The Silk Moth Dream (Season 1 Complete)

EPISODE 20: DRAGON'S HEAD

Yuno corks the bottle and folds her tiny hands on her stomach, leaning back. "Well, Ms. Fischer. We've had some important people knocking doors and trying to track me down."

"Well, you're an important person." Hani flashes Yuno an innocent smile. Good. This is why Shailene needed to bring her — Hani is a natural charmer who has none of the same edge that other LB members have. Plus, all Azure Dragons have some sort of strange reverence towards Yuno and Shailene isn't sure that it's totally dissipated in Hani yet.

"That doesn't make me immune to danger when Ryan McNamara comes asking around," Yuno responds, somberly swirling her glass of whiskey. Her expression is dead now. "You know I take no sides."

"But?"

Yuno suddenly breaks into another fit of giggles, her emotions changing like the wind. "Does there need to be a but?"

"No," Shailene grins. "I'd be perfectly happy if your sentence ended there."

Yuno sobers again, face serious. "But the Azure Dragons need to keep a good relationship with the local authorities." She rolls her eyes, as though it's a truth she hates.

Hani snorts. "I can't tell you how many military officers were customers of mine. You know they'll never shut down the Azure Dragons."

"Shut down, no," Yuno agrees, taking another messy swig of the whiskey. "But they burnt down one of our biggest opium suppliers last week and they threatened one of my Dragon Girls." Yono pauses for a moment. Shailene can see her jaw muscles tighten for a second, followed by a slight frown. However, Yuno relaxes, and continues. "They're supposed to look the other way, but they won't if we collaborate too closely for their liking."

Not for the first time in her life, Shailene feels a rush of hate for Ryan McNamara. She's sure that man is a robot sent from hell to destroy her life. Ever since her parents' days, Colonel McNamara and his WRAITH cronies have been obsessed with destroying their organization. "We'll double what we're paying you," Shailene says, even wincing at having to make the offer. Hani looks over, perfectly aware of Left Behind's ever-dwindling financial situation.

Yuno laughs and gestures around at the ornate penthouse they sit in. "The Azure Dragons are not hurting for money, Shailene. In fact, I could get triple what you pay me in a year if I told Ryan that the FBI's Most Wanted is sitting in my living room right this second."

Shailene smiles tightly. Yuno's voice is light and joking, but Shailene knows that the option is only in her mind because she's seriously considered it. "You wouldn't want me in jail."

"No, I wouldn't." Yuno scrutinizes Shailene carefully, as though deep in thought. "Is there really nothing that can convince you to join us? Hani, we'll take you back too."

Hani puts on another coat of her dark lipstick, her lips in a slight pout. "You should focus all your energy on convincing Shailene. She's too loyal to her cause."

Shailene shrugs, throwing her braids over her shoulder. "What she said." Plus, I would rather die. Even making deals with Yuno makes her feel like she needs to take a nice, long shower.

"What if I had information on Evie?"

Shailene stops breathing.

"Who's Evie?" Hani asks, breaking the silence with her slightly-too-loud voice. She looks back and forth between Shailene and Yuno, who are staring each other down.

"What do you know about Evie?" Shailene says, starting to feel light-headed.

Yuno shakes her head. "I thought you were too loyal to the cause."