(no subject)

[seymoure]

19.

The trip from the suburbs to the skyscrapers lined valleys of downtown was long enough for the boys to nearly forget what was about to happen.

When they finally pulled up in front of a massive set of white steps that led to a mammoth tower that had been featured in several architectural magazines in the last year, the conversation came back to the
present.

“Is that where we’re going?” Mickey asked his father.

“Yes, but not yet.” Their father said with his eyes searching the street.

“We’re waiting for someone.”

The boys looked at one another and then out at the edifice that threatened to black out the sky.

“Vane International” was the logo emblazoned onto the front, but most of the people in business called it “The Vanity.”

Imagine a hundred Greek temples stacked on top of each other, and then topped with a space station. One half expect to see satellites whirling in orbit around the buildings upper floors.

While so many of the other skyscrapers around it were sparkling with mirror windows, the Vanity was so white that it was hard to look at for more than a moment without getting a bit of an eye ache.

That was the point.

At this point a long tan and gold car pulled up head of them.

“Okay, boys, let’s go!” Benjy said as he straightened his tie and opened his door.

The trio exited the car, but, rather than head up the steps, they moved to the newly arrived auto.

After a moment a door opened and the man and two boys piled in.

Inside the car was as opulent as you might expect in one of those, “Don’t You Wish You Were This Rich” (as David called them) TV shows. The seats were more comfortable than any chair the boys had ever sat in.
There was a table between their seats and the ones that faced them.

“Tea?” said a figure in the opposing position.

“No, thank you,” the boy’s father answered with a relieved grin.

The figure in the seat was tall, thin and very English. He was also in some kind of military uniform, but nothing the two boys would recognize.

He poured himself a cup of tea, and as he raised it to his lips he analyzed the trio who had just joined him.

Setting the cup back on the table he spoke again, this time with a cool, but comforting tone.

“I am Colonel Justin Stonedragon,” He made a light bow of the head and then pointed at David, “You would be Mickey, and you must be David?”

“Other way abound, sir” David said with youthful vigor.

The Colonel smiled, as much from the “sir” as the zeal.

“Well, young Gentlemen, we have set things into motion to end this problem, and I only ask one thing,” he said, pointedly to all three.

“And that is, since I own a great many debts to both your parents on differtent occasions, I ask only that you allow me to aid you, Mikey, to make the most out of your abilities.”

Mickey looked at his father, for a second concerned that this ally had used very similar words as his nemesis, and received such a confident and reassuring wink that he could only turn and say, “Absolutely.”

“Then, it is time to finish this,” said the Colonel.

Without a word from anyone the car doors opened and the quartet stepped from the vehicle.

The Colonel donned a uniform cap and held a long black walking stick with a golden top in the shape of a dragon curled around a globe. Embedded around the head were green stones that picked up the sunlight and seemed almost to blink.

“Wow, look at that,” said Mickey.

“Ah, the stones?” the Colonel asked as he held the walking stick to the boys for inspection.

“What are they,” David inquired incredulously.

“They are real Dragon pearls,” said the Colonel as he turned and began to stride up the steps.

“What are Dragon pearls?” Mickey asked his father.

“Later,” his father hushed and then they all went up the stairs.

The Gentleman took strides that were so long they were all at pains to keep up.

When they reached the lobby they were met by a receptionist who was who they were and all four gave their names.

After 4 minutes five armed guards escorted them to a private elevator.

For the first time Mickey felt that he was on his way to a physical battle.

He thought about focusing his powers. He thought all the way up the express rocket trip up 100 stories.

Just as he was most worried he looked at Colonel Stonedragon. The man was standing totally still. He was holding his walking stick before him.

As he was looking at the stick, suddenly the dragon on the cane moved his head to look at Mickey, then he winked his eye.

Mickey’s jaw dropped, and the dragon took his original position.

The boy looked up at the Englishman and thought he saw the smallest of grins escape onto the man’s lips.

(c) 2005 by C. Wayne Owens