Chapter 51

Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, United States

As the getaway vehicles sped off into the night, Gen, using only her mind, urged Emperor to stay hot on their tail. She knew this was their only chance to catch the thieves. The City of Los Angeles, with its congested, narrow streets and many obstacles, would either serve as an ally, helping them to catch Hamilton Dixon, or it would be their very undoing.

Leaving the sirens and shattered glass of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art behind, Gen kept her eyes honed on the yellow car whipping around corners ahead. In front of Hamilton's vehicle were the black vans, their tires screeching, giving away their progress with each turn. The sights that Gen and Emperor passed were dizzying, speeding by as they flew between buildings, through the tight streets full of cars and people on the sidewalks.

Gen was all too aware of the stares and attention they were getting. Although the modern world was used to magic and crazy sights, a purple dragon racing after speeding vehicles was still quite out of the ordinary. It would be obvious to anyone on the perimeter that there was a chase happening and many held up their mobile devices of devotion and took pictures as they flew by.

The pair glided just high enough to keep the yellow car and vans ahead of it in view. However, it put them at a dangerous height, in line with many obstacles like street lights, lamp posts, and wires that traversed precariously across the road, up high. The height of objects like signs and awnings were meant to be out of pedestrian and vehicles' ways, but they were creating quite the obstacles for Emperor to navigate around.

Still, Gen didn't want to risk flying higher and not being able to catch the fleeing villains. Once she and Emperor gained on them, she planned to blast them to a full stop, trapping the thieves and getting to the bottom of what happened at the museum. Corruption was at play and it felt like something dark and sinister hiding under the surface. As a Rogue Rider, Gen policed criminals, but they could only do that if it was in their view. Whatever Hamilton Dixon was up to was definitely happening under the radar and that was simply unacceptable.

The bond between rider and dragon surged with electrifying intensity as they rocketed after their prey. The dragon's scales gleamed beneath the neon glow of Wilshire Boulevard's iconic signs, their reflections dancing across his iridescent hide like a kaleidoscope of urban magic.

"We have to get that yellow contraption," Gen urged, speaking out loud but also in Emperor's head.

It's a sports car,Emperor replied telepathically. And it's really fast and turns more narrowly than I can.

Ahead, Hamilton's sports car had abruptly spun to the left, swerving around a large structure that halted without warning.

"Watch out for the big metal box!" Gen yelled, ducking down, as Emperor flew up higher to avoid colliding with the obstacle.

It's a truck,Gen, Emperor replied in her head, clearing the structure and diving back down, flying low. Can you say truck?

Gen nearly choked on the adrenaline as soon as she realized they hadn't crashed. She let out a breath, grateful to see that Hamilton Dixon hadn't gotten away and was up ahead, still in view. Thankfully traffic had worked in their favor, slowing the sports car's progress, giving Gen and the dragon a chance to catch up.

Emperor banked sharply, narrowly avoiding a collision with the towering glass fa?ade of the Petersen Automotive Museum. The sports car below swerved erratically to evade capture. It nearly hit several cars in its attempts to not slow through lights. Hamilton's sports car actually trespassed onto the sidewalk, nearly mowing down several people who thankfully dove out of the way of the out-of-control vehicle's path.

The dragon's wingbeats pounded the air, echoing the relentless rhythm of Gen's heart as they dove beneath the arching streetlights. The rush of wind and adrenaline was a dizzying cocktail in her veins. Onward they surged, past the glittering storefronts of designer boutiques and the bustling energy of sidewalk cafes. The city's vibrancy was a blur of color and motion beneath them.

Hamilton's daring moves appeared to be paying off, the sports car speeding ahead, gaining distance. His tires squealed—a mocking sound to his progress, like he was rubbing it in the dragon and rider's faces.

"He's getting away!" Gen yelled, gripping the reins even tighter like that might make her dragon go faster.

In a daring maneuver, Emperor corkscrewed through the air, dodging a billboard that loomed like a colossal lookout. The sign's flickering images were a fractured mosaic of consumerism. The figures on the sign seemed offended that the pair nearly knocked into them.

The near collision sent Emperor off course slightly, nearly careening into a building. He over-corrected, dipping down low. To recover he blasted forward at super speed, making incredible progress. At that same moment, something on the road ahead slowed Hamilton Dixon's sports car, putting him straight in Emperor's path.

The dragon's tail lashed out, sending a shockwave of force that crumpled the hood of the yellow sports car. The vehicle careened into the unforgiving embrace of a lamppost. With a triumphant roar, Emperor unleashed a torrent of flames, the inferno engulfing the road before the Director of Security's sports car, trapping the vehicle in a cage of fire.