CHAPTER 17

Happy dug his metal feet into the dirt as he shoved open the rusty shed door. I stood in my power suit beside Brannigan, waiting to see what was waiting for me inside. We were at least a hundred yards away from town and everyone had been told to give us space to train. We couldn’t afford anyone getting hurt.

But I wondered where that left me.

I tapped Brannigan with my elbow. “Is there some way we can find out if I’m an actual smoke eater before we go through all this?”

“Kid, when I was recruited, they put me in a glass room and filled it with dragon smoke. When I was chief, we implemented the same test, but back then we had waivers they’d sign and emergency medical on standby in case we’d gotten it wrong. That was then. Now, we don’t have that luxury, we don’t have the time or a way to test it. You have combat experience. You’re willing to fight. That’s good enough for me.” Brannigan sighed. “We need all the help we can get.”

An icy pang rose in my stomach, but I nodded and watched Happy emerge from the shadows, pulling a large trailer holding something covered in a dusty, green tarp. It had no definitive shape, but there was a lot of it.

“This bastard just doesn’t die,” Brannigan said. He pushed in front of Happy, who backed away while the old man grabbed a corner of the tarp and pulled it free. Lying there was an enormous pile of metal shaped like a dragon. “Say hello to Mecha Scaly.”

I took a step back. Even motionless, the thing looked deadly as hell. “Are you kidding me? You want me to fight that thing?”

“What else? You want to go into the wastes and see what we can rustle up? That didn’t work too well in the subway. Tamerica is right. This is the best way to train you.”

Happy walked up to the metal dragon and petted its side. “Good dragon.”

The droid’s flat, digital voice caused both me and Brannigan to turn toward him.

“What are you doing?” Brannigan asked the droid.

Happy continued petting the side of Mecha Scaly. Metal on metal, it sounded like a chef sharpening his knives. “Good dragon.”

“Quit that!” Brannigan shouted. “Go make a cake or something.”

“Mr Williams told me to assist you for your training session,” Happy said. Given his name, I thought Carl and Rebecca might have made him sound more cheerful and less like he wished someone would pull his plug.

Brannigan sighed and stomped around to the other side of the dragon. “Fine. Whatever. Just don’t get in our way or I’ll personally chop your head off.”

“Yes, sir,” Happy said. The droid took a few steps backward and watched with his arms folded behind him.

“Fucking droids.” Rummaging underneath Mecha Scaly, Brannigan banged his armored hands and arms against it, searching for something. “Where are the damn controls?”

“Controls for what?” I asked.

“For the dragon. If you get in a jam and I need to cut the power.”

“Pardon me, sir,” Happy said from his spot off to the side. “But there are no controls.”

“What?” Brannigan said. “Don’t tell me there aren’t any controls. I fought this thing ten years ago and put all my rookies up against it afterward. There’s always been controls. It’s a safety thing.”

“Unfortunately, sir,” Happy said, “when they brought Mecha Scaly here, they were unable to locate its controls. Mr Williams had us repair it as best we could and though the dragon functions admirably, it can only be stopped by the same switch from which it is turned on.”

“So you’re saying it’ll be like fighting a real scaly?” I asked.

“It has been programmed to act like a biological dragon, yes.” Happy’s smile was starting to piss me off.

Brannigan groaned. “Fuck it. Gilly, we’ll have to make do with what we have.”

“Don’t call–”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “Family only. Whatever. Listen to me. Sink or swim isn’t just a fun phrase. You’re going to have to do this the hard way. I’ll be here to help if you need it. You’ll do fine.”

“I’ll do fine?”

Brannigan beckoned me over. I shuffled my feet as I walked.

“Let’s go over what you have,” he said. “You’ve got a laser sword. That’s going to be your bread and butter. Open your pockets.”

I did. Brannigan dug into the one on my right leg.

“Ok,” he said, holding up the spherical silver ball he’d pulled from the pocket. “This is a–”

“Haymo,” I said. “I know.”

“Oh? So you’ve used one?” He mocked the voice of an overly-concerned mother. It would have jolted memories of my own, but my mom had a deep voice, like passing thunder. I wasn’t sure what he saw in my face, but the old man suddenly got serious. “Do you know how many seconds you have before this thing slices your hand off?”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just listen. I know you’re not completely green, but it’ll save time if you just shut up and hear what I have to say.”

I mimed closing a zipper across my lips. I could taste the metal of my power suit on the glove tips. Some kind of tungsten alloy if I remembered right.

“Now,” Brannigan said, “like I was telling you, this is a Haymo grenade. You push the top button here to trigger it. You have ten seconds before the laser propellers come out and then they’re going to slice through whatever they come into contact with. Use this only when you know you have a good shot.”

He reached into my other pocket and removed a wraith remote. I hadn’t even known it was there.

“You won’t need this,” he said, putting it back. “But keep it on you. Always check your gear when you suit up. Every time. I don’t believe in gremlins but I’ve had shit disappear when I needed it most.”

I nodded, even though I didn’t think it would be too difficult to keep up with only the two items in my pockets.

“Okay, show me a power jump.”

“Wait.” I actually looked around to look for anyone else he might have been speaking to. “Right now?”

“Yeah, right now. The button in the left hand. You’ll have thirty seconds before you can use it again. I just want to see if you can balance in midair.”

As I moved my thumb to the jump button, something caught my attention over Brannigan’s shoulder. Happy was making a determined march toward the dragon.

“For your efficiency,” the droid said, “I’ll engage Mecha Scaly.”

Brannigan blinked at me. “Did he just say–”

It took me too many seconds to register what Happy was doing. The droid opened a box behind the dragon’s left hind leg and shifted something inside it. A mechanical pop came like a gunshot. In the same instant, Mecha Scaly’s eyes began glowing red. Pushing itself onto all fours, the dragon’s claws bent the sides of the trailer as it flexed its tail and stretched out the robotic kinks it had been collecting in that shed for the last decade.

Brannigan turned around. “Shit.”

Mecha Scaly raised its head and stared for a brief second. It swiveled its attention toward me, then ejected two giant metal wings that had been hidden inside its body, making it look more like an evil jet plane.

The dragon roared. Behind the rows of its metal teeth, at the back of its manufactured throat, was a glowing circle of white-hot flames, surrounding a sphere of holes that looked like a high-pressure shower head.

I braced for Mecha Scaly to breathe fire. I didn’t expect jet flames to blast out of the two enormous bulbs at the tips of its wings. The turbines churned and blew like murderous wind. It caused both me and Brannigan to duck and cover our ears.

Then the fire came from the dragon’s mouth, a wall of flame rushing toward me.

I flinched, and out of sheer, dumb luck my thumb had already been hovering above the power jump button. The power suit’s thrusters took me into the air, soaring above the approaching fire.

It felt like my stomach plopped into my feet and my heart flew into my throat. Below me, I could see the wall of flames, a perfect conical stream of hell. Smoke curled at its edges, rising like it was chasing after me. It couldn’t have lasted more than a second, but I followed the flames to Mecha Scaly’s mouth. I could see its entire length, all the way to the sharp point of its robotic tail. I didn’t realize I was airborne until that moment.

I fell slowly toward the ground. Screaming.

I had no clue where Brannigan was. He could have been inside all that fire, crumbling to ash. Maybe he’d been taken by surprise and didn’t dodge the flames in time. It wouldn’t seem fair. He’d survived a Phoenix only to be taken out by a mechanical training prop? But I’d heard of plenty of people who died deserving better.

Mecha Scaly shut its mouth with a loud wham! I landed on my feet and stumbled to keep standing. The ground below me was scorched. Black char crunched under my boots. There was still no sign of Brannigan.

The metal dragon moved a claw forward. I felt the ground shake, though I couldn’t hear anything over the wings’ turbines. I engaged my laser sword but stayed still, digging my boots into the ashes. Mecha Scaly moved another claw off the trailer, inching toward me.

Happy gave me a thumbs up.

I cast my radio. “Brannigan? Brannigan? Are you alive?”

His voice came weakly through my helmet. “I’m over here, kid.”

Keeping Mecha Scaly in my periphery I dared a glance to my left. Brannigan stood far from me, over by the nearest tree leading into town.

“What are you doing over there?”

“Watching,” Brannigan said. “How are you going to learn if I help?”

I raised my laser sword and shook it at the old man. “How am I going to learn anything if I’m dead?”

Mecha Scaly roared. It sounded like crashing cars and static. It broke into a full gallop and charged toward me. Ash and dirt and slushy snow flew into the air in its wake. I froze. The laser sword hung at my side.

“Contreras,” Brannigan’s voice crackled into my ear. “Attack or get out of its way.”

His coaching didn’t jolt me into action. My mouth wobbled open and shut, but I couldn’t breathe. I stood there like I was glued to the ground, staring at the equivalent of a carnivorous freight train barreling down on me.

“Fucking jump on its back,” Brannigan shouted, “Slash at it! Something!”

Mecha Scaly leapt. An image flashed in my mind of the dragon plowing into me, shrapneling bloody pieces of me all over the ground. Brannigan wouldn’t even have to dig a grave. The crater left behind would be enough to scoop in my remains. But Mecha Scaly sailed over my head and never touched the ground. Its wing turbines revved faster. It shot into the sky, leaving behind a gust that pushed my helmet crooked and left my mouth agape in confusion. I watched Mecha Scaly fly away, becoming a tiny speck that was soon hidden by clouds.

“Where the fuck did it go?” Brannigan said.

“By the looks of it,” I said, “Australia.”

“You lost our training prop?”

“I didn’t lose anything. It flew away on its own.” How the hell was it my fault that Mecha Scaly had grown tired of fighting smoke eaters and wanted to retire to a warmer climate?

Happy walked over with his arms behind his back. “Sir, if I may. Mecha Scaly has been programmed to simulate all forms of dragon combat.”

“Looks like it simulated a bon voyage,” I said. “Doesn’t matter. Fighting it wouldn’t have helped us prepare for what we’re up against. They ride dragons.”

Happy tilted his head to the side. “Your enemy rides dragons?”

“Yeah,” I said. “And they shoot laser rifles while doing it. How do you simulate something like that?”

“I can help facilitate that if you would like.”

I laughed, but Happy just stared at me with that damned red smile and his yellow eyes. He was serious.

“Quit messing around with that droid and meet me over here,” Brannigan said through the radio.

Happy lifted his face to the sky and pointed. “Mecha Scaly is coming back.”

I turned but saw only sunshine and fluffy clouds drifting by. “What are you talking about, Happy? There’s nothing there.”

“I suggest preparing for an aerial attack,” Happy said.

“Did you hear me, Guillermo?” Brannigan asked.

“Happy is saying Mecha Scaly is coming back.”

From where he stood, Brannigan looked at the sky as he turned in a circle with his arms extended. “I don’t see a damn thing. That droid needs its head looked at.”

“I will step away now,” Happy said, walking backward. “Your power jump is recharged. You may need it.”

I shook my head. “It’s not coming back. It would have attacked us by now if–”

A sound came from the sky, like a distant chair being dragged over concrete. Where there had been nothing, now I could make out a small shape in the sky. It grew bigger and louder and as it did, I realized it was aiming for me. Mecha Scaly had returned.

“Happy was right,” I shouted at Brannigan. “It’s coming in hot.”

“Oh shit,” Brannigan said. “Run!”

I took off in the direction away from town. My laser sword thrummed as I swung my arms. In front of me, bare earth stretched all the way to the horizon. Where was I running? There was nowhere to hide and I couldn’t outrun the dragon.

“What do I do?” I shouted.

Mecha Scaly’s rusty growl made me pump my legs harder. A rumble followed. A wall of heat pelted against my back. Even in the daylight, I could see the glow of fire lighting the ground ahead of me.

“Power jump,” Brannigan said. “Straight up. Do it now.”

I hit the button and sailed upward. A stream of fire passed under me and then the dragon sailing on its shiny metal wings. I floated to the ground as Mecha Scaly clomped onto all fours ahead of me, swinging its tail over my head as it turned to see where I’d gone. I rolled and stayed behind it, out of its view.

“Good,” Brannigan said. “Stay at its rear and keep it blind to you. Watch the tail. Try to move in and stab its underside.”

I was huffing, couldn’t get a good breath. Every time I tried to sneak closer, Mecha Scaly would turn and I’d have to move with it. The big tail flicked violently to the side and I squatted into a shuffling run. Stopping between its hind legs, I was close enough to plunge my laser sword into its… well, whatever you call that space on a robo dragon.

But then I saw the door on the back of its leg, the one Happy had used to turn it on. I ripped it open and grabbed the lever. Mecha Scaly roared and lifted its leg, taking me with it. I hung from the lever by one hand.

“Come on, come on!” I pulled and pulled but the switch wouldn’t move. I had no leverage.

The dragon bent its neck and moved in to bite me, widening its mouth enough to swallow me whole. I lifted my legs and kicked against its snout. Pain shot up my leg. Mecha Scaly reared back for another bite.

I felt the lever shift… just an inch. A little more and the dragon would be done. If I let go, I’d have to contend with Mecha Scaly face to face. Or it would crush me with a single step. I had no other option.

Again, I swung back to dodge its teeth, but Mecha Scaly stopped short. It wasn’t going for a bite. Not when it had easier weapons to use. It opened its mouth and showed me the flickering flames at the back of its throat.

I should have just stabbed it when I had the chance.

The lever in my hand dropped. Mecha Scaly crumpled into a lifeless pile of metal, but I fell along with it. I caught a good look at its giant tail falling toward me before I rolled over and covered my head. The tail smashed into my back, knocking the air from me. I lay there coughing and drooling as Brannigan threw a litany of swear words at me over the radio.

“You had to be a hotshot, didn’t you?” he said, when he stood over me. “You couldn’t just stab it like I told you, you had to figure out a smarter way to do it. How smart do you feel now?”

“Not… very,” I squeaked out.

“Hey, droid,” Brannigan said. “Come over here and lift this tail off of Contreras. It’s the least you can do for fucking up our training. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you did that on purpose.”

“As you wish,” Happy said. He squatted and lifted Mecha Scaly’s tail enough for me to crawl out.

Brannigan patted me on the back when I got to my feet. “Real dragons aren’t going to have off switches. We’ll try again tomorrow.”

“Great,” I said. If he caught my sarcasm he didn’t show it.

We started walking toward town, Happy following behind us.

Brannigan looked over his shoulder then got close and whispered, “And I’ll make sure this metal bastard isn’t a part of it.”

When we got back to Cannon 15, ready to doff our power suits, Renfro was suited up and going through the bins and checking equipment. Something was off.

“What’s going on?” Brannigan said.

Renfro thumbed toward the long house. “I’ll let T tell you.”

We left our suits on and walked into the house. Afu and Tamerica were geared up and standing beside Lot as all three gathered around looking up at a floating holographic image of Big Base. At least, I was pretty sure it was Big Base. It was shaped like an octagon and tiny clusters of green soldiers were pictured at various points. Red lines marked entry points. Blue spider tanks were positioned outside every corner. I didn’t see any markers for rideable dragons, but how could you map something like that?

Tamerica turned to us as we walked in. “How’d training go?”

“Mecha Scaly lives on,” Brannigan said. “Why is Renfro prepping the rig?”

“Because we need it prepped,” Tamerica said. “Lot was able to get in touch with Yolanda. The Nusies are up to something. They ordered her and the rest of the propellerheads to prepare a bunch of medical and surgical equipment. She doesn’t know what’s happening but they’re gathering the prisoners and want everything ready by tomorrow morning.” Tamerica pointed to the hologram. “She sent us this. It’s the most recent image she had of their base, but it’s still three months old.”

“And it doesn’t give us any indication of what’s inside,” Lot said. He pushed his glasses onto his nose. His long hair fell off his shoulder when he turned to me. “There’s only one halfway decent way to get in there.”

“What do you mean by ‘halfway decent’?” Brannigan asked.

Afu began chewing on his lip, looking from Tamerica to Lot. “It wasn’t my idea, by the way.”

“You gave me the idea,” Tamerica said.

Afu threw up his hands. “I was just remembering a story, wifey!”

“You can save the lover’s spat for later,” Brannigan said. “What fucked up idea did you guys come up with?”

“Well,” Afu said, toeing his boot into the floor. “You remember that time we flew to New Mexico and you got pushed out of Jet-1 and you thought you were going to die, but then the glider kicked in on your suit?”

Brannigan blinked. “What, you guys are going to shove me into the front gate?”

“As much fun as that would be,” Tamerica said, showing her teeth in a big smile. “We’re going to glide onto the roof.”

“It’s the only way to do it.” Lot nodded.

Brannigan laughed and rubbed his face as if he was trying to wake himself up. “We’d need a plane for that.”

“Exactly,” Tamerica said.

“I’m done with surprises,” Brannigan said. “Just tell me where it is and what we’re doing.”

“Cedar Point,” said Afu. “We thought it was the best place to hide it.”

“Hide what?” I asked.

“Jet-1,” Renfro walked in. He crossed his arms and stared at the hologram. “We left it fueled. All we have to do is go get it.”

“Goddamn,” Brannigan said. “It’s been sitting there for ten years?” Remind me never to hunt Easter eggs with you sneaky bastards. Chris, that means you’re going to have to fly it and that’s going to leave us short a smoky.”

Renfro nodded. “I know, but I don’t see a better way to do this.”

“When do we leave?” Brannigan asked.

“Now,” said Tamerica.

While they continued to go back and forth, I studied the map floating above my head. I was still thinking about the dragons the soldiers rode. Jet-1 would make a lot of noise over Big Base, even flying at a high altitude the Army would get wise to us dropping in one way or the other, and I was sure Calhoun would use the dragons to guard the sky. Why wouldn’t he? Jumping out of a plane would be bad enough. Being snatched out of the air by one of the Nusie scalies was even worse.

“It won’t work,” I said.

They all turned to me.

“We have to make it work,” Tamerica said. “They’ve got it guarded everywhere else.”

“They’ll have it guarded in the sky, too,” I said.

“What are you thinking, Gilly?” Brannigan asked.

“If this is going to work,” I said, “we need the Nusies too busy to notice us. We need a distraction.”

“Man, it would be impossible to create a distraction if we’re jumping out of a plane,” Afu said.

“He’s right,” said Tamerica. “We’d need someone on the ground and we don’t have anyone else.”

“Yes.” I smiled. “We do.”