The Price of Disrespect (Gray Spear Society Book 6)

by Siegel, Alex

  "I'll take that as a compliment."

  "Take it any way you want." Charles stood up. "Are we done?"

  "I suppose so. I have to get ready for the doctor's arrival."

  Aaron got up and followed Charles out the door.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Tawni followed Smythe and Odelia through Union Station. The two lovers were holding hands and looked very cute together. Tawni now understood their relationship had a dangerous side. A legionnaire's life could end abruptly at any time. In this business, love was a serious gamble.

  Smythe and Odelia wore police uniforms which looked completely authentic. The plan was to simply arrest Rascher and haul him away. Tawni had civilian clothes instead. She expected to just observe and learn the fine points of making an arrest. She would be available as backup if needed.

  Tawni looked up at the arched roof of the great hall. Sunlight was pouring in through the glass ceiling. Her footsteps on the marble floor echoed in the vast space. The room was enormous yet it only contained some wooden benches. It seemed a waste. She loved the tall, beautifully sculpted columns.

  The team eventually entered one of the rooms where passengers waited for trains. The benches were packed with people, and some had to stand. A man and a woman watched with defeated expressions as their young children ran around like idiots.

  "There he is," Smythe murmured.

  Tawni recognized Rascher from a picture she had seen earlier. He was pudgy and wrinkled. His head was mostly bald, but the white hair around the sides and back needed to be trimmed. He wore a nice tan suit and a striped tie. Two brown suitcases were beside him. He didn't look like a cruel serial killer who was a wanted man across Europe.

  "That's trouble," Odelia said.

  Smythe nodded. "I noticed."

  "What?" Tawni said.

  "Let's see if you can figure it out."

  Yet another test, Tawni thought. These guys never give me a break.

  She looked around. One man in particular caught her eye as different. He wore a stylish black jacket over a silk shirt. He was muscular and tapered like an athlete. While everybody else was playing with their phone or reading, he was standing alertly like a soldier. Most of his attention seemed focused on Rascher.

  "The sharp guy in black?" she whispered.

  "Right," Odelia said. "Now guess what he's doing here."

  Tawni thought about it for a moment. "He's a hit man. Gains sent him to kill Rascher for running away."

  "You're really smart."

  "Thanks." Tawni smiled.

  "Here's the plan," Smythe said. "Odelia and I will arrest the doctor. The hit man will follow us out. Tawni, I want you to kill him from behind. Can you do that?"

  "I think so."

  "When you attack, be quick and accurate. He's a professional. Wait until there are no witnesses."

  She nodded. She was feeling a lot of pressure to do this job right. A mistake would be embarrassing and put her new friends at risk.

  Odelia walked over to Rascher and announced, "You're under arrest. Stand up, turn around, and put your hands behind your back."

  Smythe hung back a few paces and observed with his hand on the grip of his gun.

  "What am I charged with?" Rascher stood up.

  "Unspeakable crimes against God and humanity," Odelia said. "Hands behind your back!"

  He tried to run. Smythe stepped in Rasher's way and punched him so hard he was lifted off the ground. Rascher landed flat on his back. Smythe quickly flipped him over and put handcuffs on him.

  Tawni glanced at the hit man. He had a concerned expression.

  Smythe and Odelia picked up Rascher and hustled him away. The doctor looked dazed. They left the waiting room at a quick walk.

  The hit man quietly and discreetly followed them. A moment later, Tawni followed him in turn. She made sure to give him plenty of space and not show any obvious interest.

  Smythe and Odelia were moving so fast they had to drag Rascher by the arms. The hit man and Tawni hurried to keep up.

  Eventually, everybody entered a long service corridor. Nobody else was in sight, and Tawni realized this was her opportunity. The hit man was about fifty feet in front of her, and Smythe and Odelia were the same distance beyond him. Fluorescent lights cast blue-white light onto concrete walls and a tile floor.

  Tawni drew a .38 caliber pistol with a suppressor from a holster under her shirt. Without hesitating, she shot the hit man in the back. He stiffened and arched his spine. She pumped a few more bullets into the same spot.

  A lack of blood troubled her, and he wasn't dying like expected. She realized he was probably wearing a vest under his shirt. He spun around with his own gun in hand. She dived sideways but was a little too slow. A bullet caught her in the thigh. She had no protection there, and the pain made her cry out.

  The hit man was aiming his second shot when his forehead exploded. Blood sprayed onto the floor. Smythe had his gun in hand, and the barrel was smoking.

  Tawni checked her injury. It hurt like a son of a bitch, but it wasn't life threatening. She limped over to her friends.

  "What happened?" Smythe said.

  "I shot him in the back."

  "Where he had body armor?"

  "I didn't know," she said.

  He shook his head. "Rookie mistake, but you're a rookie, so you get a pass. Pull down your pants."

  Feeling some embarrassment, she unbuckled her jeans and pushed them down. He knelt to examine her wound.

  "Who was that guy?" Rascher said. "What's going on?"

  "He was sent to kill you," Smythe said.

  Rascher's eyes widened. "You saved my life?"

  "I suppose that's technically true."

  Smythe put his hand into Tawni's thigh. She clenched in anticipation, but the sensation didn't bother her this time. She was actually getting used to it.

  Rascher made a little squealing noise.

  "This is the third time I've healed you," Smythe said. "Next time, I'll have to send you a bill. It's getting ridiculous."

  Tawni smiled. "Will you take solid gold bars as payment? I know where I can get my hands on some."

  He continued to work on her thigh. Rascher watched with an expression of astonishment and horror.

  Smythe finished after a couple of minutes. Tawni bent her leg and felt no pain. There was still blood on her skin, but the wound seemed completely healed. She pulled up her pants. He gave her the bullet as a souvenir.

  "You're a very handy guy to have around," she said.

  "And he's mine," Odelia said.

  Smythe grabbed Rascher by the arm. "Let's go. Aaron is waiting."

  Everybody started walking.

  "Who is Aaron?" Rascher said.

  Smythe just grinned in a very evil way.

  * * *

  Tawni was standing in the secret basement parking lot in the hotel. She knew something truly horrifying was about to happen.

  Rascher was lying on the concrete floor face up. A number of taut ropes went between the cars and his body. His arms and legs were stretched painfully tight, and a rope around his neck was squeezing his throat. He couldn't move an inch. He was whimpering but nobody cared.

  The entire team had come to witness the show including Nancy, Kamal, and the twins. Wesley was also present, and Tawni wanted to send him away. A boy his age shouldn't see stuff like this.

  Aaron was the last to arrive. The elevator door opened, and he came out pushing a shopping cart. He went straight over to Rascher.

  "Who are you?" Rascher said.

  "I'm Aaron. We're going to do a little experiment together. But first, I need to prepare the test subject."

  "Why are you doing this to me?"

  "For the same reason you tormented and murdered so many people," Aaron said. "The joy of scientific discovery."

  Rascher swallowed. "If you let me go, I'll pay you. I have money."

  Aaron reached into the cart and took out two large pipe clamps. He put these around Rascher's u
pper arms, just below his shoulders. Aaron began to tighten the clamps with a screwdriver.

  "What are you doing?" Rascher said fearfully.

  "The clamps will act as tourniquets. I don't want you to bleed to death."

  "Why would I bleed?"

  "I'm going to remove your arms," Aaron said.

  Rascher began to thrash and scream for help. Aaron just continued to turn the screws. The creepy smile on his face made Tawni shiver.

  He tightened the clamps until Rascher's arms turned purple and the metal edges were cutting into his skin. Aaron took a rusty hacksaw out of the cart next.

  "Please," Rascher said, "I'm begging you. Don't do this!"

  "How many times did your victims beg for mercy?" Aaron said. "And how much mercy did you show?"

  "That was different!"

  Aaron started sawing at Rascher's arms. Tawni could tell Aaron was taking a long time on purpose. His strokes were slow and grinding. Dark blood oozed out and Rascher moaned in agony. By the time his arms were finally amputated, the stumps looked like hamburger meat.

  "They say idle hands are the Devil's playground," Aaron said. "Now you don't have any."

  Rascher spoke in a hoarse voice, "You're insane."

  "You're the expert."

  Aaron grabbed a small knife from the cart next. He knelt down over Rascher's face.

  "What are you doing now?"

  "Just hold still," Aaron said. "I don't want to accidently blind you."

  "You're cutting my eyes?" Rascher said.

  "No, just your eyelids."

  Rascher screamed as Aaron went to work. He stood up a minute later and nodded with obvious satisfaction. Rascher's eyelids were completely cut off.

  "Now for the pièce de résistance," Aaron said.

  He took a gray plastic helmet out of the cart. It looked like the kind of thing a fighter pilot might wear. It covered the head almost completely and had an opaque visor. Aaron jammed it onto Rascher's head, and the fit was a little too tight.

  "That's a virtual reality helmet," Aaron said. "There are two tiny television screens over the eyes. It was made for video games, but today it will serve glorious science instead."

  "What science?" Rascher yelled.

  "I want to see if I can melt your brain."

  "What do you mean?"

  Aaron took a DVD player from the cart. He tossed an extension cord to Norbert, who plugged it into an outlet in the wall. Aaron wired the player to the helmet.

  "Any last words?" Aaron said.

  "Why?" Rascher said. "Are you going to kill me?"

  "No."

  Aaron turned on the DVD player. Rascher stiffened and made a sound like a dying animal. Tawni saw a tiny amount of red light leaking around the visor, and it was enough to cause pain inside her head. She winced.

  Aaron stood up and said, "That's a two-hour movie. Not much plot, but you have to admit the special effects are almost supernatural. I'll let you see the whole show twice. You might miss something on the first viewing."

  Rascher's whole body was quivering. An odd gurgling noise was coming out of his mouth. A puddle of urine was spreading across the floor.

  "Go back upstairs, everybody," Aaron said. "I'm sure the good doctor wants to enjoy this experience alone. Norbert, let's go run that errand now."

  "Yes, sir," Norbert said.

  The rest of the team filed into the elevator.

  As the door closed, Tawni got one last look at Rascher. He was chewing off his own lower lip. She swore to herself she would never, ever become one of Aaron's enemies.

  * * *

  "You're being very mysterious, sir," Norbert said.

  Aaron winked at him. "I want it to be a surprise, like a birthday present."

  "A nice surprise?"

  "Of course."

  Norbert held his tongue.

  Aaron drove into a large rail yard in southern Chicago. Hundreds of train cars were sitting on a series of parallel tracks. Locomotives were shuttling cars around and putting them together like children playing with toys, except these toys weighed many tons.

  He continued driving until he reached an empty lot at the far end of the yard. Scattered weeds had sprouted from the bare dirt. A solitary, green delivery truck was already waiting there. He parked beside the truck.

  "You're going to meet one of our special couriers," Aaron said. "Don't use names. He doesn't know who we are or where we live. He simply delivers letters and packages to drop off locations like this one."

  "But he works for the Society?" Norbert said.

  "Yes, but that doesn't make him one of us."

  Aaron opened the door and hopped to the ground. A man in a blue uniform got out of the green truck. The courier had a full head of blonde hair and seemed fairly young. He was quite tall.

  Aaron grinned. "I can't wait to see this package."

  "Do you have the access code, sir?"

  "I received it a little while ago."

  "Good," the courier said. "I need to watch you use it."

  Aaron raised his eyebrows. "You don't trust me? You know my face. We've met before."

  "This package requires extra security. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, sir."

  "Don't worry about it. You're doing your job."

  The courier walked around to the back of his green truck. He entered a long code into an electronic lock. There was a loud thunk, and he pulled the door open. The cargo area contained a steel box the size of a large safe. It sat on a wooden palette, and there was a forklift with it.

  "I'm dying of curiosity," Norbert said.

  Aaron climbed into the truck. He found another electronic lock on the box, and he unlocked it with a code he had received in a text message. A front panel swung open.

  The box was full of thick books bound in leather. Each had a year on the spine printed in golden Roman numerals.

  Norbert joined Aaron.

  "May I?"

  "Go ahead," Aaron said.

  Norbert took a book from the top of the stack and opened it. His eyes lit up like a child opening a Christmas present. "These are the tabella!"

  Aaron turned to the courier. "Can we have a moment alone?"

  "Of course." The courier walked off.

  In a much quieter voice, Norbert said, "They're even nicer than I imagined. This feels like real parchment."

  "They're made to last five hundred years," Aaron said. "Every headquarters is supposed to have a complete set. These are ours."

  Norbert flipped through the pages. "It's all in Latin?"

  "Every word. I was hoping you knew Latin."

  "I learned some when I was a monk."

  "You'll teach me," Aaron said. "We're going to read these books together."

  "All of them? That will take years."

  "It will take decades, but I'm told it's worth the effort. The complete history of the Gray Spear Society is here. All the ancient secrets."

  Norbert grinned. "Thank you, sir. This was a very nice surprise."

  "My pleasure."

  * * *

  Tawni and Atalanta were standing at opposite ends of a blue workout mat in headquarters. Both women wore white karate uniforms and gray belts. Atalanta was holding her sword.

  It wasn't a practice sword. The weapon was a real Japanese katana with a razor sharp edge. Just looking at it made Tawni nervous. She wondered how many people that blade had killed.

  "A sword is an extension of your body," Atalanta said. "You must learn to control it as easily as your fingers and toes."

  She performed a standing front flip while spinning her sword over her wrist. She landed in a perfect stance with the tip of the blade one millimeter from Tawni's nose. Tawni tried not to flinch.

  "The motions must feel completely natural," Atalanta said.

  She tossed the sword in the air, performed a double cartwheel, and caught it again.

  "A master warrior kills without thought or hesitation," Atalanta said. "Her focus is absolute. This is the Zen state. The sword
is the Zen weapon."

  She leapt into the air and executed a whirling kick and slash combination before landing. It looked like she was defying gravity. Tawni could hardly believe her own eyes.

  She was inspired. She swore one day she would be that fast, that strong, and that precise. She wanted to be much more than just a competent legionnaire. She wanted to become a legend like Atalanta.

  "Your turn." Atalanta walked over and handed her the sword.

  Tawni hefted the weapon. It was lighter and more balanced than she had expected. "Shouldn't I practice with something duller and safer?"

  "Dull warriors practice with dull swords. You're holding the finest steel on Earth, forged by the greatest blacksmith alive. He's a personal friend of mine. That sword was my birthday present."

  Tawni touched the gleaming blade and felt honored.

  "We'll start with the basic attack stance," Atalanta said. "Widen your feet."

  * * *

  Tawni looked across the pristine, blue lake at the white castle in the center. It stood on a small, circular island which was so geometrically perfect it had to be artificial. The castle was authentic and had been transported stone by stone from Ireland. Tall round towers stood at all four corners. Square battlements ran along the edge of the roof. The castle was big enough to house a large family and a full staff of servants. It was a huge monument to the vanity and paranoia of Roger Gains.

  Tawni turned around to face her teammates. Aaron and all of his legionnaires had gathered on a small hill with a good view of the castle. Wesley and his protection team were also there. Everybody wore black and gray body armor that looked great and fit like a second skin. They were heavily armed with just about every kind of weapon under the sun. The men also had bulky backpacks full of additional equipment. They were going to war today.

  Tawni had no weapons or armor at all. Aaron had ordered her to wear just plain, gray tights and sandals. She didn't even have a pocket knife. Her only accessory was her phone clipped to a narrow belt. She felt almost naked.

  "Our mission is to exterminate the enemy," Aaron said. "We'll move as a single unit. Yvonne will join my team for the initial assault. Wesley, Atalanta, and Charles will follow when it's safe. Tawni, you'll be our weasel."

  "Our what?" Tawni said. That didn't sound nice.