Derek paused and continued.
“I get time is a factor, but this is just not sensible. That’s as kind as I can say it. Alana should find out whatever she can about the location and building, even if she has to drink coffee for the next two days. We need more information however we can get it. Then we need to disable, not kill, any adversaries. And we need much more time to remove the documents, and artifacts that Dr. E, and Hannah want. Let’s go a little slower, game this out with Bitsie Tolan, then, if we must, go with Cindy’s plan.”
Adam said, “OK everyone, we have two approaches, who’s in favor of which?”
Nobody said a word.
Kendra spoke up, “Principally I am against Cindy’s plan for the reasons stated by Derek. But Cindy and Edward are correct, we don’t have time to fuck around with developing the better, easier or more thoughtful way. I agree with you both, for the reasons given, but there is a third option.”
“Do tell, little one.”
‘First we use the same tech that Rod and Cindy used in New Jersey. And, yes, I actually read old reports. We can at least get into their panties and see if we can connect to their air gap system and get the information that way. Maria tells me that she and Pops have materially increased the efficiency of the materials while my dreamboat sweetie has done amazing things with software. We could go in and remove everything upload to the cloud and not disturb a thing. That’s part one.”
“I’m listening.”
“Then we send Hecate in to roam around and give us intel. She can do that tonight if she wants, then enter everyone’s mind, except Adam’s, and tell everyone what she found. We use Agustin’s magic dust to disable any uncooperative bad guys, once they’re inside the building compound, then do the same inside the Library itself.”
“Good plan? More?”
“Yes, this is where Derek comes in. We send him to visit the Curator, who I believe will want to cooperate, and not be involved in any gunplay. Edward is the only academic I know, as well as his crazy ass son, who enjoy guns and shoot outs. The Curator will be able to show us everything and help Edward and Hannah secure the collection. Nobody dies, and everyone gets what we want; Hecate can leave now and be back in an hour with everything we need. We have assets on the ground in DC, who can use the nano tech stuff, and connect to the Cloud.”
Derek was the first to speak. “Are you sure you really hate men, except for Adam? The rest of us are really missing out. That’s brilliant.”
“Sadly, I do hate men except for my honey, but I may do something special for you if you vote for my plan and if it’s adopted by our Great Leader and you do your part.”
Derek said, “Deal.” Maybe all Kendra would do is show him her tits, but if so, thought Derek, that would be just fine.
Adam said, “Any opposed?”
None were.
“Hecate dear, could you go to the Library and poke around and then tell us where everything is?” Maybe visit the Curator’s head?”
Hecate said, “Then may I please have my way with the little one tonight after I’m back, if she’s willing?”
“Of course.”
“Little one? May I?”
“Well, hurry up then. Get movin’ and get back fast, tell me and the warriors everything; I’ll tell Adam, or Alana will. Then Ooh la.”
Adam said, “Derek, you need to leave now. Clean clothes, then go. I’ll get the jet ready. In and out with the Curator. If Hecate finds out anything to obviate the need for you to see the Curator, we’ll turn you right around.”
Adam turned to Kendra. “Kiss, kiss?”
“I’m still mad at you. But maybe a kiss isn’t out of the question. But I need a long naked kiss in your bedroom.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
Chapter 47
Hecate returned a few hours later, full of vital and interesting information from the Library and gave it to Alana and Misti. Unfortunately, the entire high-level staff of the facility was nowhere to be found when Hecate visited. Derek continued his flight so he could drop by the Library in the morning and chat with the Curator. In the meantime, a go-team was dispatched to the perimeter of the Library grounds, an entire square block. They discharged their Nano technology at the building, landing cylinders on the roof, all sides of the building and at the electrical wires leading in from the street.
Their “attack” took about fifteen minutes and they then disappeared into unmarked vans and were gone. Alana, for her part, got all the design and building plans but most of the interior of the Library had been redesigned and reconfigured according to Hecate. However, she had found all the servers and entered the mind of a tech to find out where the information they sought was kept. She drew a mental picture of every room on every floor and confirmed that the air gapped servers and computers had been successfully invaded by the Nano tech devices. Most everything digital was now in the Cloud and there would be no real need for a ground assault unless there was a danger of destruction of the ancient documents and antiquities in the Library by Paulo. If the physical artifacts mattered, they would need to act.
While Hecate couldn’t grasp the meaning and significance of why such intelligent humans as Hannah and Edward would be interested in a bunch of old documents and books, some a few thousand years old, she nonetheless dutifully committed all data to memory, just in case. She told Adam, on her return, that it was pure crap, mostly fantasy and pure fiction passed off as real “science”. She did admit that Alchemy was interesting, but not the way it was done back then. Converting one element into another wasn’t only possible, it was easy.
“I could make a giant gold statue of you for the lobby of your quarters. It would be very pretty.”
Adam declined, although he thought the sincerity of her offer was quite thoughtful for a woman who was destined to kill him. He had thought more about his eventual demise and decided, when the time came, he wouldn’t make Hecate take his life; he would do it himself. He was aware that Hecate would do everything in her power to stop, delay and derail her task for as long as she could, but, in the end, she would fail.
Liara had already told him his time on planet Earth was limited, and Hecate could do nothing to stop it. She urged him to make Hecate’s task easier.
***
Derek arrived at the front door of the Library having passed through several layers of security proving he was Derek Nobilus, leader of the Nobilus Maximus. He reminded these subordinates that, according to his agreement with the Library, he had the right to visit and access all information related to the records stored in the Library servers about the Nobilus Maximus at any time, without question.
He passed through the front and only doors to the Library and was met by a short bespectacled man in is early fifties, wearing a white frock with the name Dr. Seldon Branch written in purple script on the upper left side of his lab coat, just above a pocket.
“So, very glad to finally meet you, Mr. Nobilus, and not a moment too soon. Can we go for a walk on the grounds? It’s a beautiful day outside, too gorgeous to waste inside. And please use these while we talk.”
The device looked like a pair of ear buds, the kind you would plug into a music device or on an airplane to watch a movie, but with a tiny bit of metal hanging down the middle.
“Sure. I’d like the exercise and to have a look at the grounds. Seem well tended; neo-classical?”
“No clue,” the man said. “My specialty is old paper and long dead knowledge, not living things. Except me, of course, and my fellow technicians, anthropologists and scientists.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Yes, sir, I’m afraid there is.”
***
Dr. Branch began, “We, the staff and security, both inside and out, and our ancestors have been the curators, guardians and protectors of the Great Library of Alexandria, protected by Gens, humans, and Nobilus Maximus for over two millennia, moving from location to location in advance of war and discord. We settled here, what we believed to
the safest place on earth, until two months ago.”
“What changed?”
“A call. A call that shouldn’t have happened followed by an email that also shouldn’t have happened. You must understand that the only real security for us is secrecy. Outside security protects the grounds while inside security protects the staff and the Library. Security is passed down from father or mother to son or daughter; all are well provided for. Bribery or betrayal have never happened. Never.”
“How many of each? Staff I mean.”
“Three hundred staff, plus another fifty or, so support. Inside security is about one hundred; ten per floor, roughly eighty percent human and Nobilus and twenty present Gens. Outside security is about two hundred fifty thousand armed and well-trained militia. Same percentages of races. Only twenty-five thousand are active at any given time. The rest have real jobs.”
“Entrance security?”
“If I push a button, the whole building drops one floor, leaving only the roof exposed to penetrate. I wouldn’t say it was impossible, but if you know what a ‘bunker buster’ is, even that wouldn’t do the roof any harm. All outside connections are severed; we’re self-sufficient inside for a month.”
“Communication?”
“Complicated to explain, but yes; wired and wireless. No way to cut us off and wait us out.”
“Escape?”
“Yes. One tunnel, like a maze, that leads out and exits into the lobby of a building we own. We can leave, save our own skins, but none of us wish to abandon the Library.”
“Do you know the politics of what’s going on … outside your world?”
“Yes. It’s Paulo Fortizi and the Collective. They want our servers. Don’t know why. We think a raid is coming and the Gens, inside or out, might be a part of it.”
“You trust the humans and the Nobilus?”
“Implicitly. With our lives.”
“Call your head of security for the human faction and the Nobilus faction and bring them here. Now.”
He did. They arrived within minutes.
“Bring up all the Gens security personnel, quietly. Do you have restraints?”
“Yes, plastic ties and a few old handcuffs.”
“Bring the ties. How many Gens on duty?”
“Six. Bring them here and bring ten of your men. Weapons?”
“Yes, in the armory.”
“Get them out, one for each of your men, plus two extra weapons. Extra clips too.”
“Right away.”
“Call your outside security and start bringing in the humans and Nobilus in pairs and quietly. No explanation, just do it.”
“OK.”
Within hours, all the humans and Nobilus were inside the building, and the six Gens inside security personnel were bound hand and feet and sitting on the floor.
Derek called Adam.
“We’re good for now, but we need help fast. Paulo is coming soon and he’s after the servers. What do we do?”
“Put the Curator on the phone.”
“Yes, this is Dr. Branch.”
“My name is Adam St. James.”
“Your father is Edward?”
“Yes.”
“It’s an honor.”
“I have Alana McCarthy on speaker and she has a few questions. Answer them succinctly and quickly and we’ll have you out of there and safe ASAP. Understand?”
“I do.”
Alana asked, “Are there any more servers in the building other than the thirty-one we identified on floors three through nine?”
“Yes. Two more on ten. Secret and both have lots of Nobilus data.”
Can you download the data on those servers and upload to your computer?”
“Yes.”
“Do so. I will download the data from your computer as soon as you load it. Use drive F.”
“It’s air gapped.”
Alana said, “It was. Not anymore.”
***
Cindy, Rod and their crew were on board transports headed for Alexandria, Virginia within hours while Rafi and Finn were renting, leasing and stealing trucks and shipping containers by the scores. The staff that wasn’t required for identification and transport were escorted out of the Library, taken home where their spouses and children were collected. Many spouses worked, so a believable family emergency was cooked up, and all were then taken to an airport, and hustled off to Amman, Jordan. Passports weren’t required.
The rest of the staff began the process of identifying items in the Library by importance, rarity and historical interest. Everything had already almost all been crated and boxed and ready to move; identifiers were prominent on each container.
“Where’s the driveway and loading dock?”
“How did you know?”
“It’s my job to know … or guess. Now where is it?”
As the first trucks arrived, the Curator hit another button and the driveway cleared that led down to the loading dock. Workers showed up and trucks were loaded onto sea going containers, then departed immediately for port. Container ships had been arranged, and were priority loaded and set sail immediately. The destination and cargo would be altered en route by computer through a friendly shipping line, alternate paperwork delivered at sea.
It took two days, but when Paulo arrived a few days after that, he found an empty building he could not get into.
The staff, loyal security, families and the contents of the Library were now in the City of Light. Every Gens on the Library grounds, and in the building, were dead. Adam apologized to both the Curator, his staff and security, along with Kendra.
“I’m sorry for what I did. I know I killed innocent beings today, but I had no time to separate the wheat from the chaff. I hope you will someday find it in your hearts to forgive me. I did what I thought was best, and safest, for all.”
Everyone in the room assembled for the announcement was stunned. Except one.
Kendra Boles.
“This is how it begins,” she thought to herself. “This is what despotism looks like.”
Chapter 48
The episode at the Library had left Cindy and Rod with little to do except assist with cleanup, load trucks and scout out the area looking for Gens, particularly Enzo and Paulo. Enzo and Paulo saw them, but the reverse wasn’t true. Paulo thought if they followed the pair, they might still salvage isolating Adam in some way then kill him. There was another objective too, one that did not include Adam.
The kidnap scenario wasn’t wrong; it just failed.
They would be more nuanced this time, and to that end, called upon Asinimayov and his Russian crew to fly to DC, use their resources and find an opportune time to kidnap Rod or Cindy Suarez, or both. Paulo preferred Rod, since he was Adam’s brother and would turn Adam’s rage white hot. That might cloud Adam’s judgment sufficiently for him to make a mistake or misjudgment. All Paulo needed was one little fuck up on Adam’s part. Then he would have them both.
***
Rod asked, “Are we goinin’ home or staying here for a few days. We have each other all to ourselves; I’m sure your folks won’t mind.”
Cindy looked at her hubby and said, “Neither; let’s be scandalous and fly up to New York, see the sights – inside our hotel room, that is – then visit some museums just to tell the folks we didn’t just fuck and eat room service for a week. Somewhere decadent. We deserve a vaycay, and as long as we’re here …”
“I’ll call your folks and Adam while you book flights and a hotel. Then we’re off as fast as we can.”
Cindy began dialing.
“And Cindy?”
“Big fucking bed, down pillows, top room service and access to a nearby top-quality toy store that delivers 24/7.”
“Pervert!”
“Thank you. You really do understand me.”
***
While Cindy made air reservations, Rod was on the phone with Adam and Misti, who just happened to be in the room when Rod called.
Misti said, “S
top Cindy from making the hotel reservation and give her your phone.”
They switched cells and Cindy was on the phone with Misti, and Rod was unpacking leaving the details to his wife.
“What about the reservations?”
Misti said, “I’ll do that and take care of all the details from here on. I’ll book you for a week at the L’Auberge New York. Very private, very swanky and catering to everything you and Rod would want. I’ll have them rent a 65” flat screen for your long-distance fetish requirements and inform Marie. You will have every option for every toy and plaything imaginable, and anything else you could possibly desire. Day and night, the finest catering; sightseeing out and inside the room and private walks on the perfectly manicured grounds optional. I can videotape if you wish for later viewing.”
“Multiple angles, professionally shot?”
“Of course.”
“Then yes. You, Marie and I will have a girls’ night in the ‘girl cave’ with Hecate. She’ll need to enter your mind to have the experience, but I’m sure you won’t mind. She’s quite an adept learner and likes to watch, but to participate in our minds the way she likes, she needs you. She only watches Marie and me but can feel real physical sensations. Then she finds some way to recreate it in her mind with her included, but she says it’s not the real thing. She’d be very appreciative if you would help her. Very appreciative.
“Consider it done. My pleasure and hers. I’ll inform her and maybe warm her up for the event. For a week.”
“I’m so excited!”
***
Asinimayov thought he knew where the couple was, but after a few days he learned the pair had checked out, vanished, leaving no forwarding address. The hotel bill and a generous gratuity had been wired in as a deposit but was more than enough to cover all expenses.
Since they traveled under an assumed name, there was no way to check their next destination, so Enzo and Paulo gave up on Plan A. Plan B was now in action.
Resolution Page 66
