BOOM!...
Every head immediately turned away from the mayor in the direction of the city centre, as the mud shook beneath their feet and the freshly poured concrete rippled in disgust. A collective gasp reverberated through the air as they all watched the medieval spire in the distance collapse. A second BANG rumbled across the air, not quite as loud as the first, though still causing the ground to tremble. Exclamations of horror and shock at what they'd just witnessed were quick to ring around the ground.
"Oh my God!"
"What in the name of..."
"Aaaaahhhhhh..."
"I can't believe it!"
"Sweet mother of Jesus..."
Watching in absolute disgust as a cloud of grey engulfed what had only moments before been the pride of the city, Garrett kept his counsel and offered a silent prayer to those he knew would have been inside the cathedral itself, and in and around the immediate vicinity. Wondering who the hell would commit such a heinous act of aggression, the industry leader decided it would be best to leave as quickly as possible and get back to Cropptech with a view to finding out more and supporting the staff he knew would be crushed by what had just happened. Excusing himself from the startled congregation, he marched swiftly towards his car, noting that Fred, the man at the wheel, had already started the engine for him. Sliding out into the main road in the direction of the Cropptech main site, Garrett couldn't fault his driver for wanting to get a move on. One thing he knew for sure was that he'd feel much safer once he got to his office.
41
Steeling Fleet Street Back From the Enemy
A ring of towering, gigantic, lighthouse-like structures stretching up into the darkness, the tops of which were higher than any dragon could see, the buildings themselves constructed from conglomerate, with white, egg-like stone protruding from a yellow, sandy layer: subterranean Fleet Street was a marvel to behold. Or at least it would have been if not for the surrounding devastation, burning pyres of decapitated dragons and the throat scorching, nose blocking, eye wateringly thick, acrid black smoke that permeated everything. Nausea inducing might be the best way to describe the smoke, but it had at least one benefit. As a means of cover, it was almost second to none, something that should pay dividends in allowing the three dragons to get as close as possible to their intended target without being spotted.
Moving his head from side to side before stretching out his wings once or twice, Steel couldn't shake the uneasiness he'd been feeling since the details of the mission had been agreed upon. It wasn't so much the plan, but the thought of flying into what had now been turned into a compound. Before the laminium ball bomb and his dice with death, flying was his thing and he doubted there was anyone better at it than him. It felt as though it was the only reason he'd been put on the planet... to fly. But now he wasn't so sure. His experience and the logical part of his mind told him that he'd be fine and it would be exactly as it had been before. But this new body felt supple where it should not give, thin and less protective where it should be thick and strong. Not really wanting to take to the air, he'd argued that sneaking in from the ground, just like his reconnoitre, was the best way to push forward. Of course the master mantra maker had gone on to describe in perfect detail just how they could use the sickly black smog to cover their descent into the compound, making a compelling case with which the others totally agreed. In reality, he did too, it was just the whole flying thing that he was reluctant to do. Continuing to stretch his calf muscles, realising that the eyes of their whole force were upon him, he knew he wouldn't be able to put off the moment for much longer. This was it, it was now or never. So facing his newly found fear head on, he stopped stretching, marched forcefully over to Jar Man and DomCon, who were both chatting to Gee Tee, and firmly announced,
"It's time. Let's do it!"
Nodding their agreement, the little and large of the dragon world waited to follow the famed laminium ball captain's lead.
"Good luck!" remarked the master mantra maker.
"To us all," replied Steel, bending his knees before fully revealing his wings.
In a single bound, the recently healed dragon took to the air, disappearing in no time at all into the thick blackness of the air above them. Not wanting to lose their de facto leader, Jar Man bolted after him, quickly followed by DomCon who was by now fully focused on the deadly mission ahead.
Inside that brilliant, complicated and sometimes selfish brain of his, Gee Tee hoped for nothing more than to see the three of them once again. But he knew the risks of what they had planned and very much doubted fate would be so kind.
Both long time pals had immediately caught up with their newly found friend and leader and were now circling at quite a rate, hot on his tail, quite literally, with Jar Man only a mere metre or so in his wake, and DomCon just behind his buddy. From where they were, it was practically impossible to know precisely how high up they were flying and exactly where the ground was. But both now trusted Steel with their lives. That was just the kind of dragon he was, able to inspire in seconds, pull other dragons along by the scruffs of their necks and make them all feel wanted and part of the team. He was... extraordinary.
Exhilarating didn't begin to do it justice. Oh how he'd missed this. Being at one with the air... even this air, with all the toxins, pollutants and smoke, it made his heart leap up into his mouth, sent a chill of excitement along his tail, and made his scales tingle. For the first time since he'd woken up in that medical facility, he actually felt... alive!
Mind back to the matter at hand, and using his laminium ball experience, he reached out with all his magical senses trying to get a picture of the ground and his surroundings, despite only being able to see ten or so metres in front of him. He knew he was roughly in the right place, because they'd circled up and over one of the lighthouse-like buildings, carefully concealing themselves behind the acrid black smog at the time, before dropping slowly into what he believed was the middle of the compound. This was where he'd seen and evaded the patrolling guards and the two higher ups, when he'd gone in alone on the ground. And this was where he'd hoped to drop in through the cover and gain the advantage of surprise, but his enhanced senses were currently providing him with very little in the way of help. So cutting back on the speed, he brought his tail down and his head up, cutting their level of descent, and continued in the huge arc, hoping to hell that he would spot the enemy long before they spotted him.
Exactly to plan, that's how their assault on this part of the city had gone. Charged with taking Fleet Street and the priceless crystal node that controls the flow of information across the world, the two of them had followed their orders to the letter, knowing that any deviation, no matter how small, would probably see Manson cut their life expectancy considerably. But it was done, and now it was just a matter of keeping it safe, not that they expected any kind of coherent resistance. Strolling through the darkness with his partner, occasionally flicking through to his night vision, just to make sure there were no unwanted guests, he puffed out his chest, proud of the job he was doing, awaiting his role in the new world order that wouldn't be long in coming. If only he'd bothered to look up.
Blowing out a huge mouthful of the toxic air, he fought off the urge to cough that presented a very real hazard. At that exact moment, his head and belly broke through the pungent clouds that had been caused by the dark horde ravaging the land, dropping into a night time like darkness, one where at least he was able to see some distance. But of course, so could his adversaries.