The Case of the Vanished Sea Dragon by Gareth P. Jones Read Free Book Online

believing a Sky Dragon has taken Delfina? Why would they be doing that? Have you ever seen one? I have never seen one. Not materialised, at least,’ Alba said, barely taking a breath between each question, her yellow eyes blinking in the darkness.
    Alba Longs was proving to be the most irritating dragon Dirk had ever met. In fact, she was proving to be the most irritating thing he had ever encountered. It wasn’t just the incessant chatter. She had a habit of poking Dirk with her claw every time she said something. Dirk was doing his best to keep calm and resist the urge to SNAP HER CLAW RIGHT OFF!
    A dark sphere of shifting rock surrounded them. Dirk had asked the rock in Dragonspeak to take them down to the massive network of underground tunnels, where thousands of dragons dwelt, far out of the reach of humans. They were heading for the lithosphere tunnel, the outermost arm of the matrix, which circled the globe and could be reached from any part of the world.
    â€˜We’re going to see Karny,’ said Dirk.
    â€˜Mr Captain Karnataka?’ replied Alba. ‘How can he be helping us? He was the one who sent me to you.’
    â€˜Karny always knows what’s going on in the dragon world and now he’s got thousands of Drakes answering to him he’ll be even better informed. If the Skies are on the move he’ll know about it.’
    â€˜I do not like those Drakes, horrible creatures,’ spat Alba.
    Dirk nodded in agreement. Drab-nosed Drakes were fireless, wingless dragons with floppy noses, big bellies and small brains. They went into the Dragnet for the power the black metal neck cuffs and chains gave them.
    The rock beneath Dirk and Alba’s claws pulled away and they plummeted into a large tunnel lit with the dim orange glow of earthlight.
    Dirk stood up and dusted himself down. ‘Now, if memory serves me correctly, Dragnet HQ is this way,’ he said.
    â€˜I do not think the captain will be able to help us?’
    â€˜Me and Karny go back a long way,’ said Dirk, walking down the tunnel. ‘Besides, it’s his fault I’m involved in this. I’ve still got a case open back in London. The sooner I can solve this one the better.’
    â€˜But you care why my sister has been vanished?’
    â€˜It’s just another case to me,’ shrugged Dirk, walking away. ‘The first thing you learn as a detective is to never let it get personal. At the end of the day it’s only a job.’
    Behind him Alba let out a long wailing noise. ‘Ahhh,’ she cried.
    â€˜Don’t be so melodramatic,’ said Dirk, refusing to turn around.
    â€˜Get off me,’ squealed Alba.
    Dirk spun around to see Alba with a black metal cuff attached to her neck. He felt a sharp pain as an identical cuff snapped around his own neck.
    â€˜You is under arrest, boy,’ said the dust-grey Drake with the chain attached to his short stumpy tail.
    Dirk reared up on to his hind legs and roared fire, but the flames bounced off the Drake’s armour-likeskin. The Dragnet officer swung his tail down, dragging the chain, neck cuff and Dirk violently to the ground.
    â€˜Good work, Junior,’ said the Drake holding Alba. ‘That’s it, use your tail. Show that traitor who’s boss.’
    With their long floppy noses and inflated bellies, Drakes looked almost comical, but Dirk knew well that once a Dragnet officer had a dragon cuffed, there was no way out. Iron or steel, Dirk could have bitten through, but Dragnet chains were made from black metal, forged in the liquid fires of the Outer Core. It was ten times stronger than any metal known to humans.
    â€˜You hold on tight now, Junior,’ said the larger of the two Drakes.
    â€˜Sure thing, Pappy,’ said the other, swinging his tail so that Dirk felt another painful jolt around his neck.
    â€˜You are hurt my skin,’ complained Alba.
    â€˜On what grounds are you arresting us,