Chapter 52

URBAN UPRISING

West Los Angeles, California, United States

Although Gen and Emperor had been victorious taking down the third transmitter, the efforts had cost them greatly. Gen felt close to passing out as they flew across the city because her magical reserves were so low. Emperor also had depleted his energy significantly with his impressive display of power. However, they couldn’t slow down or stop now. That would only give Charlie Sloane a chance to recover and really come back at them.

“We have to buffer our reserves,” Gen said to her dragon out loud, not even wanting to risk their energy by using their mental telepathic link.

“Eat something,” Emperor encouraged as they flew over the city, high above the clouds so as to not be spotted by more helicopters or police cars on the ground.

“I’m not really hungry,” she muttered, scanning the area around them for potential threats.

“Chew and swallow,” he insisted. “That’s all you have to do to build up your reserves which you can then loan to me.”

“Fine,” she said, reaching into her pocket for one of the chocolate and peanut butter candy bars that she’d brought for this exact reason.

It felt strange to consume something associated with happiness and indulgence when Gen was also searching for dangers lurking under the clouds or an attack from an approaching helicopter. But Emperor was right and they needed every bit of power to get through the next parts of the mission. Fortunately, Gen had reserved the cleverest options for taking down the transmitters for the last two. Hopefully that would make their jobs easier and require less magical power and strength from her dragon.

Gen hardly tasted the rich chocolate or gooey peanut butter as she chewed, feeling her strength return to her as she consumed the candy bar. Her attention was mostly on the city below. She nearly coughed with surprise when one of the many billboards dotting the streets came into view as they passed through a cloud, into clear skies.

A quick scan told Gen that many of the billboards below were a chaotic mess. Some of them were smoking and sparking from the damage inflicted by Gen and Emperor taking down three of the transmitters. It appeared that destroying the towers didn’t just stop the messages but as Alicia had hoped, it fried the billboards. That was apparently one of the risks associated with using magitech. It was temperamental and did what it wanted.

The sight below was a sure sign of hope. It was a glimmer of light in the darkness that had engulfed the city for so long. Since the new Commissioner had taken over, many threats had plagued Los Angeles, but this was a sign that Gen and Emperor could free the people from his control and abuse.

Unfortunately, not all the billboards were destroyed. Some still flashed with messages that made Gen’s blood run cold. One read: “Take down the purple dragon.” Again the lettering was creepy and sinister, coloring the communication as an especially urgent and dangerous message.

“Arrest the medieval criminal destroying the city,” another billboard demanded. This one wasn’t just words, like the others. The message was accompanied by a grainy photo of Gen’s face plastered across its surface.

Her heart sank as she realized the extent of the Commissioner’s plan. He was turning the city against her and it had the potential of working. Charlie Sloane was painting Gen and Emperor as villains, making them out to be a threat that needed to be eliminated at all costs. And now, with her arrest photos splashed across the billboards, she was officially on the most wanted list.

As they flew lower over Santa Monica, Gen looked down at the faces of the people below. Some stared up at her and the purple dragon with a mix of fear and confusion. Her enhanced vision spied their eyes wide and their mouths agape. Others glared at her with a hatred that made her skin crawl. Dragons were supposed to fill people with hope and gratitude for the safety that they provided. They weren’t supposed to be feared…

Gen knew she had to do something. They had to find a way to wake them up, to show them the truth. But how could she convince a city that had been brainwashed using powerful magitech? Yes, they could take down the transmitters, but would that be enough to undo what they’d been told to believe? She had to hope. Also, she would soon prove her innocence with the thief at MystTech Creations. But first, she had to stop Charlie Sloane. Proving his guilt would be key to establishing her noble mission.

“We will find a way,” Emperor urged, sensing her turmoil.

Gen nodded, finishing her candy bar and feeling much more centered. She loaned her strength to her dragon through their connection. His wings beat a steady rhythm as they soared over the mountains—heading west.

The tall buildings and clogged highways subtly gave way to a more natural landscape as the pair progressed. It was a welcome sight after the desert and urban sprawl to the south. And then Gen saw it—the fourth tower rose up from the wild landscape like a guard looking down on the city. It was nestled in a valley, surrounded by jagged peaks and dense forests that seemed to close in on it from all sides. The metal structure didn’t belong amongst the trees and rocks. Gen saw it for what it was, an invader poisoning the planet.

A frantic drumroll echoed through Gen’s body as they drew closer. The transmitter’s silver frame glinted in the sun like a challenge. She knew that destroying this one wouldn’t be like the others. It would be much more fun for her and Emperor. And even if the Commissioner tried to stop them, it wouldn’t matter.

As they approached the tower, the airy serenity of the mountains seemed to be loaning the dragon and rider support. Gen felt that she could see evil-like colors from a rainbow. In her mind, the hills and trees were hues associated with peace and goodness. And the metal tower, it was blackness—like that of the depths of despair and wrongness.

The billboards were also glowing with evil. And somewhere out in the city was the headquarters where Charlie Sloane was stationed, managing his plan of deceit. Gen knew that taking down the transmitters was only the beginning. The real battle was yet to come. The billboards were just a taste of the Commissioner’s true plan. They were a prelude to something far more sinister and far more dangerous. Scarily, Gen thought that they included the virtual reality magitech…

As they closed in on the tower, Gen’s adrenaline kicked her into overdrive, a fast and furious mixture of fear and determination. She tasted metal on her tongue and the scent of ozone in the air.

The fourth tower loomed ahead. It was a giant to be defeated. And thankfully, it would go down easily by using something rather tiny and unsuspecting.