda’s simple instruction by not touching anything that didn’t belong to them. There were four rooms, including a bathroom. One room appeared to be a study room for Sepulveda’s work. Another turned out to be the master bedroom where she usually slept. Preston stepped inside and took a peek out the window.
Jerome entered the last room on the second floor alone. It had only three items: a desk, a chair, and a long row of bookshelves on the wall. Jerome already recognized some of the books on the wooden shelves. Almost half of them were classic literature, while the others were non-fiction books that he didn’t even know about. He respected Sepulveda just a little more. Her love of books could have been just as undying to his own.
Sepulveda’s desk and chair seemed ordinary, nothing fancy compared to everything else in the house. But the painting that hung above the desk was the exact opposite. It was a painting of dragons. Any canvas that had dragons painted on it would catch Jerome’s attention. He remained silent as he observed the oil painting.
The image was immaculate and filled with various details. The scenario seemed obvious from the first glance. Somewhere in the desert, a giant mechanical dragon attacked six real dragons and their riders with its advanced technology. Missiles, acid, and any other creations that the dragon would gleefully use against its enemies. Jerome could only assume that the giant robot was none other than Gorvex, the supreme world leader. It had the same appearance and the same exterior features that Gorvex possessed. As for the organic dragons and their riders, they struggled to avoid Gorvex’s attacks. They had become vulnerable creatures flying in the sky, narrowly missing incoming projectiles while trying to stay alive.
Whoever produced this particular painting must have touched on a historical event. Jerome had learned of it when he was still a child in elementary school. A great battle occurred in Southern Mongolia eighteen years ago. The final confrontation between Gorvex and a group of dragon riders. Only one name would describe these people. The Nameless Riders of Yesterday. They proved to be Gorvex’s greatest threat. And the people of this world had been fortunate enough to have a giant mechanical dragon who forced these dragon riders to vanish completely from all human perspectives. The Nameless Riders of Yesterday were never seen again. It didn’t matter if they were dead or alive. The dragon riders slowly faded into obscurity. Gorvex had become the supreme world leader. The world would change for the better.
Jerome gazed at the painting for so long that he almost forgot about Preston, who walked in and did the same for a few seconds.
The young recruit remarked, “Now that’s incredible. I sure wish I was there to see it.”
Jerome put his hands in his coat pockets. “I feel the same way.”
Preston chuckled. “Sepulveda must have paid a lot of money to whoever painted this.”
“The look on his face must have been priceless.”
Jerome kept his eyes on the Nameless Riders of Yesterday. Their reenacted desperation couldn’t have been more spot-on. They had been frightened by their fates already chosen by Gorvex. The consequence must have been brutal in the end.
Jerome let out a slow sigh. He suddenly remembered what he had discovered not long ago. Last week, a textbook contained an image of his father. It didn’t take long for Lionel to tell him the absolute truth regarding his past self. It would have shocked Jerome and brought his hopes in life straight down. His own father being a dragon rider. That had become an occupation that nobody would look forward to anymore. But it didn’t shock Jerome. It didn’t show his father in a more pejorative manner. Instead, the young man had grown curious.
Preston asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jerome could hear a distant doorbell ring. “It’s just a little something between me and Lionel. I’ll deal with it later.”
He left the room and stopped at the top of the stairs. Preston joined him as the two of them became silent. Sepulveda opened the front door and let Edward Connelly inside. She gave him a long kiss before she spotted the two Blackjacks at the top.
She appeared amused. “You know, it’s not nice to watch when two people are having a little moment together
.”
Jerome replied, “Our apologies. We didn’t expect it.”
Edward gave them a smile. “It’s good to see you again.”
Jerome tipped his beret. “And vice versa.”
Edward didn’t change at all since the last time they had met. He was still the young Shadow Service Agent that gained a big reputation for the company. The handsome assassin wore his usual dark attire and kept his short brown hair the same. He wasn’t excessively muscular, but he was skinny and well-preserved. A healthy lifestyle kept him from being an average gentleman. An employee of this caliber was required to keep his charisma unbroken, at least to Sepulveda’s own standards.
The twenty-year-old agent proclaimed, “Congratulations on saving Mr. Hamilton.”
Jerome nodded. “Thanks.”
Edward headed for the living room. Sepulveda gestured at the two Blackjacks with her finger.
“Join us. The show’s about to start.”
Preston was the first to walk down the stairs. “I’m already intrigued.”
Jerome joined the rest of the group in the living room. Sepulveda used the remote control to turn on the flat screen TV that hung on the wall. Edward’s reunion with the young Blackjacks had been complete. Bryce, Sabrina, and Elliott acknowledged his presence by saying their hellos.
Edward remarked, “The good news from Anaheim is spreading all across the country. Mr. Hamilton is definitely proud of you guys.”
Preston shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, what can we say? We were made for the chase.”
Sabrina took off her gray jacket (revealing a black tank top from underneath) and wrapped it around her waist. “Did you see the news articles? Do we look good in the pictures?”
Edward replied, “I never checked, but I’m sure they have the best photos available.”
Sabrina’s grin returned. “I’ll believe you for now.”
None of the Blackjacks decided to take a seat on the couch.
Elliott was the only one who did. “I’ve never seen the livestream before. I’m pretty excited.”
