Bait.

Mark recognized the turrets almost immediately. They were third-generation Gauss cannons, the same kind used through the late stages of the Great World War. He did a bit of research on them while creating his game, and because of that, he knew very well how destructive those things could get.

The shockwaves from each blow caused the SUV to sway and threatened to throw Lara off of the car. As the continuous bombardment left her with no opening to use her weapon, she quickly dismissed it and jumped back inside.

For a moment they had hope that those cannons would be enough to take Malarak down. Mark didn't even stop to consider what brought weapons of war to a civilian area; he was only thankful that they took the dragon off his back.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem like things were going to be that easy.

The continuous bombardments pushed the black dragon back, but that's all it did. In the gaps between each salvo, Malarak was regaining his composure, and when it became clear that he wouldn't be able to pass he shifted his attention to the turrets and began targeting them with his crimson flames.

"Damn it!"

Mark was hoping to get a few more seconds, but it turned even such weapons weren't enough to harm the black dragon.

Reaching the end of the long straight road, Mark hit the brakes and drifted around the corner. What met him on the other side was the bizarre sight of tanks lining up on either side of the street.

9th gen MRGTs, or Miniature Rail-Gun Tanks. They were another type of heavy weaponry used in the Great World War, and their destructive power far exceeded that of the Gauss turrets.

With the dragon held back he got a moment to ponder over the existence of all those heavy weaponry. Mark didn't expect such a swift response from the army.

Deploying fighter jets was one thing, but getting tanks and turrets inside should have taken more time.

Cities such as Stonegate were designated as a civilian settlement and thus military equipment wasn't allowed anywhere near them. Of course that depended on the government following international laws and regulations, and as history has shown, Americans never really cared about following those rules.

'Hold up…' Mark seemed to realize something at that moment. 

Earlier, he had suspected that the roadblocks were there to keep him away from the closest underground bomb shelter, which had been his destination so far.

He believed it to be the logical choice, even if it angered him, but only when he saw the tanks did he realize he was missing something all along.

To make the decision to keep him away, those in charge would have to have known about him being the dragon's target and were trying to ensure he would lead the flying disaster away from civilian dense areas and into an area prepared for combat.

'Am I… am I a bait!!?'

Nothing happened as they passed through the empty road between the MRGTs, but soon after he glanced at his wing mirror and noticed a motorcycle drive out of a building's shadow.

Mark knew right away that whoever was riding that motorcycle, they were definitely with those pulling the ropes behind the scenes.

Again, though he saw the logic in their actions, Mark was still pissed about them using him to lure the dragon. He had spent almost two hours stressing over how he would escape, and instead of helping him, they blocked the roads and prolonged the chase.

Because of that, Mark's thoughts moved to wondering how he should knock the motorcyclist off the road.

Lara was quick to catch on to his intentions and looked at their second pursuer. "Would you like me to dispose of them, Master?"

Mark was about to respond with a yes but quickly held back.

"Let's not be haste."

Mark didn't want to deal with the big suits any time soon, but with someone called Malarak of the Dark Mountain after him, he understood he might not have a choice.

The motorcycle gradually caught up with the SUV, carefully approached the driver's side then knocked on the window. Mark was hesitant at first but then lowered the glass.

The rider extended his arm into the car, his fist closed as if he were trying to give him something. After another moment of hesitation, Mark held up his hand and the rider dropped the item on it then pulled away.

'An earpiece?'

Understanding the intention, Mark put it on right away, and as soon as he did a clear voice came through.

[Mr. White, we're short on time so the explanation would have to wait.] The voice made it clear that the speaker was a guy. [Please follow me. We have made preparations to take that thing down.]

Mark remained silent for a while, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Are you sure you can do it?" He said. "None of your weapons seem to have worked from what I saw."

Loud bangs came from behind followed by the dragon's devastating roar. It showed that Malarak was done dealing with the Gauss turrets and was now facing off against the tanks.

For some reason, even though the MRGTs are supposed to be much stronger than the Gauss cannons, Mark felt that they wouldn't be able to hold the black dragon back for as long.

[You are right. Normal weapons can't deal with a Fallen of that Rank. That's why we need you to come with us.]

Mark's eyes widened a little. His surprise didn't come from the rider admitting that the war-era weapons were useless against the dragon, but the fact that they seemed to know what he was. That erased any doubt that he had about someone setting him up as bait.

[Mr. White?]

Mark took a few more seconds to consider the situation, and once he did, he finally decided on his answer.

"I refuse. "

As soon as he said those words, the maid beside him raised her rifle and pointed it at the rider. Squeezing the trigger, she fired a few shots. A second later they heard a high-pitched squeak then a loud crash.