Chapter 50

Area Around Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in a brilliant array of oranges and pinks, Gen and Emperor soared high above the bustling cityscape of Los Angeles. From their vantage point, the city stretched out before them like a glittering kaleidoscope of light and motion. The towering skyscrapers reached up towards the heavens like the fingers of a giant's hand.

Emperor's wings cut through the air with effortless grace, the wind whipping past Gen's face as they climbed higher into the sky. The clouds parted before them like curtains on a stage, revealing the vast expanse of the city below. Gen's heart raced with exhilaration as they danced among the haze, the moisture cool and refreshing against her skin.

As they banked and turned, Gen caught glimpses of the iconic landmarks she'd recently learned about from Sophia, Liv and the others. They dotted the cityscape, giving Los Angeles a unique appearance that no other place could replicate in quite the same way.

The Hollywood sign loomed large in the distance, its white letters stark against the lush green of the hills. The Griffith Observatory sat atop its mountain perch, its domes glinting in the fading light like the eyes of some ancient guardian. To the west, the Pacific Ocean glistened, catching the final rays of that day's sunlight.

The air below was filled with the distant sounds of the city, the honking of horns and the wail of sirens carried up to them on the breeze. The strange scents of the multicultural mecca that was Los Angeles wafted up from the streets as they passed over a set of restaurants. The intermix of savory and spicy aromas of different cuisines mingled together in a tantalizing symphony.

As they approached the heart of the city, Gen's eyes narrowed, her senses heightened by the thrill of the impending mission. She scanned the buildings below, her gaze drawn to the imposing edifice of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. The building seemed to pulse with an energy all its own, as if it could sense the coming storm.

Emperor's muscles tensed beneath her, his anticipation palpable as they drew closer to their target. Gen's hand tightened on the reins, her body coiled like a spring as she prepared for whatever lay ahead. She prepared herself for an attack, knowing that from here on out, they were entering enemy territory.

Suddenly, a flicker of movement grabbed her eyes. Gen's breath caught in her throat. There, on the rooftops surrounding the bank, she spotted who she'd been looking for—three snipers, their weapons glinting in the fading light like the fangs of a predator.

Her eyes homed in on the three men, stationed on different rooftops. It wasn't hard to spot them though, since she knew to look for them and that they'd be perched atop buildings surrounding the Federal Reserve Bank. They, according to Captain Neal, were the guards that the bad cops had put into place as their lookout. And they had to be taken out first for Gen's plan to continue.

Gen's mind raced as she took in the scene, her instincts honed by countless battles and missions. She knew that the snipers were just the first line of defense, a mere taste of the challenges that lay ahead. But with Emperor by her side and the fire of determination burning in her heart, she knew that no force on earth could stop them from seeing their mission through to the end.

Before Gen and her dragon took out the guards, she needed to ensure that the others were ready to progress to the next phase of the plan. She and Emperor flew higher, straight above the snipers, appearing like a plane and therefore going unnoticed by the guards below. They would have their vision focused on the Federal Reserve Bank building, anyway.

Pressing the electronic device that Captain Neal had outfitted her with, Gen turned it on. Apparently, it was called a comm and would allow her, the captain, Jack and Sully to talk remotely so that they could coordinate efforts. Everything with this mission was about cooperation and timing.

"Captain, are you and your officers in place?" Gen asked, feeling the rush of the wind nearly making her breathless from the elevation.

There was a strange noise followed by Captain Neal's response. "Yes, we are in place. Waiting on you to free our path."

"That's my next job," she answered, clearing her throat. "And Jack?—"

"My handle is?—"

"I already told you I'm not calling you that," she interrupted, hiding her laugh.

Jack sighed over the comm. "Well, maybe one day. And yes, we are in place and have our targets in view. On your command we will end their parade."

"Quite literally," Sully said, his voice echoing over the comm from the background.

"Good," Gen replied. "We are descending to clear the guards on the roof. I'll let you know when the path is clear."

"Copy that," Captain said over the comm before it went quiet once more.

It was time that Gen and Emperor started the fight that those on the ground didn't even know was on the way. These bank robbers thought they were there to break into a vault and steal the money. They had no idea that there were several deadly forces that were going to ruin their well-laid plans.

As the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon, Gen and Emperor swooped towards the bank. Their shadows merged with the gathering darkness like the wings of an avenging angel. The city seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the storm to break.