by Eric S Kim
“Death and destruction. That’s what the Nevinoth Dragons want. Nobody would be dumb enough to sugarcoat it.”
Preston could feel his body tremble at Woodrow’s verbal reminder. “I’m sure Sorivo and his gang will take care of it…I hope.”
Woodrow had a solemn look on his face. “Exposing a Nevinoth is never simple. These dragons can shapeshift into animals. Imagine the variety. Wolves, lions, owls, snakes, horses, and so much more. It’s an entire network perfected by their purpose.”
“So if we find a coyote on the street, should we assume the worst?”
“It goes even deeper. People from the past have given these dragons a different disguise that doesn’t deserve a double take. I remember one from two decades ago. Izabella Kovacs was her name. She made sure that these dragons could transform into an ordinary dog or cat during an emergency. She had the right tools to make it happen. She’s dead now, but her elixir lives on. It’s a formula that people can replicate if done correctly.”
Sabrina cleared her throat. “So you’re saying that these Nevinoth Dragons can, uh…be like that cat over there?”
Both Preston and Woodrow turned their heads to see where Sabrina pointed her finger. A stray cat with white fur ran across the street and disappeared into an alley behind the electronics store. Preston held his breath and waited for something to happen. Several seconds had passed, and the stray cat didn’t show itself again. The alley stayed normal for now.
Woodrow continued, “Highly unlikely if the cat had a reason to vanish instead of returning to the crime scene with scales and a larger mass.”
Preston quickly accepted the outcome, though he still had a doubt. “My day is already ruined. Why can’t these stupid Nevinoth just leave us alone?”
“I’d say they’re here because of our recent history. Remember everything that happened in the past two weeks. Someone or something must have regenerated their fierce determination. Maybe it’s Roderick Hawkins’s last stand. Or maybe it’s Kin-Kelin’s awakening.”
“Or maybe it has something to do with Lionel. Or maybe the artillery from the forest.”
“…It’s possible.”
Preston kept his eyes fixed on the massive cracks on the street. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’d rather have a bunch of Fail Factions instead of this.”
Sabrina replied, “I’m with you on that one.”
Woodrow had a different opinion. “Don’t be too naïve on such a sensitive topic. It’s not a reverie that you yourself can control.”
Preston asked, “Aren’t you the least bit scared about this?”
Woodrow chuckled. “I’ve lost that little fraction a long time ago. I replaced it with a love for the battlefield. That’s enough for me to wait for them to bring us out of our free time.”
“Will they?”
“It’ll take time. Meanwhile, try not to scare yourself with the tactics that you came up with in your head. It’s not healthy.”
“We only have bullets and grenades. I don’t think we have enough of that to kill off an entire army of Nevinoth Dragons.”
“Fortunately, we’re in the right company. I do believe Mystic Lightning will find a way to bring the pendulum back to the center.”
TWENTY
11:20 AM
Edward Connelly stayed inside his car and used his smartphone to call his partner. When Maribelle Sepulveda answered, Edward told her only the basics.
“I’m in Fullerton right now. I’m hot on their trail. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. It may take either a few hours or an entire week. But I’ll be fine.”
Sepulveda replied, “Oh, do be careful. If they try to hurt you, I’m going to enjoy taking them out one by one.”
Edward smiled. “I wouldn’t want you to wear yourself out like that.”
“Just try to make it back home alive. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Edward found comfort in those words. “I’ll see you later.”
He hung up right when a woman made a casual exit from the hardware store that he had parked in front of. He recognized the woman as one of the witches that took part in a secret project. Loretta was a middle-aged female with blond hair. She must have been in her late forties, perhaps slightly younger. She got inside her sedan and was already on her way out of the parking lot. Edward was careful not to let anyone enforce a suspicious feeling. He started the engine and drove out of the parking lot as well. He stayed behind Loretta’s car, far enough for him to catch up without drawing too close to her. He followed her and waited until she would reach her next destination.
11:28 AM
Preston and Sabrina parked their cars in the same apartment complex that Jerome Tyler resided in. Preston had received the text message before he could leave the crime scene near the electronics store. He made sure that Sabrina would follow him closely as they reached Jerome’s apartment. The two of them waited at the front door as Preston rang the doorbell. The door opened, and Jerome brought them in with a hurried motion.
He whispered, “No one followed you, did they?”
Preston brought his voice to the same low volume. “No, why?”
Jerome didn’t give a response. He brought his two teammates into the living room. Oswald Tomlinson had already joined them. Another man sat on the sofa, but Preston didn’t recognize him. He was a middle-aged East Asian man wearing a dark green suit.
He stood up and introduced himself. “Milton Han. Nice to meet both of you. You don’t have to say your names. I already know who you are. I’ve seen the news. I’ve also read your files.”
Preston raised his eyebrows for a moment. “Well, that’s good to know.”
The young Blackjack had heard the name Milton Han before. The Korean-American man worked as an engineer for Mystic Lightning. That was the one fact that Preston had grown familiar with. He knew nothing else, except for what Milton Han now looked like.
Han sat back down with his legs crossed. “You might be wondering why I’m here.”
Sabrina replied, “That’s the only thing I’m thinking about right now.”
Jerome had to explain everything. “Oswald and I followed Mr. Han around the city because we thought two stray dogs were going to attack. When we got to him, the dogs ran away. They could have been Nevinoth Dragons in disguise. Or maybe not. It’s really hard to tell nowadays.”
Preston couldn’t blame him. “I know the feeling.”
Han added, “And now, I’m here because they want to protect me. I greatly appreciate your concern. I myself would have been in great danger if you didn’t take action.”
“They could have been just ordinary dogs.”
The Korean engineer shook his head. “They weren’t dogs. They were dragons. I wouldn’t think less of this situation.”
Sabrina leaned against the wall. “What makes you think that it’s true?”
Han’s tone of voice implied a serious commitment to his prediction. “It’s the timing. A man like me would rightfully suspect suspicious activity.”
“So you must have done something that pissed them off.”
“You’re not wrong. They wouldn’t want to forget me.”
He whispered to Jerome, “Are all of your windows closed?”
To which Jerome replied, “Yes, they are.”
The four Blackjacks moved just a little closer to the engineer as he explained the reason for his suspicion. He kept his voice at a low volume when he said, “Last night, a pack of Nevinoth Dragons tried to hide in Sequoia National Park. We didn’t give them a chance to change into their original forms. I became partially responsible for an ambush that wiped out half of the dragons that tried to fight back. The weapons that I created were a success. They’ve become popular items with the Mystic Knights.”
Jerome had already caught on. “If the dragons that survived found out about you, it must have been very quick.”
“I’ve become a celebrity to the enemy teams. It’s not something that I truly regret, though I still have
to be very cautious when I’m outside.”
Preston rubbed his chin. “Those two stray dogs that followed you…they could have killed you on the spot. You’re lucky that my friends were there to help you out.”
Han smiled for a moment. “Like I said, I appreciate the security. You make me want to hire a bunch of bodyguards. I could give you a better salary if you’re interested.”
“No, thanks.”
Sabrina groaned. “Oh, man. These little Nevinoth fuckers can be anywhere. You remember what Woodrow said, right? They could be any of the dogs and cats that run around in this city.”
Oswald exaggerated his look of concern. “These are dark times.”
Han ignored the Blackjack’s theatrics and said, “You’re lucky to have someone like me by your side. I’ve been busy with my latest creations. I’ve spent the last month trying to perfect them. And now, they’re finished and ready for use.”
Preston asked, “What are they?”
“I can’t explain. All I can tell you is that they’ll do a lot of damage to the creatures that are hiding in the streets. Most of them will be quite handy when the dragons are stuck in their mammal transformations. You’ll love them.”
“Well, we’ll have to see them first. Maybe on Friday, when we get back to work.”
“How about today? There’s a good chance that every squad in Orange County will be brought in to pursue these creatures.”
“Sounds fine, but what about Sorivo? He dealt with one just a short time ago. I mean, the Silver Skins can make it happen.”
“You wouldn’t want a bunch of giant robots roaming the streets of Southern California, would you? Their presence could cause some problems. A lot of distractions, including traffic on the freeways. It wouldn’t be right. And just because Sorivo dealt with one Nevinoth doesn’t mean that he has the time and patience to go through every stray animal he comes across. He’s got other things to do. Things that are required from Gorvex.”
“So it’s our duty to do what he does best?”
“You can back out of this if you want.”
Preston laughed. “No way. I wouldn’t want you guys to leave me out of it. A guy like me wouldn’t say no to the Zadith.”
Mr. Han rubbed his palms together. “I like you already.”
A familiar vibrating sound arose in the living room. Jerome pulled out his smartphone and read the text message that appeared on the screen.
“The captain wants us at the station as soon as possible.”
Han smiled. “Told you so.”
Preston couldn’t bring himself to view it as a tiresome situation. He was the first to leave Jerome’s apartment and return home to change into his work clothes.
11:36 AM
The construction site included giant concrete walls that remained incomplete and cranes that were left alone by the workers. Edward followed the witch as she entered the precinct with the most completed structures. Every employee on the construction site had left the area, giving Loretta a chance to do whatever she had planned for now. Edward made certain that the witch would never even grow aware of his existence. Thanks to his extensive training, he managed to sneak around with the most silent footsteps. He crept from wall to wall, and hid himself in the right spots when Loretta started to gaze around the construction site for possible spies. So far, Edward never revealed his position in the shadows. His attempts to avoid an accidental move were successful.
He kept his pistol in his holster in case of an attack. He pressed his back against a concrete wall. Loretta stood behind it with two other women who had met up with her. A civilian would be unable to see them with the towering walls that surrounded them. Edward took a deep breath and waited for the Witches of San Antonio to start their discussion.
He didn’t move at all. As soon as he could hear the deep yet feminine voices from behind the wall, he listened carefully. He couldn’t recognize which woman was speaking, since there had been no audio recordings that captured their previous conversations. Nevertheless, Edward kept his mouth shut and breathed through his nostrils. The witches’ words were his primary focus.
One of the women started asking, “When shall we visit the place?”
Another woman replied, “Until after midnight. We still need ample time to prepare for it. It’s a big mall. We can’t just wing it when there are people there. It has to be done when the entire building is closed.”
The third woman spoke up. “What about her? The one that’s willing to help us. I don’t suppose it’s easy to trust someone like her.”
“We found the right woman. Don’t bring any doubts into this so early on.”
“Do you think she’s up to it?”
“She better be. Otherwise, we’ll have to get rid of her the second that she tries to betray us.”
Edward continued to listen in. He had gathered all the information that the three witches had mentioned in their verbal exchanges. Their secret discussion lasted for several more minutes. They revealed their plans on how to break into the Brea Mall while keeping their voices low to avoid being heard by unexpected trespassers. Edward wanted the witches to say the name of the woman that was willing to assist them in any way she could. But they never even said the first name. They ended their discussion soon after accepting the plans for the break-in.
Edward waited as the three witches exited the premises. Edward took a peek and found that the area became devoid of a human presence yet again. He stayed hidden behind the concrete wall as he pulled out a small notepad and started to write everything down with a pen. He remembered what the witches had discussed. He made sure that every single detail would not be neglected when gathered on paper.
Suddenly, when halfway through the page, the first sound of a distant footstep caused him to stop moving the pen around. The footsteps came from behind the wall. Either one of the construction workers had returned from his lunch break or one of the witches had returned to seek out the spy that she had suspected all along.
The footsteps grew louder. Edward lowered his notepad and reached down for his pistol. He didn’t have time to analyze his situation. The footsteps were loud enough for the intruder to appear from behind the wall. Edward dropped his pen and notepad before grabbing his pistol. It took only a fraction of a second for him to point his weapon at the new intruder.
But he didn’t pull the trigger. He had no reason to, anyway. He immediately recognize the other Shadow Service Agent just by his short blond hair.
Edward relaxed. “You could have fooled me.”
Dennis Palmer didn’t change the last time he had seen him. The nineteen-year-old agent wore his usual black pants tightened with a white belt. He even had his royal blue button-up shirt on, complete with pulled-up sleeves.
“Just what the hell are you doing here?”
Edward ignored Dennis’s annoyed tone and put away his pistol. “Doing the same thing that you were probably doing.”
He picked up his pen and notepad. “You heard everything, haven’t you?”
Dennis appeared so proud of his endeavor. “I’m really glad that they said too much.”
“I don’t think they suspected us, and if they did, they won’t know what we look like.”
Dennis reexamined their surroundings. “They must be on their way to Brea right now.”
“We might make it in time.”
Dennis stepped in front of the other agent. “No one ever mentioned you partaking in this mission. What’s your excuse?”
Edward stayed calm. “It’s complicated.”
“Of course, it is. Ms. Sepulveda must have made it so.”
“She’s been causing quite a stir back in headquarters, hasn’t she?”
“She’s just someone that just won’t go away. So tell me why she cares about this so much.”
“I can’t tell you. It’s only between her and me.”
“Then, I can’t really let you go to Brea. I’ve been assigned to this, not you.”
“Who wills it?”
“Mr. Quintana.”
Edward almost raised his eyebrows at the answer. “What does he want from them?”
Dennis seemed amused by the supposed lack of awareness. “Stop asking stupid questions and let me deal with it.”
Edward couldn’t tolerate the delay any longer. “Alright, Dennis, listen to me. We shouldn’t argue like this. Let’s just forget about our different reasons and just cooperate. We’ve done it before. We might as well do it again.”
A slight snooty attitude arose from Dennis’s tone of voice. “So you’re willing to think that Ms. Sepulveda’s motive, whatever it may be, is just as credible as Mr. Quintana’s?”
“When you’ve known her for quite some time, there’s no other choice but to believe in her.”
Dennis already admitted his defeat. “It’s settled.”
Edward smiled. “You don’t even have to say anything to Mr. Yokoyama. Leave me and Maribelle out of it.”
“It’s a promise. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“I’ve got everything written down. Did you?”
“I’ll make it better for you. I’ve got detailed files back at headquarters. I’ve gathered all the information I could about these three witches. You can read them through when we head to Brea.”
“Good.”
Both Shadow Service Agents left the construction site and readied for a short trip up north.
TWENTY-ONE
12:45 PM
Every Blackjack squad stationed in Orange County had to be active in the street for a thorough investigation. A-X-9 would not be excluded from such a crucial task. Everyone that was dressed in black had to participate in the search for possible Nevinoth Dragons in the area. Rebecca Norwood became a passenger in Bryce Etheridge’s SUV. Oswald had joined them as they drove around the streets of Garden Grove. Judging by the look of the city alone, there would been a complete lack of suspicious activity. The suburban city, while not completely devoid of crime, was still beautiful on the outside. Human innocence was dominant here just like every other city in Orange County. Nobody would dare to give the Blackjack Troopers a hard time.
