Guardians: Away Mission Book 2 of the Guardians Saga COMPLETED except for edits

Arrival Part 1.1

"Are they in place?" one voice said.

"Yes, all four with crossbows. At least one will find its mark," another voice answered.

Alex looked down the street and saw a procession coming. She saw that while all stood on two feet and were dressed in robes, pants and tunics, or jumpsuits that clung tightly to their bodies, there were distinct differences in them, mainly their heads.

Some looked like Iguanas, some Chameleons, and many she didn't know.

The crowd of humanoid reptiles waved and cheered. Rile was closest, so Alex slid forward and tugged on his arm.

When he turned, she whispered to him, "I think there's an assassination planned. I heard mention of four crossbows and one hitting its mark."

When he looked down at her with skepticism, she added, "You're not the only one with good enough hearing to eavesdrop."

Rile scanned the area and pointed at an upper window. "There's one crossbow. Three more to go."

"I told you to step back," Gabe whispered fiercely as he pushed Alex against the wall, his body shielding her from the crowd's view.

"I overheard an assassination plot," she protested.

"Four crossbows to assassinate someone, probably a figurehead since we were Called here as Guardians." Rile yanked his brother forward. "I've found one. Now help me find the other three."

Gabe told Cale and they intensified their search. The procession drew closer. Alex saw Gabe point, and the three brothers vanished into the crowd.

"Three of them and four crossbows. Why didn't Gabe tell me to find one?" Alex muttered to the uncaring wall.

Although annoyed, Alex decided to stay put and keep an eye on the procession. A figure in the center of the parade smiled and nodded to his adoring audience.

His lavish, sunset-orange leather overcoat obscured the skintight one-pieceoutfit of many of the crowd. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the crossbow that Rile had pointed out disappear.

"One down, three to go." Alex didn't know where the other three were, so she watched the central figure closely.

Alex never questioned how she could see a crossbow bolt flying toward its target, she merely reacted. She speed-burst through the crowd, invisible, her slipstream harmlessly pushing the crowd away, then touched ground on the road.

She was now visible and used her regular flying ability to look as if she jumped into the carriage, instinct telling her to hide her flying ability. 

She grabbed the waving figure, pushed him to the carriage floor, and covered him with her body.

She said, "Stay still, I'm protecting you. Bolts are flying, so let me take the hits."

He smelled both musky and pungent, but in an earthy, pleasant way

The screaming started. A large, muscular reptile resembling a Komodo dragon grabbed Alex and the reptile that she saved was taken from her. She was reluctant to blast such a large crowd, and the hands weren't hurting her, only restraining her.

Another muscular Komodo dragon type jogged up to her and yelled orders. Alex's rescue was surrounded by many large reptiles, mainly Komodo types. All were armed, on alert, and asking questions.

"Council President, are you all right?" One Komodo hunched over him protectively.

"Did this creature hurt you?" Another Komodo picked up each of the president's arms and examined them closely, even sniffing them. He removed the President's brilliant orange leather overcoat and patted the President's arms and chest.