Chapter 66

MAMA’S APPOINTED GUARDIANS

Los Angeles, California, United States

If Dwayne Stone knew that Gen was aware of his treachery, the war would be imminent. He’d cover his secrets. He’d come at her and launch a slanderous campaign, creating too many obstacles for her at once. Instead, she and Emperor had decided to disarm him. Make the leader of the Rogue Riders think that she knew nothing, so she could discover his secrets. Make him believe that she only wanted to serve him. Make him think that she wouldn’t be a problem anymore.

Nothing was further from the truth.

Gen and her dragon sat on one of the extinguished billboards that recently broadcasted warped brainwashing messages. It stood high above the highway and neighboring buildings. Soon it would advertise a product or service or event, but for now it was blank, allowing the citizens who passed it to not be influenced by anything.

The dragon was stretched along the front, his rider nestled next to him. And because the billboard was dark, they were camouflaged in the shadows, unseen by those who passed the structure.

“We have to discover why Dwayne Stone hates me,” Gen said, looking at the many headlights snaking along the highways, making a pattern on the road. “It can’t just be because you’re the ruler of dragons.”

“His mind is locked,” Emperor stated, breathing deeply, making Gen rise and fall since she sat against his stomach. “But yes, we will find out the truth. Then we pluck him from his role as leader of the Rogue Riders.”

“I should have known that he framed me for the crimes at MystTech Creations,” she stated, unscrewing the lid on her bottle of whiskey and taking a sip, the warmth spreading in her chest and stomach.

“Of course you knew,” he replied. “You simply didn’t have evidence to support the notion so you weren’t allowing it to color your judgments, which was smart.”

She nodded. “But Alicia and Sherlock have confirmed that Dwayne Stone was behind setting me up for the crimes. Now, I just have to investigate the owner of MystTech Creations and find out the connection. Chip didn’t want to set me up. That was clear then. He regretted it.”

“But he was doing what his brother instructed him to,” Emperor countered.

Alicia and Sherlock had discovered that Chip was the brother to Dwayne Stone. They also learned that the leader of the Rogue Riders had set Gen up for the theft at MystTech Creations. But the question was why? What did the man have against Gen?

Emperor had gotten into the mind of Charlie Sloane when at Oceanwide Plaza and discovered his connection to Dwayne. It had been the new leader of the Rogue Riders who had murdered the old Commissioner, Peter Stevenson. After that, he put Charlie Sloane into that position and then had been behind the LACMA and Federal Reserve Bank robberies. But still, the question was why?

Just like with Charlie Sloane, Gen had to understand the motives of a bad man. It wasn’t enough to simply stop them. She believed in understanding the reasons behind why people behaved evilly. That helped her to not loathe the world of villains, but rather use mercy in stopping them. She didn’t want to become hardened by the darkness of the world. She wanted it to help her to spread love.

Therefore, Gen needed to know Dwayne Stone’s secrets. That wouldn’t prevent her from stopping him. But it would help her to understand why bad men did bad things. And then there were other pressing questions that Gen really needed to figure out.

She looked up at the starry sky, letting out a weighty breath. “Why did my father and Elizabeth and the other Founders make Dwayne Stone the leader of the Rogue Riders? They see so much. They would know that he’s a bad man.”

“Yes, they would,” Emperor replied matter-of-factly. “And I suspect that they had very strategic reasons that we’ll come to learn as we unravel this mystery. For now, just know, that every hero needs a villain to fight. We don’t grow in the presence of rainbows. We delight in them. But a hero evolves in the storms. It’s in learning how to navigate through treacherous winds that legends are born.”

Gen took another sip, nodding. “I like the way you put things.”

“I’m glad,” he said soothingly. “You know what I like about you?”

She glanced up at the majestic dragon, his golden eyes glowing in the darkness of the night. “What’s that?”

“Everything,” he answered simply. “I can’t find a single thing about you not to like. But I think that’s because you were made for me, like a patch to my soul.”

Gen smiled, nuzzling back into her dragon, enjoying his warmth. “Usually I wouldn’t like such sentimentalities, but right now, it feels good. And thank you. I like everything about you too. You’re like an extension of me so how could I not?”

“You must,” he replied. “And that is the difference between heroes and villains. The first truly loves themselves, whereas the latter truly loathes themselves.”

“You’re right,” she said. “Which is why we must be understanding to the criminals of the world. They’re in pain. They are battling themselves.”

“Indeed,” Emperor said, looking out across the city of twinkling lights. Gen joined him in watching over Los Angeles, both feeling a fierce protection for the place and its people.

They may be compassionate to the evil ones out there, but that didn’t mean they’d allow them to harm the innocent. Gen and Emperor were expertly created to manage the evil of the world. And few knew that this role would be what saved the planet in the end.

Mother Nature knew that maintaining the balance over good and evil was pivotal to the world she’d created. And that’s why she’d appointed a timeless vigilante and the ruler of dragons for the most important job ever.