Dragon Protectors

by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

  “Hello to you, too,” I say. He looks at me and then to his brother. Neither of us says anything, but he knows. He felt it. “What did you find out?”

  “I figured I’d wait until Manny and Declan are here, so we don’t have to go over it twice.”

  “Yeah, okay. Did you at least find something useful?”

  “Yes.”

  We don’t wait too long. The brothers chat as only they can. Then the doorbell rings. Staten lets the guests in. McQueen takes my hand and leads me to the couch to sit.

  “Hiya, guys,” Noelle says, and she saunters into the room, Declan close behind her. “We’ve got so much to tell you.” She plops down into the love seat, pulling Declan, too. “My contact came through.”

  Declan scowls at her. She swats his arm. “We got the info, didn’t we?”

  “Yes, but I don’t think you needed to do what you did,” Declan says.

  “Don’t judge. We needed the information, and it was the only way we could get it in time.”

  I watch their discussion and can tell that Declan is not happy about something, but Noelle doesn’t seem to think what she did was bad. I’ll have to ask her about the details when we’re away from the rest of the boys.

  “Trust me, Brooklyn,” Manny says. “You don’t want to know.”

  “Yes, I do. If you need to tell me that through our mental connection, then it must be bad.”

  “It’s not as bad as you think. Declan is blowing it out of proportion.”

  “Okay,” I say. “What did you find out?”

  “Drop it, Decs,” Noelle says. Decs? “Once we got to the school, I looked for Jake,” she continues. “He’s the one who’s been feeding me the info.”

  “Among other things,” Declan grumbles.

  I look at him and then to Noelle, nodding for her to continue. “He said that they are moving to phase two with the drones. They are now equipped with tranq darts that are coated in titanium and have a lethal dose of ricin, which injects upon contact.”

  That sounds bad. “What do we know about ricin?” I ask no one in particular.

  Staten moves away from the wall he was leaning against. “It can be a deadly poison. It’s made from castor beans. If injected, it makes the body’s muscles and nodes around the site swollen and painful. As the poison works its way outward, organ failure and internal bleeding will cause the body to shut down and die. It can be treatable, if caught in time.”

  “How?”

  “There isn’t an antidote, but getting the dart out of the body as quick as possible, flushing out the spot with water, and cutting away the clothes near the infected area should help. If it’s really bad, then intravenous fluids or eating charcoal may do the trick.”

  “Well, hopefully it doesn’t ever come to that with any of us.”

  We’re quiet for a moment. I don’t know about them, but I’m thinking how terrible it would be to die that way, for anyone to have that kind of death.

  Staten clears his throat. “I went to the city planner office and found the old blueprints of the school,” he says. “And then I pulled out the transportation systems. We all know about the walking tunnels that connect the buildings on campus, but did you also know there is another level below that? It’s an old subway system that was never finished. There are large tunnels and rooms down there that have been forgotten.” He pulls out a large sheet of paper and lays it on the coffee table. Then overlays a second piece on the first. “When Brooklyn and I used her life bond to locate Bronx, I hitched a ride on that, since she and I are life bonded.”

  I take a quick glance at Noelle. She catches my eyes and smiles.

  “While I didn’t feel exactly what they are doing to Bronx, I can still talk with him in my mind and with Brooklyn. Combining our magic, we were then able to reverse the connection, and we both agree that he’s being kept under the school, which is what prompted me to go looking again for these specs. I knew of both sets of tunnels.” He points to the first map. “I think Allister is holding Bronx here, in this room. It’s an interior room away from the main tunnel. It’s small and looks to be a storage or supply closet.”

  “All right,” I say. “Staten, I want you and McQueen to go over logistics on how best to enter, how to get to Bronx, alternate escape routes, and all that stuff. Get a list together of supplies we’re going to need and start getting them. After you discuss it, let us know the plan of action.” I turn to Noelle and Declan. “What else did you find out about the facility itself?”

  She readjusts her body position. It doesn’t go unnoticed by me that she scooted closer to Declan. “Jake was saying that the data is being stored on campus, too. It’s in the Journalism building. They put it in there so as not to call too much attention. They already have the computers and tons of students roam that building at all hours of the day, gathering news information from around the world.”

  “We’re going to need some jump drives, so we can download everything they have,” Declan says.

  “Yeah, I agree,” McQueen says as he lifts his head from the maps. “I have some in my room.”

  “Actually, maybe we could download the information and upload a virus to them. We don’t want them to actually use the data, right?” I shake my head. “We need to corrupt their plans. If they don’t have any data, they can’t analyze it and move to any other phases. I’ll need to get working on setting a trap for that.” All eyes land on Declan. “What? I’m good at that sort of thing.”

  McQueen nods. “After this, I’ll help you. Two are better than one. Staten can tell everyone else the plan for the rescue.”

  I turn back to Noelle.

  “The weapons facility is actually under the Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor,” she says.

  “The one across the street from campus?” Manny asks.

  “Yes. Jake said that it’s the perfect front. It’s closed during the day, and that’s when manufacturing happens. Most of the work is automated, so only a couple of people need to be there to make sure everything is running correctly. If anyone comes in asking about anything, the people are instructed to say they’re doing inventory.”

  “Smart.”

  “Yeah. Then at night when more people are around, the upstairs blares music and with the normal bar noise happening, that’s when tests are conducted at the facility. No one is the wiser.”

  “Staten?” I ask. He glances at me. “Can I see that blueprint of the school? Does it have the Beer Parlor on it?”

  He looks down and nods, pointing to the building in question. It’s right next to the dental building and Warren Hall Coffee Bar. Blowing it up might not be the solution after all, with Warren Hall so close.

  “Any ideas?” I ask. “Too many casualties if we blow it up.”

  “If everything’s automated like Jake says,” Declan says, sneering when he says that guy’s name. “Then if we take the computer chips or rewrite some code, it should halt production. I won’t know anything specific until we’re in there, and I see what’s going on. But destroying the computers won’t do it alone. They’ll just buy new ones. It has to be in the programming to either make faulty weapons or stop them from being made. It’ll be a patch job until I see what they are using. Perhaps some of the materials could be tampered with or rerouted to another buyer.”

  Hmm. Declan’s pretty good at this sabotage thing. Sean did say his son was good at tech stuff. He’s going to be a valuable asset if he can do what he says at the facility.

  So the question is: rescue Bronx or destroy the facility first? There isn’t really a choice. Bronx always comes first. He’s been waiting too long as it is.

  “Hang on Bronx, we’re formulating a plan.”

  I don’t have to make that decision. It’s made for me when Noelle receives an incoming text on her school-issued phone. We hear her cell ping the recognizable sound and watch her read the message as her face turns white.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask. “Who is that?”

  “Noelle?” Declan says. He g
ently takes the phone from her hands and reads the message and then shows me.

  York Academy: Pass this message to Brooklyn Bryer.

  You know who we have and are willing to make a trade. You for him. I know you guys are together or at least have been seen around campus. So I assume he means something to you. Since you outed yourself as a dragon, it’s you we want. Not him. He’s nothing to me. So take the high ground and save his life with yours. If not, then not only will he be the first blood on your hands, but more will follow. I can get to those you love. Parents. Noelle. Bronx’s friends. The list goes on and on. You for him. You have 4 hours to comply.

  “That’s it.” I slam my hands on the coffee table. “Allister just showed his cards. We knew he wanted to back out of the truce, and we knew that he wanted me and not Bronx. But now he’s threatening Bronx’s life. We need to rescue him first then destroy the weapons facility. We’ll need a plan.” I look to Staten. “So what have you got for us?” McQueen and Declan rise and walk out of the room. I suppose to start planning on the tech aspect for tonight. It goes without saying that this is going to be fast, and time is of the essence. “We’ll catch you guys up when we lock down the details.”

  Staten checks the time. “I know, Brooklyn, you’ll want to go as soon as possible. And some parts of the plan will have to be modified since I don’t know if anything has changed down in the sub-tunnels. While these prints show everything is open, there might be some tunnels that are closed. And the room I think Bronx is in, he might not be there. So we’ll have to be flexible. McQueen and I wrote a list of equipment that should be in the garage.” He turns to Manny. “Can you go grab all this stuff? Find a bag to put it all in.”

  “I should have a backpack or something.” Manny leaves to pack the supplies.

  “I think this is the best entrance.” Staten points to a place on the map. “There isn’t a lot of school traffic here, plus it’s near a building that’s primarily used in the daytime. We slip inside, descend into the lower levels, find Bronx, and leave. Yes, on the surface, it seems simple. But we must be ready for anything once we’re down there. The halls are narrow, so we’ll need to stay in human form.”

  This is probably one of the few times I’m thankful that Bronx and McQueen have pushed me so hard with training. Would Allister assume that we’d try to rescue Bronx? I would guess so. This is a trap, and we’re going to walk right into it.

  “As soon as we have Bronx,” I say. “Depending on what his condition is, we might as well also have a look around the info center. Get the layout and any ideas. Thinking of the worst case, we’ll be in our fighting gear and a bloody mess. Not appropriate for a night out on the town or even going into the journalism building.”

  “I agree,” Staten says. “Bronx should be our first priority. We could send some of the younger dragons to the center to scout it out for us first. Dad can get them to go.”

  “Let’s see how tonight goes first. I don’t want to endanger anyone else if it’s not necessary.” I stand. “Okay, let’s get ready for this evening.”

  Noelle gets up from the loveseat. “I hope you know that I’m coming with you tonight. I might not be a dragon, but I know how to fight. And another set of eyes can help.”

  While I don’t want to see my best friend get injured or killed, I know she won’t be swayed. Once she puts her mind to something, there is no changing it. Besides, she wants to help rescue her friend, too. And maybe a little of it is getting revenge on Sax’s death by stomping over Allister’s plans. Who am I to stop her?

  “Did you bring extra clothes or weapons?” I ask.

  She smiles. “Um, we sort of took a bunch out of the school’s arsenal before we left. I snuck the boys into the girls’ weapon room and we cleared house.”

  “Have I told you how much I love you?”

  “Not today.” She winks. “I know I’m the best. That’s why I’m your bestie.” She takes my arm and leads us toward the stairs. “We’ll be getting ready for tonight. Later boys.”

  Both of us change into our fighting attire. Then we head out into the garage and grab any weapons we can carry or strap onto ourselves. We look like we are headed into a war zone. I guess we are. Noelle told me that she had the same suspicions I had about this being a trap, and she’s glad I’m letting her help us get Bronx back.

  By the time I grab the last of the daggers that gets strapped into my custom boots, the boys are dressed in all black. Swords are draped across their backs, guns are in holsters on their hips, and I’m sure knives are hidden in compartments on their bodies. They had all that in their rooms? Manny’s trunk is still open, as the boys take the remaining weapons, extra cartridges, and ammo.

  “Ready?” I ask. “Let’s go.”

  I don’t confirm that McQueen and Declan have everything they need. They would have told me if they needed more time. We pile into two vehicles since we can’t all fit into one, especially because Bronx will be with us on the way back.

  Noelle rides with me, Declan sits next to her in the back seat, and McQueen drives us in his mom’s Mercedes Benz, the same vehicle we took to Sax’s funeral. Staten drives in his SUV with Manny riding shotgun. Our vehicle follows them through the city. We’ve all turned off our cell phones in case we are being tracked.

  Besides, me and my boys can communicate with our mental abilities. I’ll have Noelle and Declan stay close to one of us.

  Declan.

  “Hey.” I turn my body to face the back seat. “Since you’re my second now, we should be able to speak with each other through our minds. You’re one of us. Sorry I didn’t think about it before.”

  “Yeah, okay,” he says. “How does that work?”

  “I don’t know. Let me ask Staten. Hold on.”

  “Staten? How do I let Declan into my mind but not allow him access to you guys at the same time?”

  “It’s all done via magic. If you only want him to speak with you, then that’s all you need to think about.”

  “Okay. Sounds simple enough.”

  I bring my flame into my palm, giving only a small part of myself. None of the pieces from my boys are infused with it. It’s a tiny, greenish ball.

  “Declan,” I say. “Hold out your hand.”

  I transfer it into his waiting palm. He stares at it for a bit, then clenches his fist, and absorbs the magic into himself.

  “Can you hear me now?”

  “Yes, Brooklyn. This will come in handy tonight and when we storm the facility.”

  “I only gave you access to me. If the boys want to allow you into their minds, they’ll have to do it. But now that we’re all connected, one of us has to be with Noelle at all times.”

  “Don’t worry about her. I’ve got that one covered.”

  I nod. He doesn’t need to tell me anything about their relationship, if there is one.

  “Stop having a full-on convo without me,” Noelle says. “I know you’re talking about me and my safety. Declan will protect me, and I promise I’ll do what anyone tells me to do. I know my limitations and can’t go up against magic users.”

  “I’m sorry, Noelle.” I reach back and pat her knee.

  “It’s all right. It’s not your fault I don’t have any magic or that I’m not a dragon. I’ll use other attributes if necessary.”

  During the rest of the ride, I’m antsy. My leg keeps bouncing against the seat. Then my fingers twist, just how my stomach feels. It’s not until McQueen squeezes my hands that I stop. Calming magic floods into the spot where he’s touching me. My leg stops moving. A tingling sensation travels up my thigh and spreads everywhere in my body.

  Before my brain can let the rest of my body know what’s going on, my stomach cramps and I topple over.

  “Brooklyn! What’s wrong?” McQueen asks.

  “It’s Bronx. They’re doing something to him. He ... he’s trying to block me from his pain, but that seeped through.”

  “Hold on, Bronx. Just a bit longer. We’re almost at the school.�
�

  The familiar wrought iron gates of York Academy loom ahead of us. The rest of the campus is quiet, even from the college students. We park a block off the main entrance and walk the rest of the way. We stay close to buildings and hide as much in the shadows as we can.

  Circling back to Broadway, we enter into the Arts Building. No one is around this time of the night. I expected a few students would still be practicing, but all is quiet. Perhaps too quiet.

  Only a few hallway lights illuminate our way to the basement. Manny digs into his backpack and doles out flashlights. We save our magic for later. In hushed steps, we descend the stairs into the walking tunnels.

  Staten leads the way, checking the map that he keeps rolled in his back pocket. “Should be just up ahead,” he whispers.

  No one says anything as we creep along. Noelle is sandwiched in the middle of the group, McQueen taking the rear. We make a couple of turns and then find a locked door. Staten uses a bit of magic to open it and waves us forward.

  Inside is a rickety, old staircase. It doesn’t look like it’s going to hold much of anything, let alone one of the guys. We proceed with caution. It’s dark, and I can’t see the bottom. I could use magic and send it to my eyes, but I conserve that in case it’s needed later. Manny opens his pack once again and finds a glow stick. He cracks it and tosses it down the stairwell.

  Staten pokes his head down to scan the area. “It’s all clear. After this, we’ll be in the lower tunnels.” He pulls out the map. We huddle around. “We’re here,” he says, pointing, “and this is where we’re headed.” The room is maybe a couple of blocks northeast from where we are standing. It looks to be underneath the Teacher’s College. “There are a couple of ways to get there, but I don’t want us to break up. We go as one. Follow me and keep watch. Once we’re down there, no more talking. Use our mental connection if you must communicate.”

  “Brooklyn?” Manny asks. “Can you feel him? Are we headed in the right direction?”

  I stop walking and let the group pass me. Manny comes to my side. Closing my eyes, I zero in on the part of myself that’s Bronx. I feel a slight phantom pain on my cheek. Was he hit there? The light that connects us zooms outward. I can see it with my mind’s eye. Using that, I open my real eyes and walk where it leads. I veer off into another tunnel.