Ryan's Story Interlude XX
"Man, if I didn't know any better I'd say the boss has lost it."Jones looked at him with a look of incredulousness. "Don't let him hear you say that, Tommy."Thompson snorted. "Like I care! If dumb ass wants to pay us to sit here watching some country club, what the hell do I care?""Pays the same even if they're not shooting at us," Jones conceded.Thompson kicked back and put his feet up on the dashboard of the van, looking at the ceiling. He grunted. "I need a beer.""Not on duty.""To hell with duty! I'm gonna get a beer."Jones shook his head and started to protest but then figured why bother? There was nothing going on. Poundstone assigned them to watch this country club and report if anything "strange" happened. He didn't say what strange was so it left a great deal to interpretation. And boredom.Long streaks of boredom.Thompson rummaged around in the back of the van and came back with two cans of beer. Jones looked and shrugged. Why the hell not? Poundstone was in another part of testate and it was freaking hot out here. He popped the top and took a long drink, then back to looking with the binoculars again."Anything?""Just a bunch of fat
guys playing golf and tennis. What the hell did he expect?"Thompson sighed. "I'm gonna use the electric surveillance.""And if they detect it?""Oh for Pete's sake! They're a bunch of yuppies not a crack team of military experts!""Poundstone won't like it.""Poundstone ain't here."Jones shrugged. "It's your ass."Thompson climbed into the back and fired up the van's surveillance equipment, wondering why Poundstone would be so blasted paranoid in the first place. Staking out a country club for "strange happenings" was about as stupid a thing as he could come up with. To add the idea of no electronics was even more stupid. How the hell were they going to figure out what was going on with plain old optics and a notepad?He fiddled around with the dials and settings and used the camera and mic to get a closer look at the place and started to monitor their phones, cellar, and satellite traffic. It was something to do at least.About an hour later he found nothing going on other than two sordid affairs (which he recorded for later entertainment and possible blackmail), standard yuppie bitching about taxes and that they would simply transfer everything to swiss bank accounts, and about a dozen other plans for various forms of political activity, some of which were not quite legal. In short, it was the same as most any other country club you'd find in the USA."Shit!"Thompson looked over at Jones. "What?""I saw someone move out there.""So? It's a free road.""Just paranoid.""Doubtless!" Thompson said and fiddled around, trying to find more information about those affairs. You couldn't pay for entertainment like this!Something thumped the side of the van. Jones had his gun out before Thompson could say anything. He blinked and drew own weapon, motioning for Jones to to step out the door and investigate. Jones swallowed and opened the drivers door; Thompson carefully moved forward, eyes alert.Jones moved around the side of the van and suddenly said, "Hold it!"Thompson stepped out he passengers side and quickly made his way around to see what Jones had found. Standing in front of Jones was a tall blond woman dressed in hiking clothes. Jones had his gun on her. "Who are you?"The woman stared. "My name is not important. What you are doing here is."Jones laughed. "Us? We'll ask the questions here, little lady. What are you doing here?"The woman glare. "You are watching the country club.""And?"She cocked her head. "I cannot allow this."Jones laughed. "And what the hell are you going to do about it?""Leave. Now. Drop your weapons and go. Do not come back."Jones laughed again. "Oh you're a real card!" He leered at her. "Tell you what, why don't you just climb in the back of the van and let Jonesy show you some of his observations, eh?"The woman stared. "I will not ask you again."Jones motioned to Thompson. "Grab her, Tommy, let's have a little fun."Thompson took a step forward and the woman lunged, kicking the gun out of Jone's hand before he could react. He stood there starting at his empty hand stupidly when she hit him across the head. He made a muffled "oomph" and fell to the ground.Thompson lifted his gun and stepped back. "Bitch, that's the last mistake you're gonna make!" She spun on him, eyes locking with his and he took another step back. "Get on the ground!" She said nothing and continued to stare. He looked down, swallowing, not liking the look in her eyes. "I'm warning you! I'll shoot!" She said nothing but slowly started to come towards him, hands out, as if stalking him. He lifted the gun and before he even got it up a centimeter she was on him, driving her knee into his stomach, then bringing both of her hands down on this head in a stunning blow. He yelled and dropped to both knees and she expertly kicked him in the temple. He collapsed on the ground like a tossed rag doll.She looked at both men, shook her head, rummaged through Jones pockets of the keys, climbed into the van and drove off."OW! STOP IT!""My prince, I need to check the rest of your wing! Now--" Ryan lifted his head and trilled sharply and Athena instantly let go of his wing, stepping back, shaking her head. Ryan looked at her, startled, then dove for the dubious protection of his mother. Athena shook her head to clear it and then looked at Ryan with a murderous glare. "Ryan..." she said in a dreadful voice.He squeaked and huddled closer to his mother who suddenly picked him up, held him away from her, and put him down on the table, hard, causing him to squeak again. He looked up at her in shock and betrayal and she smacked him on the nose."Don't you ever do that again!" she yelled."Mother!""Shut up, Ryan!"He looked over at Athena who grabbed him by the ear and twisted it until he squealed in pain. "My prince, I do not care if you can trill or not, you will never, ever, do that to me or any other dragon who is trying to help you or so help me I will take you over my knee, grab your tail, and paddle you so hard you won't be able to sit down for a month!" Ryan dropped flat on his belly and then rolled over, exposing his throat to her. Athena grumbled, grabbed him, and literally tossed him into the air. He squawked ungracefully and righted himself, fluttering to the ground. "And do not EVEN try to do the whole submission thing with me, hatchling! Now get up here, settle down, and let me look at your wing!"Ryan very meekly got back up on the table and allowed her to examine the rest of his wing without further noise, movement, or anything but absolute and utter stoic obedience. Athena finished with him and glared. "Your wing is fine, my prince, which is far more than I can say for you manners! I strong suggest that you talk to Trisk, Pax, Sulvius, and Tanner, and ask them for some more guidance! The nerve of you, trying to use the trill to get away from me!"She shook her head and stalked off, muttering to herself, and slammed the door behind her. Ryan looked at the door, then at his
mother and shrank back. "I am in so very much trouble," he said in a small voice."That might be an understatement!""Can you just kill me now?"She sighed. "Come along, Ryan.""Yes mother," he said and followed her out the door, head low."Oh, I'm not surprised at all, really," Sulvius said. "He has not been raised to understand how effective the trill is and isn't going to be cautious in it's use. Up until now it's just been a sound that he's made." Sulvius shrugged. "I'll work with him on it and have Pax do the same.""Why Pax?" she wondered."Ryan isn't as intimidated by him and he has a certain connection to him because of the attack and Pax helping him out with advice during dinner. Plus Pax is a very wise and personable dragon with a great deal of experience in protocol and the like. He'll be able to explain it to Ryan easily.""I hope so; Athena was really angry."Sulvius chuckled. "Oh, probably not as much as she seemed. I'm sure it was more startling than anything. Most likely she just wanted to put the fear of God in him, so to speak." He cocked his head. "Did she say that Ryan could fly?""She said his wing was fine.""Good," Sulvius said, thrumming. "I think I will ask her for permission to take him flying, if that is alright with you.""There is no danger of him being seen?" she asked worriedly."There is always some chance, but it's very unlikely," Sulvius reassured her."Alright," Beth said, "just be very careful of him.""You have my utmost assurances, lady.""What?" Poundstone said in a flat voice.'They were attacked by several men and the van stolen," Arlen said.Poundstone exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Okay."Arlen looked confused. "That's it?"Poundstone shrugged. "They'll pay for the van, but otherwise that they were attacked means the country club is hiding something, most likely Ryan.""Probable."He nodded. "Alright. Call in the other teams and lets get a plan put together," he said, grinding out his cigarillo on the heel of his boot."This is a private drive, sir," the guard said in a polite but firm
voice."Ah well, we're just a bit lost," the driver said with a smile. The guard nodded. "Just take the road north. You'll run across a string of small towns.""Great!" the driver said. "Say, this is a really nice looking property! Who owns it?""Private, sir,""Do you think they'd sale?""Doubtful, sir.""Pity. I'd really love to bid on something like this. So nice and close to canyon country and such.""As I said, the owner would not likely sell.""Pity. Are you sure you can't give me a little information? I'd kick myself if I didn't try and they sold to someone else."The guard considered him. "Have you heard of Saint George Steel?""Can't say as though I have."The guard nodded. "Ah. Well, it is a conglomeration of companies; one of those holds this place. Now if you will excuse me," he said meaningfully.The driver nodded and they pulled out and headed down the road. He looked at his passenger. "Regular paranoia or are they hiding something?""Hard to say. Saint George Steel huh? Let me look that up," he said but was cut off by his phone ringing. "Yeah? Yes sir," he said and hung up. He looked at the driver. "That place wasn't it, one of the other
teams found it. Poundstone said to head back.""Get your hands off me!" Susan shouted."You need to come with us, ma'am; you're on the protect list.""Look, I don't care about dragons and their bloody list!"The man looked around, startled. "Please, ma'am, not so loud!""Let go of me or I'll scream it to the world!"He sighed. "I really did not wish to do this. Please forgive me.""Don't you dare lay a hand on me!" Susan started to scream when another man walked up behind her, shifted to his bipedal form, and pulled her head back and exhaled into it. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed into his arms. He looked at the other man and nodded. "Glad you came along, Kapnos.""My pleasure," the dragon who breathed out said in a very deep voice. Got her Anemos?""Yeah," Anemos said and Kapnos shifted back to his human form. They dragged her off into a waiting car and drove away."This is so much fun!" the boy shouted as he ran to the car."Yeah. Fun," his mother said, looking worriedly at the father."We will be safe," he assured her as they climbed into the van.The boy buckled himself into the backseat and then grinned at the very large man who sat next to him. The man ruffled his hair. "You remember your draconic?""Yup!""Great! We can practice on the way there!"The boy's mother groaned. "Not all the way there!""Why not, mom?""Because it sounds like you're trying to gag, choke, and then spit your tonsils out!"The large man laughed. "Poor humans and their limited sounds!""Stupid dragons and their liquid vocal chords!" she shot back."Oh don't make me separate you two!" the father said. "I need to stop for petrol. Do we need anything?""A large martini comes to mind.""Dear!"The dragon laughed. "At least you all have a good sense of humor!"The mother looked at him seriously. "We do try. I'm only glad the dragons are protecting us.""As best we can," he assured her as the family drove off down the road.