by Eric S Kim
Edward paid close attention to the noises that reached his ears. A faint explosion and a loud snap had become the only sounds that he could hear for the time being.
Joseph had a few questions. “What the hell’s going on? I thought magic was outlawed in this country.”
“Witches don’t have to obey the law.”
“I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about the Zadith. Why are they using magic? I thought Gorvex didn’t like that stuff.”
Edward never had the right answer. “It’s complicated.”
“You’ve seen this happen before, haven’t you? I heard about what happened at Ironbark. Something about that fifteen-year-old boy. The Zadith was there and they used a little sorcery against him. Is that true?”
Edward sighed. “You’re expecting too much from me. Listen, I know that Gorvex wanted all that magic to be out of the Seventeen States for good. But sometimes, certain people just don’t have those limitations. The Zadith can use magic because Gorvex wills it. It’s a system. It works.”
Joseph didn’t sound like he was convinced. “I still don’t get it.”
“I can’t say that I do, either. But Maribelle already accepted it, and so did I. It’ll make sense when you delve deeper into it.”
Joseph scratched his head. “Everything just feels so strange.”
Edward wanted to forget about everything that transpired in the abandoned building. He was just so glad to see a familiar face at this time. “You have a lot to learn, and I’m still willing to teach you.”
“I can still say yes to that.”
The conversation was put to a halt when a deep trembling noise erupted from the building. The unbroken windows quivered, lasting several seconds. Memories of Florencia and the fox had returned in Edward’s mind. He imagined the conflict from within the building. Two Zadith Disciples confronting a bank manager and her new friend. It could have been an unbalanced match, but then again, he had never seen a Nevinoth Dragon before.
Edward and Joseph quickly stepped back. The wall in front of the building broke apart. The head of a dragon had popped out of the newly made opening. It had three sharp horns on its head. It used its sharp teeth to munch on the male Zadith. It threw him out of the building and made him land on solid asphalt. The dragon brought its head back in the building. The Zadith’s body didn’t move at all. A straight row of holes on his body showed exactly where the dragon bit down on him. His clothes had been drenched by his own blood.
The dragon smashed into the concrete wall again. This time, all of it came tumbling down in smaller fragments. The dragon now had the female Zadith between its teeth. It left the building entirely, forcing the abandoned building to lose one of its walls. The dragon crushed the parked sedan with its hand, digging deep in the metal with its claws. The female Zadith screamed in pain. She tried to punch at the dragon’s scales in desperation. The dragon dug its teeth deeper into her body. The Zadith Disciple coughed up blood and left her arms and legs dangling. Her body stopped moving. The dragon had crushed her to death. It threw the woman up in the air and opened its mouth wide. She plunged straight into the dragon’s throat. It swallowed her in one gulp.
Edward whispered to himself, “It’s confirmed. Nevinoth Dragons are not vegetarians.”
Limara stood proudly on all fours. She had become her true self after a lifetime of unwanted isolation. She flapped open her wings in celebration of her freedom.
Florencia ran out of the building unharmed. “Limara, we have to get out of here! The authorities will chase after us!”
Limara got down on all fours. “I’ll take you away from this place. Just be sure that you can make us invisible.”
Florencia climbed up her leg and, without a proper saddle, took a seat on her back.
Limara growled. “I’ve been waiting for this.”
She flapped her wings and brought her feet and hands above the asphalt. Before she made her departure, Florencia gave Edward a little smile. It was a silent farewell that the young man already accepted. Florencia and Limara sped away from the commercial district. Florencia must have activated her Kelverik Talisman, since both escapees had now vanished in the air.
Edward needed something. “Joseph, give me your sunglasses.”
Joseph pulled out his sunglasses from his pocket and quickly handed them to Edward, who put them on and pressed the little button on the left temple. His vision had changed temporarily. The infrared lenses displayed the body heat from both Florencia and Limara. Both flew further away from the city of Brea and headed east, toward the Inland Empire. Edward just stood there watching their bodies grow smaller as they made their departures official.
Joseph asked, “You really cared about her, didn’t you?”
Edward took off the sunglasses. “We had a good run back then.”
As he handed him back the sunglasses, a few other automobiles had sped straight into the parking lot. Maribelle Sepulveda’s sedan was the first to enter the area. Three Hammerhead vehicles and a Blackjack SUV had followed her from behind. She exited her vehicle and ran straight toward Edward.
She embraced him tightly. “Oh, I hope they didn’t hurt you that much.”
Edward replied, “Nope. They just couldn’t finish the job.”
Sepulveda kissed him on the lips. “I saw the Nevinoth Dragon fly away. Florencia was the one on its back, is that right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“That bitch is going to get it someday.”
Edward faked a smile. “You might be right.”
Some of the Hammerheads had circled around the male Zadith’s dead body, while the rest of the group surveyed the partially damaged commercial building. A Shadow Service Agent had been the last to exit his vehicle. His blond hair was the first clear signal of his identity.
Dennis Palmer, now back to his normal size, joined Sepulveda and her two associates.
“Well, I’m glad that they didn’t do anything else to you.”
Joseph gave him a solemn stare. Dennis had already understood the reaction to his presence. “Hello, again. It’s nice to see that you’re doing well.”
Joseph grunted. “It’s very refreshing that you’re being honest for once.”
Dennis’s own grunt sounded more snobbish. “Don’t feel so offended about my performance. I had a job to do. We all did. I’m sure Edward told you about the acting class that led me to my tremendous work history.”
“Actually, he didn’t.”
“Well, you should visit it sometime.”
“No thanks.”
“You should learn that not everyone is what they seem. Some people can have two sides of a coin, and everyone else won’t even notice it.”
“I know that one already.”
From above, three giant robots hovered around the commercial building. The Silver Skin Dragons would soon learn of the incident with these particular soldiers examining the wreckage. But that didn’t matter to Edward. He found this reunion of friends much more satisfying.
Sepulveda held him in her arms. “I’m so glad that she’s out of our lives forever.”
Edward already knew who she referred to. He remained silent in her embrace and felt instant relief in her warmth. Meanwhile, the distant conflict in the sky had died down. Several dragons had plummeted to their deaths, while those that snagged a hard-fought victory stayed in the air. Edward could only see various smudges moving in the darkening sky, with explosions and other bursts of light as the main illuminations above Southern California.
THIRTY-TWO
7:13 PM
As the sun drifted further away from the West Coast, the battle in the sky had died down during its darkening phase. The Nevinoth Dragons had dwindled to a mere dozen, while the Silver Skin Dragons collected only a few fatalities of their own. Those that died by metal aggression had fallen straight to the earth in random locations. It was a guarantee that there would be severe damage done to properties both private and public, as well as some ill-fated c
ivilian casualties caused by the plunge.
Lionel, Jerome, and Preston had returned to the NESF Station. So far, none of the dragons that fell from the sky had made a direct impact anywhere near the Blackjacks’ workplace. Lionel parked the SUV and all three Blackjacks exited the vehicle. They still had enough time to observe the final remnants of the battle. The Silver Skins had gained an advantage over the intruders. The remaining Nevinoth made a strong effort to fight back against the metal militia, but they had lost their momentum.
Preston shouted, “Watch out!”
The three Blackjacks had to duck down quickly just as a Nevinoth Dragon swept past them and charged at an incoming Silver Skin above the street. The human pedestrians already stepped aside and fled from the premises to avoid any accidental demises. Both dragons collided into each other and spun around in the air. They fought each other with fists and jaws. The Silver Skin Dragon’s tail scraped against the wall of a fifteen-story commercial building, causing pieces of debris to tumble down to the sidewalk below.
Lionel could have become a witness to the conclusion to this battle, but someone from behind had called for him. Lionel turned around. Sidsum the Vulture had flown out of an open window in the station and landed on the hood of the parked SUV.
“Lionel! You have to help him!”
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s a dragon in the building. He’s hurt very badly. He might be dying.”
Preston asked, “He’s not really a dragon right now, is he?”
Sidsum squawked. “Of course, not. He’s now a peregrine falcon. He’s trying to hide from the dragons that made him bleed.”
Lionel ran for the front entrance. “Where is he?”
Sidsum followed him from behind. “He’s in a room with a big able and about a dozen chairs.”
“The meeting room.”
“Jerome, Preston, stay here. I’ll take care of this.”
Lionel pulled one of the double doors and stepped inside the station.
7:15 PM
Lionel made it to the meeting room, but stopped right at the open door. He expected to spot the wounded peregrine falcon somewhere in the room, but he didn’t expect someone else to be there. He slowly stepped inside just as Salvador Quintana whispered something to the falcon lying flat on the table. Blood had stained half of the bird’s feathers and his right leg was missing.
Quintana caressed the falcon’s head with two fingers and whispered, “Why are you here? What brings you out of your hiding place?”
The falcon had to take deep breaths during his final moments on Earth. “We had to take them back. We had to bring them away from Gorvex.”
“How did you find out about this?”
“We knew what happened in Green Brigalvic. We knew we had to be here.”
Quintana’s solemn manner had taken effect as he asked, “Why did you want to take him? Why did you go after Mr. Tyler?”
Lionel wanted to give Quintana the hint that he had just entered the room, but Quintana immediately looked up and pointed at him. “Why is he so important to you?”
The falcon noticed the captain as well. “Vilroz wanted him out of here. He wanted a create a ransom.”
“Do you know Lionel personally?”
“No…but the wolf does.”
Lionel was almost caught off-guard by the answer.
The falcon lifted his head up. “You remember him, don’t you? He still misses you. He still wishes that you never left him.”
Lionel almost stumbled with his words. “Where is he?”
“He’s somewhere.”
“He’s not a part of your group, is he?”
“He’s hiding. He had an argument with Vilroz, and he left.”
Quintana didn’t express any shock to this news, and rightfully so. “Are there more Nevinoth out there?”
The falcon started to squirm slowly. “Please, Lionel…don’t give in. Don’t forget who you are. Don’t…”
The falcon closed his eyes and its body stopped moving. It was now lifeless on the table.
Quintana left the falcon alone as he turned to Lionel and said, “Is Tannitari your dragon?”
Lionel still tried to keep his secrets unavailable to the public. “The dragon is just a friend.”
Quintana used a handkerchief to wipe the blood off his fingers. “You do not have to be dishonest with me. Remember that I know everything.”
“I keep forgetting.”
“I do apologize for giving off the wrong impressions before this. I did not mean to make you hide your true self. But being secretive does make sense. You would not want the public to turn against you overnight, and I would have done the same.”
“Did you really see me on the news a long time ago?”
“At least twice.”
Lionel still feared the worst from the Chairman. “I still can’t say that I feel relieved when you know about what I used to do in the past.”
Quintana wouldn’t be the type of person to lose his temper. He had clung to his charismatic tendencies and never let it diminish. Lionel expected a punishment for his past, however.
Quintana put his handkerchief back in his coat pocket and said, “I do not cooperate with those that belong to the other side. I confess that I still have my doubts about you. Your views on the chemistry between dragon and rider do not coincide with mine. But then again, you did prove yourself to be an excellent Blackjack Trooper. I would have sent you to Alaska, but I decided to set my doubts aside. The delay is definitely paying off.”
“Is that why you chose me for the mission in Green Brigalvic? Because of what I used to be?”
“That is only part of the reason. I mainly chose A-X-9 because of the qualifications. You were just an added bonus to the mission.”
“Well, I won’t stop you from refusing to imprison me. I guess I should be lucky that you’re not underestimating me.”
Quintana did not smile. He was quite stern despite his unbroken composure. “Unlike everyone in Mystic Lightning, I do not always believe in happy endings.”
He stepped closer. “These dragons are here because of both of us. Keeping the artillery here is bringing nothing but bad news. I hold myself partially responsible for their presence. But you…I do hope you are not refusing the blame.”
“Believe me. I can see why this is my fault.”
Quintana didn’t show any indication of a seemingly present temper, but the lowered volume of his voice featured an ominous tone. “I find that hard to accept. Tannitari was your dragon, is that correct?”
Lionel couldn’t help but notice a faint gleam in Quintana’s eyes that made the Chairman a more menacing figure than usual. “Yes, he was. We used to be a part of Travis’s group a long time ago.”
“Tell me the truth, Mr. Tyler. How often do you wish that you would go back to being a dragon rider?”
“I can’t say.”
Quintana started to stress his words. “How often?”
Lionel sensed the discomfort overwhelming him, but he still didn’t crack under the pressure. “Every day.”
A little smile formed on Quintana’s face for a brief second. “That was not very hard to say, was it?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Remember what I said at lunch two days ago? Well, it just came true. And I fear that you are going to turn against me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because of everything that has been happening here. It started with Roderick Hawkins. And now, we have the Nevinoth. I sense the pressure is building from within. The intruders are forcing you to relive the past, and that is not what Gorvex would want.”
“Trust me, Mr. Quintana. I almost gave in, but I didn’t.”
“See? You almost gave in. That is what catches my attention. You almost let it happen to you. That shows me that you are not trying hard enough.”
Quintana whispered, “Tell me…do you want to be a dragon rider again?”
Lionel had to take
a slow deep breath. “You’re putting me in a very tough situation here.”
Quintana seemed to growl when he repeated his question. “Do you want to be a dragon rider again?”
Lionel would have been dishonest, but Quintana’s voice made him do the exact opposite. “…Yes. I want to be one again.”
He half-expected the Chairman to start a tirade. But Quintana didn’t lost his temper. Instead, his small smile had returned as if he was rather shocked at Lionel’s truthfulness. His solemn stance had faded. His charismatic behavior had returned.
“I admire your honesty. I would have been infuriated if you kept this from me a little longer. Try not to imagine what I could have done if you said the wrong answer.”
Lionel was absolutely still. “What’s going to happen to me?”
Quintana didn’t answer that. He turned his head and spotted someone at the open entrance. Lionel realized that another Blackjack had stepped inside the meeting room without an official announcement. Jerome just stood there with worried look on his face. He must have overheard the entire second half of the conversation.
Quintana ignored him and said to the captain, “It will not end with a conflict in the sky. I have a feeling that there will be even more Nevinoth Dragons wanting to linger in Southern California. There will be another confrontation, but not with the Silver Skins. The human race will end their lives. It is only a matter of when. And when we face off with our enemies for the last time, I will keep my eyes on you. I will see everything. And if you stay on our side, then my tolerance for keeping secrets will be brought back up again. But if you decide to betray your world leader because you want to go back to your Nevinoth friends, then every civilian in the Seventeen States will no longer respect you. You will be brought to justice and the system will turn against you. Do you understand me?”
