Chapter 13 "Plan of Action"

Practice consisted of Akira throwing fireball after fireball at Redemption. Yet after throwing a few, she felt more than bored and her throwing became halfhearted. A restless feeling stirred inside her, a feeling that told her she needed to do something. 

"Don't look so glum," Redemption told her as he swatted one of her fireballs away with his tail. He watched it admiringly as it flew a long distance off the roof before it suddenly began to drop, the rush of air putting it out. Ever since Akira learned to control her fire ability better she and Redemption had come up with a new game which took place on the roof of the academy. The game was simple in that Akira would throw Redemption a fireball and he would hit it with his tail, trying to hit them further out every time. 

Akira threw another and Redemption moved his massive tail, hitting it square on. Yet this time, instead of going up it came straight back at Akira and would have hit her had she not ducked at the last minute. 

Standing up she scowled at her dragon who just blinked innocently. Yet his innocence turned to surprise when Akira did not even bother to scold him. 

"Okay kiddo, spit it out, what's on your mind?" he asked. 

Akira shook her head as she formed a fireball in her hand and watched it for a moment before she let it extinguish. "It's just so frustrating," she sighed as she lifted her eyes to meet Redemption's, letting her dragon see the trouble that was in them. "I just feel so useless you know?" she told him. Redemption didn't reply, she didn't expect him to. "The longer we wait here the longer Steeson has time to go ahead with his plan, whatever that may be. It's just...Ree, we're sitting here in the past and have no idea what Steeson is doing in the future, he could have taken it over by know for all we know!" 

Redemption slowly shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "I doubt that Steeson would have taken over the future." 

Akira stared at him. "Why not Ree?" she asked. 

Redemption let out a sigh. "I don't know. It's just this...feeling. I may not know him all that well but this Steeson guy doesn't seem like Haiden, he's not one to just rush on after power. He seems more like a schemer to me. Besides, from what I remember last time we went to the future, the people there aren't too friendly towards black dragons. I don't think they'd just let a rider with one waltz in and take over. They would more likely destroy them as soon as they found out, which is probably why Steeson has kept Deception hidden," he paused, his eyes worried, "No, something makes me feel as though Steeson waiting for something to happen." 

"What?" Akira asked raising her eyebrows. 

"I don't know," Redemption murmured. 

"Oh there's a shocker," was Akira's reply. Yet she did not brush off her dragon's feelings. Usually if Redemption thought something weird was going on, there was. "Waiting for something, huh?" she murmured. Suddenly she formed a fireball and threw it towards Redemption with new vigor. Expecting it Redemption calmly flicked his tail and hit it full on. 

The fire ball flew up high and moments later dropped to disappear amongst the clouds. 

"That's a winner," Redemption announced proudly. 

"Yeah, sure," Akira replied. 

"One more?" Redemption pleaded as he saw that Akira was ready to give up. 

"Ree," Akira sighed. 

"Please?" her dragon made his eyes large and lowered his head, staring at Akira almost mournfully. 

"Fine, one more," Akira sighed. 

At once Redemption's eyes brightened and he lifted his head, his tail swishing in anticipation. This time Akira used both hands, letting a large fireball form between them. She took her time, her eyes on her dragon. Suddenly she thrust both hands forward. A large fireball shot forward and Redemption crouched, waiting, anticipating. Then his tail flicked around and met the fireball, sending it flying back in the direction it had come from. 

Seeing that it was headed right towards her Akira whirled to the side. The fireball flew past her, missing her by a hairs breath. She would have turned to glare at Redemption right then and there, sure that he had aimed the ball at her on purpose, had there not been a yelp behind her. 

Turning around Akira saw Savannah lying flat on the roof, having done so to avoid getting burned. Behind her the fireball was visible in the distance, still flying steadily through the air. She cautiously lifted her head, shooting a look backwards and then forwards, as though making sure that it was safe, before getting up and brushing herself off. 

"Savannah?" Akira raised an eyebrow as she wondered why the blond haired girl was up here. 

"Uh...hi," Savannah smiled nervously, looking somewhat shaken. 

"Hi," Redemption repeated enthusiastically. 

"Uh, the others sent me up here, they're all waiting for you," Savannah began, seeming somewhat more confident as she realized there were no more stray fireballs flying around. 

"Okay, why are we meeting?" Akira asked. 

"Because," Savannah suddenly looked somewhat excited, "Apparently we have a plan." 

"Finally!" Akira walked towards Savannah, feeling relief at the fact that things would finally be moving forward. 

"Hey, what about me?" Redemption asked. 

"Sorry, no dragon's allowed in the academy," Akira replied calmly as she reached the trap door that went down. She waited for Savannah to go down first before following. 

"Hey, that is not fair!" Redemption complained as he walked over and peaked down the hold in the roof, watching Akira descend the ladder. "Why don't we all meet somewhere where I can be present too for once?" 

"Because, no one wants to hear your annoying comments," Akira replied upon reaching the bottom. 

Redemption snorted in reply yet argued no further, knowing full well that he would be able to follow all that went on through Akira's mind. Glad that her dragon was not going to argue any further Akira followed Savannah and hurried towards the meeting room, feeling more than eager to hear out this plan. 

They reached the meeting room not long after. A decent sized room with a fire place, a carpet, comfortable seats and weapons decorating the walls, in the middle of the room stood a large oak table. It was definitely one of the more comfortable rooms in the academy, the one place where often meeting to plan strategies were adjourned. 

True to Savannah's word the others were all already here. Those from the future spread out throughout the room on one side while Gina, Drake, Seth and Will were spread out on the other. Brandon stood in the background, seeming to be here to do little more than watch. 

"And where were you?" Gina asked Akira as she came in. 

"Entertaining a big white lump of a dragon," Akira replied making Gina grin. 

"I heard that!" Redemption's voice protested in Akira's mind. 

Akira ignored him. "So, what's this I hear about a plan?" she asked. 

Seth, who was leaning against the far wall, spoke up, "Will kind of thought this one out, so how about he explain?" 

Will nodded. His eyes seemed to wonder over everyone briefly before he began. "Well, I was thinking about how we all have no idea what Steeson is actually up to. Without the knowledge of what he has planned we can't come up with an appropriate strategy to counter his moves. So, the thing we've got to do know is to try and figure out exactly what he's up to." 

"Well duh," Isaac muttered from the chair on which he was slumped. 

Will ignored him. "So it came to me. You guys from the future figured out that Steeson is the rider of the black dragon by being close to him, by practically living with him." 

Blank stares met him from all around the room. 

"So what better way to figure out what he is actually up to by enrolling in the academy in the future, posing as students but really keeping an eye on Steeson?" Will asked. 

There was a moments silence as everyone let what he had just said sink in. 

"Yeah," Jeremiah snorted, "There's just one problem genius. We can't go back there. Steeson knows us, he'll know who we are right there and then." 

"Yet he has never laid eyes on some of us before," Seth spoke up. 

The group from the future turned to stare at him. 

"You're kidding right?" Dominique asked. "YOU guys want to go to the future, to OUR academy?" 

"I don't see a problem with that," Drake spoke up in Seth's defense. 

"Yeah, but you guys know nothing about the future! They'll figure out your not from around there fast!" Kirk protested. 

"We'll come up with a good cover story," Will replied as if it was most logical. 

"There's no way you'll manage," Dominique snorted. 

"Oh yeah?" Seth asked raising an eyebrow. 

"Hell yeah," Dominique replied, as he and Seth glared at each other. 

"Dominique is right," Anita began softly, "It's just...crazy. Things are different in the future, there's so much you need to know." 

"Especially with Steeson controlling people," Dominique added. 

"No one's controlling anyone. Your brother proved that," Drake replied. 

Dominique glared at him, "I know what I saw." 

The room burst into chaos as arguing began, the group from the future protesting that the plan would never work while the guys from the future argued right back that it would. Akira watched in silence, her mind whirling as things in the room began to heat up. 

She didn't like what Will was saying and yet his plan did make sense. Going in to the enemy's lair was maybe the only way they could figure out what was up. She herself would love the adventure. 

"You wouldn't be able to go," Redemption's voice warned in her mind. "Nemis and Argos both know what you look like, they'd give you away to Steeson right away." 

Akira sighed, knowing that her dragon told the truth. That meant that the only options left were Drake, Gina, Will or Seth and she didn't like the idea of any of them being around Steeson. 

"Maybe Steeson doesn't mean any harm," Akira thought, "I mean we could try another method, I could meet up with him face to face..." 

"No!" Redemption firmly cut off her thoughts. "Akira, until we know what exactly he's planning you can't go near him. He knows that you're around, that you can travel to his time, he'll be bound to be waiting for you..."  

"Yeah, but think about it. If I got one moment alone with even just Argos maybe I could talk some sense into him," Akira protested, too engrossed in her conversation with Redemption to realize just how heated things around her were becoming. 

"I don't think so," was Redemption's reply. "If Steeson is controlling him then I don't think that would be possible." 

"But we have no proof that he is being controlled," Akira replied. 

"Neither do we have proof that he isn't," Redemption argued back. 

Akira frowned, remembering how both Dominique and Ray believed that they were telling the truth about the whole being controlled issue. Dominique seemed more than convinced that Steeson was somehow controlling those around him while Ray seemed just as convinced that no such thing had ever happened to him. 

"It just doesn't make sense," Akira thought in frustration. "Besides, if this whole controlling thing really is true then by sending someone in undercover we would be taking a big risk..." 

"Yes we would," Redemption replied. "And yet by doing nothing we wouldn't get any further with this business." 

Letting out a sigh of frustration Akira went over the two options in her head. Either they could send someone in undercover in the hope that they would find out what Steeson was really up to, yet the risk would be high, or they could try and find another way which would take time, time that they didn't know if they had. 

"You know, if I were you, I'd first see to it that the guys don't slit each other's throats," Redemption thought. 

Akira blinked, wondering what he meant when she suddenly became aware of the chaos in the room before her. Liam was leaning on the table, facing Drake, both of their faces red as they seemed to be having a yelling match. Gina was trying to get Drake to calm down yet he was totally ignoring her. Isaac and Will looked like they were about to strangle each other while Jeremiah and Tresus stood protectively behind Isaac. Jeremiah suspiciously had one hand on the knife tucked into his belt. Savannah sat in one corner, covering her ears while Anita watched Dominique, a blank look on her face as she watched Kirk hold Dominique back, preventing him from rushing at Seth whom he was shouting something at while Seth just stood, an amused expression on his face, yet Akira saw that he was ready to spring into action at any moment if need be. 

Brandon stood in the background, watching the whole scene. Akira felt shocked that he was not doing anything to stop what was happening before him, yet as his eyes met Akira's with a challenging glint in them she understood. He wanted her to take care of the situation. 

Blinking Akira let her eyes wonder over the situation before her once more. Anger coursed through her, anger that her friends would so suddenly turn on each other when they had a bigger enemy to fight. Feeling frustrated her fists burst into flame, yet suddenly remembering that they were inside she let them go out. Taking a deep breath she tried to calm herself. 

"Good idea, burning the academy down would not be the most ideal thing," Redemption thought wryly in her mind. 

"Any idea?" Akira thought, hoping her dragon would help her out. 

"This ones on you kiddo," was Redemption's reply. 

"Guys!" Akira shouted. No one seemed to hear her, if they did, then they ignored her. Akira let out a frustrated sigh. This wasn't going well. 

As Isaac suddenly rushed at Will Akira felt the last of her patience snap. 

"Oh that's it," she growled as Isaac tackled Will and smashed him into the wall. 

With one swift motion Akira reached into her boot. She pulled forth a small dagger and threw it with all her might. It flew true and straight, passing right in front of Drake's face, making him freeze, and continued its path until it embed itself into the wall with a thump. Isaac and Will both froze, slowly turning their heads to stare at the dagger that quivered, its blade inches from Will's head. 

The whole room lapsed into silence and all heads slowly turned to Akira. She stood fuming, a white glow seeming to radiate around her as her eyes flashed with anger. 

"Isaac, step away from Will," she warned. 

Isaac stared at her, seeming to be frozen. 

"NOW!" Akira snapped. 

Isaac jumped away from Will, moving faster than Akira would have thought possible. She let her gaze wonder over everyone else in the room, ignoring Brandon's amused look. 

"Now that I finally have your attention," she said in a cold voice, "How about you listen to what I think?" 

No one protested and Akira turned her gaze onto Will. "As much as I don't want to admit it, your plan seems our only option." 

Dominique opened his mouth to protest yet Akira shot him a cold look, almost daring him to say something, and Dominique immediately closed his mouth again. 

"Steeson and everyone at the academy won't know what some of us look like," Akira continued, "and if what Lindsy told us is correct, then the academy will still be busy recruiting new riders like crazy. That means that the sudden appearance of a few more won't raise any suspicions." She paused, as though waiting for someone to argue. When no one did she continued, "As for not knowing a lot about the future I'm sure that those going can wait a day or two and you guys from the future can teach them what you can. We can cover any lapses in knowledge by using a cover story that whoever is going are from villages, not from a city. You do have villages in your time, don't you?" 

Tresus and Jeremiah nodded in confirmation. 

"If you are asked why you don't know something you just say you didn't get out from the village much," Akira continued, not feeling too convinced that this would work, yet seeing the others look like they believed that it would made her feel somewhat more assured of the plan. "Any objections?" she asked. 

"It's not going to work," Isaac muttered. 

"Do you have a better plan?" Akira challenged. 

Isaac looked away. 

"I guess that settles it," Akira announced. 

"That just leaves us with one question," Gina spoke up and everyone turned to look at her. "Who's going?"