Sitting on a chair, Leon observed as the deputies that Sheriff Cooper summoned were all gearing up for what could only be assumed as a fire fight. Bullet Proof vests, AR15 assault rifles and tactical shotguns; Leon was feeling a little naked and exposed. After having a talk with Douglas Cooper, Leon had to grudgingly acquiesce to having Daniel Parker shipped out to Seattle and handed over to the feds.
The young Parker, responsible for shooting Peter Talbot; nearly killing Leon’s son in the process, was apprehended after failing to escape a police pursuit as he raced down the highway in a stolen ’66 Mustang. Facing charges that would have guaranteed a life sentence and then some; Leon was hoping the local district attorney Jack Johnson would be more than eager to take the boy to trial. However federal agents put the kibosh on that by wanting Daniel for their RICO case against his father Frederick Parker; a notorious mobster operating in San Francisco.
Said mobster arrived shortly after his son Daniel was arrested. Frederick Parker, or Freddie the Shark as he is known by; arrived to Moon Lake early Saturday morning. His first attempt to get his son out of jail involved half dozen of lawyers. Their attempt to bamboozle Judge Flagg failed as he saw through their flurry of motions and arguments. With the first attempt ending in failure, Freddie soon found himself dealing with not one pissed of patriarch but two. Saturday evening a group of Freddie’s men decide to pass the time with a home invasion. Not knowing that they decided to break into Benton Knight’s estate until a little later, Frederick soon found himself kicked out of the only motel in town and feeling a financial squeeze.
Leon however did not care about Benton’s retaliatory attack to Frederick; all he cared about was stopping Frederick from succeeding in breaking out Daniel. Looking at the time, Leon had to figure with traffic being the way it is; that his nephew Eugene with FBI agent Brooke Reed had arrived in Seattle with their prisoner Daniel Parker. Knowing it would be a few hours before Frederick noticed all the men with him at his campground would be missing, ensuring that his backup to assault the police station would be whoever arrived in whatever vehicles; Leon decided to catch a short nap.
******
“Wake up Leon,” a familiar man speaks; shaking the sleeping were-lion awake; “we need to talk.”
“Who dares,” Leon mumbling; “is it you Douglas?”
“No I’m not the sheriff,” the man speaking; “but I can look like him if you want.”
“What,” Leon waking up; seeing the police station completely empty, Leon wonders if he overslept. Looking around to see no one but a man Leon thought he saw the last of on Saturday evening.
“Don’t look so glum Leon,” the strange man speaking; “I wouldn’t have come unless it was important.”
“What is it now,” Leon growling; “more ominous portents about me and my son? You going to tell me that we are to have a falling out,” Leon snapping; “before he challenges me for leadership of the pride?”
“Peter’s path is set,” the strange man getting up; “he is currently snuggled with his mate Helen Tompkins in the hospital safe room.”
“How do you know of that,” Leon glaring at the man.
“One,” the strange man chuckling; “this is a dream and I am sort of a master in this realm.”
“And the second reason,” Leon looking at the man oddly.
“From time to time,” the strange man looking serious; “I can manifest myself into the real world. Take on corporeal form; I’m not sure how, but it happens every so often. One such manifestation,” the strange man looking at Leon; “happened in the safe room your son and Helen are sleeping in.”
Leon looks at the man in front of him with an air of skepticism. If it wasn’t for the fact that the mysterious man talking to him was a dragon that was rumored to be the one popping up from time to time handing out prophecy dreams and what not.
“So what happened,” Leon looking at the man; “my son woke up and got violent with you?”
“Nope,” the strange man responding; “I let them sleep, as I wrote them a note. But we are getting off track,” the strange man now sitting next to Leon; “I’m here to warn you as to what will happen.”
“Warn me about what,” Leon glaring at the man; “does this have to do with Frederick Parker and his lackey’s?”
“Yes,” the strange man being serious; “once Frederick finds out his son has already been sent to Seattle, the man will naturally be irate.” The mysterious stranger pauses as he looks to the cells were Daniel was once held; “don’t wait for him there like you and Douglas planned. It will only end badly.”
“How so,” Leon staring at the man.
“Follow me,” the strange man motioning Leon to the cells.
Entering the holding cells, Leon could hear the sounds of gun fire as he looked around and saw himself armed with a colt 1911a a handgun that fires 45caliber ammunition housed in a clip carrying seven bullets and one already in the chamber. Steeling himself as he did what he could to calm himself down; the gunfire getting louder. Those that invaded the station minutes ago getting closure to his location.
Hiding himself in a corner just as the door to the cells slam open. Entering was Frederick and a few heavily armed men. Leon could smell blood as the men pass by him without so much as a second look. Pretending to be a prisoner in a cell; Leon watched as Frederick headed to the last cell; opening his cell as he got behind the mobster and his men.
“Fuck,” Frederick shouts; “where is my son!”
“Feds took him,” Leon speaking as he unloads his weapon into Fredericks men. Taking them down and wounding Frederick in the process. “All that planning,” Leon growling; “and you missed Daniel by a few hours.”
“Fuck you,” Frederick swearing as he tried to aim his gun and fire; only to swear again as it jammed on him.
“Luck is on my side,” Leon grinning; as he aims his semi-automatic pistol at Frederick. Pressing down on the trigger; only to hear the click of a weapon empty of bullets.
“Luck,” Frederick chuckling; “luck is having a backup weapon!”
Leon looks on stunned as Frederick pulls out a second gun on him and quickly discharging it. Causing Leon to crumple to the ground as the bullet that struck him pierced his chest and destroyed his heart. As Leon looks on; his life fading away rapidly, Frederick approaches him and fires off a few more bullets from his gun into Leon’s skull.
******
“What happens afterwards,” the strange man shaking his head as Leon shudders from what he saw; “is more death and tragedy.”
“Does Frederick die,” Leon looking completely shaken up.
“He is not the only one,” the mysterious stranger helping Leon sit down; “Douglas also suffers as well as several deputies.”
“Did what you show me,” Leon looking ashen; “will that come to pass?”
“If you stay here it might,” the strange man speaking; “it is a possibility. My advice, don’t wait for Frederick in the cells. Don’t pretend to be a perp and don’t insert yourself into the fire fight.”
“But I agreed to help the sheriff in stopping Frederick,” Leon looking at the strange man; “I can’t go back on that.”
“There are other ways to help,” the strange man handing Leon a glass of water; “you have members of your pride abducting Frederick’s men and dropping them naked into the woods a few hours from here.”
“I know what you are suggesting,” Leon speaking; “I even suggested it to Douglas. But to do that to Frederick or to detain the man before his back up arrives,” Leon speaking; “who knows if they have standing orders to come here regardless and carry out their mission as planned. At the moment,” Leon looking at the strange man; “my brother’s and nephews are keeping an eye on Frederick. Waiting to see when his back up arrives and how many show up to help him.”
“Scouts,” the strange man understanding Leon; “since you don’t know how many or how well armed they might be.”
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t order them to mess with the vehicles and supplies currently sitting around Frederick’s camp site,” Leon still looking un-nerved at witnessing his possible death; “limiting his resources to use against the sheriff and his deputies in trying to break out his son. A son who is now in Seattle,” Leon looking at the mysterious stranger.
“Have you thought about informing Frederick,” the strange man speaking; “if the man knew his son was no longer in town, perhaps he’ll go away.”
“No,” Leon growling; “Frederick Parker is not the kind of man that will turn tail and go away. Not after the indignities,” Leon speaking; “that I have already heaped upon him. When I said mess with his supplies,” Leon smiles; “let’s just say, Frederick will be spending the morning puking up his guts and shitting his pants if he eats any of the food his men procured when getting the camping gear. Nothing fatal,” Leon speaking; “but if luck is with us, he will be sick long enough for the sheriff and his deputies to be fully prepared to repel his assault and arrest those that don’t want to die.”
The strange man arches an eyebrow as he thinks for a moment. Looking at Leon as he gets up; slowly shifting into his draconic form of a dragon of mist and smoke.
“Don’t disregard my warning;” the misty dragon speaking; “do not wait for Frederick in the cells, or you might die.”
*******
Leon wakes up with a sudden jerk; causing some of the deputies that were waiting, to nervously jump and aim their weapons at the were-lion before realizing their mistake and lowering them in the process.
“That was one disturbing dream,” Leon getting up and looking at a bored deputy; “were is Sheriff Cooper I need to talk to him.”
“In his office,” the deputy yawning; “Breakfast sandwiches from The Local Diner are in the break room.”
“Thanks,” Leon stretching and walking to the sheriff’s office; “Douglas needs to hear what I just dreamt.”