Warning: New World Money God

Red and white striped blockades blocked every road leading to Water’s Flow bank. Traffic guards in white helmets redirected traffic. Police forbid entry along the sidewalks. Onlookers were turned away with a warning against loitering.

Flood lights rose over broken glass the shade of basalt. Crews with broom and pans set cleared the road for emergency vehicles whose sirens wouldn’t stop blaring. They cleaned temporary staging areas free of dangerous debris at relatively safe distances.

A haggard looking man with half-chewed whiskers took a shot of whiskey from a flask. An inspector’s badge pinned to his shirt shone in the floodlights. Fire shot from his nostrils. “You can’t tell me not to send in rescue crews. Who takes responsibility if somebody dies? Since when have we usurped our authority to the world government? This is our problem. Not theirs.”

The administrative officer recoiled from the flames. Her shoulders went down and her tail drug. Heavy eyes set at each side of her snout, “We received orders from the Commissioner General himself. Because this is a monetary policy issue, we’re not to go inside until the WG task force arrives.”

The inspector threw up all six of his arms and his tail. Three right arms pointed toward a firetruck, ambulances, and rescue vehicles idling, “We have professionals twiddling their thumbs while people’s lives are at stake!’

She sighed, “I already told you three times. The building code and disaster protocol does not allow us to put rescuers at risk with unnecessary heroics. We must confirm the structural integrity of the building before conducting any type of search anyway. And seeing there is a potential vault breach, we need to follow orders and wait for the WG’s arrival.”

“There could be as many as one hundred dragons whose lives are at stake. Do you understand? Hurry it the fire up.”

“The convoy eta is within three minutes. It won’t be long sir.”

He retracted his claws before putting all his hands in the pockets of his coat. The badge hid behind the coat as he grumbled, “Fine, if they’re not here in five minutes I’m greenlighting further preparations for the rescue operations. The WG isn’t going to be the one on the hot seat answering to angry families.”

“Looks like they’re here.”

Officers in white helmets opened the barrier for a police convey. A black luxury sedan in the center with a flying silver dragon hood ornament led an armored crowd control van. The luxury vehicle almost slammed into the back of a patrol car escorting it. They came to a stop across from the front entrance of the distressed bank.

A guard in a black suit burst from the passenger side without bothering to close the door. A headset with a coiled wire led to his ear. The rear passenger door clicked. A yellow scaled dragon in a blue suit specifically tailored for two arms, wings, and a large tail stepped into the flood lights. While he had only two arms, rippling muscles strained his sleeves. Fiery orange pupils contracted into slits. Large folded yellow wings coiled over his back. A cane tipped with a large purple orb glowed under pointed black claws.

The inspector’s trench coat stood as he faced the towering yellow, four-limbed, dragon from the western continents. He saluted, and then narrowed his eyes. Then he spoke with a monotone voice, “We’ve cordoned off the scene. Investigators have been denied access as you requested.”

The yellow dragon pushed flame out his nostrils with a grunt. He snapped his fingers amidst the light. Agents in black suits exited the armored van. They were all western dragons, none with more than two beefy arms. All had large wings of various shades of yellow, orange, pink, and red folded over their backs.

From the backseat of the luxury vehicle, Avelina shifted until she exited vehicle to stand besides the yellow dragon. A large cooler hung from her claws along with a folded table case.

“Would you prefer a tea or coffee sir?”

A large hand coiled around her shoulder and pushed her against a fiery body that produced more heat than she was used too, “I’ll have a cup of your finest Earl Grey Tea.”

He released her shoulder as he leaned toward a black suited green dragon that spoke into his ear. A few nods and grunts followed. Staff tapped the stone walk as he approached the inspector, “You needn’t worry about the rescue operations. Remain on standby. My group will handle everything.”

Avelina opened the table to set-up a brewing station for her boss as her tail stood on edge.

Black suited dragon assembled to either side of their boss as he waited for tea.

“Order confirmation sir?” they asked in the Brilliance language.

“A little birdie got its hands on more power than it could handle. I want a full residue trace of the building with your findings reported to me. Any items with residue are to be recovered. Organize the rescue teams on standby so they may do their work once you’re finished. Any witnesses left alive are to be assembled for questioning with myself present. Consider the possibility that the hostile may still be present or in disguise. They are to be captured alive if possible and bought to me for questioning. Inspect everybody carefully. Pay careful attention for signs of an escape route.”

“Sir! Yes sir!”

Avelina’s understanding of Brilliance was quite high, though she struggled to catch everything as she fought sleep while making tea.

The yellow dragon stomped forward to tower over the Inspector. The tip of the cane cracked the cement on firm contact as he switched from Brilliance to Sunese in a blink, “You sir, why are you still here? This incident is no longer your concern. You have my permission to wait outside the barricades with the rest of your police force until we’re finished conducting our investigation. You are not to discuss what you heard here with anyone. Is that understood?”

Eye glared with a glow upon the inspector, whose tail and whiskers went down with arms retracting against his chest, “Yes sir. Send anyone if you have need of us.”

“I’ll do just that. Good job on the initial clean-up and crowd control. Now make yourself scarce,” he turned to Avelina as the city police inspector and his team retreated, “Is my tea ready? I’m parched.”

Avelina bounced awake when she realized the water was piping hot. She shook the sleep off and mixed the tea quickly in a cup and saucer decorated with flying dragons. A polite bow with a lift of her arms presented the tea, “Here you are sir.”

His eyes glowed as he sipped, “Quite perfect. I never knew the Eastern Capital Offices had such a gem. I think Berma is ready to retire. Would you like a position at headquarters in New Yew-Tree as my personal secretary? It would come with significantly more compensation.”

“I’d be honored sir, but-”

“Very good, I’ll make the arrangements for you to fly back with me when I’m finished here,” He finished his tea. The finely crafted ceramic cup and saucer smashed over the stone, “Clean this up and wait in the car. I have work to do.”

“Wait, that’s- Why? Sir, that cup wasn’t disposal.”

Head pivoted for a single eyes glare, “If I’m done with it, it’s disposable. Understood?”

Avelina knelt with a nod to clean the broken ceramic of her favorite tea cup. Her claws shook as she collected bag to gather the shards.

The large dragon gave his wings a stretch, refolded them, and walked forward. Black suited dragons swept away glass in his path.

His name or his station remained a mystery to Avelina despite being assigned to him just today. There were only a few things she knew because tonight had been a whirlwind.

He was very important, and she’d unknowingly caught his eye, somehow.