All too soon the happiness that enveloped us with a parents visit had come to an end. In terms of parental and scientific visits, this had been a short one, at only three days in length. These guys would be heading out to the pacific coast now, to deliver the same technology to the group out west. Our nights of food, games and movies were at an end, leaving us all gathered around the white trucks they had arrived in. My mom and i where leaning against the side of the tool box on a truck. My mother was smoking a cigarette, the pungent smell lingering in the stagnant air. i didn't smoke my self, But i knew lots of friends who did, and was no longer bothered by the smell. We were watching the sun disappear in between the hills, exchanging light conversation about the way life was changing. Behind us the scientist were loading all their equipment into the trucks, reaffirming the shortness of time we had.

"Life is an interesting game, Cody, and fate a mysterious partner. You know that i do not believe in any Gods. But if i did, i'd thank them that i was allowed to have you as my son." She wrapped her arm around my shoulder, and pulled me close. Just as i was about to make a reply as Marcus came bounding up on his long legs.

"Hi Mrs. Pendragon." He bumped fists with me, and shoved his hands in his pockets. Marcus was an orphan i had met just before going to high school, and had quickly become friends with. We tried to adopt him, but the process ended up taking longer than the time to his 18 birthday, so My mom just called him her "surrogate son". i knew him as my brother. I don't think i'd ever had a better friend. "How many time to i have to tell you to call me mom, or Joy?" Replied my mom, tousling Marcus' hair. He looked down embarrassed, then dashed away. "Such a shy boy."

We continued our conversation until everyone else was loaded up, and my mom was the last person outside the vehicles. I said my final goodbyes suddenly finding myself longing for a normal life. One with out secrecy, dragons or stipulations. Ravinia's mind brushed mine, and i readied myself for a scathing comment. I waited in vain for something that never came, instead found myself standing like a lone sentinel before a dying sun. I watched until the trucks disappeared over the hill, and turned slowly to go inside. i passed a few people on my way down into the apartment, but chose to remain mute. Many comments where made to me, but i refuted all of them, flopping down onto our old couch. Motes of dust were highlighted in the last rays of late noon sun, little shining stars in their own cosmic universe.

It is ok how you feel, Cody. Youth of your species where not made to be alone this young. I do not blame you for your feelings. Make me a promise?

Yes, Ravinia?

Don't leave me behind chasing things you cannot have. Ravinia withdrew from my thoughts at that time, leaving me once again alone. As the hours drew on, i found myself sitting in the dark and in silence. everyone had long gone to their rooms leaving a deafening silence that permeated everything. The silence was almost unnatural, brought in by a thin haze that was darkening the ceiling. I sat entranced as the cloud began to move across the room, where it enveloped a smoke detector. The smoke detectors high pitched wail split the silence, finally breaking my revere. Our house was on fire. I jumped to my feet with the realization of what was happening sending adrenaline through my veins. As the smoke began to fill the room, i heard heavy thuds at the door. I could just make out a dark shape at the windows before the glass exploded inwards. several shards of glass cut my face and hands as i fell, startled. By this time, the others had been awakened by the alarm, and were stumbling into the living room. heat was filling the house, and the fire's glow light the dark character.

I recognized the face of one of the men at Grayson's farm. The man had a gun pointed in our direction.

"Hello little experiments. we need you to come with us!" I could tell by the anger in his voice that he had no intention of being nice.

"Guys, Run!" I threw a pillow from the couch a the man, pushing the others down the hall to the stairs. the man was coming down the hallway, kicking the walls, and pounding, clearly thinking we were trapped. i shoved the group down the stone stairs, and swinging the door shut behind us. for some reason , we had thought to put a dead bolt on this door. As i slid the lock home, the door jumped. The man was kicking the door, shouting obscenities to us.

"Guys, lets go, to the cave!" The dragons met us halfway up stairs, shoving as much of themselves into the stone stair as they could. "We need to go, like now!"

Marcus looked at me, his eyes bloodshot, and his hair a mess. "Why, what are you saying?"

"i'm saying that fire wasn't an accident! A guy breaking into our house with a gun? Not a Accident!" i could see realization dawning in their eyes. The sound of the door being hit set a period to the end of my sentence. We had all ridden our dragons, but none of us had put in any extended flight time. None of us had had to strap on a saddle single-handedly either . we learned quickly that day. While Marcus, Alex and i were still strapping on harness, the girls were throwing back packs at us. They were our camping backpacks, packed for our planned camping trip this weekend. Which looked like it was beginning now. "Lets go guys!" we all froze as the sound of a door being kicked in echoed down from above. Ravinia nudged my shoulder, pushing me towards her saddle.

"Im coming Kiddies!" We all knew the flight order. Sarah was first with Hylon, who was the queen of the pack. She was followed by Alex, with Thor: then Kyla and Onyx, then Clara with Miriel. Finally was Ravnia and myslef, followed by Marcus and Sauron. I looked back as we took air, to see the dozens of emergency vehicles surrounding the chain of buildings that made up our apartment. More than three quarters of the buildings were ablaze. Whoever these guys were, they meant business.

Someone wants us very badly. Commented Ravinia, glancing backwards.

I wonder why? What could we have possible done to upset someone this much? I received no answer, so i prodded no further. Ravinia's muscles bunched and puled as she climbed into the sky, bringing us up to a few hundred feet with no issues. We all circled, high enough that none would see us, all silently watching the scene beneath us. Sarah quietly turned Hylon around, and we slipped into the night.