Page 62 of The Misplaced Warrior

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.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

SUMMIT OF SOLACE

West Los Angeles, California, United States

The sun-drenched peaks of the Santa Monica Mountains rose up like ancient patrols. Their rugged surfaces were etched with the stories of the many who had climbed over them and ventured deep into the fertile wilderness. The air grew crisper and cleaner with the scent of pine and wildflowers. It mingled with the faint scent of salt that wafted in from the ocean. It was in this part of Los Angeles that Gen felt most alive and protective of the city. It also reminded her that the modern world could still hold on to the past by preserving that which came first—the rugged forest.

As the dragon flew over the mountains, Gen felt a sense of peace wash over her. It was a rare moment of tranquility in the midst of the storm that had become her life. She looked down at the landscape below, marveling at the way the light danced across the valleys and the streams, painting the world in a thousand shades of green and gold.

She could feel her dragon’s mood lighten too, his flight becoming more fluid. He must have sensed her feelings, letting them infect him with her joy and contentment. They were two halves of a whole, rider and dragon, united in their love for this land and their determination to protect it from those who would seek to destroy it.

For a moment, Gen permitted herself to forget about the billboards and the brainwashing, about the Commissioner and his twisted schemes. She let herself simply be. Gen allowed herself to be lost in the magic of the moment and the bond she shared with Emperor.

However, as they drew closer to the fourth tower, the spell was broken and the harsh reality of their mission crashed back down upon them like a wave. Gen’s chest sank as she saw the forces that were waiting for them, guarding the transmitter. Police were scattered all around the tower, on the ground, in rocks behind it and hiding in the trees.

The military-type guards were camouflaged, blending in with the mountains and forests like ghosts in the machine. Nevertheless, Gen could see them. She could feel the menace that radiated from their very beings. And if she hadn’t discerned them, then Emperor would have told her.

“They have been told to let us get in close before firing,” he explained, having learned this information by trespassing into the thoughts of the soldiers. “Their leaders don’t want to chance another miss. And they believe that like with the other three attempts by us, that destroying the tower will take time.”

Gen couldn’t help but smile. “Then it is fortunate for us that this time we’ll be swift. Just get me in close enough and we’ll be off again before they have us in their sights.”

“Hold on tightly,” Emperor advised, shooting forward, flying even faster at once.

Gen spied the individual guards all frozen and awaiting the command of their general. Their weapons were trained on the sky and their eyes glinted with a coldness. Still, Gen reminded herself that these soldiers were only doing what they were told and shouldn’t be harmed or a casualty of war.

And then she saw the cannon. Its barrel was pointed straight at them like an accusatory finger. It was a beast of a thing, a real monster of metal and fire that seemed to hunger for their destruction. The Commissioner needed the dragon and rider stopped. He was out for their blood. But for that very reason, because the guards couldn’t act until they had a clear shot, they were going to miss. She and Emperor would be gone before they knew what was happening. And what they left behind would do their bidding.

Gen was ready as her dragon sped forward. With her hand by her side, she reached for the pouch strapped to her belt. Just as she and Emperor soared over the top of the tower, Gen opened the small bag. With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a swarm of cyber-pixies, sending them over onto the metal transmitter. They had been a gift from Bermuda Laurens. And now they were saving Gen’s very life. Their iridescent wings glinted in the sun as they shot forward like a cape, covering the tower.

This small action from the dragonrider, followed by the strange display from the creatures, instantly confused the guards. And then, Gen and Emperor were already speeding off again, not attacking the transmitter as everyone would have expected.

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