Page 57 of The Misplaced Warrior

Gen shuddered, the implications of the messages making the hairs on her arms rise, like she was preparing to fight already. Due to Gen’s enhanced eyesight, she could see the people below with an uncanny accuracy. She spied as they moved through the streets with an air of unease. Gen wasn’t imagining their quick pace and how their steps were hurried and movements sharp. She did imagine that their eyes darted nervously about as they progressed on their paths. It was as if they could sense the invisible strings that were slowly tightening around them—all connected to the subliminal messages broadcast on the billboards all over the city.

The highways were a chaotic tangle of metal and motion. The vehicles on the road crawled along like ants in a complex colony. The honking of horns and the roar of engines drifted up to Gen’s ears high above. It was a dissonance of sound that seemed to echo the growing tension that permeated the city.

As they searched for the first transmitter, Gen’s mind raced with the weight of their mission. Somewhere out there, hidden among the towering skyscrapers and sprawling suburbs, was Charlie Sloane. He was the mastermind behind the billboards and the insidious plot to control the minds of Los Angeles’ citizens. According to Alicia, he’d be controlling the billboards from a central headquarters. Gen’s pulse quickened at the idea that this would all end when she finally faced him—bringing him down for good, exposing him for the villain that he was.

Emperor banked sharply, his keen eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of their target. Gen held on tightly, her heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and dread. They knew that when they located the first transmitter, they would have to act quickly, since the authorities would be hot on their heels once they discovered what they were doing. Still, Gen and Emperor had a plan and therefore, she was confident that they could do this. It would be difficult. It would be dangerous. And it would be complicated. But taking down the transmitters had to happen one way or another.

Suddenly, Emperor let out a triumphant roar, his gaze fixed on a distant hilltop. Gen followed his line of sight, her eyes widening as she spotted the radio tower that rose from the lush, green landscape like a skeletal finger pointing accusingly at the sky.

“That’s it,” Gen said, referencing in her mind the map she’d memorized that Alicia had given her.

The structure was larger than she had expected. It was also strangely unassuming. Gen found it hard to believe that the metal tower was responsible for brainwashing citizens. But then she remembered how complicated and bizarre technology of the modern world was. It couldn’t be underestimated. And it also shouldn’t be used to control the way people think. Few things were as sacred as a man’s ability to think for himself.

As they drew closer, Gen marveled at the beauty of the surroundings before them. The rolling hills were a lovely shade of green and along with the sparkling lakes, they both were a stark contrast to the ugly purpose of the tower that ruined their tranquility. The transmitter stood tall and imposing, its metal frame glinting in the sunlight like a beacon of malevolence amidst the natural splendor.

Gen’s grip tightened on Emperor’s reins. Her jaw set with determination. Her breaths became steady as she settled her nerves.

They had found their first target, but the real battle was only just beginning. With each transmitter they destroyed, they would be one step closer to unraveling the Commissioner’s web of deceit and freeing the people of Los Angeles from his grasp. However, the danger would only heighten as they progressed.

The authorities would soon be hot on their trail, trying to stop them before they ended the tyranny. And to make things more complicated, Gen didn’t want any innocent people, law enforcement or property damaged. That meant that she and Emperor had to be careful, rather than just effective. The role of a considerate vigilante was never easy or straightforward, she mused as they flew into battle. Gen shook off this worry, focusing on one thing at a time.

As dragon and rider hovered above the serene hilltop, the weight of the task ahead settled heavily upon Gen’s shoulders. She knew that the road would be long and fraught with danger, that the Commissioner’s reach extended far beyond anything she had ever faced before. But all the fears were intensified by what she now knew and also what she didn’t. Where was the virtual reality magitech that had been stolen from MystTech Creations?

It stood to reason that it was done by Charlie Sloane when he purchased the billboard technology. He had framed Gen to get her out of his way and also to set the stage for his own theft. After everything, Gen knew that the Commissioner was a ruthless crook. He’d robbed the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and tried to steal from the Federal Reserve Bank. It therefore stood to reason that he had taken the powerful virtual reality equipment, but why?

However, Gen also knew now that he had help. She’d been betrayed by one of her own, but she and Emperor couldn’t dwell on that now. They had to focus on the mission ahead. Then they’d make their enemies pay.

As Gen looked out over the city that had become her home, the people who had captured her heart, she knew that there was no turning back. She would fight with every ounce of her being to protect them, to ensure that their thoughts and dreams remained their own. With Emperor by her side, his strength and courage a constant presence in her mind, Gen felt a flicker of hope amid the gathering darkness. Together, they would find a way to triumph, to shine a light into the shadows and expose the truth for all to see.

The battle for Los Angeles had begun, and Gen was ready to meet it head-on.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

BURNING DOWN CONTROLS

North Los Angeles, California, United States

As Gen and Emperor approached the hilltop, the winds whipped around them with a fierce intensity, beating their bodies and threatening to knock them off course. The sun bore down on them, its searing rays a relentless assault that made the air shimmer and dance like an illusion. Undeterred, the pair pressed on, their bond stronger than any physical force that dared to stand in their way.

Emperor’s wings sliced through the turbulent currents with a grace that belied his immense size. His movements were fluid and precise as he navigated the treacherous skies full of wind, birds and pollution. Gen clung to his back, her muscles tensed and her senses heightened. She was alert for any signs of danger that might lurk among the rolling hills and placid lakes below.

As they drew nearer to the transmitter, their minds melded into one, a seamless fusion of thought and intent. Together, they surveyed the structure, their combined knowledge and intuition guiding them to the optimal point of attack. Not only was taking down the transmitter a challenge, but doing it quickly was key. Hopefully, they were done and well onto the next tower before the authorities knew what had happened.

Emperor’s chest swelled with a deep, resonant hum, the sound building in intensity until it seemed to fill the very air around them. His jaws parted, revealing rows of gleaming teeth that glinted in the sunlight, and Gen could feel the heat building within him, a searing inferno that begged for release. She braced herself for what she knew would come next.

With a roar that shook the earth and echoed through the sky, Emperor unleashed a torrent of flames. The fire surged forth like a living thing, hungry and insatiable. The blaze engulfed the transmitter, its blistering heat a tangible force that made the air crackle and pop with energy.

Gen’s heart pounded as she watched the flames dance and leap, wrapping around the structure. The metal of the tower glowed a deep, angry red as it began to warp and twist under the onslaught of heat. She could feel the scorching temperatures on her face. Instantly, the air around them shimmered like a desert mirage, but Gen refused to look away, even as her eyes watered from the brightness and heat.

Her gaze stayed locked on the destruction unfolding before her, watching with nervousness and also excitement. Gen was too afraid that if she looked away, something would go wrong, preventing them from taking down the structure poisoning the minds of the citizens one billboard message at a time.

Emperor’s fire was a work of art. It was like a masterpiece of precision and control. The flames licked at the tower’s weakest points, exploiting every flaw and vulnerability until the structure began to crumble and collapse in on itself. The ground shook with the force of the impact, but Gen and Emperor remained steadfast, their focus unwavering.

Watching the metal warp and droop as it melted downward was incredibly satisfying to Gen. She didn’t take pleasure in destroying, but she did revel in the notion that she was tearing down a monster of sorts. The creaking of the frame as it broke apart and splintered to the ground below seemed to be the victorious music to this battle they were easily winning.

As the transmitter toppled over, Gen glanced over her shoulder. She both searched for signs of others coming to stop them and innocent people watching in the distance. Fortunately, the tower was so far out of the way, on the outskirts of the city, that no one seemed to have taken notice yet. That wouldn’t last long though. A fiery tall tower would catch the notice of the authorities.

In the distance, Gen spotted one of the closest billboards. It was still some distance away, but her eagle eyes spied it and its contents easily. She watched as the billboard flickered momentarily, its lighted surface struggling to remain clear. The words on its surface jumbled slightly. Then all at once, the electronic billboard died, its insidious messages fading into nothingness.

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