Page 89 of Dragon 7

Reo watched me watching the sky.

Ten seconds passed.

Fifteen.

The plane continued its descent toward the landing zone near us, engines grinding, landing lights cutting through the dark below it.

Then Goryū dropped out of the far side of the plane's hull like smoke pushed through a crack. His body reassembled itself in the dark above the tree line, wings spreading to slow his descent, and he curved back toward us in a long silent arc.

When Goryū settled above the tree line, his gold eyes found mine. I could not harm the plane, but Akiro is inside, and our father.

My jaw tightened.

Our father. . .is pale and thin. The tubes are gone. He sits in the back behind Akiro's chair with two guns. He is afraid.

Good. He should be afraid.

There are ten others around him. Special.

Assassins?

Yes.

Goryū's great head turned slowly as he tracked the plane's descent. There are hundreds of men inside with pretty guns.

Pretty?

Diamonds and flowers on them.

The Butcher’s weapons.

The plane is full. Packed tight. Many pressed against the walls.

I looked at Reo. “Akiro, my father, ten assassins, and hundreds of men with the Butcher’s weapons are on the plane.”

Reo looked at me and blinked. “Goryū told you that?”

“Yes.”

“Well. . .okay then.” Reo lifted his head and yelled to the Scales near the tree line, “Call back our people! Plan B is in effect!”

Scales rushed off to give the order.

“Let them think we are terrified!” Reo headed off and we all followed him. “Everyone else hide! We will not go to them until they’re off the plane!”

Hiro got to my side.

I glanced at him. “The war ends tonight.”

Hiro looked down at something invisible on the ground, frowned, and then picked up his pace. “It does.”

Goryū.

Yes.

Get ready to weaken Akiro’s men.

Yes.