Chapter 54: Vanguard of Change

"The entrance to the vault is through this passage," Rory says. 

"I'll use the ghost potion to get through the wall. Then I'll turn off the security and let you in," Delaney finishes.

"What about the book in the main hall of the museum?" Shadow asks, "We want to pick that up too."

"Rory and I have discussed this. We don't think it's such a good idea."

"They don't check the vaults very often, so they won't notice a missing dragon tooth until they rotate their displays. Which usually happens a couple of times a year. But you saw how the docent was drooling over this recent acquisition in his tour yesterday. We take that book and it will be missed immediately."

"We'll be gone before morning," Shadow says, "And we've covered our tracks, haven't we?"

"We have," Delaney says, "But this business always comes with a certain amount of risk. I don't think we should push our luck."

"Maybe she's right," Iola says quietly, "Maybe we should just take the tooth and leave the book be."

Peridot jumps up, taken by surprise as Geoffrey whispers her name. He wasn't supposed to be here. But then, neither was she.

"Your orders were to return home right after delivering the book to the museum," Geoffrey says, his voice low so as not to be heard by the thieves discussing their plans below.

"I couldn't let this opportunity just pass us by," Peridot answers, "Shadow is right there for the taking. I decided to take the initiative and bring him to you."

"We're going to have a long talk about how I expect my orders to be followed, Agent Shinji," he says, speaking to her as an employee rather than as a lover or even a confidant, "But right now I have guests to entertain. Follow me. And keep quiet."

"Good evening," Geoffrey says, and they all turn to face him, "Welcome to the Landgraab museum."

"Shadow! Zap him or something," Delaney hisses under her breath.

Geoffrey chuckles and steps closer to the group, showing no fear, "I don't think your cousin's magic works quite like that. And there's no need for confrontation. I've come to greet you in person, and give you what is rightfully yours."

"You expect us to just trust you?" Rory laughs harshly.

"As I trust you not to blow up my family's museum, Mr. Bowman," Geoff responds with a light smile, acknowledging Rory's role in the destruction of a secret MorcuCorp cloning facility long ago, "You all have a history with my family's company. There's been much bad blood between MorcuCorp and your families. And I've come to put an end to that. Come, I'll let you into the museum."

 Geoffrey flips on the lights as they enter the main hall. "You know what this book is," he says, nodding in Iola's direction, "You should take it, Shadow, it belongs in your family."


"My family?" Shadow asks, surprised, "It's a Landgraab heirloom, isn't it?"

"It's a journal kept by one of my distant ancestors. One that happens to be your grandfather," Geoffrey answers, "Our families, our history, is intertwined, Shadow. You are a Landgraab as much as you are a Brannon. Or an Avendale."

Behind him, Peridot and Rory face off, each watching the other, ready to strike if either of them makes a move.

"I don't know, Shadow," Iola whispers, "Why is he offering us this book? I don't like it."

"It's knowledge, Iola," Shadow answers, "Knowledge can be dangerous. But I think we should take it, all the same."

The whole situation feels wrong to her, but Iola can't argue with Shadow's reasoning. The book contains, history, knowledge, and nothing more.

From the main hall Geoffrey leads them down into the vaults in what was once the dungeon.

"My research says all the teeth they have on record as taken by Reinier Landgraab are stored. So, unless, they kept bad records, Talfryn's tooth should be here," Rory says, standing next to Iola in front of shelves of dragon's teeth. One by one, Iola touchs them, feeling the death of each dragon, learning his name and history, until she finds the one they were looking for.

Shadow is drawn to an ancient statue of a woman, worn and broken with time. Like many of the objects stored here, it emanates a magical energy.

"There were thousands of these across the continent," Geoffrey explains, "One of the earlier images of the Lady to be venerated by humankind. This particular sculpture belonged to the Avendales. Your own mother would have seen it, touched it as a child growing up. When my family conquered her town, they removed such images from display, replacing them with their own religious iconography."

"And those images are stored away in basements now along with the Lady," Shadow observes, nodding toward the row of altars to the Watcher lined up in the cage behind him.

"Indeed," Geoffrey says, "Religion was a useful tool for my family, once. But we've advanced along with world. Or, we've made the world advance along with us. Landgraabs have always been the vanguard of change. Every innovation, every new discovery, has our name on it."

"What did you want with us?" Shadow asks, "My sister and I, we were born in your labs. You imprisoned my mother..."

"I'm no older than you are, Shadow," Geoffrey lies, "Had your grandmother not stolen you away from the labs, you and I would have been raised together like brothers. I am only the latest scion of my family. I am no more my father than you are yours, and I have no intention of trying to carry out old plans hatched before I was born."

"But you would still know what those plans were," Shadow insists.

Geoffrey shrugs, letting his eyes wander to the two beautiful blondes standing watch over him, one ready to leap to his defense, he other ready to attack him. Dangerous beauty is always the most attractive. "Genetic engineering," he finally answers Shadow, "MorcuCorp has a long history of toying with DNA. I am myself a product of such experimentation, as is my lovely assistant," he nods toward Peridot.

"I recognize her," Shadow says. His grandmother, Pearl was an elder when he knew her, but her features are unmistakable on Geoffrey's young companion's face. "And that's it? You kidnapped us with no greater plan than just experimenting with our DNA?"

"That's all I know," Geoffrey lies, "When I took over, I scrapped all the old agendas. I mean to keep MorcuCorp on the cutting edge, be the vanguard of change we Landgraabs have always been, not stay mired in plans from the last century. And that is why I came to meet you here, when museum security alerted me to your visit. To bury the hatchet, as it were."

"I don't think we're going to be able to just trust you, after what our history has been," Shadow says.

"No, of course not," Geoffrey agrees, "But this is the first step in earning your trust. We're family, Shadow. Landgraabs have always valued family." 

"It's good to see you home safe, son" Aouregan sighs as she embraces Shadow in welcome. She hadn't been able to sleep properly since they left the safety of Drake's Hollow.

Shadow waits to get his father in his shop, away from his mother, to give him the details of their trip, and most importantly, their meeting with Geoffrey Landgraab himself, and the truce he offered between their families. "He gave Reinier Landgraab's ancient journal, because he was mother's real father, and he did seem sincere about acknowledging our family ties," Shadow concludes.

Farrell sits quietly, taking all this in, learning for the first time something his son has known for awhile, that Aouregan's real father was a Landgraab. "Son, not everyone feels the same way about family as you do," he cautions, "Taking any Landgraab at his word is foolhardy."

"I understand," Shadow nods, "But, I am a Landgraab, by blood at least. That must mean something to them..."

"I'm sure it means something, son," Farrell answer, "But bear in mind, they took your mother captive and brought her out of her own time, despite being a Landgraab's secret daughter. And this Geoffrey told you he was himself a product of their genetic experimentation. Being a Landgraab seems more dangerous than not being one, in terms of what they'll do to their own."

"Well, it's not like I've invited him for dinner," Shadow says, "Or even told him where we are. Don't worry, Dad. I'm not going to endanger my family."

"You may not have given him your complete trust, but it's in your nature to think the best of people. Even the worst people. Be careful in how you deal with any Landgraab," Farrell gives a final warning to his son.

"Are you going to tell Mom?" Shadow asks, "About her father?"

Farrell's lips press together as he considers. He hates lying to the woman he loves. "It would only upset her to know. And the knowledge would do her no good, I think," he says with a grim sigh.

"Dad is suspicious," Shadow tells Iola later.

"I don't blame him," she answers, "I don't think we should believe anything the Landgraab said."

"He did give us the journal..."

"And we don't know why," Iola adds.

"Have you sensed anything in it that could arm us?"

Iola shakes her head. "I've spent some time with. As much as I can handle," she says, "The emotions he invested into his writings are powerful. It's hard to sort through it all."

"Then leave it alone for awhile," Shadow suggests, "Let's go out tonight, and forget about everything."

"A date?" Iola asks, smiling.

"A date."

"We haven't done anything like this, just the two of us, since high school," Iola says, swaying against him as they slow dance to the songs on the Toadstool's jukebox.

"We should make time for ourselves more often."

While his parents are out, Fergus slips into their bedroom. Normally, he and his brothers don't come in here. Not that they've ever been expressly forbidden entry, it's just, there's never much of reason to be in here if one of their parents hasn't called them. But tonight, Fergus is drawn into the room, like he's being beckoned by some unknown power. When he sees the old tome on their desk, he understands. His mother, his brothers, all share the same gift, can read the same history just by touching the cracked leather binding, but none of them can get from it what Fergus can. He can't quite explain why, but this book is his, he feels it.

Fergus sits, not touching it right away, knowing the flood of images, the wash of emotions, that will follow when he does.

Chapter 53: The Only Other Attraction

"Excellent, Lt. Horner," Dr. Weisman says, and Jack snaps suddenly to attention at his name, "You are in excellent mental condition."

"We're done?" Jack asks, feeling like he'd just gotten here. He's never quite gotten the point of these monthly psych evaluations the company makes him do, he just shows up, chats a little with the doctor and before he knows it, the hour is up in what feels like minutes. He doesn't even know what they talk about, really, but it couldn't be important if it can''t remember the conversation right after it's over.

"It was a very productive session," the doctor says with a tight smile, "See you next month."

"I have Weisman's report," Peridot says, interrupting what looks like some serious daydreaming.

"Yes?" Geoffrey says, turning from his window to face her.

There it is again, Peridot thinks, suppressing a frown as her glance falls to the book, ancient, huge, and sealed with a lock. What is it? she wonders, why does he always have it with him?

"It's a journal, of sorts," Geoffrey says, answering her unspoken question, "Written by one of my ancestors. The language is archaic, and very difficult to translate, but I've learned a lot from it."

"About?" The book looks medieval, and Peridot can't imagine what knowledge a modern man with the intelligence Geoffrey possesses could get from that ignorant, superstitious era.

"Love. Loss. And slaying dragons," Geoffrey answers with an elusive smile.

Peridot shrugs, her curiosity about the book at least partially satisfied. She knows what it is, but understanding Geoffrey...Remembering the news she came to deliver, Peridot walks past the book to stand closer to him.

"Our mole in the Brannon's shop brought us something really interesting this time. Bowman paid a visit, and has asked their help in retrieving a dragon's tooth from one of our storehouses in Aurora Skies. Shadow and Iola will be accompanying Delaney and Bowman on this mission."

"If he's asking for a Hawksquill's aid, he must be looking for a very particular tooth, " Geoffrey muses, "I wonder which one, and why now?"

Peridot frowns, wishing he would focus. "Who cares what they want or why. They'll be on our territory. We've never had a better chance to take them."

"No," Geoffrey shakes his head, "We're going to let them take what they want."

"What? Why?"

"These ancient relics we keep locked away...they're nothing to us, now. No one even believes in dragons anymore. The tourists that come to the museum in Aurora Skies scoff at the tooth we have on display there. Most believe it's a fake, or a dinosaur's tooth. I would guess this particular tooth Bowman is looking to steal belonged to a dragon in his own family, and he means to return it to his relations. It's only right that he does so. My family established its reputation and wealth as dragonslayers, once upon a time. I sometimes wonder how different things might have been if we'd know what they truly were. Knowing what we know now, keeping those trophies seems somewhat barbaric."

"So you're just going to let them infiltrate our storehouse and take what they want?" Peridot demands, cutting him off before he goes too far off on one of his philosophical tangent's.

"Yes," Geoffrey says decisively. "I want you to fly out there ASAP, deliver this book to the museum, tell them I want it placed prominently on display. Also, Bluewater has a base in Aurora Skies, I want Horner's unit deployed there for training."

"You're hoping Horner will run into Delaney, then he can get us inside information," Peridot says, "But why do you want your precious book put in the museum?"

Geoffrey smiles at her unconscious tell, the derisive way she speaks of the medieval journal, jealous of the time he's spent with it. "The Landgraab who wrote it is a distant ancestor of mine, but I do believe he was Shadow's grandfather. And his sons, having the Hawksquill gift along with their Brannon ancestry, will have much more to learn from this tome than I ever could."

"You want them to steal it, too," Peridot frowns, not understanding his motives at all.

The Landgraab castle in Aurora Skies, one of the many castles once owned by the large and prosperous family, has been converted into a museum, preserving and displaying the glory of the Landgraab family during its rise to power. Most tourists visit the town for the hot springs and scenic landscapes, but inevitably tour the museum, as it's the only other attraction available.

"The Landgraab family established their name as dragonslayers early in the medieval era," the docent says, leading a small tour group through the old castle's main hall, "Here we have an actual tooth taken from a dragon as a trophy by Reinier Landgraab himself. The Landgraab family had many dragonslayers, both before and after Reinier, but none were quite so famous as he. Reinier Landgraab was instrumental in extending and consolidating Landgraab power through the continent."

"You don't expect us to believe this dragon slaying nonsense?" one of the tourists pipes up, "That has to be a fake. There's no such thing as dragons."

The docent smiles, used to this reaction. "Of course there are no dragons," he says, "But the people at the time believed in them. While Landgraab name was established based on 'dragonslaying', their power came from the strengt of their armies, and the men who led them."

Iola catches Delaneys eye, shakes he head slightly. She doesn't have to touch this tooth to feel its history. It's not the tooth they've come for.

The docent turns the group's attention to the chairs displayed on the dais, speaking lovingly of the dragon carvings on the arms and back, the care and craftsmanship that went into their construction. Delaney wanders off, pretending to be engrossed by a suit of armor propped up by the wall. Rory stands by her, pretending to be paying close attention to the docent. "That's not it," Delaney says, her voice low.

"They have vaults under the castle, in what used to be the dungeon," Rory says, "That's what we have to break into."

Shadow grips Iola's hand, supporting her. Everything in this room is old and well used, touched by so many, imbued with their histories, and al of it rushes at her, demanding her attention. Is all she can to gather the threads and lock them away in  her own mental museum, to sort out later, one memory at a time.

"This place is a shrine to your grandfather," she whispers, "Everything here belonged to him, was used by him. This tooth," she sighs, stopping there. It isn't the tooth they were looking for, but a dragon died in pain for Reinier to get this trophy, and though he's long dead, the agony rolls off the tooth as fresh as if the dragon were giving his last death cry.

"Now, if I could have your attention," the docent calls, "We have something very special for you today. This ancient tome was only just delivered to us yesterday, directly from the Landgraab family's private collection. This is the journal kept by Reinier Landgraab himself, written in his own hand. Imagine what he'd have to say about his life, the stories that must be contained withn it. Alas, the language he wrote in is too antiquated for any but scholars of the time to read," The docent says, smiling proudly at the new acquisition.

"You think he tells where he got his fake dragon teeth from?" the skeptical tourist asks.

Iola stands engrossed by the old journal. She'd be able to read its contents without knowing the language it was written in, if only she could get her hands on it.

After their tour is over, their group splits up, Iola and Shadow returning to the bed and breakfast they're staying at, Rory going off on his own to case the security situation at h museum, to formulate a plan for breaking into the vaults beneath it, leaving Delaney to wander the town on her own. Without much else to do, she stops into a local cafe for a drink.

"Do they make you wear that hat?" Delaney wonders. The cat eared cap seems like an odd choice for a work uniform, "I wore a cap like that to my high school graduation," she remembers out loud.

"Hot blonde at 6 o'clock," Adam says, walking casually away from the pool table to stand by his friends.

"Concentrate on your game," Jack says.

"Just because you're eternally faithful doesn't mean the rest of us have to play dead," Jessie quips.

"I saw her first," Adam says.

"Winner takes all," Jessie says, pointing to the pool table with his stick.

Jack starts to laugh, then turns suddenly at the sound of the voice ordering pastries behind him. She turned away from him, but there's no mistaking Delaney.

"Baby, it's you," he says, grabbing her from behind.

Delaney's hand reaches behind her instinctively, ready to throw her assailant to the ground, but as she recognizes him, her grab becomes a caress. "What are you doing here?" she asks.

Questions and answers can wait. Jack turns Delaney around for a deep kiss.

"Woo, Horner, Horner!" the guys chant his name behind the couple.

"I guess I should introduce you to my unit," Jack sighs, presenting Delaney proudly to Jessie and Adam. "I told you guys, I'm the luckiest man in the world, right?"

"It can't be a coincidence," Shadow says, holding Iola's had while she strokes his hair, "My grandfather's journal showing up just in time for us to see it. It must be a sign, something the universe wants us to see."

"Or the Landgraabs know we're here and put that book there," Iola counters.

"But they don't know we're here. We're traveling under fake names. And the fairies have put a strong glamour on us to protect us," Shadow says, trying to comfort her. "Besides, if they knew we were here, why would they put Reiner's journal out for us to see? No, they'd be coming after us."

"I suppose you're right," Iola says, "It just feels wrong."

Jack follows Delaney back to her room, where she can explain in private how she happens to be in this same town. 

"I thought you quit the business," Jack says when she tells him she's here to do a job with Cole.

"I did. But he asked for my help on this, as a favor."

"I don't suppose I want to know what the job is," Jack says with a laugh, and Delaney shakes her head.

"Best not," she she answers.

"Strange how your job and mine both brought us out to the middle of nowhere at the same time," Jack observes.

"You didn't tell me you were being deployed overseas," Delaney says.

"It's just training," Jack says, "And it happened so fast, we got our orders and shipped out right away."

"And your training involves hanging around cafes playing pool?" Delaney laughs,

"We have a couple of day's leave. There's shit all to do here, and the guys were hoping to meet some girls." Delaney gives him a look, and Jack laughs, "Hey, not me, You know I don't want anyone but you."

Delaney smiles, "I know. I feel the same."

Jack doesn't respond, but he looks away from her for just a second. Putting her hand on his cheek, she forces him to look her in the eyes, "You don't believe me," she says.

"Laney," he sighs, "I want to get past that..."

"But you can't, if you still think I might cheat on you," she finishes for him, "You've always been the only one, Jack. I know that's hard to believe, since I did cheat on you. But, that wasn't about me wanting Ian. That night was my first real job, Jack, and you know how the adrenaline flows through you on a job, you come out all amped up. And I liked that feeling, I wanted to have that al the time. I wanted in on your team, Jack, and I knew you would try to stop me, I knew you wanted out of that life. So I did what I thought I had to do to get myself in, and keep you in. I never wanted Ian, Jack. Even when I was with him, I was thinking of you."

"Laney, please," Jack begs, "I don't want to know this."

"You have to know, Jack," she insists, guiding toward the bed, "What I did was stupid, and wrong. I've held you back in so many ways, and I don't deserve you. But I know you love me, and you need to know how much I love you, how much I've always loved you."

He'd never thought about it that way, that she'd been holding him back. But, it's kind of true, he realizes, he got expelled from high school protecting her, he got involved in crime to make money so he could take care of her and Jace, he'd gotten thrown jail by her father. And now she's telling him she slept with Ian as way to get herself more deeply involved with Cole's racket, which kept him involved in it even while he wanted a way out. It's all true, but none of it matters, knowing it doesn't make him love her any less. He'd do it all again, just to be with her here, now, making love on this creaky bed.

"There's something else I have to tell you," she whispers before he drifts off into sleep.

"Can it wait?" jack asks wearily, not ready for another confession.

"No, I don't want to have any more secrets from you," she ays, "Do you remember that time I went to stay at Cole's place?"

Jack groans. That was when Ian told him about him and Laney, while trying to warn him about what might be going on between her and their boss. "You told me nothing happened," he says, "Did you lie to me?"

"No," Laney says, "No, I've never slept with Cole. We've never been remotely romantic. What I have to tell you is much bigger than that. The reason Cole wanted to see me was...well, he wanted to tell me that he's a dragon. And that I'm one too." Delaney look up into hi eyes, to gauge his reaction before she proceeds, and is surprised to see not disbelief, but mild confusion in his expression.

"That's what you were telling me in the dream," he says, his eyes growing distant as he looks back into his memory, "I didn't think anything of it, I thought it was just some childish story. But that's what you said, that you just learned your friend was a dragon."

"Now you've lost me," Delaney says.

"That day Ian told me, you know, about you, I went off to get drunk. But Shadow came into the bar and convinced me to let him do dream work, he called it. He said he could help direct my sprit to yours in dreams. And I did dream that night, that  saw you. And you told me about your friend being a dragon. When I woke up, I figured it was just a dream. Like, my subconscious telling me I needed to get past you. But maybe it was real."