I almost ignored the call. Three a.m., and on my private cell; that meant it could only be Cassandra. I was still on sick leave, and had hoped to stay that way for the foreseeable future. The last job had left me burned, bruised, missing two fingers, and with a profound ambition to improve my knowledge of demonology. Still, she wouldn't be calling unless it was important. Cassandra is not known for her sparkling personality, and I seem to irritate her more than most. That was what made me hit 'receive'. Well, that and the fact I had no choice, really.
“Cass,” I said, “You do miss me, after all!”
Her voice was pure flint.
“Luke. Are you well?”
I grinned.
“Yeah, sweetie. It's difficult for me to count to ten, but otherwise... not bad.”
I could sense her holding her annoyance in check. It always offends her dignity to have to deal with the likes of me, but hey - you have to keep the talent happy. 'Are you well' was the end of the pleasantries, though.
“We have a situation here, Luke. You're the nearest operative I have - you know Remington Square in the Business District?”
“Sure,” I said. Remington was less than twenty minutes away.
“We've got something cornered there. There are some casualties, lots of damage. We have to get it under control before morning - if we don't, it'll be impossible to keep it quiet. The army wanted to move in, but the High Council doesn't want any witnesses. So it's yours, Luke.”
I looked over at the mirror hanging by my bed. What I could see of my body under the tattoos was dark with bruises and burns; mapped with scars. I wondered idly what I'd look like, later.
“What is it this time, Cass? Another bloodsucker?” Vampires are my speciality.
Her reply was surprising, even to me.
“It's a dragon,” she said.
*****
My heavy boots crunched on broken glass as I arrived at Remington Square. It was scattered everywhere - the sheer scale of the destruction was awesome. The square was flanked on all sides by office blocks (most of which now facing a serious bill from their glaziers) and fire crews were struggling with blazes raging at several windows. I saw black, charred shapes which might have once been human smouldering on the ground. Temporary barriers and yellow tape stretched around the periphery; Army personnel were setting up massive spotlights.
In the middle of the square was a huge crater, with a dark tunnel leading down into the earth at its centre. Smoke was rising from it.
“Dressed for the occasion, this time?” Cassandra was standing at my shoulder. This was her attempt at humour. I glanced down at my black armour, then raised the helmet visor and grinned wickedly, showing her my filed incisors. Last time we worked together, I was practically naked. A riot shield was strapped onto my left arm; my missing fingers made it too difficult to hold.
“You can't be too careful, Cass. I've had my share of burns, lately,” I said. I pointed at the hole in the ground. “That's where it is, I take it?”
She nodded.
“Where it is and where it came from. The city is expanding the subway, and it must have been sleeping in the earth,” she said. “It wasn't happy about being disturbed, as you can see. It killed the construction workers. We think they may have wounded it somehow, and this was its reaction. It did all this in five minutes, then disappeared back down there.” She looked at me, “Have you dealt with a dragon before?” she asked.
“No,” I lied. “Any chance of a kiss before...,” I began, but she was already walking away. I lowered my visor and hefted my satchel over my shoulder. Spotlights followed me across the square.
The heat was incredible as I moved into the dark, and sweat began to run down the inside of my armour immediately. I clicked on my helmet LED's. The earth of the tunnel was smooth as obsidian, reflective and blackened, scorched by the dragon's fire There was a faint beating sound and even through my armour I could feel a gentle, throbbing breeze from up ahead. The animal breathing, I knew. The smell of brimstone was thick and acrid. The darkness stretched on and on, the heat and stench getting worse with every step.
Suddenly, I thought I saw a glimmer of light ahead. I only just got the shield up in time, and dropped into a crouch as fire spewed along the tunnel. I held my breath as it gushed past me. Dragon fire is like napalm, it sticks as it burns. My shield began to melt. The walls were covered with burning clots of dripping flame. I knew I only had seconds, so I tore the ruined shield free, and ran forward into the lair. The dragon was rearing back to vent again, magnificent and terrible in its majesty. Dark scales rippled as it moved. All I could do now was hope it would listen; if not, I was a dead man.
“KING’S KNIGHT BEGS THY COUNSEL!” I screamed.
There was a long pause.
“King’s Knight?” the voice was rich and cultured, “I imagined you all dead, centuries hence,” the dragon said. Its voice came in gasps; it was in obvious pain from numerous wounds on its flanks.
“It is many years since I held Counsel! Let us palaver, Sir Knight… before we finish this.”
Defiant fire flowered around its nostrils, but I could see its skin hanging loose on its bones, and its emerald eyes were dim.
It was old, and dying.
Good, I thought, that would make things much easier. I hefted a large combat knife from my satchel and moved toward it.
* * * * *
Cassandra was waiting for me as I emerged from the tunnel’s mouth. She said nothing when I dropped the heart at her feet, but took a step back when some blood splattered onto her shoes.
“All done, Cass. You can send in the cleanup team now,” I told her. She knew better than to ask how I'd done it, but I could see the curiosity in her eyes. “How will you explain all this?” I gestured at the mess around us.
“Oh, we’ll probably blame it on terrorists again. There weren’t many witnesses.”
She didn’t notice my satchel shifting slightly.
“Well, if that’s all… I’m going back to bed. I’ll email the report tomorrow,” I told her, walking away. She waved her acquiescence. Cleanup squads hurried toward the crater.
As I moved out of the square, there was a whisper from my satchel.
“Sir Knight? We are safe, then?”
"Hush," I told it.
There are lots of myths about dragons; but not many know about their ability to regenerate. Like a snake shedding its skin - except dragons emerge as helpless foundlings. I had taken the tiny animal and stowed it in my bag, before cutting the heart from the discarded body. Cassandra and her team were busying themselves with a husk, no more. I had persuaded it to begin its life cycle again, on the provision I would take care of it while it was small. It was the only option, really. Dragons are good company.
And we immortals have to look out for one another, after all.