With the last training drone now a crumpled heap of metal beneath the Monstrous Nightmare's talon, the forest exercise was now a success. Dan had believed the team to have faltered in his absence, but Val wasn't kidding when she said she had taken charge and whipped everybody into shape. Maybe the two of them didn't see eye to eye about Lucas, but there was no denying the partnership they had out in the field.

And speaking of Lucas, it felt only fitting that the others be informed about his current condition. Dan didn't expect the team to take the news well, and he wasn't disappointed when their reactions came. Suspicion, doubt, uncertainty, and one question everybody had on their minds. "Are you sure he can be trusted?"

It was a question lurking in his mind as well; one he didn't have a definitive answer for. But he had to keep an optimistic view of the situation. "I have no idea. But for now, I asked Fred to keep an eye on him. Let's give him a day or two, and if nothing suspicious happens…"

"I dunno, dude…" John mumbled, nudging his foot against a piece of scrap metal that was once a training drone. "Luke may not have that chip in his head anymore, but what if a part of that's still in there? Until I know he's not gonna go all Winter Soldier on us, I'm staying as far away from him as I can."

"And since we're talking about enemies…" his sister added. "The Fists are wrapping their knuckles. They're gonna be ready to throw another punch at us. What if they find Lucas and turn him back to their side? Or what if they replace him with someone else instead?" Dan felt a sting from these words, for they were ones he had already thought of and attempted to discard. Now that they had returned, it was even harder to get rid of them. But worrying about those questions would get them nowhere.

"We'll figure all that out later," Dan told everyone. "But let's wind down for now. Nightwatcher?" He twirled his finger and the Night Fury nodded, gathering the team's dragons as their riders mounted up. They were in the air in seconds, soaring over the treetops in a well-practiced formation. Nobody said a word, which was understandable for Dan. He wanted to trust what Lucas had told him… but his gut continuously warned him to keep an eye on the man. Until they could be certain Lucas was no longer an enemy-

Nightwatcher perked up and his head darted to the right, jolting Dan from his thoughts. Off to his left, Spike's nostrils flared with a scent he couldn't pick up; an act that caught Val's attention. Both riders turned to each other and- with a shared nod- allowed their dragons to veer away from the main group and take them to whatever had intrigued them. Dan made a quick hand motion for the others to keep going; a command nobody argued with.

They were on the ground seconds after their dragons touched down, their friends' senses on alert for anything. Neither of the humans could see anything, but they knew something was out there based on how their dragons were reacting. Spike's head whipped back and forth as he surveyed the area and Nightwatcher was crouched down, purple eyes peeled for anything lurking in the foliage. Everything was quiet save for the distant chirps of birdsong.

"What do you smell, bud?" Dan whispered as quietly as he could, hoping the Night Fury's hearing could detect it. A sharp huff left Nightwatcher's mouth, but his mind gave Dan the answer he was looking for.

Blood.

Something was slowly moving from the treeline and coming their way, as Dan and Val could see a shadow creeping through the undergrowth. None of the humans were certain if it was hostile… the possibility of their base's location being compromised was a common topic between them and Dan had worked out a last-resort plan if that ever happened. The only problem was that he was still considering some minor details that-

A quadrupedal dragon- its chest huffing with effort- broke from the bushes. From what Dan could see, the creature had pristine white scales and hazy silver eyes that were struggling to stay open. Tainting its exterior beauty were lines of red; open gashes and blood that stained the scales like spilled ketchup on a spotless kitchen floor. It stumbled out into the open on shaky legs… and the dragons froze. Spike narrowed his eyes at the newcomer suspiciously, but Dan noticed something off about Nightwatcher. He was transfixed on the strange dragon with wide amethyst eyes… and a slightly open mouth.

He was just about to call out to the dragon when it collapsed after a few weak steps. The second it fell onto the grass, Nightwatcher all but howled in panic and alarm before rushing over to the still dragon. The Night Fury hurriedly inspected the fallen newcomer while Dan was left startled and confused. "Whoa, Nightwatcher! Hold on! Wh-what's wrong?!"

A sharp roar of concern laced with fear was the dragon's only reply before he warbled sadly, frantically licking an open wound in a frantic attempt to mend the dragon's injury. But what Dan picked up from that sound made him go still.

"That… that's your what?!"

It took a lot of effort to get the dragon up on the medical table and safely secure it so Fred could treat its injuries. Much like his dragon expert of an ancestor before him, Fred was quick to acknowledge the species after proper examination. "Visual evidence suggests this is a Night Light," he explained, showing a pair of dark gray scales amongst a sea of white, notably on the wings, underbelly, ear flaps, and talons. "A natural hybrid created to ensure the Night Furies' survival. You said you found it in the forest in this state?"

"We did," Dan confirmed. "But there's something else. This particular dragon… Nightwatcher knows it." This made the boy pause in his investigation and adjust his glasses. "He knows it? Is that why he's been pacing in the hall?" Sure enough, the black mass passed by the doorway with a glance inside before continuing on its way.

Val nodded in concern. "Yeah… he says that's his sister."

"Sister?!" Fred echoed in bewilderment. "Are you sure?"

"As sure as we can, but he's too worried to tell us more," Dan chose to change the subject. "Do we have any idea as to what caused these wounds? Poachers, maybe?"

"Or another dragon?" Val suggested. "She probably wandered into one's territory by accident." Fred hummed in agreement as he examined the injuries. "I'd have to say the latter. These gashes look like they were made by claws… and I see some bite marks on the throat and upper legs." With that part answered, Dan needed further clarification. "Once you stabilize her condition, can you identify what kind of dragon it was?"

"Already crossed my mind," he reported. "I'll run the wounds through the database and let you know what I find. But… What are you gonna do about Nightwatcher? He must be very stressed about all this." The dragon paced by the doors again right on cue with another worried look at the other dragon on the medical table. Dan sighed with a lowered head. "Not much I can do for him now, not until his… I can't believe I'm saying this, not until his sister gets better."

"Why would his family follow him?" Val questioned. "He said he had to take care of the so-called 'threat to their race' alone."

"A poor decision," Dan answered. "A single dragon can only do so much to the Fists, and the others didn't want to wait around to be saved. Maybe she was one of…" He paused mid-sentence, a thought striking him. "Wait, hold on…"

"What is it?" asked Fred, Val wearing a similar look of confusion as she circled to follow Dan's pondering stance. "First, the girl from the boat… and now, this dragon from the forest…"

Val's eyes lit up. "You think they're connected? But… she doesn't have a saddle on her." Dan was on her in a second. "The girl's suit. I gave it a lookover… it's g-force resistant and flexible, with some protection should it ever get into a skirmish. Guys, there's no mistaking it: I think she's a Rider."

"If that's true, then where did she come from?" Val countered. "The Order only sought out the six of us, nobody else."

"Maybe a rogue," Fred guessed, shooting a glance at the dragon's still head. "She wouldn't be the first. We'll know for sure once she wakes up." Dan only hoped it would be soon; the sooner he had answers, the better. "Alright, we'll leave you to your work. Val, see how the girl's doing. I'll see how Lucas is coping. His mind's probably still foggy and-"

That was when he saw it. An open eye with silver colors… and a pupil slitted in alarm.

REEAAAARGH! A sudden howl of panic tore from the now-conscious dragon and it immediately thrashed against its restraints, sending all three humans into a startled panic. Shouts rang out as everyone scrambled in different directions, several bindings already on the brink of snapping. Fred rushed over to a cabinet and threw it open, tossing aside anything that wasn't what he was looking for. Dan immediately placed himself in front of the injured creature, holding up a steady hand.

"Hey, HEY! Easy, take it-!"

PSHOOM! He barely avoided a bolt of purple light that exploded against the wall, causing an alarm to blare and ceiling-mounted sprinklers to activate, showering the entire medbay. The dragon snarled again as the last of its head restraints finally gave out, its mouth glowing violet for another shot…

Val threw herself atop the dragon's head, fighting to keep it closed while the creature thrashed under her strong grip. "RGH! W-we're trying to help you, dammit!" From the corner of Dan's eye, he saw Fred hurrying to the table with a syringe in hand. "Val! MOVE! Keep her from-"

"I'm trying! She won't-"

Dan held out another hand in panic. "No, STOP! She's-"

Everyone's voices blurred together over the wailing alarm and desperate grumbles from the dragon fighting to break Val's hold. Dan tried to diffuse the situation as best as he could, but holding a dragon down and attempting to tranquilize it would be the exact opposite of calming it down. His friends were too frantic to realize that, even as Fred hurriedly searched for a good spot and Val struggled with the thrashing mass, the girl trying to tighten whatever restraints she could find.

All but the alarm and sprinklers went silent when another howling roar broke the air. Everyone whirled to the entrance… where Nightwatcher was filling the doorway with a menacing glare. The Night Fury's stare was enough to make Val back off and caused Fred to slowly put the syringe down while Dan gave his friend an apologetic look that he hoped said "I tried to stop them". The injured Night Light was now frozen, her silver eyes wide in shock instead of panic this time. Dan gave Fred a silent look and gestured to the alarm, his friend nodding in understanding before hurrying to turn it off.

The medbay returned to silence after a few seconds and Nightwatcher slowly crept to the other dragon with a low croon. The wounded Night Light made a gentle noise, one he answered with a comforting rumble. Before long, both dragons were nuzzling their foreheads together, their vocalizations being the only sound until Val quietly cleared her throat. "Um… should we give them a moment, or…?"

The two dragons kept talking to each other with the occasional glance at the humans. The Night Light was filled with uncertainty, but Nightwatcher was quick to put her at ease before turning his attention to her injuries. A low croon of concern and seriousness left him next, his eyes focused. Dan didn't need to hear what he was saying to understand: he wanted to know what happened.

The Night Light looked like she was asking that herself, her vocalizations slow and unsure. Given the curious look Fred wore, Dan decided to step up. "Okay, uh… he's calmed her down, told her we're not gonna hurt her. She's a little weak from her injuries, but I think she'll pull through."

Val listened in on Nightwatcher continuing to comfort the other dragon, who showed no resistance to the Night Fury carefully licking one of the smaller cuts. "She… she says her name is Silverstar." She paused for another set of vocalizations that responded to Nightwatcher's next query. "She has a rider."

Dan's eyes widened. "The girl?"

"She came here looking for her but ran into… something."

"Another dragon, maybe…" Dan muttered. "Nightwatcher, ask her what she knows." The Night Fury complied… but the injured dragon barely got a reply out before her jaws stretched open in an exhausted yawn. Nightwatcher slowly eased her back down as she closed her tired eyes, affectionately nuzzling her one last time before giving his partner an apologetic look. Dan only nodded in understanding. "Alright, that's… I get it. We should at least let her rest before asking more of her."

"So what should we do in the meantime?" asked Val. Dan already had something in mind. "Something attacked her. We should head back into the forest, and try to track down what it was." That sounded good enough for the ravenette. "Copy. I'll get Spike good to go and-"

"Uh, actually, Val…" Fred hurriedly spoke up, drawing the girl's attention. "There's something I need your help with. "Meet me at the range, okay?" He was out before Val could give a response, leaving her stuck comprehending what had just happened. "Um… sure?" Her blue eyes gave Dan a quick look, and he simply gestured in Fred's direction before whistling to Nightwatcher. The Night Fury finally retreated from the still Night Light's form and followed his human friend out of the medbay. Rather than follow them, Val turned down the other corridor.

The door to the shooting range slid open upon her arrival. This room was designed primarily to test the dragons' accuracy with a variety of targets: the standard physical targets that either moved down a track or were carried side to side, tiny drones that flew in randomized patterns, or physical holograms that simulated a live combat session with either human or dragon opponents. But when none of the dragons came down here- through a large pair of doors that connected to an outside pathway- Val commonly used this room to test her own skill with firearms.

And speaking of firearms, her blue eyes immediately landed on Fred putting some last-minute touches on some kind of rifle. Having come from a long line of warriors, Val was proud to continue that tradition into the twenty-first century in her own way. She was already a gun nut thanks to many hours of shooting games and memories of going to other ranges with her mom; who had plenty of experience under her belt thanks to her time as a police officer before Val was born.

So a weapon she failed to recognize was… a surprise.

"Fred… what is that?" Her query made Fred acknowledge her presence and he quickly stepped away from the rifle, clearing his throat and gesturing to the weapon. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

The weapon was heavier than Val thought and the design was sleek as she examined it. But what caught Val's attention was the ammo clip. Instead of a normal magazine, the girl noticed a cylindrical container attached to the main body: a container with bright purple lines glowing like a neon sign.

Her curiosity piqued, Val followed Fred's instruction and aimed at a small target on the far edge, lining up her shot. Once she was sure of her aim, she pulled the trigger… only to be suddenly blown backward from a sudden bright burst that exploded from the weapon's barrel! Val let out a startled yelp before her back hit the floor and the wind was knocked out of her lungs. The rifle clattered beside her, the front end blasted apart and emitting purple smoke. Fighting through the daze, Val lifted her head off the floor…

…and saw only a burnt hole on the range's wall with no trace of the target, save for tiny vaporized remnants.

"Uh… m-mild calibration issue," an embarrassed Fred uttered. "B-but a successful trial nonetheless!" Val's gaze alternated between the now-useless weapon and the hole, her mind quickly connecting the dots between the purple smoke and the burning scent. "Fred, is… is that plasma?! How did you-"

"You remember the plasma cannon of Lucas' jet, right? I decided to make a few tweaks," Fred explained proudly… only for the destroyed weapon to emit purple sparks. "Er… make that a few more. How did they regulate the output, anyway?" He grabbed the heap of junk off the floor while Val rose to her feet, her sapphire eyes still full of bewilderment. "What you're looking at, Harper, is the first of many combinations between human technology and dragon biology!"

"So you're making a plasma gun?"

"Generously donated- painlessly, mind you- from our resident Night Fury," he specified. "And as you can see, it's still a work in progress."

Val let out a small chuckle. "The staple of science fiction from a dragon of all things. The others are gonna freak out. Does Dan know you're doing this?"

"Know? He's an assistant! The two of us collaborated on a lot of our stuff, so why not these?"

"These?" Val repeated as the two made their way out of the range. "What else do you have in mind?" Fred's face lit up as if he was expecting such a question. "Oh, so much! Sonic grenades from a Thunderdrum, Zippleback gas traps, tasers modified from Skrill bio-electricity… I can send you the link if you want!"

"Nah, save the surprises. How are you getting all that?"

"Dan's not the only one the DPS reaches out to. Whenever they need an extra hand in research and managing the dragons they recover, they give me a call," His brow furrowed in thought. "Which reminds me, they're gonna need me again soon. Something about upgrading their incubators to a stronger material."

Val didn't suppress the snicker that followed. "Oh ho, yes. Nature's bombs. I mean, it's not like they knew dragon eggs explode when they hatch. Not even Astrid knew until it was too late!" Fred joined in on her laughter for a moment before coming to a stop in front of the lab's door. "Okay, well, I've got some modifications to work on before this baby- and others like it- are field-ready. What's on your agenda?"

"I should probably join the others," Val muttered as a self-reminder. "We'll be looking for signs of whatever attacked that Night Light. If you don't mind multitasking-"

"I'll be sure to check in on Lucas," Fred promised. "You and Dan will be the first to know if he tries anything." Val just raised a brow. He sounded a little certain of something… too certain. "Just watch him, okay? And maybe get some more details out of him, if you can. I gotta go." She turned on her heel and left before Fred could respond, leaving him to his duties.

"So… remind me what we're looking for again?"

Taking his eyes off the ground for a moment, Dan looked back at John while Nightwatcher sniffed the air for any peculiar scents. "We've got a dragon in the medbay, badly hurt. Whatever attacked it could still be here… and it's too close for comfort."

"That's… ominous," Julie muttered. "You're saying another dragon did that?"

"Yeah," Val explained. "But we don't know what kind. And that's what we're gonna find out. Everybody stay sharp." A curious squawk from Spike made her glance in the Nadder's direction. "I didn't mean that literally. But still… yeah. Do that." Ben scanned the treeline with Scorcher while Cobra and Viper's heads swiveled in every direction. Mirage laid perfectly still among the branches, with short bursts of movement being the only indicator of the Changewing's camouflaged presence. Terry sat perched atop Dan's shoulder, the little Terror glancing around. Luminous crept through the underbrush with a faint emerald glow, the Flightmare alternating its gaze between the woods and the team.

Everybody was moving in the direction the Night Light had appeared from, hoping to find evidence of a struggle or anything of the sort. So far, they were on the right track since Nightwatcher had discovered tiny droplets of blood in the dirt. They smelled fresh, which meant the Night Light had been injured recently. This had earned a light commentary from Val about how they were doing "the exact opposite of a hunt": going after the predator rather than the prey.

The purple Terrible Terror was the next dragon to pick something up, with a short screech directing Dan's attention to one of the many trees scattered in the forest. Unlike its neighbors, this one had a chunk of wood blown clean off. The young man brushed his hand along a scorched surface and sniffed at the residue.

"Plasma," he announced to the others. "We're getting close." Humans and dragons alike went on high alert as they kept moving through the woods, which slowly went from a serene environment to a torn, damaged battlefield. Trees went from standing tall and proud to being covered in claw marks and burns. Various bushes and foliage turned from green to red, leftover blood dripping to the dirt below. Smooth dirt became upturned and disfigured, branches had been snapped off trees like amputated arms, and an entire tree had crashed to the forest floor.

Ground zero at last… but no sign of the attacking dragon. Dan ordered the team to split up and investigate the crime scene. Val stuck with him as the two examined the ground for tracks and footprints. One trail led in the opposite direction: Easily the Night Light. Her prints were all over the place… but the lack of another pair made Val suspicious. "Not seeing prints of another individual. It must have stuck to the air."

"Either that," Dan added. "Or the fight wiped them away. What else is tussling and rolling around good for?" Nightwatcher kept sniffing away beside him. "Anything, bud?"

Not much. Every scent here was a blur to the Night Fury. It's hard to distinguish anything specific; the fight was probably fast and fierce. The attacker must have struck hard and quick, giving his sister little time to get her bearings. No wonder she couldn't recall much.

"I still can't believe you have a sister," Val whispered. "Up here."

Nightwatcher is just as surprised as she is. Silverstar is the second youngest of his siblings, with himself as the overall youngest. She's loyal and brave when it comes to her fellow dragons, especially Furies. The last time he had seen her was just before he arrived on the surface: just about a decade ago.

"Her story's gonna have to wait," Dan spoke before turning back into the rest of the clearing. "What have you guys got?" Ben was the first to reply along the treeline. "There's not too much damage over here. Whatever this was, it wanted to end things fast."

"I've got traces of activity in the trees!" Julie reported atop Luminous. "It was up high. Maybe it wanted to ambush the dragon?"

"All I'm getting over here is plasma bits," John added. "If this is all the Night Light's doing, the attacker didn't use any kind of breath attack or special abilities."

"It must've been all force," Val deduced, her eyes scanning the wounded trees. "Bite marks on her body, scratches on the trees… and let's not forget it was fast and wanted to strike by surprise."

"That has to mean it's intelligent," Dan theorized. "It was stalking her, waiting for the perfect opportunity. And when it struck, it made sure the Night Light had no idea what she was up against it."

"Meaning she had to run," Val finished. "She was panicking, hence the plasma bolts everywhere. But why did her attacker bail? Why not give chase and finish the job?"

"It couldn't have struck later, she'd be onto it," His face scrunched up in thought. "We've got to be missing something… it didn't follow on foot, meaning it had to have flown away-"

"Therefore abandoning its target," Val tapped her foot against the ground. "That doesn't make any sense! Why would a wild dragon quit a fight it started? Especially when its target was on the ropes?"

"Um… guys?!" John suddenly called out in a frantic tone. "You're gonna wanna see this!" Both riders perked up and hurried in the indicated direction, where John, Julie, and Ben were gathered around a bush that the former was searching through. "What is it?" Dan asked.

John didn't answer… and instead fished something out of the foliage. In his hands was a damaged black drone with its rotor blown off from a stray blast. He turned the machine to present a familiar symbol on the drone's chassis: a red fist pointed skyward.

The realization sunk in for the whole team. "Tell me I'm not looking at what I think I'm looking at," Val whispered. Dan only shook his head, confirming the sight even if he refused to believe it. "We need to get back to base. Now."

"I'm telling you, I don't have anything to do with this!"

"Val, he has a point-"

"Like hell you do!" the girl snarled, holding Lucas' arm in a painful hold. "We're talking about a Bloody Fist drone right in our backyard! Who'd you contact, soldier boy?!"

"He didn't contact anybody!" Fred stammered before Lucas could reply. "I looked over his neurological levels five times, and they're all normal! He's clean!"

"That doesn't mean he's on our side," she hissed.

"Val, listen to me," Dan pleaded with raised palms. "Rationally speaking, I don't think Lucas has anything to do with that drone. Fred would've picked up any unauthorized communications."

"If I even had the chance-!" Lucas frantically stammered. "Look, I know you don't trust me, a-and I don't blame you! I don't remember what the Fists did to me, but I do know I did some rather unpleasant things for them!"

"That's putting it lightly," Val grumbled in his ear. "Overseeing illegal operations, subjecting dragons to control chips, and blasting up New York in that fancy jet of yours-!"

"That drone has to be here because of her!" Dan interjected, hoping this new theory would be enough to defuse the situation. "Silverstar! The Night Light! Fred, can you get any footage from-"

"I can't," came the grim reply. "Central processor is fried."

"O-okay, but it had to be following her, right? It was light, no weapons, probably a recon model!"

"That's not helping," John butted in, pressing his fingers together. "If that thing had a camera and was following her, it was this close to discovering the mansion. Heck, we don't even know if it was after her at all!"

"But what about her?" Julie piped up, gesturing to the unconscious girl on the couch. "You found her on a Fist ship, after all. That'd be a good reason."

"Not if they think everyone on board died in the blast," Ben countered. "Face it, guys, we're stuck until either of them wakes up… and we're stuck with an ex-terrorist, too."

"Emphasis on ex," Lucas was sure to add as Val finally released him with a glare. "But maybe I can help. What do you have on-"

"Hell. No," Val spat before jabbing him in the chest with a finger. "You are not going anywhere or doing anything right now until we say so. Got me? Good." She was storming off seconds later… and as Dan watched her leave, he heard John mutter about how the genes that lived in Astrid's blood frightened him sometimes. Dan moved to follow but took one last glance at Fred. "When did you say the DPS needed you?"

"Later today. Are you sure you guys can handle things without me?"

"We can take care of everything… even him," Dan promised, gesturing in Lucas' direction. On the subject of taking care of things, he needed to check in on Val in the sublevel. There were times when she could be just as temperamental as the shieldmaiden of Berk, something both allies and enemies alike learned the hard way. Dan recalled one day she had lashed out at the twins for using up all the hot water to give Terry a bath in the kitchen sink. He was lucky nothing got broken, be it their bones or a plate lying around.

Val was right where Dan thought she was, taking out her frustrations on holographic enemies in the mansion's training simulator. She sprinted across a simulated battlefield, alternating cover points to avoid deadly streams of bullet fire from hostile targets. Somersaulting into the center of a squad, Val proceeded to punch a soldier who rushed at her and fired a pistol over her shoulder, downing another that was aiming at her head from behind. Drawing a second firearm from her holster, she leaped and spun to counter incoming fire with her own barrage, downing three more targets that disintegrated into red pixels.

Another wave generated onto the field, this one enemies decked out with stun batons and riot shields. Trading the guns for an ax, Val moved with finesse and precision as she weaved around their defenses, slid underneath targets, and struck from behind. Dan watched her jump off one shield and bury the weapon in a dummy's head, yanking it out to decapitate the last one that rushed in with a knife.

A final wave spawned in from behind her: another squad of ranged soldiers backed up by a heavy juggernaut decked out in body armor and a minigun. Val moved fast, sprinting behind cover to avoid a devastating barrage. Dan recognized the weapon she used to fend off the soldiers: a custom-made rifle that switched between assault and sniper modes. She alternated between switching cover points and taking out targets all while steering clear of the heavy that was wreaking havoc on the simulated surroundings.

Dan wondered if he was allowed to feel sympathy for holograms.

The heavy usually needed a little effort to eliminate- something he knew from his sessions- but Val made it look easy. She waited for his weapon to overheat before springing out of hiding, chopping it out of his grip and rolling away from powerful swings of its arms. A slash to the leg staggered him, a high kick to the head made him reel back, and a slice at the unprotected throat was enough to finish the job. Ignoring the automated tone signaling the end of the session as well as giving Val her score, she finally noticed Dan staring from the chamber's doors and sighed like a moody teen who wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

"What?"

"How come you're so hard on him?"

She gave him a glare that said the answer was an obvious one. "It's the old Hofferson genes, what else?"

He sighed. "Come on, Val, we need to give him a chance. Hiccup did exactly that back in the day. You remember Eret, right? He-"

"He had his mind changed about dragons," she interrupted with a stern tone. "But this? This is different. We're not talking about a difference in perspective here, Dan. We're talking about straight-up, godforsaken brainwashing. You can't expect to just change that with a snap of the finger."

"I know, but we fixed that. Lucas is-"

"For how long?"

Dan blinked. "...what?"

"How long is he going to stay like that?" Val specified. "Yes, we got rid of the stupid mind control chip. Yes, he is back to normal… but what if a tiny remnant of that programming is still in there? We need to be prepared for anything, Dan."

"Val, I… okay, that is slightly concerning, I'll admit. But don't you think you're overreacting a little?"

She sputtered in surprise before her brow furrowed in anger. "Over… I'm being cautious! There's a big difference!"

"Alright, alright!" He quickly stammered, not in a hurry to find out if his genetic relative preferred violent responses as much as their ancestor. "Look, I'm not a hundred percent convinced myself that Lucas is… y'know, purged and everything. But we made progress. Mordred is using that chip on both dragons and people and now we have a way to disable it. That puts us ahead of him by a mile!"

"Yeah… but he's still in the race," Val grimly reminded him. "And if one of his prized pets decides to stab us in our sleep… that's on you." She marched past with no room for further argument, leaving Dan to ponder any possible moves. The team needed to keep an eye on Lucas, yeah… but about the others?

The girl and the Night Light. There had to be a connection. What was the former doing on a Bloody Fist ship? And just what kind of dragon would attack another all while concealing its identity? Dan needed answers… and they wouldn't be found by waiting around.

"Status update on the targets."

"The new ones, sir?"

A grimace from the first speaker. "The facility cams caught them. The day of testing. They cannot be allowed to relay what they have seen, it could compromise everything too soon."

"The first one is presumed dead, sir. Nobody could have survived-"

"I highly doubt that. You know what we're dealing with and what kind of stock they come from. They're not easy to kill. What about the dragon?"

"Fifty-six oh two reported successful contact. Target escaped… with severe injuries. We suspect it won't be around long after that."

"Make no mistake," The voice declared. "These two are smart. They've eluded us before… and she is a threat of the highest degree."

"Like the boy."

Silence. "...yes."

"Acknowledged, Mordred. We'll find them one way or another."

He didn't bother to stick around for the rest. Once he was out of earshot, a heavy sigh filled the air.

"Why are you making me do this…?"