Dragon Blood

Chapter 52

Dáithí helped the children clamber onto her back, their knees tucking under her wings, and used the old strap to wrap around her chest and give them something to hold onto. They were surprisingly light, and she barely felt them. He took her chin again and met her eyes, linking back to her. "I'll come find you. As soon as I can. I promise."

She met his eyes with a determined look of her own. "If you die, I will kill you."

"I'd love to see you try, little bird." He chuckled and pressed his lips to the top of her head before standing up slowly. "When the doors open, I'm going to shift and create a distraction. Run as fast as you can and get as far away from here as possible. If you see them, do not try to fight. Go in another direction and keep running. Do you understand?"

"Yes." She looked over her shoulder at the three on her back to link with them and they winced. "You three hang on. I'm kind of new at this."

They nodded and she faced forward again. The elevator slowed and there was a quiet 'ding'. The doors slid open and Dáithí launched forward, shifting fast and destroying the office around them. Rhia ran, following the scent of fresh air and the desperate need to get away from this nightmare.

~

Maddox flattened himself against the wall, letting the group of big soldiers run past him and towards the uproar of noise in the lab. When the hall was clear again, he continued running towards the armory he and the other recruits had been shown earlier. He didn't have much of a plan before everything had gone to hell, but now he had even less of one. He just had a few things he knew he had to do.

First, get a weapon, as his gun had been confiscated when he first arrived.

Second, find Richard and put a bullet in his head.

Third... well... he'd think about that when he got there.

He rounded the corner into the armory to see Richard and Church already there. "Having fun, Maddy?" Church smirked. "I was hoping for the chance to shoot something."

"Neither of you are shooting anything." Richard snapped, grabbing the rifle from Church and slinging it over his shoulder. "You have more important things to do."

Church made a disappointed groan and followed Richard to the industrial freezer doors on the other side of the room. While their backs were turned, Maddox grabbed a pistol and shoved it in his belt and two magazines in his pockets. "Come on, Richard," Church was whining. "The captain told me all about your old missions together! I just want to bag myself a dragonkin too!"

Richard whirled around and punched Church in the jaw, catching him by the collar of his shirt before he could stumble away. "The only reason you are here, Christian, is because Mark Landon saw his mirror image in you." He snarled. "I did not vouch for you, nor will I ever if you keep the same path. I killed Landon and he was one of our best. If you think for one second that I would hesitate to put a piece of lead between your eyes, you are sorely mistaken. Now, stop acting like a spoiled child and do what you're told!"

Richard pushed him back and stepped into the refrigerator, coming back a second later with two heavy black cases. He hoisted them onto the table and looked at Maddox then Church. "Take these," he said slowly and clearly. "Go up the emergency elevator at the end of the hall. Take one of the trucks and drive east. Do not stop until you hit Fort Collins. Further instructions are under the passenger seat when you get there."

"What's in there?" Maddox stared at the black cases.

"We don't have time for that. I'll explain more in Fort Collins. Go. Now."