Page 79 of Dragon 7

Our Roar is behind and to the left.

I turned around and found Reo several yards behind the front line, deep enough into the trees that the canopy closed overhead again. Someone had placed a table in the dirt and on its surface was a map of the island.

I hurried to Reo and gazed at the table. From what I could see in the dim lighting, all was painted on there—every road, building, tree line, ridge, landing zone, and even my mansion was rendered in miniature across a flat surface.

And on it, wooden pieces moved in the hands of four men who stood at the edges of the table with phones pressed to their ears. Every few seconds, they listened to whoever was on the phone and then moved the pieces without looking up.

Reo stood behind the table with his arms crossed and his eyes moving along the surface. He heard me before I reached him. "Kenji?"

I got beside him. "What is this?"

"The war." Reo did not look up. "Every piece is a unit. Our men on the ground are calling in position updates. These four relay them to the table.”

“How are we doing?”

“Our guns took out two planes and fed them to the ocean.” His hand moved over the surface without touching it. "But another plane made it to the South landing zone and was greeted by the kill box. Almost all of Akiro’s men have been killed in that area.”

“And the North?”

“We’re at the North landing zone now, but I came up with a new strategy.”

“What new strategy?”

“I figure that if your father and Akiro come to the island, they will need a safe place to land, or they won’t land at all.”

I stared at the map.

“So here in the north, I have fewer of our men than usual going out to fight them. They’re told to retreat like they’re scared and overwhelmed.”

Tension gathered in my shoulder. “Okay.”

“That gives Akiro’s people a false sense of confidence for the North landing zone.”

“Akiro will think that his men are in control of it.”

“Meanwhile, we have hundreds more men hiding within the forest waiting for the main show.”

“Good.”

“The rest of the island is protected. The mansion perimeter. The ridge batteries. The Bamboo Garden." He tapped each cluster of pieces in turn. "I know where everyone is at all times."

“Good. The antiaircraft guns did their job.”

“And now we’re out of them.” Reo let out a long sigh. "I keep seeing the wedding hall in my head."

I swallowed. “I made that deal with the Lion, not you.”

“Still.”

My Roar was efficient and highly intelligent, yet his heart was too big and his soul always yearned for the least casualties possible.

Reo gazed at me. "The Claws will need to be told."

“I am the Dragon. I don’t need to explain every part of this war to them, especially when we have victory in the morning.”

"They watched Tokyo burn. They think Akiro did it." Reo’s hand rested flat on the painted island. "We have to tell them the truth one day because. . .that is why I serve you."

I pursed my lips.