Dragon

[DerVVulfman]

Chapter Four
First Mission: White Flint

“I don’t believe it,” Furfy interrupted Rabikes.

“It’s true, man, every word of it.”

“Get outta here!” he laughed uproariously.

“Moulty, tell him!” The little blue twit started talking. Furfy assumed it was just another practical joke and kept on laughing.

Then John and Lizzie rushed in...

● ● ●

The laboratory tank was 100 feet wide and eight feet deep, every inch full of liquid. It wasn’t water in the traditional sense. The chamber was locked by consecutive metal lids. When Becky refused Roberts’ request to enter it, Hunt and Fricker grabbed her bodily and tossed her in, then shut the chamber. Five minutes later, she was still fully alert and breathing... fluid. She heard Roberts’ voice on a special intercom transceiver.

“You can open her mouth while you’re inside there. Don’t worry, you won’t drown. You’ll be wet for ten hours. Think happy thoughts, and feel free to do all the swimming you want” Becky veered to the opposite end.

“We may make a SEAL outta her, yet,” chuckled the General.

“I think she’s kind of a wimp so far,” offered Hunt.

“Maybe. Everybody’s a wimp until they’re pushed hard enough.”

Think happy thoughts? Becky scoffed mentally. Okay. Doctor Roberts’ head on a platter. Fred Freshee being ground into hamburger and put in a sesame-seed bun. Ugh. That’s sick. Try another. Think happy... David busts in and tears the place apart. That’s good. He’d take down ten of these jerks easily. Too bad there’s twenty. What else? Pardy Hardy forgives the teenage torch. Well... I hope so. What else, what else. Being free. Getting out.

She was glad the others had escaped. So there was at least one chance in 3,000 they would find her. It would’ve been easier to think happy if Fricker didn’t keep following her outside the aquarium, left, right, left, right, his stupid tongue flicking all over the place, licking the glass, at one point actually writing a ? In front of her. For-get-it, she mouthed. There-is-NO-CHANCE. She heard Hunt laugh as she shot away from Fricker.

“When she’s out, she gets her first mission,” said the General.

“Certainly,” agreed Roberts. “The outside air should do her good.”

● ● ●

“God, no,” Furfy breathed. “This is... this is crazy! We’re getting married in five months, and you’re telling me she’s been kidnaped by the Army?”

“VSO,” Lizzie corrected. “They may be hard to track down.”

“It’s a large hovercraft, but a fast one,” Diamond added. “Lizzie and I touched down sixty miles from here. We had to steal Woodpecker’s car.”

“And you two left her up there?” Furfy was more stunned than angry.

“That’s my fault, not Lizzie’s. I saw an opening, and I took it. I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation, they seem to want her alive.”

Furfy was very quiet. “If anything happens to her...”

“Cheese dip and Chex Mix! Yoo-hoo!” Moulty flapped in with lunch.

Furfy couldn’t believe this... person(?) Was their leader. “I can’t eat now.”

“Well, at least have a drink, Dave. You need something,” Chris said.

● ● ●

I SAID I DIDN’T WANT TO HURT ANYBODY!!! Becky wrote on a soldier’s clipboard. She was dry, dressed, but NOT ready.

“This isn’t about hurting,” Roberts told her. “This is your first assignment. This one doesn’t have to be violent. This is just a test. Consider it... your initiation. You don’t want to stay cooped up in this hovercraft all the time, do you?”

They’re taking me out? Becky thought. I might be able to escape then, but--

“Gutless,” Hunt shook his head. “I knew it.”

“Be quiet, Hunt,” Roberts spoke. “There are warriors and there are weaklings. I’m somewhere down the middle. It’s not her fault she was spoiled as a child. You and I and Emerson have to go to the mall with or without her. She can stay here with Fricker and the others.” Becky slammed her fist down on the table. “Yes?”

DIRTY POOL, she wrote.

“It what way?” Roberts asked, smiling.

“She just wants to go to the mall,” Hunt muttered.

“That’s what we all want, isn’t it?”

“We’re not buying her anything.”

FINE, DICKHEAD. WHICH MALL? She held up.

● ● ●

White Flint Mall, Rockville. Saturday, 11:33 am. Since the VSO van held four soldiers (plus Roberts) and each of them carried tasers, Becky decided to hold off any escape attempts for now. Except for Hunt, the VSO men were all in business suits. Private Emerson, in Becky’s mind, was probably the least obnoxious of the soldiers. Or was it just because he’d been the one who zapped Freshee?

“Yo, foxy, don’t make us use these things, okay?” He tapped a small solid bulge under his suit jacket. “And don’t be smokin’ me wid no dragon fire ‘n shit. I hate that.”

Besides the tasers, each man had several concealed weapons. Roberts waited outside in the van as Becky, Hunt, Emerson and two no-names entered White Flint as nonchalantly as possible. For ten minutes, nobody said anything. Becky wasn’t allowed to bring in the clipboard. They were now in the center of the mall. Finally Hunt’s wrist-radio beeped.

“This is Roberts. I’m sorry, Dragon. I lied. This is about hurting. There are seven guards for the two floors. Pick your favorite and burn one. You have somewhere between three to four minutes before Sgt. Hunt disposes of three patrons. If anything happens to Sgt. Hunt, the other men have their orders. Proceed.” Becky, aghast, looked at the soldiers accusingly.

What a time for Tom Christian to walk by, even if he was on vacation.

“Becky?” His voice made her heart jump into her mouth. She whirled, seeing him about twenty feet away. “Isn’t this a little out of your neck of the woods?”

Speechless and paperless. What the hell do I do? Becky thought frantically. “Are you all right?” Christian asked, confused. What do I do?!? Hunt, fingering his pockets, was positioning himself behind her English teacher. “Becky, are you sick?” She shook her head slightly. I can’t warn him! Hunt was closing. “Did I do something to offend you, Becky? Open your mouth! Stop him, before he-- “Becky-- “

Hunt’s hand came down on Christian’s shoulder. “Stop calling her Becky. Her name’s Janet, dammit. She’s deaf-- and my sister.”

Christian scoffed, “I think I know my students-- “

”Mission aborted! We’re pulling out. Dammit! Emerson, get her out! Everybody get out!” He whipped out a mini-gun. “Shut your eyes! Don’t make a sound! Keep that way for 30!” Christian obeyed. “Kill, sir?”

“Not if he shuts his eyes. Fall back, Hunt.”

“Right. Mission aborted.”

“This time,” Roberts said coldly. Whew, Becky thought, relieved.

When Christian opened his eyes they were all gone.