Page 1 of Draco's Fire

One

Tyson

“No, it's a bad idea,” Gil insisted, “You’re just asking for trouble. It’s like putting up a neon sign saying come blow us all up at once. There’s no sense in providing such an inviting target.”

Tyson sighed, setting down his cup of coffee and looking across the table at his two closest friends. “Look, Gil, how do you expect us to sway the hearts and minds of people if we don’t hold public events? Itisthe whole point of HOPE, remember? It’s difficult to change people’s minds if they never see or hear you.”

The three friends, Tyson Stallard, Michael Metcalf, and Gil Xander, had founded HOPE, Humans Opposing Paranormal Exclusion, a few years before in response to the escalating violence between humans and metahumans after the Veil had fallen. The idea was to increase awareness and understanding of all types of beings, to promote equality, tolerance, and cooperation, and to dispel the misinformation and harmful rumors that ran rampant. The problem was, the violence was still escalating, and while Gil advocated a more cautious approach in the interests of security, Tyson and Michael felt that they needed more rallies, not less.

Michael spoke up. “I agree with Tyson. The ones that want conflict, that want war between humans and metahumans, are getting more vocal and aggressive, and we need to do the same. Otherwise they win just by being louder and more ‘in your face’. We need to putfactsin people’s faces so they have something good to grab onto instead of all of the bullshit out there.”

“Yeah? And how are you two going to feel when someone lobs a bomb into the crowd and blows up half of our membership, huh?”

“So we make sure security is super tight,” Michael replied, “and maybe keep a private ambulance or two on stand-by just in case. We need to be seen, man, we can’t let them back us down.”

Tyson let his gaze wander around the little bistro, only half listening to his friends arguing. There was a reason they always came here, he mused, the place just had a relaxing atmosphere, at odds with the typical New York City chaos teeming outside. That, and the coffee was really good.

His eyes drifted to the view outside of the window. People hurried by, ignoring each other, intent on whatever pressing business they felt they had.Well, most of them,he thought wryly, observing a group of five youths hanging around the corner of an alley across from the bistro who apparently had nothing better to do than harass passersby.I will never understand why some people just have to go out of their way to make things difficult for others. If only people put as much effort into helping each other instead of fighting each other.

He turned his attention back to the discussion as another youth was coming through the door of the bistro, accompanied by the jeers of the five.

Gil was in the middle of saying, “you want to hold it in Central Park? How tight do you think you can make security in a public park?”

“Well it’s kind of pointless holding it in a private venue, then we’re pretty much just preaching to the choir, don’t you think? The only people there would be the ones that are already members,” Michael drawled.

“Michael is right,” Tyson pointed out, “you know he is.”

“Yeah, well, I’m right too. It’s unbelievably risky, considering current events.”

“I get that, I really do, but I think it’s necessary,” Tyson replied.

Gil threw his hands up in frustration.

They sat and sipped their coffee in silence for a moment.

“What is all of that noise?” Tyson’s attention was drawn to the window by the commotion. The teenager who he had seen enter the bistro shortly ago had gone back out with a carryout bag, and was trying to walk away with his head down as the troublemakers across the street crossed over and started blocking his path.

“Just leave me alone, I don’t want any trouble with you guys,” they could hear him saying as he tried to go around one guy. He pushed him back.

“Tough shit, puppy, you got trouble,” the guy taunted as he shoved him again.

One of the others shoved him from behind, and the rest joined in from the sides, jeering and shoving. The kid’s lunch fell to the ground amidst the shoving and he abandoned it and tried to push his way out of the circle. It didn’t work.

“Fine,” he growled, “if that’s the way you want it.” He started to shift.

“Shit,” Tyson said, “he’s lycan. You see? This is what I’m talking about! Those idiots were perfectly content to let everyone go by with just a few insults, until they get a shifter in their sights and then they attack.”

As the boy started to shift, the ringleader said, “Oh no you don’t!” and punched the kid in the nose. Blood spurted and he went down on one knee. He struggled to his feet again, trying to punch back, but there were too many of them. He lost focus and lost the shift, reverting back to human form before he could ever make it to wolf. He went down and they started kicking him in the ribs and stomach. He curled into a ball, trying to protect himself, but that only seemed to infuriate them more.

Gil stood. “Somebody needs to help that kid, they’re going to kill him.” The other two stood as well.

Just then they heard sirens in the distance, growing louder, and pounding footsteps. Before they could make another move, the gang of thugs looked down the street and turned and ran. Moments later, three policemen ran past in pursuit, while a fourth stopped beside the injured teen. A few minutes later, two police cars flashed by, and an ambulance pulled up outside. Paramedics loaded up the teen and headed for the hospital.

They slowly sat back down.

“Thatis what I’m talking about,” Tyson said quietly. “They were fine just harassing everyone until someone they knew was a shifter showed up and that’s all it takes to drive them to attack.Thatis why I want to hold this rally. I know there will always be assholes like the ringleader of that little gang, but the followers, maybe if they are shown another side of shifters, if they start to realize that shifters are people just like them, just with a little extra to them, maybe that will make less and less of them join in stupid senseless shit like this. We can’t show them that if we don’t do something to be seen.”

Gil shook his head. “I get what you’re saying, but I can also see that gang and however many more like them are around here, and I’m sure there are plenty, showing up at the rally and starting a brawl.”

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