“Sir, you need to get out,” I heard Rott over the comms. “It’s overheating and this is dangerous. I’ll call for a replacement. We should head back to the restaurant.”
“Can you fix it?”
“No, sir,” Rott said. “I’m not a mechanic. Especially not for a vehicle as unique as this.”
“Then what good are you?” Magnus asked angrily, as he stepped out of the Duezy and slammed the door. “This is unacceptable. Cecil and I will have words.”
“I understand, sir,” Rott said, closing the hood. “Please stand over there, sir.” Rott pointed to the sidewalk. “The street isn’t safe.”
“I am not a child—what’s your name again?”
“My name is Rott, sir.”
I scanned the area and saw Monty approaching. I scanned up the street and saw Gant along with several large men exiting the TINY. This was not good.
“We have incoming,” I said. “Four unfriendlies just exited the restaurant. I recommend we abort.”
“Negative,” Douglas said. “Blaster, stop them.”
“Copy that,” Carlos said over the comms. “This is going to screw the timetable, though.”
“It can’t be helped—do it,” Douglas said. “Do not let them reach Balfour. Mage, engage the dragon now. Strong, when you get the shot, take it. I don’t care who’s in the way. You take the shot, or everyone in Haven dies.”
I heard Carlos laugh.
“Lighting it up in three, two, one,” Carlos said counting it down. “Starting the party.”
I saw a barrage of rockets scream their way toward Gant and the men. As soon as the rockets impacted, the front of the restaurant exploded in an enormous bloom of flame.
“Now! Mage,” Douglas yelled, and Monty crossed the street. “Get him into position.”
“Magnus,” Monty said when he drew close. “It’s over.”
“You?” Magnus said, momentarily surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“Ending you,” Monty said, rushing Magnus as he gestured. “Your madness ends tonight.”
Magnus recovered fast, but not before Monty crashed into him. They collided and slammed into the Duezy in a flash of golden light. Monty held Magnus in a rear chokehold as he gestured with his free hand. From the way Magnus moved I could tell the hold wasn’t going to last.
“I was only going to kill Strong,” Magnus said. “But I can accommodate your demise as well, Montague.”
Magnus began moving Monty’s arm away from his neck.
“Take the shot, Strong!” Douglas called out. “Do it now!”
“Monty is in the way. I repeat, target is not clear.”
“You take it or I do,” Rott said, reaching into his jacket. “I’ll burn them both.”
“No,” I said. “This shot is mine.”
I took a deep breath, aimed, and squeezed the trigger.
TWENTY-NINE
The round raced at Monty, hitting him in the shoulder and punching through Magnus’ chest, 1.1 seconds after I fired. A spray of blood created a cloud of death around the two men as they launched forward several feet from the impact.
“Carlos, plant the Obouros assassin,” Douglas said. “Rott, check vitals. Make sure Balfour is gone.”
I saw Rott crouch over the bloody body of Magnus as Carlos carried a body bag near the Duezy. He opened it and pulled out the body of a man I didn’t recognize. A few seconds later, Douglas came into view.
“Balfour is down,” Rott said, standing up as Douglas drew a weapon. “That’s one down, and—”
“I’m sorry, old friend,” Douglas said, pointing the gun at Rott. “I want you to know your death won’t be in vain.”
“What are you doing?” Rott said. “We’re taking them out, the dragons.”
“No, I’m taking them out,” Douglas said. “Carlos.”
Carlos crouched over Magnus and pulled out a syringe. He drew blood from Magnus’ arm and then walked over to Douglas.
“Are you sure?” Carlos asked, hesitating. “We don’t know…”
“Do it,” Douglas barked. “Now.”
Carlos plunged the syringe into Douglas, injecting the blood into his arm.
“No!” Rott exclaimed in shock. “What have you done?”
“I’ve acquired power, George. The power to eliminate my enemies—the enemies of Shadow Company.”
“Dragon blood is poison to humans,” Rott said, stepping back. “You’ve lost your damn mind.”
“No, George, for the first time I can see clearly,” Douglas said. “A grief-stricken father who could never get over the loss of his daughter, who tracked and murdered the dragon he felt was responsible…before taking his own life. It’s quite tragic, really.”
“Bullshit,” Rott said, lunging forward as Douglas fired. Rott collapsed to the ground as blood flowed freely from several wounds. “How?”
“Runed rounds,” Douglas said, glancing at his gun, “I had a few made for you, too. Can never be too careful.”
“You basta—” Rott started.
Douglas fired a double-tap to the head, ending Rott’s life. I scanned over and saw that Monty was hurt, but looked intact. Sirens were wailing in the night and I knew they would be swarming over the area soon. Explosions in the city had a tendency to attract attention. A flash of violet light from Monty caught my attention as Douglas pulled out a phone.
“Terminate them all,” Douglas said into the phone. “No survivors.”
A beam of white light filled the sky. It was bright enough to temporarily convert the night into day for a few seconds. I triangulated its location and my stomach fell.
Haven.
“That was some excellent marksmanship, Strong,” Douglas said, looking in my direction. “It’s a pity we’re restructuring the Company, or else I’d invite you to join us.”
“Fuck you, Douglas.”
“I had a feeling you’d say that,” Douglas said. “Feelds, escort Strong along to his next life.”
I felt the barrel of her gun against my side.
“It’s not personal,” Feelds said. “We don’t need two shooters, and Shadow Company doesn’t—”
“Leave loose ends, I know. You don’t want to do this. He’ll betray you the same way he did Rott.”
“I’m not Rott,” Feelds said. “I’m one hundred percent human, and you, your mage, and that thing you call a dog aren’t. Goodbye, Strong.”
She pulled the trigger three times. The kinetic energy shoved me across the roof. The jacket Monty gave me held up. My ribs took the brunt of the impact, breaking at least two. My body flushed hot as it repaired the damage. I rolled to a stop several feet away in agony.
I
