I knew I should have stopped when I saw the sign reading "KEEP OUT".

And I guess I should have backtracked at the 'Trespassers will be shot," sign glittering in the sunset. And maybe I knew I was in for it when I got out the wire cutters and cut the tough metal in the wire fence.

But this was just too much. A whole government palace popping up in less than a week, crawling with buzz-cut men and snarling dogs might be the stuff of Hollywood adventures, but this is Washington state, not Washington D.C.  Nothing ever happens this close to Canada except for the occasional polar bear sighting. Besides, it's not like I had something better to do.  

 A bark rang out.

I froze, the wire cutter clamped on the last strand. My breath stopped in my throat. Thud, thud, two heavy mud-colored boots flash across my vision. I go cross eyed as I flatten myself to the ground, thankful that it was almost dark and I had my ninja clothes on. All I could hear was the steady pulse of my heart banging in my ears, straining with lack of oxygen. I thought I had their schedules down! He was supposed to be in the fourth quadrant right now!

  "What is it, girl?" It's a deep man voice, the kind that you expect the owner could throw a good punch. The red dirt crackled as he squatted. Sweat dripped into my eye. Should I make a run for it? I wondered. No, he'll see me anyway. 

 Something wet shoved itself onto my forehead and I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. Snuffling, the wet nose disappeared before a series of barks, every one more jarring than the last broke the silence. Fudge Swirls.  A dark hand grabbed the front of my jacket and pulled me out of my hiding place like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a top hat. "What have we here?" he drawled like the typical amused side character in a children's superhero film. In the looming darkness, his caterpillar eyebrows complete swallow his eye sockets in shadow while his brandished teeth remain a stark white against his dark skin.  But it's not his eyes or his teeth that caught my attention, but a long pink scar from his jawline to lower eye. It bulged out from his face like an infection that never healed. For a moment I imagined him to be like Nick Fury, with a patch over one eye and a trench-coat swishing at his heels. 

His breath washes over my face. Peppermint. "A kid," he said slowly, as if depressed I wasn't the President he caught hiding under the fence.

I struggle in his grasp pathetically, "I'm not a kid," I bristle, "I'm sixteen."

 He laughs dryly, "A kid."

I looked around quickly. The dog was still barking but no one was rushing over to help. Huh. 

"Hey Ricky," a garbled voice hissed through the radio transceiver strapped to his shoulder. "Everything alright over there?"

I struggled just a little in his arms like a half-dead salmon on the hook. The big guy looked at me and smirked before pressing his chin to his left collarbone to  reply after pressing his walkie talkie. "Yeah," he drawls with a smirk before his finger slipped from the talk button as his face slacked in horror. "What the...." he managed as he sunk to his knees, staring at me with eyes that now defied the darkness in their bulbous whiteness. I adjusted my coat, unleashing a breath. "Night night," I whispered, smacking the palm of my hand against his forehead. He fell over backwards, landing awkwardly on his back, his legs splayed like the open wings of a butterfly. 

I barely have time to click the tiny syringe back in my watch before the dog jumped over its sleeping owner and clamped its jaws shut an inch away from my throat. Its hot breath flushed over my skin and my body reacted by flinging me out of its reach. My mind finally caught up on the escape plan my legs were making  as my shoes hit the ground hard, my feet struggling to keep my footing. "Good boy, good boy!" I wheezed, holding out my backup doggy treat. 

The dog looked right past the treat with its slanted yellow eyes. There was no bribing a furry officer. It lunged again, lips pulled back to reveal fangs that should have belonged to a creature of nightmares. 

"Gah!" the dog treat fell from my hands and into the dirt. The dog trampled it as it bounded after my retreating Dr. Scholl's sneakers. The tents were a blur to my left, hiding me from the view of a group of guards who were curiously making their way over, flashlights searching over the packed dirt like white stitches. In front of me, a gate stands as my possible salvation. I picked up the speed, psyching myself up for this. I was a graceful gazelle. A powerful, graceful gazelle. I could feel my powerful legs pumping, my arms swinging. Two long strides, then I leaped into the sky and over the gate... until the metal pole slammed into my hips. Ouch. I laid there for a second, my legs on one side and hands flailing on the other. Then the darn dog took a bite out of my failed gazelle butt. 

Since I was a ninja I didn't unleash a scream, just a heroic, small whimper. I heard a faint tearing sound and knew my off-brand sweats were about to be the first fatality in this mission. The sweats sank to my knees, then with a vicious German Shepherd shake, plopped off my feet. Freed, I jerked forwards before flipping backwards over the fence and landed on all fours. 

"Like a cat," I growled to myself with a smirk before bolting at another snarling bark.

Suddenly lights started flashing. Crap. I was caught. All because of a stupid dog. I could hear the sound of clonking boots behind me so I dashed forwards, hiding between the tents and inching slowly to the other side, my breathing sounding really loud against the light fabric. My white legs exposed to the bright light would surely blind them. If not that, then the tighty whities. Maybe I could use the shock to race away before they could catch me?

There's a rustle in the tent. I crouched and watched as a burly guard emerged, assault rifle ready as he trotted to the wall of his comrades gathering around the whining dog. With the stealth and tissue-whiteness of Caspar the friendly ghost, I dove into his tent, my sweaty fingers fumbling for anything fabric. A bag of Cheetos, a pair of sunglasses and a hedgehog stuffed animal later I found what I was looking for. The perfect crime must come with the perfect disguise so I chose one of their own... a camo jacket. No pants in sight. I guess I had to pull it off like the Thieving Girlfriend (TM). After shrugging it on, I took a deep breath before practically tripping out of the tent and dashing straight into the heart of the chaos.

The funny thing about this situation is literally everyone should be able to notice a slight, skinny white boy with an over-sized jacket and complete lack of pants, but somehow my progress across the lawn went uninterrupted. Even the video cameras perched on buildings failed to acknowledge my presence. I can hear the bursts of conversation across the lawn. You may call it a curse to go unnoticed. I call it a gift. 

I looked around, searching for anything that can help me. Small house-like structures dotted the area in front of me, and the 'government palace' that looked like a trashbin of glass and metal loomed over it all. I looked at my watch. I had five minutes until there were choppers glaring down at me. Well, that just sounds cool anyway, doesn't it?

The problem was that a wide stretch of barking officers and empty space sprawled before me, It would take a whole minute to cross. And all it took was a minute to be arrested.

I surge through the waves like an expert New Yorker, head down, will myself invisible. If there was such thing as an invincibility cloak I wouldn't need it. My butt was really stinging, but a quick pat assured me the dog hadn't drawn blood. I would live. 

The surroundings blurred as I sneak around buildings, but I can still make out some interesting things. Like the numbers on their jackets, black against the camouflage on the recruits, bold black for the guards, read 214. And a couple had a badge I've never seen in my life. It looked like a giant crow with horns. Creepy. 

At the front of the huge building, which is now basically a Christmas tree of flashing alert lights, I stepped into line between two foul smelling men and shoved my hands in my pockets. What an idiot. To my delight I feel the smooth surface of an ID accidentally left inside. With a smirk, I whip out the ID of a man who weighed about a hundred pounds more and had a thick mustache. I flashed it to him. There was no way this would work. He'd look at it, look at me, then look at the flashing lights and snatch me up like the no good meddling kid I was. But he just crinkled his nose and waves us on. The men on either side of me split up and walk down the long hall. I tailgated close behind the taller one, hoping to rush in behind him. The hallway around me was shiny metallic, like some ugly old diner with those ridiculous neon signs. Up ahead, a sturdy bullet proof door stood guard, a grubby panel stuck to the side. Slowly, he puts his huge hand on it. Seconds seem like hours as the machine scans his hand. I edge in closer behind them. Finally click! The door awkwardly edges open. 

I watched as light poured in from the other side like rays from heaven. I had made it in? Was I dreaming? How could this even be possible? How could these guys not even realize that I was here? I was.... I was like, some sort of super-ninja!

"Hey! You! You're not in the R214 unit! Get the kid! Get him!"

I mentally kick myself for speaking too soon. The man in front of me spun around faster than I thought was possible. I dove through the crack of the door before a huge hand wrapped around my ankle, sending me crashing to the floor. Man, this guy's strong! I think as I spin on the ground and kick him in the face. I falter as his grip tightens around my ankle.  He moves closer to me, his nose dripping blood. The red liquid drips to his lips, standing out against his pale skin and making him look eerily like the Joker. "Come on kid," he says, dragging me toward him. Thinking of nothing else to do I kick him as hard as I can on his knee. He faltered. I kick again and again, twisting my ankle out of his grasp.  Pushing myself up and twisting my body around with a classic kick-boxing screech, my old sneakers met his head with a agonizing thud. This guy's head is like a brick! I thought as he fell like an old tree and hit the ground with a crash. 

I tried to grab his badge, but it was secured by one of those strings and clips. The man at the desk was already lumbering towards me, forcing me to let the badge go and grab for his ID. Must've rolled my ankle, I thought, seething as every step sent a shockwave of pain through my leg. THUD! The door closed on the guards face. I looked back for a second before hobbling on.

Then something caught my attention. I know that shouldn't be like, wow amazing, or anything considering that I'm in the middle of invading top secret government operation or whatever. But still, I felt this tug at my heart, the kind you get before you kiss. Have I kissed? No, haven't found the worthy girl yet. But still, it just felt right. I stopped as the hallway forked. It seemed to be coming from the right hallway, the one just reeking of military personnel.

Something was wrong. I could tell by the way the hallway was empty, by the huge security measures and bajillion cameras. I should stop. I should go the other way. I should be nervous for goodness sakes! Why the heck did I even come in here! This wasn't the plan!

 All seventeen cameras pivoted and trained their glassy eyes on me. I was busted. They would be coming for me any second now.

Then something crazy happens. I ran.

And I didn't run away, I run down the hallway like a football jock running through the pom poms of screaming curvaceous cheerleaders. But instead of a football jock it's me, soon to be behind bars. And instead of cheerleaders there's the camera's, sweeping to follow my bizarre movements. For a moment all is forgotten, even my throbbing ankle, my smarting booty, and my missing pants. A swipe of the ID and I'm in. Why aren't they in lockdown already? I wonder. And why the heck am I doing this?

I was met by a huge dome-like room. The windows that curved above were marked with the bright Washington stars. Desks cluttered with laptops and papers cluttered the room. A roaring fire drew my attention to the center of the room, flickering across the stark white coats of several doctors, who seemed to be frozen from where they stood. Several pairs of eyes slid up to watch me enter.

My legs moved without my consent, taking me to the fire. As the heat washed over me I tried to step away. 

It's the FIRE! The fire is drawing me in! It's going to burn me alive! 

Still I moved closer.

 Sweat appeared and evaporated off my face. I could feel my eyebrows burning off, my eyes watered, and my insides just curdled. All I saw is red. Then... something. In the baked mud under the fire, a flash. A silver crescent glimmers across the surface of a distant shape. As my thoughts melted I reached into the fire for it. I faintly felt searing pain flash up my arm when the fire licks my hand hungrily. Then my finger touches it. Suddenly the fire turns smurf blue and my shoulder burned like ice. I gasp and sink to my knees. The world spins and turns like I'm on a mad merry-go-round. My eyes burned in their sockets. What the heck, EVERYTHING BURNS.

Suddenly the world comes into ridiculous focus. And at the center of my vision is my hand in the fire. I scream even though it didn't hurt and yanked my hand out. Something came with my hand like a persistent price tag on a sweatshirt. But this is not some random pricetag. It's a rock the size of a football, resting in my hand like it was made for me to hold it. As I watch in fascination the black surface ruptures and ripples silver. A tiny claw raps at the shell?

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" A voice like a bullhorn bellows. I freeze, even though I wasn't moving in the first place. "Put the egg back in the oven, real nice like. Because my boys are real trigger-happy." A general with sunglasses and a cigarette flapping out of his mouth tromps in, flanked by eight ninja-like soldiers in black suits covered in ammo and gripping huge assault rifles. By the way they were holding those babies, I believed Mr Sunglasses. I set the egg back into the fire and slowly put my hands in the air.

A doctor I hadn't even noticed before jumped out from behind me and threw herself in front of the general, her black ponytail flying. "Sir! Don't shoot! He touched the egg!"

He tried to shoo her out of the way, "I know he has, woman! That's why I told him to put the darn egg back!"

The other scientists crowd around him, "But you don't understand! If the egg..." 

I took the chance to grab the egg from the fire. My hand clawed at something that clawed right back. I almost screamed as I felt little claws dig into my skin. A little black creature crawled up my arm from the fire, black as pitch as if it had been scorched. I almost thought it was a bug, but then I realize it has four legs instead of four hundred. Two violet eyes bug out from a head that was too big for its body. Little wings flapped feebly from his back like newborn butterfly's; small and veined. A small tail shook, topped with miniscule spikes. This baby is ugly, in a cute sort of way. 

"Oh my... Are you a dragon?" I ask the little creature. 

It didn't reply but bobbed its head and gives a bird sort of chirp. Suddenly I realized the emotion building in my chest is love. I love this tiny, gawky little thing even though I have no idea what it is! It shook more and its head drooped. "Are you cold?" I put him gently in my jacket and stepped away.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" The general repeated.

Grrr, I thought, I forgot.  I froze again. The little creature thrummed against my neck like a scaly neck massager. I felt very hungry. Hungry? What the heck, I'm about to die and I'm thinking about being hungry?

"TURN AROUND YOUNG MAN," The general hollered.

I did, hands in the air. The little guy poked his head out of my jacket to hiss a warning at the intruders. The general almost choked on his cigarette. The men with the guns shifted their eyes, waiting for orders. Finally the general regained face. "We've been watching you the whole time, young man. We were just... we thought it was hilarious," he let out a brief laugh before all the humor left his face. "It appears that the little shadow dragon thinks the same." He drew closer and sat down heavily at a desk, "It wasn't our plan to have the shadow dragon hatch for you. We were just hoping you'd get burned and learn your lesson. But since we've had this unexpected turn of events," he sighed deeply, "We are going to have to take you."

"What?" my jaw dropped and my 'shadow dragon' screeches from my shoulder, "What are you talking about?"

Then my mouth was covered by a sweet smelling rag and everything went black. The last thing I saw is shining violet eyes.