Chapter 55

Warehouse District, 1600 Olympic Boulevard, Suite 100, Los Angeles, California, United States

From the shadows, a figure in all black stood, unnoticed and uncaptured by the authorities. The man had watched from his hiding place as the medieval warrior and her dragon ruined absolutely everything. He had known, from the very moment he had learned of Gen Beaufont's existence, that she would be a formidable adversary. However, even in his darkest musings, he had grossly underestimated the sheer magnitude of the setback she would inflict upon him.

Charlie Sloane, the newly appointed Commissioner for Los Angeles, had toiled tirelessly, sacrificing more than anyone could imagine, to secure his position of power. He had worked too hard for this to have a Rogue Rider ruin everything for him.

The City of Los Angeles was his kingdom and it was supposed to bend to his every whim and desire. It was supposed to deliver treasures and powers beyond his wildest dreams. But now, it seemed, before he could lay claim to his rightful throne, he would have to contend with a meddlesome pest who dared to stand in the way of his ultimate triumph.

Crime, in all its glorious manifestations, was supposed to be his loyal servant—not a plaything to be policed by a time-traveling vigilante with a misguided sense of justice. Charlie thought that he'd prepared for any event or interruption sufficiently, arranging every piece on the chessboard of Los Angeles.

He'd put everything into place for his appointment as the Commissioner of Los Angeles. He'd set up this city so that it worked for him. However, he now realized, to his mounting fury, that he had grossly misjudged the havoc that one girl and her dragon could wreak upon his carefully laid plans. This revelation left him with no choice but to escalate his arsenal and resort to any means necessary to eliminate the threat posed by Gen Beaufont and her infernal companion, Emperor.

It didn't matter that she was a Beaufont. It didn't matter that her dragon was a ruler among his kind. They would fall just as easily as all of Charlie Sloane's opponents had. And when the dust settled, when the last embers of resistance had been extinguished, the City of Los Angeles would finally be his—a vast, pulsating mecca of crime and corruption, all engineered to elevate him to heights of power and wealth that surpassed what anyone dreamed possible.

The shadows would be his ally, the darkness his cloak and no one would get in his way as he set forth to claim his destiny—no matter the cost.