Warning: It's To Die For

The yellow dragon looked upon the clear skies. Stars hid behind the glare of floodlights. He reached the smashed automatic doorway when one of the black suits approached him.

“Sir, a few of the survivors report a strange individual who claimed to be cleaning staff. Would you like to interview them personally?”

The cane pushed aside a small shard of glass on recently swept walkway, “What sort of condition are they in?”

“They’re stable receiving care onsite.”

“Keep them here until I’m ready, save me a visit to the hospital.”

“Yes sir.”

Broken glass around the automatic doors refused to budge. The black suits pried and poked with bars and picks to clear it.

The yellow dragon grunted. A flood light flicked on into the dripping, damp lobby. He stepped over the broken glass without waiting for his bodyguards to finish cleaning. The lobby floor remained clear for the most part with the exception of wet mounds of dry wall and broken wood frame. A hole in the wall revealed the structural steel. All that remained of the receptionist’s desk was broken leg posts bolted into the floor.

Polished steel glinted in the floodlight. The elevator held tightly closed, just out of range of the water spout that destroyed the building’s center.

A black suit appeared behind him, “Sir.”

“What did you find below?”

“The entire basement floor is residue positive. We’re recovering all objects for further investigation.”

“The safe?”

“It was blasted from the front by a water jet powerful enough to erode everything it hit. Essentially, it was cut in half. Fragments indicate a large portion of the contents were destroyed. The surviving gold and gems were stolen. Four security guards died, three drowned, one eviscerated in the water jet. Nobody was found alive. Security footage has been destroyed.”

“Very good. Any thoughts on the culprit’s escape vector?”

“The suspect utilized the security elevator. How they gained access is initially unknown. We suspect he possesses more than one human artifact. On the way out, the elevator was forced open. A path cuts through the building to the south eastern alley. A mild residue trail leads to Forest Avenue and ends at a coin parking.”

“Establish checkpoints within every passable road in a ten-kilometer radius. I want one of our agents in charge of each one. Nobody gets in, and nobody gets out without inspection. We’ll close the checkpoints. Inward. We’re going to squeeze the clever little birdie until it coughs up the eggs. Discover and contain, do not engage until I give the order.”

“Yes sir.”

Another group of agents arrived. They escorted the yellow dragon to the hall the security elevator stopped in. The elevator box was wedged into place. His claw ran along sanded metal at the edge of a wide hole until it scraped the polished door. He peered inside. An inch of water pooled over the floor.

Two agents stood at attention behind him. The yellow dragon examined the escape tunnel nearby, “How long has it been since this country experienced a rank three or above artifact related disaster?”

“The volcano of the Nine-States erupting in 629 would be the last incident sir.”

“Just over ten years ago. Moon god forbid we would have enough healthy fear of commoners playing with dangerous artifacts. This is a case study as to why we need to absorb the Sealing Commission. I’ve seen enough of this mess. Let me speak to the witnesses.”

Outside, two open ambulances waited.

A machine beeped over the bandaged body of Glady’s Infield as a tube pumped blood into her upper left arm. A bloody metal tray at the bedside contained a small pile of broken glass shards.

The big yellow dragon found the ambulance designed for violet dragons a bit tight, but he could fit if he tucked his tail. The orb on his staff glowed as he tapped it with a large black claw. A hazy violet aura wisped around big yellow scaled hands.

“What did you see?”

Red saliva dripped from the receptionist’s teeth as she struggled to turn her head. She tried to form words, but her heart monitor alarm beeped loudly.

Paramedics came from the front and back of the ambulance.

A large yellow hand waved them away. An angry grunt burst through the vehicle loud enough to rival the alarm. The tip of his cane slapped the switch. The monitor went silent. A sense of peace returned as the EMS workers kept their distance. Gladys coughed, chest tensed, claws gripped at the side of the bed. He laid the glowing orb over her chest.

“What did you see? You don’t have to say anything. Just envision it.”

He saw the violet dragon in maintenance coveralls and a blue hat. The memory of his face was a blur. His features mixed and matched in her memory. He saw a maintenance cart. He saw a mop attached to the dragon’s back like a sword. Who did such a thing with a mop? The conversation at the desk replayed until the last part made his yellow snout lift in a toothy grin.

Gladys gasped. Her breathing stopped. Her wide-open eyes stared.

The yellow dragon closed them, “If it wasn’t for you. He might have gotten away with this. Good job.”

The ambulance wheels lifted. The vehicle squealed in relief as the yellow dragon exited. An EMS worker looked at him expectantly. A gentle rub of the mane reassured her, “Sorry, that patient is not coming back.”

In the next ambulance, another violet dragon sat on two stools pushed together. Scales pushed out his ripped clothes. Two of his left arms were splinted against his chubby chest. He sat with his snout down and whiskers limp, “They said someone important had some questions for me. My life is over, isn’t it? I swear to the Sun god I was deceived.”

“Can you tell me about the suspicious actor?”

“Well-”

The staff’s orb glowed brilliantly under thick black claws, “No need to talk. Do this for me. Think of that moment, remember it as vividly as you can, like a movie in your mind. Can you do that for me?”

“Umm, yes sir. I can do that for you. Give me a moment. I broke a few ribs, lost a few scales, the pain is really bad.”

“Do your best. But I don’t have all the time in the world.”

The face in the memory was garbled. It kept changing as if being mixed and matched. Wide Goldfield was obviously a fake name. This fat employee didn’t know the name of the Head Director of the World Government, pathetic. The yellow dragon stood while scanning the memories. Face remained garbled, but the cap was always clear. The suspect was allowed entry with an obviously counterfeit security card that should have been an immediate red flag.

The yellow dragon sighed, “Okay, I’ve seen enough.”

“You didn’t ask me anything? I’m not fired?”

The orb under yellow scales glowed a brilliant purple.

“Oh, no worries.”

The overweight dragon sighed.

“You’re not fired. You’re blacklisted from ever working a respectable profession, for the rest of your life. Enjoy cleaning toilets at 8-12.”

The former head of the maintenance department for Water’s Flow Bank fell out of the back of the ambulance, “It wasn’t my fault. I did nothing wrong! I have three kids and a wife. You can’t do this to me! Come back here! Listen! It wasn’t my fault.”

“Never mind, you’ll be in jail as an accomplice,” the yellow dragon stepped back with a shrug and walked away.

The overweight dragon rolled over broken glass. He cried, pleaded, begged for mercy. His claws bled as he pounded the curb. Two EMS staff hefted the screaming dragon onto a bed. He squirmed to break free. Ribs cracked. A gasp erupted from his maw with a spurt of fluids. The frantic movement stopped.

A black suit rushed to his boss’s side, “We’re narrowing down the path of the suspect. They’re on one of three industrial islands. Agents have been dispatched to the area. Local law enforcement has been instructed to remain out of it.”

“Good, establish a perimeter and a suitably comfortable base location so I can direct the dragon hunt. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Yes sir.”

Whirling smoke blew from his nose. He curled his tail into the plush rear seat of his large black sedan. His back pushed into the seat cushions. One hand rested on his staff; the other firmly pressed upon Avelina’s slender shoulder.

“My dear, can you make me another cup of that delicious Earl Grey? I have to wait on some information before we make our next move. Your tea is to die for.”