by A McKay
“They left us a note.”
“Thank god they left us both our clothes, do you know how hard it would be to find your size.” Zach said taking a seat on the bed and putting his boots back on.
“I know who you are Slade, and just for being an agent is a reason to kill you last night when we put both of you too sleep.” Slade started to pace, reading the note, “Our guards carried you to a remote location, returning everything that belongs to you, we couldn’t kill you. Something was different about you; it took a lot of strength for our magic to even get close to working on both of you. Don’t try to find us; by the time you reach us, we will be back home.”
Slade pulled a lighter out of his pocket and started the note on fire. Zach eyed him with curiosity. “Don’t want to leave anything for agents to use to track us down.”
“Why wouldn’t they take our guns?” Zach asked looking at his pistol.
“Like they said they are returning home, and we didn’t cause them any threat.” Slade also started to wonder if their home could even use guns. The agency talked about a different place, but when they realized that Slade was listening they took the conversation to a locked, soundproof office.
Slade went to the door and with Zach pointing the gun to the door. He opened it. Nothing but pavement and blue skies were around. The motel was positioned on the hillside, possibly in a different state.
“Where are we?” Zach asked, securing his pistol in his holster.
“I don’t have a fucking clue,” Slade finally broke his straight talking ways.
They started to head to their Jeep that was driven up by the nymphs, which put anger on Zach’s face. They suddenly stopped hearing high heels on the pavement behind them. Slade already knew who it was before he turned to face what was really becoming an annoying assassin.
“Hello men,” she said her narrow dark to the point eyes glaring at both them equally. Her silky, straight reddish hair, with blonde, reminded you of a campfire. She stood very tall, only inches shorter than Slade, yet she somehow sported an hourglass build, but her muscles were also clearly visible. Her skin had a perfect California tan. She wore a brown dress that had a slit that rode up her right leg. The dress had a yellow pattern woven into it, similar to what the nymph wore. The way she stood, they way she looked had Slade wishing she was the girl from last night instead of the nymph. She came closer, Slade looking at her shoes that looked gold with diamond straps around her feet, with a three-inch heel. Slade stood there his hair starting to stand up along with something that had no business to rise. He could feel the raw power coming from her.
“We know what you are; the Sanctum thought you were extinct.”
“As you can tell I am not.”
“No you’re not, so why would a dragon be bothering with two men, one running away from the Sanctum, and the other being just a pathetic man.” Zach eyed him, but kept quite. Slade didn’t look at him but felt the fear that trembled in both of them.
“You knocked over my favorite tree!” She almost growled it, “So now you must die like my tree.”
"Zach get our guns," Slade spat out to him, him not staying by, but running to the Jeep. Slade dodged a fireball, and grabbed two elongate throwing knifes from his belt. He sliced the next fireball in half, and ran to her. She jumped up and with her talent; she grabbed his shoulders and flung him to the wall that broke the fall. His back cracked in the dust, and he stood only to be flung again from the wall to a car. Zach ducked as Slade’s body looked to be thrown around like hacky sack. "We really should keep one loaded." Slade said only to be picked up and twirled around like rag doll. Zach watch Slade be flung away, the dragon for now leaving him alone. Zach jumped out from his hiding spot and ran to another place to try and finish putting rounds in the magazines for the rifles.
She turned to chase him, but Slade grabbed his gun that still hid under his jacket, the KRISS and pulled the trigger. The bullets flew following her hitting the apartment walls behind her. Her speed unexpected with wearing heals and her size. She dove behind a dumpster, a stream of fire shot at Slade and he had to dive out of the way. Next, he saw the sun being blocked by the woman throwing herself at him. He rolled to the side, and she landed on the concrete, breaking it on impact. He shot again from blank range but her hands grabbed the gun making it shoot just past her head. She used both hands against him as they rolled over each other.
He heard the glass shattering as bullets hit the windows of the motel, hopefully no one else stayed at the place. He was turning the gun slowly at her bullets still flying every direction, the negative side of gun that has a shit load of bullets. He wasn't expecting her razor sharp teeth biting into his arm that he used to keep her from breathing fire at him. It felt like a dog biting him but only ten times worse. He knew Zach had to be close now, and felt the air change and moved his head out of the way, as fire erupted from the mouth that just seconds ago bit him.
The fire was cut off as she rolled out of the way, as a sword hit the concrete. He rolled out of the way, his arm useless with the bite and a chunk of meat hanging off. He sat by the car using the tire as a backrest watching Zach trying to beat the dragon with one of his knives. No way would he have won. He was keeping her busy enough that he could get to his sniper rifle from where he put them, only arms length away. The bastard didn’t want to shoot before with Slade rolling around with the dragon. He put the gun on the hood and took aim, holding it with one hand. He looked through the scope and followed her head's movement but it moved too fast. He had to take a body shot. As soon as Zach was flung from the dragon, he let the bullet fly shooting at her. Hoping to hell it hit, she stood there not moving, her hands covering her body. The bullet pierced a hole in her skin. He figured he got her, and then he felt the wind blow. He saw like a tornado of fire wrap around her. He covered his face to protect from the blinding light dropping the gun and slipping on the sunglasses that still were in his pocket so he could aim again. He couldn't see anything, he felt Zach crawl and hide by him where they took cover behind the wheel and waited for the complete white out too leave. Even the sunglasses not making the white clear, it was a dense fog of fire that blocked any image. The air soon returned to its normal color, but warm and she was gone. Blood drops remained on the ground, but the bitch escaped.
“Was that dragon magic?” Zach asked looking around amazed at how much damage now was in the parking lot.
“I don’t know, dragons aren’t supposed to be around anymore.”
“Look,” Zach pointed to a funnel cloud flying through the air sideways.
Slade didn’t need his sunglass to know what it was. He could see her true form through the clouds, the pure power swarming around her. Even though death was coming, he couldn’t move her beauty was unimaginable to behold. She had a gold body that had red hair going down her neck with blonde golden tips and it appeared she had no horns. Her wings seemed delicate; maybe bronze like the color of her dress. She came closer and her claws caught the sunlight, reflecting the diamond like materials from her. She landed in front of the two statues like men that were stuck between amazement and fear. Her ruby color eyes had fire burning around them staring directly at Slade.
She looked up and released a battle cry. On that cue Slade yelled, “Take cover!” Just as they dove from her now pointed direction, fire blew out from her mouth with intense heat. Through the chaos, Slade and Zach dove behind cars that had gas tanks. It didn’t take long before the cars blew and sent both men flying.
Slade thought he was going to die, it was over, not defeated by the Sanctum but beat by a girl. Slade hit the ground with a solid thump, not able to move, blackness crept in his vision.
6Slade didn’t recall when he blacked out as he laid flat on his back. He could feel the little concrete pebbles underneath his back and surely, some imbedded in his back. He opened his eyes and saw the clear sky above him, the blue mixed with some white. Birds were chirping as if nothing happened. Fire trucks were in the distance, the sirens echoi
ng around the destroyed motel. The sirens were getting louder, meaning they were en-route to where Slade and Zach laid.
Slade knew he needed to hide the guns or they would be questioning them about those. It took Slade a bit to sit up, his body and clothes full of ashes. Grit covered his face and baldhead. He tried to use the arm that was almost bitten off by the bitch, but pain took hold of his arm. He rose using his good arm, got up, and started to limp to their guns, the guns Zach got out. That was when it hit him, Zach wasn’t up, yet, his body trembled. He looked around and saw a lifeless body half in the grass, and the half over the curb. “Please don’t be dead,” Slade, said starting to limp over to his fallen brother.
Slade rolled him over; seeing his guns back in their holsters, looking like a fallen officer. Slade shook his brother’s limped body, but got no response. The sirens were getting closer and Slade knew he had to get them put into the Jeep or more questions would be asked.
Just as he closed the Jeep’s doors, paramedics pulled in. Slade started to limp back to Zach only to be stopped by men half his size. He had no strength to push them aside to get to his brother.
Several paramedics worked on Zach at once, and Slade could only stand there and watch. They were checking Slade at the same time, but everything felt numb now as Slade thought the worse of it. Zach was dead and it was his entire fault.
It re-confirmed it when they started to do chest compressions. Then they gave him two artificial breaths. They brought paddles out and his body jolted with the shock to only fall back to lifeless. For the first time, Slade felt small as he looked up to the medics that were working on him, and they said nothing. His eyes burned as tears started to form. Slade was alone, and he was put in the back of the ambulance.
They tried to stick Slade with shots and IV’s but he didn’t want any of it. “Just wrap the injured parts and let me out.
“Sir, your ankle looks broken and you have contusions to your head.”
Slade grabbed the man’s collar with his enormous hands, “I don’t care, I will be dead before we get to the hospital.” The medic fell backwards to a seat that was behind him. “Hopefully we can stop that. I know you have been in a lot of trauma.”
Slade was about to say something when he heard the drivers say, “What the hell,” the ambulance’s tires squealed. He grabbed on a handle in the ambulance to hold him from flying forward.
“Too fucking late,” Slade said.
“Code blue,” the driver said into the radio. “Code blue, intersection of William and Kelly, ambulance hit, and…” he was cut off when the ambulance was bolted to the side, Slade hanging onto a strap from the ceiling. Adrenaline rushed through Slade like a volcano bursting. Not only was he pissed for being hit, but Zach was in the first ambulance, couldn’t they leave the dead alone. Slade started to get up, as a bloody paramedic tried to help.
“It is actually better if you don’t see this.” The paramedic’s eyes went large before they closed after being hit by Slade’s good hand. Slade kicked open the doors and saw men in black coats running in every directing. Several came running up to him, Slade surprised no one was shooting. A smaller man swung an electric wand at Slade, to be blocked and hit with his own weapon. “Crap, they want me as a prisoner,” he said to himself. Death would be easier than the torture he would get for being a rogue agent.
Slade jumped out of the ambulance, taking the agents on one by one. He roared with pain as the rush of fighting took its place. He grabbed one agent by the head and slammed him into the ambulance knocking the agent out. He went for another agent to only be stopped by five agents grabbing his arms, his arm that was bitten screamed in agony. Sweat and tears dropped from his face, as agents held him, apparently losing their clubs in an attempt of taking Slade down.
An agent took advantage, of Slade being held and threw a punch to his stomach. Slade coughed dust and blood from his chest. “Thanks,” Slade said feeling more air return to his lungs.
“You lost Slade, your buddy is dead, and you are caught. Why don’t you come back to agency peacefully and maybe the captain will be forgiving.”
“Fuck you,” Slade said before fist pounded at his ribs. His ribs cracked and broke in reaction to several more hits. Slade was ready for the sweet taste of death to enter his mouth.
Instead of death coming, he heard noise coming from the other ambulance, the one that was hit before. Slade quickly turned his head, the punching faded into a nothing but numbness met with more numbness. The ambulance doors opened, and a man with a neck brace came out. Agents rushed him, as one reached him he dodged the agents swing and caught the agent’s nose. During the distraction, Slade used the agent in front of him and ran his feet up him kicking him in the face and continuing to do a flip. He used the momentum and struck the agents together freeing him.
An agent ran towards Slade, another one charged Zach. Slade grabbed one of his hidden elongated throwing knifes from his leg and flung it at the agent who fell to the ground with a blade in one eye.
A gunshot sounded behind Slade, and after Slade checked his own body for holes, he looked back to his surprise at Zach. Zach was putting his pistol away that the ambulance didn’t remove from him probably due to the badge he carried inside his jacket. Blood oozed down in front of him, as he took off his neck brace.
Zach walked over to Slade rubbing his neck. “How you doing,” Slade asked like it was an everyday situation.
“Fucking dragon,” Zach looked towards the sky, “We are going to kill her right?”
“Yes.” Slade didn’t feel hurt anymore, during the fight, his body went numb, and after a burn, the pain died.
Slade checked his body and felt the wounds healed and scarred over. Then Slade looked at cuts that were on Zach’s face, they too seemed to fade into almost nothing.
“What the fuck,” Slade said to Zach, who was now zapping an agent that tried to get up with their own wands.
“What,” the body jolted in front him, when he pressed the wand into his body. “I so would have loved this back home.” He zapped another agent.
“My injuries, they healed,” Slade stuck his arm out that was useless just before.
Zach looked at his arm, not sure what he was supposed to see. “What you cut your arm or what?”
“No it was almost bitten off.” Slade now walked over and grabbed his knife from a dead agent. Zach stood there confused not connecting the two circles. “Stick your hand out.”
“Why,” Zach said still sticking his hand out. With a movement Zach couldn’t catch, Slade sliced Zach’s hand open. “You fucker,” he was going to strike Slade before he stopped.
He turned his hand over; Slade looked at the hand that now was healing and the blood turning into water. “What the fuck?”
“I don’t know, let me slice you open.” Zach said trying to reach for Slade’s blade.
“That won’t help, we need to go to a library,” Slade started to hike back to the motel to get their Jeep was still there. “Better thought, that probably was blown up.”
“Shit,” Slade slowed down and was about to look for the problem when Zach said, “I hate reading.” Slade couldn’t help but laugh.
7They reached the library without stopping for any more distractions. The dragon didn’t show, the agency was quiet; it might have been only a day, but it was a day of quietness for now. They drove through the night to reach the special library that Slade remembered back from the Agency. They found another Jeep parked on the side of the road and hotwired it. Slade didn’t want any attention as he drove through the night, so he kept to the speed limit, which in turn made Zach very bored.
"Dude we could have gone faster," Zach said now jumping out of the Jeep. He was still sore with not getting his old Jeep back. Slade was more upset not having their rifles anymore. They knew the agents found his vehicle before they were ambushed; it was too much of a risk to go back.
The library was huge, for such a small town, glass doors by the old wood that surrounded t
he old but elegant building. Pillars came from the overhanging second story and met the stone walkway. Something told Slade that this library was here before time itself, which he knew was impossible but still amazing. They walked into the library and down the hallway. A Staircase was to the right and circled its way up to what had to be the meeting rooms, and studying area. The books were all in front of them; two desks were on both sides that had librarians hid behind computers typing away, and checking out books.
The air was thick that made Slade have to take a deep gulp to get air in his lungs as they both walked forward. The librarians looked at the Slade and Zach probably amazed by Slade’s body size. The woman was boorish looking with droopy green eyes. Her fine, curly, short hair was worn in a practical, dignified style bun. She was a thinner, older lady, that at one time probably made all the boys head turn, but Old Man Time took his toll. She was wearing a grayish suit that added even more years. Slade and Zach quickened their pace, both walking to the stairs that lead to the computers.
"What are we going to look for?” Zach asked pulling another chair up next to Slade who barely fit in the regular size chair. They both were pretty good on computers, but for things Slade needed to search for, he needed to be on the computer.
“I am going to try to hack into the agency’s database.” Slade said with a grin, pulling up Google.
“With Google?” Zach asked loud enough to get glares from other people in the lab, “with Google,” Zach repeated in a whisper.
“Well, what else would I use?” Slade typed the name of the agency Secret Sanctum, and to Zach’s surprise there, it was. The Sanctum had such a ridiculous sight name that he they used Google to, making it usually hidden right in front of a hackers eyes.