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country."
     
    Pausing, Cynthia took a sip of bottled water before continuing. "You're probably aware that Angel sorcerers were able to take over the city completely at the time of The Takeover, though they weren't able to keep their new territory for long. Commander Grant and the Destroyers soon reclaimed it and have kept the Angels from returning ever since.
     
    “It hasn't been easy, however, and it's taken a toll on the city. Many historic buildings and monuments were destroyed in the fighting, and just about half the buildings in the city sustained serious damage. A lot of it has been repaired, but the city will never be the same. And with only a half-million residents, the population is only a fraction of what it once was. The city may seem very different to you, if you've ever been there before."
     
    "I have. Before The Takeover, I used to go shopping there all the time."
     
    "Well, seeing it now might be a shock to you, then. The Sears Tower is gone, as is the John Hancock building, and many, many others. Some new buildings have been built, but many of the longtime city residents have found all the new construction very sad and upsetting, obviously. But the saddest thing, I think, was how the Angels essentially made many resident dragon shifters destroy their own city's buildings themselves."
     
    "What do you mean?"
     
    "Well, most of the destruction happened very shortly after The Takeover, when most shifters and Gifteds were first discovering that they were indeed shifters and Gifteds.
     
    “To make a very long story short, when the United States army was unable to stop the Angels' advance, the newly-turned dragons in the city took it upon themselves to try to stop them by attacking the Angels from the sky.
     
    “But, very unfortunately, the Angels just shot down these dragons with their light beams, killing most of them and causing their falling bodies to destroy buildings, most of which had been evacuated, thank God.
     
    “Then, when Commander Grant and his Destroyers came in, they not only had to wrest the city from the Angels, they had to basically rebuild the entire place, all the while, keeping the Angels from taking it over again. Which has become increasingly difficult as of late."
     
    "Why is that?"
     
    Toying with the plastic ring around the rim of her water bottle, Cynthia sighed faintly. "The Angels have realized that Commander Grant and his Destroyers are too strong for them, so they've enlisted the help of a few dark-hearted dragons sympathetic to their cause. These dragons were dark-hearted even before they became dragons, I assume, and so they never joined any of the other dragon shifter groups around the country.
     
    “Offering promises of being leaders in the 'new Chicago,' the angels assembled them from places far and wide to form an army of sorts, and this army has been trying to launch attacks on the city for weeks. This is why all you Gifteds are so badly needed these days, and why you were specifically assigned to Chicago, even though there were a few other places closer to Quincy where you could have been stationed.
     
    “But you, and numerous other recent Gifteds, have been assigned to work in Chicago because the Destroyers need help. The fear is that if Chicago falls again, the Angels that are to the south will this time keep rolling north, to overtake smaller cities like Quincy and the surrounding towns."
     
    At the thought of murderous sorcerers taking over Quincy and possibly hurting my grandma, I felt my blood seem to turn to ice water.
     
    Possibly noticing my sudden unease, Cynthia cleared her throat. " That won't happen, though. I know that Commander Grant, the Destroyers, and all you Gifteds won't let it. So, anyway...”
     
    Cynthia cleared her throat again, seeming to really want to change the subject, but not quite sure what to change it to. I had no idea, either. Wanting to allow opportunity for things to just fall into silence, I turned my face to look out