Chapter 49

DESERT STORMERS

East Los Angeles, California, United States

In a world where thoughts were no longer sacred, two unlikely heroes dared to defy the tyranny of the airwaves. Gen and Emperor, locked in a dance of fire and magic, descended upon the second transmitter. The warrior’s heart pounded in unison with her dragon’s and the relentless rhythm of their mission.

Knowing that Emperor needed to conserve some of his magic, Gen planned to assist in taking down this next tower. They had determined various ways of destroying each transmitter, changing their strategy for multiple reasons. This strategy would be about conservation and efficiency.

Putting one hand on her dragon, Gen lifted the other into the air—pointing it at the metal structure before them. She directed a portion of her magical reserves into her dragon, funneling her power through him to help his efforts. Then as they hovered a mere ten yards from the transmitter, Gen propelled a spell outwardly through her extended hand.

The purple dragon opened his mouth and unleashed a torrent of flames, shooting it straight at the metal before them. Just as he did, Gen sent a weakening spell at the transmitter, aiding in Emperor’s effort. The results of the cooperative efforts were incredible, quickly reducing the tower like it was made of paper rather than metal.

With each searing blast of Emperor’s flames, the transmitter’s defenses crumbled. Gen reduced its strength with a steady stream of magic. The structure’s metal bones melted like wax under the onslaught of their determination. Gen’s spells wove through the inferno of fire. The combination of flames and magic was like a symphony of mysterious power. The act was then amplified by the destruction before the hovering pair as they watched the once-imposing structure turn into a smoldering husk of its former self.

But as the sharp scent of victory filled their lungs, the wail of sirens shattered the brief moment of triumph. Gen jerked around, searching the streets, pausing her spell. It didn’t take her long to spot the red and blue lights, flashing brightly even in the middle of the day.

A swarm of cop cars surged onto the scene below, their sirens like angry wails, demanding that the destruction stop. The vehicles’ flashing lights painted the desert landscape in a dizzying display of red and blue as they careened to a halt just underneath the hovering dragon and rider high above them.

Gen watched as armed police officers sprang out of their cars, hiding behind their opened doors. All of them one-by-one took aim at the large target in the air. However, Gen didn’t worry as much for the dragon, since he could withstand an attack. She was vulnerable, but thankfully somewhat shielded on top of Emperor’s back.

What worried her was the potential of harming the men and women on the ground. They were only doing their job. Of course they’d want to stop a giant dragon and rider who seemed to be terrorizing the city, destroying perfectly good property. But Gen and Captain Neal had discussed this and there was no way of getting around it. She simply had to take down the transmitters and avoid casualties or injuries.

Redirecting her magic toward the ground, Gen had to leave Emperor to take down the transmitter on his own. He could, of course, do it, but it would simply take longer and require more of his reserves. Still, the fight had begun and Gen couldn’t ignore it.

She created a shielding spell just as the many police officers started shooting at them. What the mortals saw on the ground, both civilians and law enforcement, was an out-of-control dragon and rider attacking private property. Gen didn’t blame them for shooting, but she also wouldn’t float idly by and be attacked—she was, after all, actually defending the city.

The barrier held as bullets met it, falling back to the ground where they’d come from, raining down on the officers. Thankfully, the bullets weren’t as dangerous on their descent, falling like bits of hail. Many of the police ducked back into their vehicles, obviously confused by the redirection of their shots. But just as many continued to fire at the underside of the dragon, trying to stop his relentless attack on the tower.

The air sang with the disjointed bursts of gunfire. Bullets began to break through Gen’s shield. She knew that she couldn’t hold them back much longer. Her magic was not strong enough to defend both her and her dragon from so many.

When the first bullet whizzed past Gen and Emperor, she bit her tongue from sudden fear, instantly tasting blood. Another and then another rushed by like angry hornets, hungry for their flesh. Ducking down, Gen tried to make herself smaller, hiding away from the attacks.

Emperor’s scales, forged from ancient magic and nearly bulletproof, deflected the storm of lead. However, Gen remained vulnerable in her fragile form of skin and flesh. She clung to her dragon, her mind racing as she tried to decide what best to do right then. Did she attack the transmitter or defend them?

Turning her attention away from the police, who seemed perplexed by how their shots had little effect on the dragon, Gen focused on the transmitter once more. It was almost destroyed. Shooting her hand forward, she blasted it with a spell, sending a deluge of power at it at once. Simultaneously, Emperor hit the structure with a fire so hot that its blast could be felt on the ground.

Officers below screamed. Many ran. Some took cover, knowing what was going to happen next.

The transmitter’s structure groaned like a dying giant. Its metal limbs twisted and buckled under the relentless assault. Like a tree being cut down in a forest, it leaned forward, swayed, creaked, and halted.

Everyone fell silent, as though awaiting someone to yell, “Timber.” Gen and Emperor, having paused their assaults, simply watched. So did all on the ground, as if worried that they were in compromising positions, about to be waylaid by the dying tower.

With a final, deafening screech, the transmitter toppled to the ground. Its massive bulky form careened towards the assembled vehicles below. Although Gen wanted to avoid damaging property, she figured that taking the cars out would be to her and Emperor’s advantage, slowing down the law enforcement. The police scattered at once like ants. There was an explosion of fear as the real danger, the torched tower, made its final path to the ground. The police officers’ shouts of terror were swallowed by the thunderous impact of steel against steel as the broken tower crashed onto abandoned cars and the road below.

For a moment, it was hard to see through the smoke and dust that shot up into the air. However, Gen focused hard, searching for people on the ground. It appeared that all of the police officers had run for cover, getting to safety and not becoming victims of the fallen transmitter.

Amidst the wreckage and the smoke, Gen and Emperor seized their chance, taking off while all attention was focused on the events on the ground. The purple dragon sprang into action. He beat his wings furiously, climbing towards the heavens once more, away from the destruction and chaos that they’d caused.

The vehicles had all been destroyed or blocked by the toppled tower. That would prove helpful for Gen and Emperor as they made their escape. They wouldn’t be chased from the scene of the crime. However, Gen was certain that they’d still be followed. She knew that taking down the other three transmitters would only get more complicated now that their mission was known. But also, she and Emperor had planned for this. They would get craftier with their destruction of the towers.

The ground fell away beneath them as they flew higher and the air became cleaner but also thinner. The twisted remains of the transmitter and the ruined vehicles shrank to mere specks in the vast expanse of the desert. But even as they soared westward, Gen’s heart pounded with the exhilaration of their narrow escape. She knew that their quest was far from over. The Commissioner’s web of lies still ensnared the city, his insidious influence seeping into the very fabric of reality itself.

Gen looked out to the city, spying a few of the closest billboards. To her delight, they had extinguished like the others when they took down the first transmitter. She was relieved to see the plan working. However, there were still three more transmitters and a lot more of the city to cover.

With each passing moment, the stakes grew higher, the danger more palpable. Gen could feel the weight of her mission pressing down upon her, the fate of countless minds resting on her shoulders. But she refused to buckle under the pressure, her resolve as unbreakable as the bond she shared with Emperor.