Dragon Wing

Chapter 16

I couldn't move, it was as if my body had been paralyzed. My father was standing right there, staring back at me, frozen in place. But he quickly recovered from his petrified state, swiping a card he'd stolen from one of the scientists down the reader, and tearing open the door. With tears in my eyes, I dashed out of my former prison and into my father's arms. He embraced me tightly, too afraid to let go in case this was all a dream.

I sobbed, nuzzling my head into his shoulder. "It's you, you're really here."

"I'm here baby, I'm here." He murmured, "I've found you, I can't believe I've finally found you."

"I was so afraid that... that I'd never see you again." I sniffed.

He hugged me tighter, "I never gave up hope. Not once."

"Hey, Lindley, we have a job to do, remember?" the other guy in our aisle called.

"Sorry Commander." Dad apologized, then turned to me, "Do you think you can help us free everyone?"

A grin spread across my face, my teeth bared. "Of course."

I flew off to grab a key card that had fallen on the floor, and started unlocking the rest of the cages in the aisle. Within a matter of minutes, every dragonette and dragon-human hybrid was ready to bust out of this place.

"Lets go!" The commander shouted, running towards the doors. My dad and several other guys ran behind him with the dragonettes, and the rest of our rescuers tailing to make sure no one was left behind.

We wound through countless corridors, ones that all looked the same to me, but the commander seemed to know exactly where he going. I flew next to my dad, Max, Ethan and Kate in line with me.

I can't believe it, we're actually getting out of here, we're finally going to be free. Max said, his mental voice full of exhilaration.

He spoke too soon. The entrance to the corridor up ahead was closing, the security measures were kicking in.

"We're not going to make it!" Kate cried.

"Marxon's! We need some help!" The commander shouted, and I realized he was talking into an ear piece.

Thanks to my impeccable hearing, I heard voices on the other end. "Sorry sir! But we're a bit preoccupied at the moment!" I heard the sound of gunfire over the communicator.

"These guards just won't LET US DO OUR JOB!" Another voice called, "You're on your own for now sir!"

The commander growled with frustration.

"What do we do?" The man next to the commander exclaimed, looking to the commander for orders.

My mind was racing, trying to think of a solution, then it hit me. "I have an idea!" I yelled, beating my wings harder, and I tore through the air until I was in front of the commander, still gaining speed.

I felt the back of my throat getting hotter, and a column of fire burst forth, aimed at the top of the blast doors, melting them in place.

"Good thinking." The commander shouted, "We're almost there!"

I fell back in line with my friends. We turned another few corners, and I saw light at the end of the corridor.

"Is that..." Max's voice trailed off.

"Sunlight." I breathed.

We burst through the entrance, and my eyes were temporarily blinded, but when they finally adjusted, I saw the true beauty of the world we had been deprived of for years. The facility was built into the side of a mountain in the middle of a large island. Lush, green jungle surrounded us on all sides, and beyond that was a beach with pure white sand, and the ocean was the bluest thing I had ever seen. I couldn't help twirling and spinning in the air, the thrill of finally seeing the outside world again was intoxicating. I was dimly aware of every other dragonette flying through the air the same way I was, but our ecstasy was cut short by the commander.

"We're not out of the woods yet!" He told us, pointing to one of those massive military cargo aircraft at the end of a runway just near the beach, and coming up the road that seemed to wind on forever, was an entire fleet of armored cars, and they did not look like they were here to assist in our escape.

Just then, two guys jumped down from one of the vents leading into the building, and they didn't seem to notice the vehicles getting closer. They had the same masks and neck gaiters as the rest of our rescuers.

"Man, those security guards sure take their job seriously." One said.

"Yeah, and they sure know how to use a taser." The other chuckled.

"On themselves." The other smirked, and they both fell into a fit of laughter.

"Marxon's!" The commander yelled.

"Yes sir!" They saluted him.

"Quit fooling around! We have a problem." He articulated, and they finally realized what he was talking about. "You think you can get us outta here?"

"Of course." The Marxon on the left seemed to roll his eyes, "Look who you're talkin' to."

"Although, we're going to need a fast way to get to the plane." The right Marxon added.

An idea seemed to pop into Kate's head, "I could fly you down there."

The commander turned to her, sizing her up. "You think you can do it?"

"I know I can." She challenged, then turned to Ethan, "Can you help?"

He glanced sideways at her, "do you really need to ask?" Ethan then proceeded to fly over to the right Marxon, and gripped onto the vest with his large claws, and hoisted the Marxon into the air with ease. Kate quickly followed suit.

"This is awesome." The Marxon held by Kate declared, and I watched as Kate and Ethan flew with incredible speed towards the plane.

I turned my attention to the vehicles, which were now coming up the final stretch, to where we were.

The commander's squad - including my dad, which I was having trouble grasping, since he was just an accountant - lined up, guns and rifles pointed at the enemy, and started firing. They shot with complete precision, all aiming at the drivers side of each of the cars, but it was no use, they weren't even making a dent.

"They're not going to get anywhere, those vehicles are completely bulletproof." Emily stated, looking around for another way.

It was Max's turn for an idea, "But they're not completely dragon-proof."

"Dragonettes!" I shouted over the roar of gunfire, "Let's show these people what we're made of."