Anada (Book #3)

The Suspicious Rumors

I slung my head out of the water, and an ear piercing roar escaped my throat. My long fangs gleamed brightly in the sunlight.
The men aboard the ship screamed at my vicious approach. They ran around the deck in fear.
Water poured off my blue and green wings as they rose out of the ocean. The spines along my back glowed hot orange as my fury grew. Steam started rising when the water grew hot from my spines and talons.
The cloud of steam only made my arrival more dramatic.
I grabbed hold of the railing and used my wings to help me board the ship. Water sloshed over the rails and onto the deck. A fleeing man fell and slid across the slick surface.
Another loud roar emitted from my mouth as I jumped onto a non-slippery surface. I swiveled my head from side to side to see if anyone would dare challenge me. None of the men tried. They were too busy running to a safe hiding place.
None of these men were as bold as Drake, my former enemy.
I decided to stay focused on the present instead of past events.
My talons were starting to melt the metal underneath me. I skidded to the nearest door as a man retreated inside. Before entering, I scanned the deck for any other men. There were none.
I then shifted back to my human form and started hastily down the stairs. I then followed the nasty scent of the men to a boiler room.
I banged on the door, "Let me in! I don't want to be eaten by the monster!"
The door swung open and I was pulled into the room. A small light bulb was the only source of light. About fifteen men stood around with frightened expressions.
"Girl, what are you doing on this ship?" A man with a beard asked me in a gruff voice.
I answered innocently, "I... I was trying to find my dad, but I got lost and then the ship left the harbor."
The man looked down at me for a minute then asked, "Well, is your father in this room?"
My scared acting turned back into fury, "No, my dad has been dead for eighteen years."
Before they could understand what I just said, I exploded back into a dragon. The men jumped back with wide shocked eyes. Another roar flew out of my throat, and the men screamed at the same time. I even saw two men in the corner pass out.
I was one foot taller than the men. My ten foot wingspan filled the small room, and my equally long tail flicked back and forth.
The men stared at my fiery red talons and spines. They obviously saw the heat waves rising from them, and knew that they would easily be burned.
I slapped at the swinging light bulb. A loud pop filled the room as the light source exploded. I heard the men instantly scramble around in the darkness. I would have spit some fire up in the air, but my lungs weren't dry enough to make fire yet.
Before I could continue to terrify them, a loud banging came from the door behind me, "Anada, we have the ship under control. You can stop now."
It was Alex, the team captain.
I let my talons cool down. Then I opened the door. Alex stood there with a lowered pistol in his right hand. Elias leaned against the wall behind him with a rifle slung over his shoulder.
I stepped out of the room to let Alex handle the men. I then walked back up the stares with Elias by my side.
"How did you do today?" I asked while still in dragon form.
Elias answers, "I think I did good. Nobody got hurt. That's important."
I smile over at him. As long as nobody got hurt, he was happy. We've had times where some of us have nearly died. Those are bad memories that I'd rather not have.
We both stepped onto the deck. Sun beat down on our heads, but it wasn't enough to warm us in the chill wind.
The team's boat was only a few feet from the ship. It was another sign of a successful mission.
Elias grips the strap on his rifle as he says, "I think you left a permanent scar on those sailor men. I've never seen anyone so horrified."
I snort and reply, "Just about everyone does that when I attack unexpectedly."
"Yes, but it never gets old." He smiles.
"You've got a point there." I laugh as we go to search for the other members of our team.
A minute later we find the control room. That's where we find Neil, Westen, and Reina.
Each are busy working. Neil is frantically typing on a laptop while telling Westen how the to operate the ship. Reina is interrogating a man who is refusing to answer her questions.
I try fitting through the door, but my wings make that impossible. I instead shift back to a human and walk in.
The man being questioned by Reina saw me change back to a human.
His eyes widen as he asks me in a Scottish accent, "What are you?"
"I'm a dragon." I tell him plainly.
Westen glances up from the controls, "Anada, aren't you afraid that these men will spread word of an attacking dragon that is also human?"
I shake my head, "Nobody's going to believe them. It'll only make them look insane."
He shrugs as he continues to press buttons on the control panel.
I sit down in a chair next to the window, and Elias leans against the wall casually.
Reina suddenly asks Neil and Westen, "Have you heard about the new teams Leon Escapade is making?"
"Yeah, but they're just rumors." Neil says while keeping an eye on his laptop.
"Who's Leon Escapade?" I ask them.
"He's Mr.Liam's boss." Westen answers still keeping his attention on the control panel.
Elias, who has been looking out the window, turns to ask surprised, "Wait, Mr.Liam is your boss. You mean he has a someone over him?"
"Yes." They all answer in unison.
"So what are these rumors saying?" I think out loud.
"People have been saying that he's planning to make new teams out of the best agents from already existing teams." Reina tells me and Elias.
"Like I said, they're rumors. Rumors can be true, partly true, or not even true at all." Neil states.
Westen turns from the controls, "Doesn't concern us anyway. I doubt he'd choose someone from our team anyway."
I catch Elias glance at me, and I know what he's thinking. I am probably the best agent on this team. I might be eighteen, but I'm good at my work.
If anyone was ever chosen from my team, it would be me.