WHO ARE WE? Dragons or People? (Genesis)

The First Mission

the plane ride was not a pleasant one for the majority of its passengers. As we were constantly being bucked around with down drafts and turbulence at least half of the men got air sick on the way. As for us dragons we were having the time of our lives it was the first fun in weeks so we made the most of it laughing at any and everything that went on inside cabin. The best part was lunch, drinks and sandwiches were spilt and trampled all over the floors.

After a wrenching six hour flight we landed at Okinawa to wait out the turbulence. Exiting the plane I went over to the officer in charge and asked" is it all right if we can stretch our wings? We ain't flown in days please." I begged like a three year old.

"Alright you all have an hour and a half to be back here or you're flying the long way to Korea." He said jokingly. Thanking him I turned towards the mountain in the distance and took two beats of my wings to start hovering and the third I was circling all the others. With out a second thought all at them took off immediately and zipped straight upwards towards the clouds. Following behind them, but after a couple thousand feet one by one they all fell to the wind. Just as John went diving away I caught a color coming towards me. Just as it hit me the turbulence hit me. Falling a couple hundred feet I regained stable flight and one after another the wind waves came at me, but this time I was ready and bobbed and weaved through them like an aerial acrobat.just I was starting to feel cocky a large wave hit me in the back forcing me into a steep dive. Folding my wings close into my body I let physics take control as the ground started to rush up at me. As I closed in on five hundred feet from the mountain. I curved my body to release some excess speed before snapping my wings open gliding my way back to the air strip landing behind the c-130 refilled with supplies and gas. When I landed the plane started its engines and I went into the cargo bay with the others who were already inside.

I lied down next to them and John whispered in my ear saying"you made it with one minute to spare you lucky son of a gun."

"Well glad to know I can count soon you for not trying to stop the plane had I been late." I said sarcastically I got a choir of no problems from everyone on board. Allowing a small smile to escape my lips as I got strapped in.

***

Between Okinawa and Japan most of the brown scales had fallen off of my side. Feeling it appropriate I went around to each of the men and gave them a scale. The ones I didn't get Madison gave them one of hers which had also fallen off.

Finally landing in south Korea around eleven o'clock we were shoved hastily into an underground tunnel network. You know I'm really starting to hate tunnels and other crap from underground facilities. We were quickly shown our barracks and where we dumped our crap onto the beds. Then we were guided to a briefing room and told to wait for the General. One soldier then shouted "Attention!!" Which all stood rapidly until put at ease by a voice that I recognized quickly.

Entering the door was the same General who evaluated us at the original tunnel network. When he saw me and the rest of us his expression changed from stern to happy and smiling." Welcome haven't seen you guys in what almost six months. Phew how time flies when your on the brink of nuclear war."

"Likewise General might I add that training was a pain... literally."I said returning with a toothy smile. He stuttered a little bit I guessed because he forgot that we could talk.

"Yes... Private Drew and your accompaniment please follow me."He said before turning around and headed down a tunnel. All of us dragons and men followed him down a darker corridor lit by the fluorescent lights. When we reached the end of the hallway there was only one door. He the opened it showing us a large briefing room. Once we were all inside he shut and locked the door."as you all know by now we are at threat of nuclear war. Here are more detailed targets for each of you." He said as a lower ranking officer passed out the vanilla folders to each of the twelve dragons and to each of the thirty or so humans." Moving on another squad of dragons will be going in behind you to hopefully dismantle the bombs and burn the research. Your job will to take out the entrusted officers. Here are their present locations, each of you will Carry three soldiers in and out as support to you. We will fly you over in a High altitude drop off but it's up to you on getting back. Questions? Good now let's get this underway. Dismissed!" He said as he finished his briefing. The door was unlocked and we were guided out onto the air strip where the c-130s were replaced with galaxies. Before we could get in we went into another bunker and had special vests to help the soldiers stay on. The headsets were put in and the we were back onto the tarmac to launch for our mission.

getting into the aircraft there was an uncertainty that just hung in the air like early morning fog. the engines came up to full power and we were off for north Korea. the call came over the PA system for the soldiers to clime onto the dragons. I had my three assigned men get on and clip their harnesses onto my vest. I walked over to the back hatch and layed down. the others joined me as we waited for our name to ring over the intercom. the hatch opened fifteen minutes later and the first three dragons jumped. another half hour another four jumped. then it was the remaining three of us holding my breath I lept out of the back of the jet and started the plummet to earth with a dive feeling the men on my back tense up. we fell for thirty seconds before unfurling my wings to slow our descent. looking to my left I saw our destination. banking in that direction I aimed for a patch of trees just outside the compound. still speeding towards the ground I began to slightly back paddle my wings to quiet our arrival. landing virtually silently the men dismounted and one threw up immediately afterwards. Slightly chuckling I turned to face the building.

There were no guards on patrol luckily for us however there were cameras.taking a throwing knife from one of the pockets I chucked it to the infrared and thermal camera pole.the three others took out more of the surrounding ones with silenced pistols.moving to the wall I used my fire like a plasma cutter a trait I picked up. Burning a hole throughout the wall we entered. I memorized the way around the house blind folded. I stalked silently by rooms filled with workers frantically trying to get the cameras operational again.reaching the room containing the target I entered.

There on the bed was two forms and I couldn't help but feel bad for them. But killing an unarmed man in his sleep was just cruel. Approaching his bed I nudged him, and as he rose his eyes widened. To him I was the angel of death. But he reached for a pistol and shot me. Not flinching I then took one breath and blew a stream of blue flame on him and the rest of the room. Leaving the rest of the building to burn I ran back to my accompaniment and we dove into the woods all undetected.

We waited for a half hour to watch the place burn down in flames. The leader motioned for us to leave they climbed up onto my back and with four flaps we cleared the trees. As we started south I heard a faint crack of a gun. Not thinking anything of it I continued on until I heard over he head set that pvt. Johnson had been hit it the back and needed emergency medical attention. Hearing that I poured on speed and we made it back to the main compound in less than three hours. They rushed him into the operating room and managed to dislodge the bullet, but it was to late he died of blood loss fifteen minutes after.

How could this happen everything was going so perfectly. But I wasn't fast enough and it cost me an ally. As my friends returned In the hours to follow I was the only one to lose anyone until the intelligence team returned. They lost one dragon and 8 people.the general had this to say when everyone returned " we will remember those lost to insure the safety of the homeland. We managed to destroy all targets and dispose of 36 different bombs that they had made. Good job we will head back in a couple of days. Get some rest you have earned it dismissed."