by Sarah Noffke
“Not yet,” Sophia stated, nodding in the direction of the main workstation. “That key card I gave you also acts as a hack. If you can slip it into one of the drives of that computer, we might be able to find a back door through the security protocol which will release these eggs from whatever is holding them.”
“Why me?” Evan asked.
“Because I’m still holding the eggs and don’t want to release them,” Sophia explained. “And when you bring down the security, they would drop. So I need to keep a hold of them.”
“Clever system,” Evan said, striding over to the computer. “Someone tries to hack the security, and they risk losing what they came for.”
“Yeah,” Sophia mused. “Which makes me think that Thad Reinhart doesn’t really care if the dragon eggs stay alive.”
“Well, he did apparently kill a lot of dragonriders, so I’m guessing he’s more about our demise than anything else,” Evan related, continuing to search the computer for the drive.
“Seems like a lovely fellow,” Sophia joked.
A blast from the corner nearly made her drop her hold on the eggs. Sophia jerked her head up, watching as a security camera exploded from the ceiling.
She gave Evan a look of surprise.
He was wearing a proud expression. “I can knock down security systems and cameras too.”
“Good idea,” Sophia said. “But I think it’s too late to worry about surveillance. I’m certain we’ve missed some, and they already know we are here. Thankfully, I think that ‘they’ are a bunch of tin men, who we have proved we can handle.”
“Let’s just hope they don’t know how to call Daddy,” Evan said, returning his attention to the computer.
“Well, now that you’ve mentioned that idea, that’s all I’ll be thinking about. Hurry,” Sophia encouraged. “There’s a prong on the side of the key card. You’re going to stick that into a jump drive that’s probably on the side of that computer.”
“Jump drive…” Evan drummed his lips together, searching. “And that looks like?”
Sophia really wanted to rush over and help, but she already had her lock on the eggs and felt protective of them, not wanting to ever let them go. It was a strange feeling.
“Look on the side for a small rectangular opening,” Sophia said.
“When you say side, you mean on the screen thingy or the computer thingy?”
She sighed. “Computer thingy.”
“Right, just checking.”
“Seriously, how have you all survived so long with such ignorance in the Gullington?” she asked.
“It’s an art form,” he said proudly. “I think I found it. So I just stick this thing into the other thing. That’s not so complicated.”
“Well, you aren’t the genius who created the magical tech in that override device,” Sophia stated.
“And you aren’t either.” A small clicking sound echoed from the computer as he slid the device into place.
“No, but I know geniuses, which makes me a genius.”
The screen came to life. “I think it is working.”
Sophia glanced over. There was a progress bar streaking across the screen. “What does it say?”
“It wants me to enter a confirmation code,” he said, reading. “It says something about proving I’m not a bot?”
Sophia laughed. “Clever. Yeah, just type out the code on the screen.”
“No problem,” Evan said, peeking at the keyboard. “The code is Y4ZM789$.”
“Great, put it in.” Sophia held onto the eggs, her hands extended, and adrenaline pumping in her veins.
“Y…where is the Y?” Evan said, searching the keyboard. “Oh, there you are, little buddy.” He punched the key. “Now 4…where is that 4?”
“Oh, for the love of the angels,” Sophia groaned. “You have to be kidding me.”
“Wait, I messed up. Where’s the erase key? You have those, right?” He looked up suddenly. “Wait, if you don’t have erase keys, I’m totally inventing those. Then I’ll be rich.”
“I hate to ruin this brand new and unrealistic dream for you, but they’ve already been invented. It’s called the backspace key and should be on the top right-hand side.”
“’Backspace key?’” Evan said, not sounding impressed. “What a horrible name for it. Mine was going to be called the erase key.”
“Right…next time, Einstein.”
“Oh, there it is,” Evan rejoiced. “It’s a bigger key. People must make lots of typing mistakes. Now where is that Z…”
“I know someone who is getting typing lessons for Christmas,” Sophia muttered.
Evan glanced up. “Oh, we don’t exchange gifts at the Gullington. Hiker thinks it’s wasteful and doesn’t like the decorations.”
“Of course he doesn’t,” Sophia said. “And those lessons are a gift for me. Will you hurry up already? My arms are starting to shake.”
“I’m almost there. How do I make the dollar sign?”
“Shift plus 4,” Sophia stated in a rush.
“Shift…”
She looked up to the ceiling. “Angels, if you’re listening, will you kill me now? I don’t have what it takes to be a dragonrider if it involves teaching this man about technology.”
“Found the shift key!” Evan exclaimed.
“Congrats. Now hold it down and press 4,” she ordered.
“Both? At the same time?” Evan looked like his fingers were playing a strange game of Twister. “This is an odd feeling.”
“You can ride a freaking dragon,” Sophia complained. “I think you can handle some elementary level typing.”
“There!” Evan said, having finally finished putting in the code. “Now what?”
“Hit the enter key!”
“Finally, I get to hit something.” He pulled back his fist, looking the keyboard over. “So, where do I punch?”
Again, Sophia glared up at the ceiling. “You all are laughing at me right now, aren’t you?” Returning her gaze to Evan, she said. “Just tap the big button under the backspace key. No axe-throwing with the keyboard.”
“Oh,” he said, deflating a bit. A small tap on the keyboard was followed by a loud beeping noise.
Everything happened in quick succession. The buzzing of the security field faded. The only light in the room from the case extinguished. And the eggs were released, dropping down several inches before Sophia regained her hold on them.
Standing in the dark of the lab, magically holding onto the five eggs, Sophia realized that they’d done it.
And then the sirens blared overhead, sending a strobe of red light through the room.
Chapter Forty-One
“I think we tripped a security alarm!” Evan yelled over the commotion.
“You think?” Sophia fired back, sarcastically. “Get over here and grab the eggs.”
“I’m already on it.” Evan rushed over, pulling the bag that Ainsley had made just for this task from his traveling cloak. Thankfully the strobing red lights provided just enough light for them to see what they were doing.
Expertly, Evan slipped the small satchel over the first egg without touching it, which wasn’t necessary but did benefit the dragon inside. The less others had contact with its shell, the better. He pulled the bag over, swallowing up another of the eggs, releasing its weight from Sophia.
When he had all five eggs in the bag, she dropped her hands, taking a breath. The sack wasn’t any larger than when he started, although it should have looked like Santa Claus’ toy bag by that point. Another perk of magic.
“Okay, so what’s our exit strategy?” Evan asked her as they headed for the door.
“I’ll get you back to the drydock,” Sophia said, opening the door and peering into the hallway. It was thankfully empty. “Then I’ll portal to Lunis and meet you.”
“So, your concern isn’t with getting out of this actual building?” Evan asked as they rounded the corner, meeting one of the smaller, less assuming robots.
“Why is that?” Evan asked as they loaded into the elevator.
Something rocked the compartment, making the lights dim.
“Just a hunch,” she said, bursting from the elevator, hands at the ready as two more robots turned in their direction. Since Evan had his hands full carrying the eggs, Sophia used her magic to attack both of the robots, sending a giant wind at them both, knocking them into each other where they tangled together before being sent down the long corridor.
They weren’t disabled, though, since Sophia was running low on magic. She didn’t want to use it all here in case she needed it to escape. The robots sent laser attacks in their directions that made loud buzzing sounds and scorched the carpet under their feet as they sprinted for the drydock.
“Those guys don’t mess around,” Evan said, ducking from an attack that nearly severed his head.
Sophia sent another blast of wind over her shoulder, knocking the robots off-balance and disturbing their aim. A laser seared the ceiling, splitting it in two.
“That attack was meant for my head, wasn’t it?” Evan asked.
“Oh, yeah.” Sophia slid into the GAD-C room, tapping the button for the drydock.
A quick glance out there told her it was still empty, but who knew how long it would stay that way.
“Get out of here,” Sophia ordered. “I’ll portal now and meet you over the water.”
“Sounds good,” Evan chirped, speeding out the door with the eggs in tow.
Chapter Forty-Two
The look of relief on Lunis’ face when Sophia stepped through the portal was palpable. She ran for her dragon, jumping onto the wing he had extended and sliding into the saddle in one swift movement.
“You made it,” he said, relief in his voice as he sprung into the air, the full moon out once more. “Good work on the eggs.”
Sophia grabbed the reins, feeling them as an extension of herself. The minutest movement from her transferred through the reins and straight into Lunis, making him shift directions.
“Now all we have to do is get the eggs back,” Sophia related. “I’m going to open the portal now so that Evan can go right through it once he surfaces.”
“Although I appreciate that you’re being proactive, you might want to wait on that,” Lunis said, a warning in his voice.
She was going to ask what he meant, but at that exact moment, she saw it and groaned. If she never again saw another of those magical tech jets that brought down Adam and chased her at the facility, it would be fine with her. But that wasn’t how things were going to go, she realized as she saw two jets rapidly approaching.
Chapter Forty-Three
Navigating out of the drydock with five dragon eggs wasn’t as hard as Evan would have thought. Coral had rested while they were in the Institute and now sped through the tunnels like a shark, but with wings…and totally more majestically.
The blaring of the sirens from the facility was muffled in the dark waters and started to sound like strange music to Evan’s ears.
He was already dreaming of the feast that they’d have to celebrate his major victory when he returned to the Gullington. He would even throw up a glass to toast Sophia for being the best darn assistant a dragonrider could hope for.
Incoming, Coral said in his mind, her voice urgent.
Evan shook off his fantasy of roasted duck and buttery rolls, sitting up to see what his dragon was referring to. Ahead the tunnel out of the Institute ended, and it appeared that there was something waiting for them.
What is that? he asked her.
I do not know, Coral answered. Sophia would. It’s manmade.
The vessel that appeared to be close to blocking their exit was smooth and shaped like a large capsule. It wasn’t far from the Institute and the tunnel.
We need to speed up, or we won’t make it out, Evan urged.
I can’t go any faster, Coral stated, her wings moving like fins in the water, propelling them forward.
We’re going to have to use a compartment spell, Evan stated.
It will weaken us greatly, Coral argued. It will slow us down.
But it won’t matter if we can’t get out of here, Evan countered.
The large vessel was nearly to the tunnel, turning its broad side to block them in. Only a small gap remaining that was about the size of a cow.
Evan hunched down on his dragon. We can do it, Coral. Come on.
Under him, he felt his dragon shrink. They’d practiced this a hundred times but never had a chance to do it in battle, especially while submerged. His dragon could only maintain it for a brief time, but if they got it right, it would be the difference between life and death.
Evan nearly clenched his eyes shut as they sped toward the opening. It was going to be a tight fit. And Coral was moving too fast for them to avoid a collision.
He felt Coral suck in as if she was trying to make herself as small as possible by any means. He did the same, cementing himself to her, the eggs also melding into his back. The pair slipped through the opening, Coral’s wings nearly colliding with the tunnel.
She burst out to the other side, doubling in size at once and returning to her normal form. The compartment spell had drained them significantly, and she moved at half her usual speed as they made for the surface of the water.
Evan turned to take in the form of the thing that had tried to block them in. It appeared almost like a whale with its long body and the strange fin on its top. Thankfully it didn’t seem to be able to move as fast as them, although he could tell it was going to pursue, having changed direction to follow them.
We can outpace it, Evan said with relief. Just keep going.
His ears picked up a strange noise from behind him. With a curious glance, he watched as the metal whale shot out a baby of sorts. It was long and shaped like the bigger thing. And it was racing much faster than its mom, barreling in their direction.
Chapter Forty-Four
Two jets, powered by magic—no problem, Sophia said to Lunis.
Usually they would be a major problem, Lunis answered. But not on this night.
The blue dragon sped up, moving unlike Sophia had ever felt him. The surface of the water blurred as they raced straight toward the two jets headed in their direction.
Usually I prefer to go away from enemies, Sophia said, wondering what he was planning.
Yes, but Coral and Evan will be coming from this direction, Lunis argued. And I have a plan.
I like plans, Sophia said, the wind beating against her face so hard it felt like she was falling through space to the Earth, about to burn up entering the atmosphere. Are you going to share?
I usually would, but I’m too excited to surprise you with this one, Lunis said.
She knew there was something incredibly special about him that night. The moon enhanced him, but they’d never had the opportunity to experience it like this before. Lunis was more mature, his powers building. And he was rested, having waited to step into battle.
The jets sped straight at them, flying in formation.
Sophia worried they were going to fly straight into them. She thought the pilots had to be thinking the same thing. It seemed like a game of chicken. Much like with the mech robot, it appeared that they were facing off, seeing who was going to divert first.
Not us, Lunis said in her mind, having read her thoughts.
I don’t think it will be them either, Sophia stated, noticing the jets charging forward on their path, seemingly undeterred.
I’m counting on them not backing down, Lunis stated.
I thought self-preservation was a thing, though, Sophia said, bracing herself.
Yes, but what if your sole mission is to
attack and destroy, Lunis posed. What if those pilots aren’t real with lives of their own?
That made perfect sense based on what she was learning about Thad Reinhart. The pilot that had attacked Adam had been human, but maybe since then, the evil tycoon had decided to stop employing them altogether since they were prone to fear and mistakes.
So they are going to hit us, destroying themselves just to take us down, Sophia guessed.
That’s what they think they are going to do, Lunis stated just as they closed the distance.
Lunis changed directions suddenly, moving at rapid speed, too fast for the human eye to register. He moved into a vertical position, his wings extended flat as they slid between the two jets.
Everything slowed down for Sophia as she witnessed the incredible power and strategy of her dragon.
When they were between the two passing jets, perfectly arranged in the space that shouldn’t have been large enough for such a passage, Lunis grabbed the plane below him with his talons and slung it around, twisting in the air.
Sophia hadn’t realized he was that big until she realized he dwarfed the jet, holding onto it like it was a toy plane. He then rolled to the side and threw the jet straight at the other one beside them, making the two collide in a fiery assault.
The blast sent Lunis and Sophia back, but he flew unaffected, gliding away as the two jets fell into the ocean, tangled together, explosions lighting up the dark sky.
Lunis, Sophia said, feeling suddenly tiny on the monster-size dragon. He was simply huge, and it had happened in the blink of an eye. Her dragon, who was usually twenty feet long, not including his neck and tail, was now easily five times that length, making her feel like she was riding on top of a plane.
The moon is good to me tonight, he said proudly.
She pushed her face close to him, hugging the dragon. Wow, I can’t believe how big you can grow, she said.
Well, size can sometimes be to my disadvantage, Lunis stated, pointing ahead.