Chapter 42

A METROPOLIS ON THE brINK

Rooftop, Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States

As Gen stood atop the towering skyscraper in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, the sprawling cityscape stretched out before her and Emperor who stood at her shoulder. The sun hung low on the horizon, painting the sky in a breathtaking array of oranges, pinks and purples. These colors reflected off the gleaming windows of the surrounding buildings.

In the distance, the Pacific Ocean shimmered like a vast, liquid sapphire. To the east, mountains stretched high into the sky, as if they were guards watching over Los Angeles. The connection of the land to the water was an elegant reminder of how the city was full of possibilities. However, for as beautiful as the metropolis and landscape were around them, they both knew that something was brewing, seeking to overwhelm the city like a spider building a deadly web.

Emperor studied the city around them with his pensive golden eyes. His massive form was a comforting presence to Gen, in the fading light. His scales shimmered with an iridescent sheen, catching the last rays of the setting sun and casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the rooftop. Together, dragon and rider surveyed Los Angeles, their enhanced vision allowing them to pick out details that would have been lost to the human eye.

As the twilight deepened, the billboards that dotted the cityscape began to flicker to life, their screens casting an eerie glow across the streets below. Gen’s eyes narrowed as she focused on the nearest one. Her heightened senses, thanks to the chi of the dragon, allowed her to read the message displayed in crisp, clear letters.

“Support Commissioner Sloane,” the digital billboard proclaimed. The words were accompanied by an image of the Commissioner himself, his face a mask of benevolent authority. The words continued to scroll across the screen, lighting up the streets around it, like a beacon of hope in the darkening city. “His leadership keeps our city safe. Donate to the LAPD today.”

“It’s already started,” Gen said aloud to Emperor. She felt a shiver run down her spine followed by a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach. They had known that the Commissioner was corrupt. They had the evidence of his misdeeds firsthand. But these billboards, with their subtle messages of control and manipulation, hinted at a deeper, more insidious plan. Alicia was right. Charlie Sloane was up to something sinister…

Emperor shifted beside her, his timeless eyes fixed on a distant billboard. “They’re everywhere and all with the same messages,” he rumbled, his voice a deep, resonant growl that seemed to echo across the rooftop. “And they’re just the beginning.”

Gen nodded, her mind racing with the implications of the Commissioner’s scheme. She knew that the billboards were just the first step, a test run for a far more threatening plot. If left unchecked, the messages would grow more aggressive, the manipulation more blatant. The people of Los Angeles would be slowly brainwashed, their minds twisted to serve the Commissioner’s own nefarious ends.

“He’s making the people trust him,” Gen began, chewing on her lip. “But this just has to be him plowing the fields.”

“Yes, and then he’ll plant the seeds,” Emperor stated. “And I fear what it is he wants to grow.”

Gen looked up at Emperor. “We’re already one step behind him, aren’t we?”

He issued a stream of smoke through his nostrils as he exhaled with frustration. “I’m afraid so.”

Suddenly, the evidence they had gathered so far didn’t seem as convincing. The documentation connecting Charlie Sloane to the Federal Reserve bank robbery and the theft at LACMA felt woefully insufficient. It had offered such hope, but a man like this could easily turn it all around and explain away his involvement.

Gen needed more now. In light of this new development, she didn’t just need to convict the Commissioner of Los Angeles, she had to get ahead and stop him—before it was too late. Before, her goals had been to covertly prevent the heist. But now things had gone too far and people were in danger.

They needed to find the locations of the transmitters that powered the billboards. In the meantime, Gen would use her resources to monitor how the broadcasting messages were affecting people. As she stared at the campaign, she didn’t feel dedicated to the Commissioner of Los Angeles.

“That’s because of my mental protection,” Emperor explained, having sensed her thoughts, always there in the back of her mind. “Since I have mind control, we can’t be brainwashed.”

“That’s fortunate,” Gen said with a sigh of relief, nodding at the streets below. “But what about everyone else?”

“I sense that they will unknowingly believe whatever is displayed on those billboards,” he replied. “There’s definitely a strong magic imbued in their messages. It’s unnatural and will take control of people’s thoughts.”

Gen shook her head with disgust. “Just imagine if they turn nefarious…”

“I think the more accurate word is ‘when,’” he said darkly. “A man who uses such magitech doesn’t want it for altruistic reasons to protect the city. Those who can be trusted never try to convince others of it. This campaign is meant to gain control and power—for selfish reasons.”

As the last light of the sun dipped below the horizon, Gen felt a renewed sense of purpose settle over her like a cloak. She knew that the road ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty. Without a doubt, she knew now that the Commissioner’s reach extended far beyond anything they had faced before.

But she also knew that she was not alone. With Emperor by her side, and the support of her newfound friends and allies, she would stop at nothing to uncover the truth and bring the Commissioner to justice.

The city below hummed with life, the distant sounds of traffic and sirens a constant reminder of the millions of lives that hung in the balance. The salty hint of the ocean air mingled with the unpleasant scent of exhaust fumes, a strange and unsettling contrast that seemed to mirror the duality of the world they inhabited.

Gen took a deep breath, the cool evening air filling her lungs and steeling her resolve. She knew that the coming days would test her in ways she had never experienced before. Few knew what was happening. Even fewer were in a position to do something about it. But Gen had everything to lose if she didn’t bring down the Commissioner of Los Angeles and clear her name. And most importantly, the fate of an entire city rested on their shoulders. She and Emperor had been told by the angels that they were meant to protect the modern world with their old-age wisdom.

As she stood on the rooftop, high above the glittering expanse of Los Angeles, Gen felt a flicker of hope spark to life in her chest. She had faced impossible odds before and had emerged victorious against foes that would have broken lesser beings. And with Emperor’s strength and wisdom a constant presence in her mind, she knew that there was no challenge they couldn’t face together. They weren’t guaranteed to win. No one ever was. But when justice was on the line, then you fought no matter what.

The game was on, and Gen was ready to play.