Faith Defiled (Gray Spear Society Book 14)

by Siegel, Alex

  The entire experience sickened him. The Goddess had shown him exactly how stupid most people could be.

  Ipo finally forced his way to the front of the crowd where a police barricade prevented further progress. Cops wearing riot gear formed a solid wall three men deep. They were braced to resist a stampede. Squad cars with flashing red and blue lights created a dazzling display behind the cops.

  Ipo had a clear view down the center of the Golden Gate Bridge. Orange towers reached five hundred feet above the road and were iconic examples of the Art Deco style. The suspension cables seemed thin from a distance, but he knew they were thicker than his arm.

  The bridge was empty except for a scattering of patrols. Most were uniformed police officers, but some had business suits. Marina was out there somewhere.

  Ipo didn't see any obvious threats or signs of the enemy. He frowned, unsure about where to go next. He remembered a popular tourist attraction called Fort Point which had been built just prior to the American Civil War. It was underneath the bridge at the southern end. He turned and made his way towards the trail that would take him down there.

  * * *

  "This is madness," Katie said.

  Hanley nodded. "A mass suicide is great entertainment."

  He was driving a blue speedboat across the choppy waves beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. A cool mist muted the sunlight, but otherwise, the weather was pleasant. The blast of fresh air in his face kept him from overheating in his body armor.

  The legionnaires weren't enjoying the Bay alone. An entire fleet had come to watch the show, and Hanley had never seen so many boats on the water at one time. They ranged in size from cruise ships and mega-yachts all the way down to rowboats. The smallest boats were having a rough time in the waves.

  Parties were taking place on many decks. Plenty of women had worn bikinis despite the cool weather and ocean spray. Some men had broken out fishing poles. Coast Guard vessels were patrolling the area, but they were badly outnumbered.

  The scene saddened Hanley. He couldn't believe so many people were celebrating what promised to be a horrifying event.

  "I still believe this mess has something to do with us," Katie said.

  Hanley glanced at her. "I'm not sure how you can draw that conclusion."

  "It's all so contrived, and it's happening right on our doorstep. It couldn't be a bigger spectacle. The Goddess is daring us to come after her. Last night was just a tease."

  "We still have to investigate."

  "We have to be careful," she said, "or we'll end up looking like fools. I just need one more piece of the puzzle, and then I'll figure it out."

  The speedboat was approaching the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Fort Point occupied a chunk of land at the base of the bridge abutment. The fort had tall, thick walls made of red brick, and the exterior windows were just vertical slits. It was the only fort of its kind on the West Coast.

  A dense crowd filled the flat ground around the fort. There were so many people, some were on the brink of being pushed into the ocean. They were dressed like tourists, and many had brought cameras with telephoto lenses.

  Hanley sighed in disgust. He wondered if the Goddess were laughing at her own joke.

  He turned the speedboat around and headed north. The far end of the bridge was a mile and a half away.

  * * *

  "You have to let us through!" a man screamed hysterically. "You can't keep us out of Heaven!"

  Yang was watching the crowd from a distance. A group of a few hundred people had gathered on Interstate 101 at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge. A police barricade spanned the wide bridge and was keeping the public back.

  The officers didn't respond to the man. They were wearing riot gear which included body armor, face masks, and plastic shields. They were standing in a solid line, shoulder to shoulder. The rowdy crowd outnumbered the police by a wide margin, but they were much better equipped and organized.

  Yang wanted to scream that everybody was being an idiot. The rapture wasn't coming, and anybody who jumped off the bridge would die. He kept his peace though. His job was to find the enemy, not preach the truth to people who wouldn't listen anyway.

  He looked out at the ocean and tried to calm down. The blue-green waters sparkled in the sunlight as if covered in diamonds. The waves looked tiny from up on the deck of the bridge, but he could see boats being tossed around on the Bay. He couldn't even estimate how many had come to see the atrocity.

  He faced north towards the Marin Headlands. The steep, hilly land was covered in dirt and grass. Rocky outcroppings poked up in many places. It was a national park, so no houses were built near the bridge, but it would've made a spectacular setting for a home. He didn't see any obvious threats.

  Yang checked his watch and saw it was 11:30. He had just a half-hour left, and he was getting no closer to accomplishing his assignment.

  * * *

  Marina was walking down the center of the Golden Gate Bridge. She had driven across it many times, but she had never expected to travel the road on foot. The experience felt deliciously illicit.

  She shared the deck with scattered police officers on foot and on horseback. The bridge was so big, it felt nearly empty. The distant ends looked fuzzy and gray in the light mist.

  Unfortunately, she hadn't seen any sign of the Warriors of Dagda, and she was running out of time.

  A man in a blue suit jogged towards her, and she recognized Special Agent Joshua Harp. His face was red from exertion. His shiny black shoes were pounding the pavement, and a gun on his hip was swinging back and forth. Marina waited for him to arrive.

  "Why am I not surprised to find you here?" he said between gasps.

  "I came for the same reason as you," she said.

  "This is a secure area. No civilians allowed. How did you get past the police?"

  "I just showed them my badge."

  Marina took out her wallet and opened it.

  Harp stared at the badge. "That says FBI."

  "It's a real badge. Call your office. Have them look up the number."

  "Hacking into FBI computers and falsifying records doesn't make a badge real." He crossed his arms.

  "Real enough." She looked around. "It's lovely to see you again, but I have a job to do. Let's save this argument for another time."

  "There are three hundred police officers and thirty FBI agents here. Rest assured, we can handle it. Go cause trouble somewhere else before I arrest you."

  "You're in a testy mood."

  "I've been thinking about our relationship lately," Harp said.

  "What's wrong with it? I've done plenty of favors for you."

  "Illegal favors."

  "So?" she said. "That's the deal, isn't it? I do things for you that you can't do for yourself. You extend the same courtesy to me. It's a partnership."

  "You're not picky about your partners. El Toro told me about the favors you did for him, or rather, the major felonies you committed on his behalf. There are a hundred reasons you should be behind bars."

  She sighed angrily. "I really don't want to have this conversation now."

  "I do."

  "Listen, at noon, some very bad shit is going to happen unless we stop it. This harassment isn't productive."

  "I'm aware of the time." Harp narrowed his eyes. "What's in the satchel?"

  Marina was holding a heavy leather satchel in her left hand.

  "Useful things," she said.

  Her phone rang. The display told her it was Hanley, and she stepped away to answer the call.

  "Yes?"

  "Something suspicious, ma'am," Hanley said. "We're near the north end of the bridge. A large group of cops is standing on the rocks at the base of the abutment. They're directly underneath the bridge."

  She glanced at Harp to make sure he couldn't overhear. "How many?"

  "I'm guessing a hundred and fifty in full riot gear. Well armed. They have plenty of vehicles including some big trucks, all with police markings.
They're just standing around, and they're not acting like real cops. I don't see any civilians."

  Marina tried to visualize that location. A dirt road provided access, but it was closed to the public. There was no good reason for the police to be there.

  "I can't talk freely right now. Tell the others to quietly converge on that spot. No aggressive moves until I give the word."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  She put away her phone. There was an excellent chance the cops were really the Warriors in disguise. They were making a bold play by standing in the open, but they had a huge advantage in numbers. It wasn't clear how to deal with them in the limited time available. Her four legionnaires were wearing just basic armament under civilian clothes. A straight-up fight would end badly for her team.

  "Is something happening?" Harp said.

  Marina turned to the federal agent. Using the FBI to round up the Warriors was a possible strategy, but a poor one. Harp already knew far too much for his own good, and his combative attitude was very troubling. It was time to start severing their relationship.

  "No," Marina said. "That was just a routine status report. I've decided you're right. I should go. You can handle this. Good bye."

  She walked north at a brisk pace. It would take some time to reach the end of the bridge, and she needed that time to come up with a plan.

  She heard footsteps and glanced back. Harp was following her.

  Stay away, Marina thought, for God's sake.

  She kept going. Fighting him would draw attention and waste time, and she could afford neither. She just had to hope she could lose him before the real trouble started.

  * * *

  Yang was making his way across the steep land around the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was solid rock with a little grass and dirt thrown on top to make it slippery. There was nothing to grab, and with every footstep, he risked sliding all the way down to the Pacific Ocean.

  The view was amazing though. Blue-green water stretched out to the distant horizon. A slight mist gave the scene a surreal edge.

  Yang crossed over a ridge and slowed to a crawl. He had a good view of a flat patch of rock at the base of the bridge abutment, and it was packed with police officers. At least, they were wearing riot gear with police markings. Marina had taught him the subtle signs that distinguished real from fake cops, and these seemed like the latter. Their holsters weren't in the right spot, and they didn't have all the required equipment. The small army was well armed for a fight, and Yang wasn't confident the Spears could beat them.

  The men competed for space with vehicles. There were dozens of cars and trucks, and five buses were parked on the dirt access road. The back doors of a few trucks were open, revealing the contents. One truck was packed with munitions. Another was full of computers and other high-tech equipment.

  Yang crept into the dark space beneath where the Golden Gate Bridge met the rocky ground. Orange steel beams surrounded him, and some were big enough to conceal his whole body. He wedged himself in until he was sure the enemy wouldn't see him.

  He called Marina.

  "Yes?" the commander said.

  "I'm under the bridge, ma'am. There are a lot of bad guys down here. I can see some of the equipment they use to make the angels."

  "I want to see for myself. What's the safest way to approach?"

  "Get off the bridge on the west side using a pedestrian walkway," Yang said. "It's right after the cable anchorage. Try to stay in the shadows as you come back to me, and watch out for loose dirt. I'm just on the other side of a ridge."

  "Be there in ten minutes. Bye."

  He closed his phone and crouched down.

  * * *

  Marina started running. She didn't have any time to waste.

  A police barricade was directly ahead, and an angry mob was behind it. The people were trying to push through the wall of plastic shields, but the police were holding firm. The battle was evenly matched though and could go either way.

  Marina glanced back and saw Special Agent Harp still in pursuit. She had to give him the slip.

  The police were facing north, and she was coming from the south. She grabbed a riot shield and vaulted over it to the dismay of the officer holding it. She slammed her body into the crowd, generating loud protests. She stayed on her feet and pushed through the mass of humanity.

  Marina changed direction a few times to throw off Harp. She finally emerged into open space and accelerated to a full sprint. She turned left onto a walkway, crossed over to a dirt road, and turned left again to head south.

  She skidded down a hill until she reached a shadow cast by the bridge. Harp would have a hard time seeing her now. The steep, rocky ground forced her to step carefully despite the need to hurry. She imagined a clock ticking down to noon.

  Marina was getting winded when she finally saw the enemy. As Yang had stated, there were a lot of them, perhaps too many for her small team to handle right now. All the real cops on the bridge also concerned her. The noise from a gun battle would bring them running. She wished it were night instead of day and there wasn't so much time pressure. The circumstances were terrible for a big showdown, and every scenario she could imagine had a messy outcome.

  The Warriors had brought trucks with enough cargo space for tons of equipment. A web of electrical cables ran between the trucks, some thin and some very thick. She glimpsed computers through the open back door of one truck, and another seemed full of spare weapons. A green crate marked "M67 GRENADES" caught her eye.

  Marina found Yang huddled in the deep shadows beneath the deck of the bridge. He was wearing jeans, a yellow shirt, and a nylon jacket. Bulges showed where he had body armor and weapons underneath.

  "What should we do, ma'am?" he whispered.

  She frowned. "I'm not sure. This is a tough one. Hold on." She took out her phone and called Hanley.

  "Ma'am?" he responded. A boat engine roared in the background.

  "Where are you?"

  "Making circles in the Bay. We can't get too close, or they'll get suspicious. What are your orders?"

  "I'm still thinking. Keep circling for now." Marina hung up and called Ipo.

  "Yes, ma'am?" he said.

  "What's your status?"

  "I'm stuck at the wrong end of the bridge."

  She grimaced. "I need you."

  "I'm sorry, ma'am. I wish I could just zip across, but I don't even have a boat."

  "We'll have to make do without you." She sighed. "Call if you see anything else interesting."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Marina put away her phone. She was desperate for a plan, but inspiration refused to come. She wished Aaron were with her. He excelled at coming up with brilliant ideas in a crisis.

  The sound of sliding dirt made her look to the right in alarm. She instantly drew a gun from inside her jacket. A familiar face peeked under the edge of the bridge, and her finger froze on the trigger. It was Joshua Harp.

  "How the hell did you find me?" Marina hissed. "Hide!"

  He hurried to her and crouched in the shadows. "I saw you get off the bridge. Then I just followed your footprints." He looked down the hill. "Who are those assholes? They certainly aren't real cops. Are they responsible for this mess?"

  "You have to go."

  "Not a chance. I'm in charge here. If anybody needs to go, it's you." Harp took out his phone and began to dial.

  "You don't know what you're doing," Marina said urgently.

  "If you interfere, I'll have you arrested. I'll probably do that anyway. Some prison time will teach you to follow the rules."

  He began to speak into his phone. She lashed out with her fingernails and jabbed his neck. He tried to pull away but was too slow. A few seconds later, his eyes rolled back and he fell over.

  "Is he asleep?" Yang said.

  "No." Marina shook her head. "He's dead."

  He stared. "You killed him?"

  "I had no choice." She looked down. "He had seen too much. He was interfer
ing with our duties. But it's my fault, really. I should've never let the situation get this bad. Fuck." She pounded her palm with her fist.

  * * *

  Hanley was tired of driving the speedboat in big circles. He checked his watch. Noon was just two minutes away, and he had an awful, helpless feeling. He kept hoping Marina would call and tell him a brilliant plan, but his phone had remained silent.

  "Look!" Katie pointed to the west.

  Hanley shielded his eyes with his hand and looked out at the ocean. Three red tugboats were coming towards him, side-by-side. They were dragging giant, white, cylindrical tanks which looked made for propane. Nozzles mounted on top of the tanks were spewing white mist. As the tugboats came closer, Hanley saw the crew wearing gasmasks.

  "Shit!" he yelled. "They're gassing the whole area."

  He turned the speedboat towards the nearest tugboat and pushed the throttle to full. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he had to do something.

  A change in the breeze carried the gas towards him. He suddenly felt very warm and sleepy. He became so disoriented, he completely forgot what he was doing. He drove right past the tugboat and didn't care.

  Chapter Eleven

  Marina clenched her fists in frustration and almost injured herself with her own fingernails.

  The Warriors of Dagda were in frantic motion, and they were obviously powering up the hardware needed for the angel illusion. She heard a big diesel generator start. A piece of equipment with a large number of tubes and wires was dragged out onto the dirt. Some men put on dark sunglasses.

  Marina wanted to run down the hill and fight them, but that was suicide. Armed men were looking in all directions for trouble. As soon as she stepped out of the shadows, she would be shot. She only had a vest under her shirt for protection.

  Suddenly, the Bay lit up. Rippling white light danced across the waters as far as she could see. Glowing angels flew higher in the air, and Marina had to admit the effect was breathtaking. The electrical generator was straining to provide enough power. The thing with tubes and wires was red hot in places, and she expected it to burn out soon.