The Dragon's Sign

Chapter 6

"Stalk your enemy as you would your prey. Don't rush into battle where you haven't any advantages or victory will elude you and escape you grasp."

~ Deferthan, Flighter in the Yokkia Unit~

Beams of light cut through the inky darkness, the search lights swirling around the perimeter. Military men stood guard near the barbed-wire fence, the gate closed with several bolts and a key pad. Buildings stretched on for miles, most of them disguised in darkness save the last one, the experimentation labratory.

Sapheria sat huched on one of the taller buldings, her wings lying flat against her side. The raw anger of her brother's death burned through her, it's energy making her feel as if her fire would become incarnate. She knew that Lucian was behind it all, the stupid human from the future, so intent on her kind's extermination.

It had been easy to find the base from above in the sky, its irregular structure unlike the more primitave stone-like nature of the other buildings in this time zone. The metal of the roofs had shone brightly in the sunlight, catching her eyes as she had flown high above in the altitude. There had been storm clouds not too far ahead of where she had been origionally heading, and it was somewhat disappointing that it had not reached her.

Her attention returned to the tank in the distance that she had been following from the sky earlier, the sound of the motar cranking alive reaching her ears. The sound of another vehicle approaching rang too, this one with a much larger form than the tank. It seemed almost as if it was a cage, the back jerking violently back and forth.

Gathering herself, Sapheria lept of the roof and flapped hard, lifting herself a safe distance into the air. As the cage-like vehicle stopped next to the tank, Unaile watched as the shaking continued in the back. There was something in there, and there were few creatures she knew that could fit within it and make that much noise.

Opening up her mind, she reached out and touched the creature's thoughts, the cold barrier she met suprising her. Pushing against it, she felt the barrier slowly peel away enough for a voice to come out. It felt familure and she growled as she reconized who it was trapped within the huge metal cage.

"Seer, I see you have opportune timing," Gregory thought to her, his voice colored in anger and agony.

"It would seem I have. I thought you were searching for a lost unit out by the Southern regions young one," she replied hastily and flicked her tail through the air. "What happened to you? Are there others?"

"Yes and I did find the unit, but there was a storm and everyone became scattered. Commander Unaile may be on the search for me, I could hear it from another's thoughts when I was being taken. As far as I know I am the only one captured, but something is up and its not good," he thought back, his nervousness hitting her mind like a freight train.

Her stomach twisted into knots as his fear started to become her own. The truck started moving again and she flew after it, knowing she only had a few moments left. "Where did you last remember being at?" she thought to him.

"It was where a hill curves into a dip, there are several lakes about a hour's flight away. Someone must be down there, and we need a squad to come here. Something big is going to happen and I am going to figure it out. Send a rescue team, nothing more," he thought back adding, "and I am terribly sorry for your loss."

"Wait-you were there when he died?" she rushed back, her thoughts rushing as they reached the gate.

"Yes and if you can get me out of here alive, you will be able to know why he was out here in the first place and where he has been buried," he hurridly replied before shutting her out.

Torn between her heart and duty, Sapheria watched as the truck and tank moved through the gates and down the first lane of buildings. Growling her frustration, she headed up into the sky. Gregory was in danger and he had a point as well as a good bargain. As she flew through the darkness, she hoped she would find someone to help her with the task at hand.