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Ryan stood there, frozen, unable even to tremble. His mind went over what he and done, the horrible thing he had tried to do, over and over again. He wondered if she was going to attack him, but she just stood there, watching him, saying nothing. One part of him noticed that she was very attractive in her full form, the other part couldn't believe that he was thinking that way about her, not now.

"Ryan?" she said in her beautiful, soft voice. He whimpered and closed his eyes, the only movement his body would obey.

She sighed and rose to her feet, groaning as if she had been sitting in one place for too long. She made her way over to him and the little dragon whimpered, ducking his head, trying to step away but unable, fearing she would strike him.

"Ryan, there is no need for this," she said quietly. He flinched at the sound of her voice and she looked down. "Ryan, please. Stop this."

He was finally able to look up at her. "But I tried--" he broke off, unable to say it, unable to admit it.

She shook her head. "Is it of no matter."

"What?" Ryan said, looking confused.

"It is of no matter, Ryan. It was instinct, that is all."

"But I trilled! I tried to...to."

She shook her head again. "Hush, Ryan."

"Kith!"

"It did not happen," she said softly. "We did not mate."

Ryan swallowed hard and looked down, feeling...feeling...

"And even if we would have, I would have not thought badly of you," she said so quietly he barely heard.

He looked up at her, utterly stricken, and then burst into tears. She lowered her head and nudged him towards her, ignoring his cry of fear. She very carefully picked him up and carried him back to the center of the cave, walking on her hind legs, and settled down with him curled in her forearms. She nuzzled him, crooning softly, until he finally stopped crying.

Tanner looked around for Ryan, wondering where he had gotten off too. There was no possible way he could have beat him to the exit. He grinned. Probably got distracted by something, he thought. He walked back into the maze, following the other path along, looking around for the young dragon. After several turns and dead ends, he came across the waterfall. Tanner chuckled to himself. There was most likely a hidden cave, if he knew dragons.

Sure enough, there was indeed a cave behind the waterfall. He made his away around the water and walked down the short tunnel into the cave to see Kith sitting there with Ryan curled up in her forearms and her nuzzling him, talking to him softly, Ryan looking uncertain.

Tanner froze for a moment, taking in the sight. He finally cleared his throat. "What's going on?" he asked.

Kith jerked back, looking up at him guiltily and Ryan climbed of her arms, looking at Tanner in shock. "We-- I mean she..." Ryan trailed off, looking back at Kith who lowered her head, sighing.

"I was resting here and the young prince came into the cave. He was very upset by what had happened and I was trying to comfort him."

"Comfort?" Tanner asked.

"She did not do anything to me Tanner!" Ryan said, stepping forward. "She was just trying to tell me that it was not my fault..." He whimpered and looked down. "But I trilled, I tried..."

"Ryan, it's okay," Tanner said, walking to him and petting him. "It was just instinct."

"She said that."

"Then listen to her!"

Kith lowered her head to nose at Ryan and he flinched. Tanner put his hand out. "Please, don't do that."

She drew back, standing. "I am...I am sorry."

"He's just nervous and--"

Kith stood and walked rapidly out of the cave, Tanner watching dumbfounded. "Kith!" Ryan cried out, and pushed Tanner away. "Kith, please, come back! I did not mean to!" He started to follow and Tanner reached out and put a hand on his arm. Ryan flinched and looked at him in surprise.

"Let her go, Ryan."

"But!"

"Easy, just let her go for now, okay? I'm not saying that you cannot see her later, but now..." he sighed. "She needs time to think, Ryan."

"She is upset! You have upset her!"

Tanner held up both hands. "Ryan, no, I didn't meant to!"

Ryan growled softly. "Why did you send her away?"

"Ryan!" Tanner said in anguish.

Ryan shifted to his full form, grumbling deep in his throat. "I did not wish for her to leave."

"And I didn't make her! Ryan, she was upsetting you, making you nervous, and I just asked her to back away and she left!" Ryan shook head head and glared at Tanner. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "Ryan..."

The dragon took a step towards him and Tanner closed his eyes, shivering. Ryan paused for a moment and Tanner suddenly reached out and threw his arms around the young dragon's neck. Ryan growled and drew back, but Tanner held on, petting him. "Easy, easy Ryan, it's alright!"

"Let me go!"

"Ryan, no, just calm down!"

"No! Let me go! Tanner!"

Tanner reached around and started running his hand over Ryan's head as he squirmed, trying to get away, struggling harder. Tanner hung on, closing his eyes, hoping that the dragon would calm down. There was no way he could hold him if he wanted to escape and he well knew it.

Ryan shuddered at the feeling of Tanner's hand and calmed down slightly. "Tanner, please, let me go. I wish to follow her!"

"No my friend. No," Tanner nearly whispered. "She needs time to think, as do you."

"But--"

"Easy, dragon, calm down."

"I am calm, Tanner, but she..." he trailed off.

Tanner carefully let go and stood up, watching Ryan closely, still petting him. The little dragon looked up at him, pain glimmering in his golden eyes. Tanner sighed. "I'm sorry, Ryan. I didn't mean to upset her or you, or to grab you like that."

Ryan lowered his head. "I know, Tanner. I am sorry for growling at you," he said and started to tremble.

Tanner continued to pet him. "It'll be alright, Ryan. It must be a shock, but it will work out. Please trust me."

"I do, Tanner," Ryan said quietly. He gave a shudder and rubbed his cheek against Tanner's leg. Tanner smiled down at him.

"Not so very small in that form are you?"

Ryan smiled shyly. "Not so very big, either."

"You'll grow!"

"I know! I am getting older and--" he broke off. "More mature."

Tanner sighed and knelt down, taking his head into his arms. "I know it has to be hard on you, Ryan, but you'll make it through."

"I am so very confused, Tanner," Ryan said, voice shaking.

"You're dealing with instincts you never had and your parents didn't know how to teach you to deal with them, so don't blame yourself," Tanner said gently. "We'll get you through this, Ryan."

Ryan butted him with his head. "Thank you, so very much, Tanner."

"You're welcome, Ryan."

Kheros walked through the garden keeping an eye out for intruders and, he admitted to himself, for Kith. He worried for her. It was not at all like her to up and disappear without giving some notice. She was an adult dragoness to be sure and did not owe anyone an explanation, but it was still not like her.

And with what had happened with the young prince...

He worried that she was blaming herself, that she feared Cladden and other's reactions to what had happened, that she was embraced by it, or perhaps that she had had a bad reaction to the inhibitor and needed help.

He worried about many things.

He walked to the hedge maze, wondering if she was roaming around in it. Some dragons liked to when they were nervous or uncertain; it could help one to think. He was looking at the entrance, wondering if he should look, when the object of his concern walked out. "Kith!" he said, ears coming up, feeling a sense of relief, but she flinched and looked away from him. He gave a cry of dismay. "Kith, what is wrong?"

"You know very well what is wrong!"

He shook his head. "No, I am afraid that I do not."

"Ryan!" she nearly hissed. "You saw what happened with him!"

"I saw a young male go into season and try to attract a females attention. I saw that female respond, like many females do when caught unaware. I did not see anything that was out of the normal or anything that deserves any sort of blame or reproach," he said gently.

She just stared at him. "He is the prince."

"And that makes him immune to the mating instinct?"

"Of course not! But he is so very young..." she looked down.

"And you feel as if you tried to take advantage?" Kheros said. "No Kith, you would not do that."

"I did not but..." she sighed. "I know not what I feel."

Kheros chuckled at that and she glared at him. "Sorry, Kith. Of all the dragons in the world, I would have the most trouble believing that you out of all of them would not know what she was feeling."

She snorted. "I am supposed to be in such very good control, is that it?"

He shook his head. "No, you are simply very wise and very willful. You seldom get carried away and we honor and admire you for it, Kith."

"It did not seem to help so very much here."

"Instinct is instinct. Sometimes the best of us fall prey to it."

"I...am going to go away for awhile."

"To where?" he asked her very gently.

She shrugged. "To see my brother, I suppose. I will keep in touch with you all."

"I would be the last to question you in anything, but are you sure that Cladden can handle you being gone?"

"He is going to have to. I cannot be here right now. It would not be fair to Ryan, or to myself I do not think. Please, try to explain it to him."

He grumbled. "Coward!"

She laughed. "He likes you; I doubt he will become too angry."

He eyed her. "This is Cladden we are dealing with. I am not worried about anger so much as full scale panic."

She laughed again. "Better thee than me, I think the humans say."

He chuckled. "Go on, my friend. Let us know that you are safe."

"Thank you, Kheros."

He nodded and came over to her, carefully kissing her on the forehead. She lowered her ears at the gesture, and with a powerful leap flew into the air, her wings beating strongly as they rapidly carried her back to the house."

Ryan and Tanner walked out of the cave into the bright sunlight. Ryan's second eyelids swept over his eyes instinctively. Unfortunately for Tanner, humans did not posses such a wonderful adaptation and so he had to squint. He grumbled about it and Ryan laughed. "Not everyone can be as wonderful as a dragon," he said smugly.

Tanner smacked him lightly on the nose. "Braggart!"

They both laughed, heading back towards the house.

Unbeknownst to them, Kheros watched them as they left the cave. He walked under the waterfall and followed the short tunnel back to the cave Kith had been resting in, investigating. He found Kith's scent along with Ryan's and sighed, wondering if perhaps Kith was hiding something.

He chided himself for such thoughts and headed back for the house as well.

Ryan's parents paced the deck, wondering where Ryan was. Cladden had reassured them several times that the boy was fine and they had vastly increased their security since the unfortunate incident. Allen nearly exploded at the choice of words. Unfortunate! It took all Beth had to calm him down.

Beth wanted to go out to the garden and look for Ryan but Sulvius counseled here against. "Let him be. He's safe I promise you. You need to let him grow up. If his mother goes barging out there to find him it's going to make him feel less trusted and even more like a child. Let him grow."

"Easy for you to say," Beth muttered and Sulvius put a comforting hand on her back.

"I know; he's not mine. I assure you that we do worry for him too," he sighed. "I watched two children grow up and leave the nest. It wasn't easy letting them go either and they had the advantage of being raised as dragons. Even still, I assure you they turned out just fine."

"I'm sure you're right," she said.

He smiled and took his seat. She watched him sitting there for a moment, drinking some sort of fruit drink, amazed that he looked so human in his human form. She laughed to herself, wondering why she was so surprised. Ryan appeared totally human as well, but then she had raised him as well.

Allen heard the exchange and was not so sanguine about it. No matter how these dragons swore they wanted to protect Ryan he still worried they were not as they seemed. He wondered, deep down, if these were the dragons that William and Sara had wanted to keep Ryan away from. He had to admit to himself that hew as mistrustful of dragons in general and, in a moment of rare candor, that meant Ryan too, at least his dragon side.

He lived with the nightmare that Ryan's draconic instincts would carry him away from them, that he would be come a dragon, feral and turn against them. It was very hard to live with. He never told Beth about it, but sometimes he thought she knew and perhaps felt the same fears.

It was foolish, he would tell himself, but that was easy to say and hard to believe. He knew it made him act poorly and he tried, oh he tried, not to allow it to override his good sense. It was not so very easy, as Ryan would say. Now, for example, his good sense was, so to speak, shoved as far away as possible and good old fashioned paranoia had taken it's place.

Which is why when Tanner came walking out of the garden with Ryan in his full form trotting beside him he quite nearly had an apoplexy on the spot. The only thing that stopped him from launching himself was Kheros landing in front of the deck, taking his bipedal form just as his rear legs touched down.

Beth watched them approach, her own mind in a certain amount of turmoil. She didn't figure Ryan would actually stay away from Tanner, despite his father's telling him to do so, but she didn't expect to see him walking out with the man right beside him. She glanced at her husband and winced He was upset, not that it was a big surprise. Oh Lord, let him keep his temper, she prayed.

"Ah Ryan, there you are! Enjoying a walk in the garden with your friend?" Cladden said.

"Yes Cladden!"

Cladden grinned. "Are you hungry my prince?"

Ryan nodded. "A little, I think."

Cladden shook his head. "There is no male dragon anywhere of your age that is just a little hungry. In my experience all of them are on the verge of starving at all times."

"I am not!" Ryan said and his stomach suddenly gave a large growl at the thought of food. Cladden cocked his head and he flicked at ear at him. Ryan ducked his head behind Tanner.

"I see. Well then, let us get the not so very hungry prince inside and fed before he decides to chew on one of his friends."

"I would never!" Ryan protested, looking alarmed.

"It's an old joke," Tanner explained. "Hungry dragons are dangerous dragons. If a dragon were to get too hungry he'd eat his human friends first, so it's best to keep them happy and fed."

"Very good advice," Kheros rumbled.

Everyone laughed. "Very good then," Cladden said and motioned for them to follow him into the house.

Beth walked up to her husband. "Allen--" she started to say.

"I'm not going to fly off the handle!" he said abruptly.

"You're already pissed."

"A little, yes, but I'm not going to loose control."

"That's great, dear, but how in control are you?"

"I'm fine, though I'm going to have a discussion with Tanner later."

Ryan looked back at them from where he was walking next to Tanner, an unhappy expression on his face and Allen cursed a dragons hearing.

"Wonderful," Beth murmured.

Allen quickly walked to catch Ryan and pet him, ignoring the little dragons flinch. "No one is in trouble, Ryan."

"You said you wished to talk to Tanner!"

Tanner stopped and turned to look at Allen and Allen shook his head. "Not about anything bad. I just wanted to make sure you were doing well but was not going to ask him in front of you to avoid embarrassing you."

"Oh!" Ryan said, ducking.

Allen shook his head. "See what assuming gets you?"

Tanner eyed him, clearly not buying it. "Things are fine, Ryan," he reassured the young prince.

"Okay," Ryan said, sounding a little uncertain.

They arrived at the dining room where Cladden pointed out seats for everyone. "I hope this is not going to be a big dinner like the last one!" Bethe said.

Cladden laughed. "No, and not all dinners are big productions. We just figured it would be nice to be catered to for awhile."

"It is," she admitted. "Cooking is not one of my favorite things to do."

"We figured putting up with a rambunctious hatchling for years deserved some sort of a reward," Sulvius remarked.

"Hey!" Ryan protested and everyone laughed at him. The little dragon muttered to himself and looked away.

"So what you would like, Ryan?" Cladden asked.

"What do you have?"

"Whatever you want, within reason," Cladden assured him. "We have stocked up in recent days."

Ryan blinked at this. "Roast beef?"

"Hot or cold?"

"Hot and make them sandwiches?"

"Anything for the prince," Cladden assured him and Ryan sighed at the reminder.

Cladden put the order in and sat down, shifting to his human form before he did so. Ryan wondered if he should shift and looked around to see what the other dragons were doing. Kheros had taken his human form, but that made sense as he would have trouble fitting otherwise. Sulvius was in his human form as well so Ryan reluctantly shifted. He told himself he shouldn't complain, at least he could be in his dragon form most of the time.

"So what do you think of the gardens?" Sulvius asked him.

"Oh they are one of the most wonderful things that I have ever seen! I love them!"

"Glad to hear it! The other safe houses have their own gardens, each with their own style or theme. I am sure you will get to see them someday."

"I would surely like that," Ryan said a little wistfully. He glanced to see his parents reaction and they smiled at him. "Ut only if my mother and father can come with me."

"Of course they can," Sulvius assured him.

Ryan nodded and look back at his mother and father. They smiled at him and he felt a little better. Sulvius leaned towards him. "Ryan, no one is going to try to separate you from your parents."

"They had better not," Allen muttered under his breath.

Ryan smiled at him. "I am so very glad to hear that."

Tanner noticed that Cladden didn't look so certain of it and he wondered what was going on. He promised himself to check into it later. He coughed to get Ryan's attention before the little dragon noticed and started to fuss. "What do you think of the other dragons?"

"They are so very interesting! I met one named Haman who had these spines that grew from his arms and along his back. He even has two hearts!"

Tanner nodded. "I've met his breed before. If there are a few of them here ask if they will do a demonstration of their martial arts. They don't use those skills often but it's still considered an art form amongst them."

Ryan cocked his head, a draconic gesture that certainly followed to his human form, and said, "That would be so very interesting."

"Why don't you name your breeds?" Beth asked.

Cladden shrugged. "I am not sure; we never have. I think perhaps it is because dragons tend to identify themselves with their breeds easily enough that they do not feel the need to label themselves to set themselves apart."

Kheros nodded. "Yes, that is something that it seems humans are always trying to do."

"But how to you categorize your medical information?" Beth asked, puzzled.

"You would have to ask Athena, I am not a healer."

"I find it odd that we do not name our breeds either," Ryan admitted.

"Well," Sulvius said, "you were raised in a human household too. It may be interesting to see how that affects your perceptions on it."

Ryan sighed. "Yes. I am different."

"And there is nothing wrong with that," Kheros said. "If we were all the same it would be boring!" Ryan smiled at him and Kheros grinned, happy to have pleased the prince.

"There have been a few projects by dragon friends to name the breeds but they have never gotten anywhere," Tanner said. "Even if they did, the names would most likely only be used by the dragon friends anyway."

Sulvius snorted. "Dragons know who they are."

"Perhaps we could have a contest one of these days," Ryan suggested. "Have a vote from each breed to come up with its name."

"Coming from the prince that may actually go somewhere," Cladden mused.

Ryan suddenly looked embarrassed and Sulvius chuckled. "Something that we can look into later, perhaps. In the meantime, here comes our food."

Dragons in human form came out with aprons on, carrying platters of food. One of them stopped next to Ryan. "My prince, what would you like to drink?"

"Ah," Ryan said looking at the man nervously. "RC?"

The man smiled. "Of course! We have plenty for you."

"Thank you," Ryan said and looked over at Sulvius, a little puzzled.

"The cooks talked your preferences over with your parents, so don't be too surprised to find your favorites here."

Ryan blinked. "That means whoppers?"

"Yes," the man said cheerfully. "And I will bring you some as soon as you are done with your meal."

Ryan looked at the man speculatively. "As the prince, I should be able to eat what I want first, right?"

The man laughed. "Even as the prince you must obey your parents and they informed me that you a re to eat your lunch first, then dessert if you eat it all."

Ryan glared at his parents and his mother smiled beatifically. "Rank hath its privilege."

Ryan grumbled and dug into his sandwich.

"If you've already decided to do this then why are you asking me?" Tanner said curiously to Cladden, who was watching him from behind his desk.

"Because it has not already be decided. We would like your opinion."

"Why mine?"

"The prince looks up to you and you know him far better than we," Cladden said. "I would ask his parents but I do not believe that I would get very accurate advice from them."

Tanner sighed. "So you're asking me to tell if you should put Ryan into a situation that's going to make him very, very uncomfortable."

Cladden looked down. "I am afraid so."

"If you're asking if I think he can handle it, the answer is yes, it's not going to kill him. If you're asking if I think it's a good idea, then the answer is I have serious reservations. Give him time, he still has no clue how to act as a dragon or really what to say."

"We may not have much time to give him," Cladden said quietly. "There are rumblings in the council about the evil ones starting something. The way things are currently, the council is highly fragmented on humans and the future of dragonkind in general. You are probably at least somewhat aware of this."

Tanner nodded. "Ceremonial or not, Ryan's family held the council together from what I gather.I was ware that things were not as cohesive as they once were, Norian complained often enough about it, but obviously I had no idea as to why."

"That would be one of the prime reasons, yes. That and as human kind expands there is less and less room for dragons, or so it is perceived by some. There are factions who want to limit human expansion further though I have no idea how they are doing to do that short of war or poisoning millions."

Taner shrugged uncomfortably. "There has been the thought for years now that dragons should reveal themselves. It may well be only a matter of time."

"No. Not a good idea."

"Perhaps an inevitable one, however."

Cladden waved a hand. "I will leave that to others who are hopefully wiser than I to decide. Right now I must decide if we are doing to introduce Ryan to certain council members, and then decide if he would be able to swing the vote in our favor should the evil ones try to make a move."

"Why not paint a big target on him and hold up a sign that says 'kill me, I'm the prince!'" Tanner said bitterly.

Cladden closed his eyes. "You know that is far from our goal. Xerxes, however, is aware of him and you know that he will not remain silent."

Tanner sat down hard. "Yeah. Great." He leaned back and looked at the ceiling for a long time then finally sat the chair down on four legs and looked at Cladden. "We are going to have to introduce him; I see no other alternative, at least none that has been presented to me."

"If there was a way we would do it," Cladden said. "None of us wish Ryan to come to harm or to any distress."

"I believe you," Tanner said. "If you say there is none, no other ways, then I will believe you. Please give Ryan as much space as you can however."

"We will."

Tanner hesitated. "There is no clue where his parents may be?"

"None. If I knew that I would be calling them right now." He shook his head. "There are rumors that they are being held in some safe house somewhere but I cannot see them doing that while their hatchling is in danger or while the council fragments further."

"What if they are being held against their will?"

Cladden shook his head again. "With the trill and the general respect they are given, no. The only ones who would try to keep them would be the evil ones and they would have killed them as they did their parents."

"Good point," Tanner admitted. He sighed. "Do you wish me to tell the boy about your plans?"

Cladden brooded for a moment. "Perhaps his parents should."

"And you want me to tell them I suppose?"

"No. I will do that."

"Better you than me. Allen hates me enough as it is."

"Thanks."

Lt. Poundstone stood in front of the large, ornate, oaken desk. The desk had mother of pearl, leather panels of the softest suede, and a top made of very fine marble inlaid with gold. It quite probably cost more than most third world countries GNP. Only the very front portion of the desk was actually lit and the occupant sat back in the shadows, the only parts visible were his hands. They were the hands of an old man, deeply veined, dotted with liver spots, but showed no sign of palsy or weakness.

Poundstone had done work for the man many times before. Whoever he was, and Poundstone never made much of an attempt to find out, was wealthy enough to afford him, even to do small jobs that Poundstone considered beneath him. He paid well and on time, so Poundstone allowed him his little power plays of partially lit desks and shadow plays.

He puffed on his cigarillo knowing that it annoyed the old man, as he thought of him, and taking a perverse delight in it. He tapped it against his combat boot, flicking the ashes onto the floor, something else that annoyed his employer, the floor being made of some costly, exotic wood, that was most like extremely rare and most likely illegal to obtain. He leaned back and puffed a huge cloud of sweet smelling smoke into the air, his hand brushing the hilt of his custom built .45 pistols.

The old mans security guard had only tired to take them once. He even apologized, mostly, for killing one of them.

Poundstone pushed a blond wisp of hair back under his beret and considered the shadow figure with his light blue eyes. 'You called for me?" he asked in a faint New Zealander accent.

"I have a job for you," the mans voice said, low as always.

"That's why you call me," Poundstone agreed, puffing again.

The man sighed. "Your cheek is going to get you into a lot of trouble one of these days."

"It's served to this point. What do you want done and for how much?" Poundstone said, tapping his cigarillo against his boot once more.

"I need someone kidnapped."

"Hmm. Potentially messy and very expensive. Who do you want taken and from where?"

"A young boy in the United States."

"Whoa," Poundstone demurred. "I don't hurt children."

The man laughed, a cold sound devoid of humor. "Morals? Qualms? You?"

"Everyone has their limits," Poundstone said a little stiffly. "Is that all?"

"What if I tripled your normal rate?"

Poundstone was walking to the door and froze in his tracks. He spun back towards the desk. "What the hell are you on about? No one is worth that much!"

The man laughed again. God, how he hate the old mans laugh. "I assure you that this boy is worth it."

"So who do you want me to take? What are we doing, digging up the Lindbergh baby?"

"No, want you to take a dragon."

Poundstone stared and started to walk out again. The man laughed. "Scared?"

Poundstone stopped. "Of a mythological creature? No. Of a crazed old man? Yes."

"I will pay you in advance."

Poundstone looked down, chewing his lower lip. "Normal channels?"

"Of course."

He too a puff of his cigarillo, trying to hide his confusion. "What if I cannot find this so called dragon?"

"That would be unfortunate."

Poundstone stiffened. "Don't threaten me."

The man laughed again, a low sound devoid of any emotion. "Come now, are we not above this? You trust me to pay you, which is not the same as trusting me. I trust you do to the job professionally, which is not the same as trusting you. If you do du diligence, I will allow you to keep half the money. It is, of course, up to you not to overspend."

Poundstone considered for a moment. He walked back to the desk. "Alright. Who is it?"

A folder was pushed across the desk. "The boy's name is Ryan."

Poundstone climbed into the seat of his Austin Martin and closed the door, activated his security system, and tore off down the road, getting a goodly distance away from the old man's mansion before pulling off the road and opening the folder. He double checked his security and looked over the information. There was precious little to go on other than the boys parents names and the fact that they had last been seen in California. Great, a mystery, he sighed.

He settled back in his seat, reflecting on this odd life he had chosen for himself, wondering if perhaps this was the culmination of a long career.

A dragon. Whoever heard of such nonsense? Well, he reflected, a crazy mans money spent as well as a sane ones. And, once he failed to find this mythological beast, he could always vanish for awhile, if not forever. Any mercenary that didn't have several bolt holes and piles of cash stashed away was a fool and usually a dead one before too long.

Poundstone was far from being a fool.

He put the folder away and headed out on the road, speeding along. He loved driving this car. Growing up watching James Bond meant only an Austin Martin would do for him when he could afford it. Even his mother was proud of it, though she had not the faintest idea of how he actually earned the money for it or for her home. She figured he was still working for the SAS. He snorted. Fun job for an amateur, he reflected. They were always so squeamish when it came down to the real nuts and bolts of an operation and wet work. Always fearing casualties.

Poundstone's father had long since beat any sort of squeamishness out of him along with any real moral bearings. In fact his father had the dubious honor of being the first man he had killed.

He sighed and dialed Arlen. "Arlen? Poundstone. Check the account, there should be double the normal rate waiting from the old man. Yeah it should be. Doing?" Poundstone laughed. "Why we're hunting dragons, my dear boy."