Mara is trying to reach me. Fighting through the commotion.
“Stay back!” I roar. “Mara, get to cover!”
She doesn’t listen. Never does.
An operative lunges for her. She dodges—barely—and grabs a fallen branch. Swings it with desperate strength.
It connects with his helmet. He staggers.
She runs.
Straight toward me.
Idiot. Brave, reckless idiot.
She’s ten yards away. Five.
Then something hits me from behind.
It’s like being struck by lightning. A massive wave coursing through my body. I go down hard, every muscle seizing.
Scales shimmer up my arms and then flicker away.
“Target acquired,” a voice says above me. “Deploying secondary suppression.”
More pain. The devices—multiple now—creating overlapping fields that crush against my skull.
The heat inside me dims to barely an ember.
I try to move. My body won’t respond. Paralyzed. Helpless.
“K!” Mara’s scream cuts through the ringing in my ears.
I see her through blurred vision. Fighting to reach me. Andrei grabbing her arm.
Good. Get her out of here.
I want to yell the words, but can’t find my voice.
“Let him go!” She’s clawing at Andrei, who’s dragging her back toward the others. “He didn’t do anything! Just let him—”
“Secure the asset,” someone orders. “Lethal force authorized for interference.”
No.
I try to summon power. Try to find my beast form. Try to do anything.
The suppression fields hold. My dragon nature buried beneath technological warfare I don’t understand.
Hands haul me upright. Cuffs snap around my wrists. Heavy. Cold. Reinforced with something that makes my skin crawl.
More technology designed to contain what I am.
Mara is still fighting. Still screaming. I dig deep, reaching for the power that still coils within me. One of the cuffs explodes.
An operative raises his rifle. Aims at her.
“Stand down, or we put her down.”
