through the air. Daniel was caught in the torrential downpour of virus-infected sludge.
Daniel stared at us all. His eyes were wide, horrified.
Then he turned to run.
Recovering, James scrambled up, aiming his rifle into the darkness. He fired.
Daniel fell to the ground.
James panted, looking out into the night where his compatriot now lay dead. He turned back to us, his hardened face like stone.
“Go inside. Boss Dragon is waiting.”
“Howlers are in the city!” I said. “Aren’t you going to do something?”
James shook his head. “Howlers have always been in the city. Their numbers have grown, and they roam the city at night. I have never seen one on the Strip, though.” He sighed. “It isn’t a good sign.”
Michael placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to jump.
“Come on,” he said.
We turned from the grisly scene, and walked into the darkness of the MGM Grand.
Chapter 7
Anna grabbed my hand, holding it tightly, as we followed James and Michael past the doors.
“You alright?” I asked.
“I’m more worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” I said. “I just thought this place was safe for some reason.”
We followed the line of marble on the floor, between long-defunct slot machines, emptied cafes, and stained card tables. The screens of some of the machines were riddled with bullets.
“Nowhere is safe,” Anna said.
I felt a chill pass over me as we went deeper into the darkness of Dragon HQ, lit feebly with lines of torches. I was beginning to regret our decision to come here. If it weren’t for Michael, then I would have walked out of this place in a heartbeat.
On our right was a series of large glass windows, through which I could see rocks and fake trees. A sign above the windows read “Lion Exhibit.” I peered into the darkness of the habitat, but the lions, if there ever had been any, were either long gone or long dead.
“So, all the Dragons live in here?” I asked, as we passed a bank of elevators.
“Most Dragons do. The Boss lives in a villa on the premises. But with recent events he is staying somewhere that is more secure.”
“Recent events?” Anna asked.
“The Kings tried to nab him a few weeks ago. Since then, he’s insisted on staying in his penthouse.”
“Doesn’t it irk you to have to call him Boss all the time?” Anna asked.
Michael shrugged. “Not really. I’ve had a boss in one form or another all my life. I could have done much worse than the Dragons. I’m glad I came across them first, rather than the Kings or the Reds.”
“What’s so bad about the Reds?” I asked.
“The Reds are bad because they live outside city limits. It was actually a good thing for them at first, because being so distant made them safer from attacks. Now, though, they’re an easy target for Blighters.”
We stopped before the open doors of what used to be a fancy restaurant. Within the dark interior, torches burned from the walls, and a line of candles lit a table where a muscled black man in dark clothing sat. His face was hidden by shadow, but his forearms, in the light of the fire, were visible. On each one was a tattoo of a dragon, one light blue, breathing ice, the other red, breathing fire. They both seemed to glow in the darkness.
The hands raised, gesturing to nearby seats. “Sit.”
Michael led us inside the restaurant, and we sat. Closer, we could more easily see the Boss’s facial features. He was a big man, maybe in his late thirties. He wore all black — black pants, black shirt — which, coupled with his dark skin, made him blend in with the shadows.
“You Makara?” he asked Anna.
Michael answered for her. “She is meeting with Char and the Raiders. I brought two of their high-ranking members here to represent her.”
“High-ranking?” The Boss gave a sideways grin. “What is this,
I had to smile at that, even if it was an insult.
“She’s about our age, yeah,” I said. “We’re not kids, though.”
Boss Dragon snickered. “Yeah, alright. Of course you’re not. The question is, why should I listen to you?”
Before I could answer and get us into any trouble, I felt Michael kick me under the table. “Actually, Boss, the New Angels were hoping to have the opportunity to meet with you, as well as with the rest of the gangs.”
Boss Dragon eyed Michael skeptically “What kind of business would we have to discuss? If it’s protection, that’s already been decided. We’re not letting anyone in until this Blight mess is over.”
“Then no one is getting in,” Anna said. “The Blight mess won’t be over until Vegas is gone. Makara wants a meeting to decide what to do about that. And she has a plan to stop it.”
Boss Dragon looked at her. “I don’t care if it’s about tea and crumpets. The gangs won’t meet for any reason. Too much blood, and not enough water. No one will meet unless safety is guaranteed.”
“We aren’t going to try anything,” I said. “We can meet somewhere that’s open, so that there’s no chance of an ambush.”
“We could use the runway,” Michael said.
Boss Dragon looked at Michael, as if wondering whose side he was on. “You said Makara has a plan. What is it?”
“We figured out how to stop the xenovirus,” I said. “The xenovirus is what controls all the Blighters. And…” Anna looked at me, and I realized I probably shouldn’t reveal too much, too soon. “Makara can explain the rest at the meeting. But one thing you should know is that the xenovirus and the Great Blight are a lot more powerful than you think. First it was Raider Bluff. Next, it will be Vegas.”
Boss Dragon’s eyes appeared troubled. After sitting in silence for at least a full minute, the candles on the table burning on, he looked at Anna and me in turn.
“I’ll arrange a meeting. By tomorrow, every gang lord will know that Makara will be parlaying on the runways.”
“We can let her know tonight,” I said.
“Actually, you both will be staying here tonight,” Boss Dragon said.
“I’m not staying here any longer than I have to,” I said.
“I’m not taking you hostage,” Boss Dragon said. “It’s too dangerous to be out on the streets this late. I would be remiss to allow it.”
“Staying is a good idea,” Michael said. “Especially if Howlers are out.”
I didn’t like it, but I decided to trust Michael’s judgment.
“Until tomorrow, then.” Boss Dragon looked at Michael. “Escort them to some of our guest rooms. You are to stay with the Angels until the meeting is over. Keep me updated.”
Michael gave a slow nod, and just like that, the meeting was over. We got up from our chairs and followed Michael out of the restaurant, toward the bank of elevators we had passed earlier.
“At least he agreed to set something up,” I said. “We got what we wanted.”
It was hard to tell if Boss Dragon was friend or foe, but for a gang lord, he didn’t seem that bad. Michael led us up some stairs, taking us to the third floor. The interior was dirty, smelling of dirt and must. I guess that’s what happened when a carpet hadn’t been properly cleaned in over thirty years. The doors — at least most of them — were still intact.
Michael led us to the end of the hall, opening a door on our left.
