Faith Defiled (Gray Spear Society Book 14)

by Siegel, Alex

  "Is everybody OK?" Imelda said. Her voice was barely understandable over the ringing in Jia's ears.

  "Yes," the rest of the team said.

  "Just hold tight. There will be more."

  Olivia pressed her body against Jia's.

  * * *

  Walfred heard rapid-fire gunshots.

  He spoke into his radio headset. "Give me a status report. What's happening in there?"

  The only response was the low hiss of static. Apparently, the anticipated ambush had happened.

  Now Walfred had a problem. Digging the enemy out of a deep, dark cave would be risky and difficult. There was only one way in, and it was obviously well defended. Fading sunlight created a tight time constraint. The operation had started in the middle of the day, and nobody had thought to bring night-vision gear. They were lucky to have a few flashlights.

  Walfred looked around, hoping for inspiration. The Circassians had caught up, and the total size of the group was about thirty-five men. Everybody was armed with assault rifles, pistols, grenades, and the occasional shotgun. They had left the big items like RPG's behind in anticipation of a quick assault against lightly armed opponents.

  We'll have to do this the noisy way, Walfred thought.

  "Everybody, grab your grenades," he said. "We'll toss them in the hole to clear the way. We'll work our way down until we find the bodies at the bottom. OK?"

  The plan seemed agreeable to the Warriors and the Circassians. Soldiers loved tossing grenades.

  "Let's go." Walfred walked forward.

  * * *

  Jia heard a clattering noise. It sounded like metal striking stone.

  Two seconds later, an explosion left her stunned. The detonation had happened at the other end of the cave, but the concussion had shot down the tunnel. It was like somebody had punched her in the head.

  More explosions quickly followed. Jia huddled down behind the rocks with Olivia in her arms and prayed for salvation.

  Yang, Jia thought. Where are you? You promised you would be here for us.

  * * *

  Marina was watching the aperture warm up. It looked like the cursed thing was finally going to work this time. Some components were glowing so brightly, she had to avert her eyes. The gravity in the room kept fluctuating, and it was like standing on the deck of a ship in a storm. The walls were rippling like they were made of water instead of reinforced concrete. The air was getting hotter.

  A glowing green dot formed in the center of the aperture.

  Marina saw Smythe, Odelia, Norbert, and Wesley standing together.

  Marina ran over. "It's almost time. Get in line, but let the twins go first."

  Most of the legionnaires began to form a line in front of the aperture. Yang was first, and he was bouncing on the balls of his feet eagerly. Only Smythe and Odelia hung back. Marina frowned with disappointment but didn't argue with their decision.

  Marina looked down at Wesley. "Aaron isn't here yet."

  "I was afraid this would happen." The boy nodded. "He wanted to command the defense of the hotel until the end. He couldn't leave until all the important decisions were made."

  "What should I do?"

  He took her hand. "Go through by yourself. The aperture will give you the power to bring him here, but you'll have to be quick. It won't stay open for long."

  She nodded.

  A flash of green light made Marina look back at the aperture. A membrane of green energy now filled the hole. It sparkled like fabric made from a million tiny diamonds. The effect was breathtaking.

  The equipment was humming loudly and unevenly. She could tell it would burn out or shut down within minutes.

  Bethany and Leanna climbed a step ladder and dived into the green membrane head-first. They didn't come out the other side.

  Yang dived through after them.

  * * *

  In battle as well as life, being in the right place was everything. Walfred was solidly in the middle of the pack. His men surrounded him like a protective shield, but he wasn't so far from the action that he could be considered cowardly. He was just one of the guys, as eager to fight as the rest but willing to let others have the honor of being in front.

  The large group was raining grenades down into the cave. Some men had actually entered the cave, but the narrow space forced most to wait outside. Walfred was standing at the threshold. The concussions from the blasts were hurting his ears, but he maintained a stoic expression.

  The explosions abruptly stopped. Blood and dismembered body parts suddenly sprayed out of the cave. Men screamed in terror, and the group surged backwards, knocking Walfred to the ground. He tried to extricate himself from the pile of squirming men.

  Something walked out of the darkness. It had the general shape of a man, but it seemed made entirely of yellow crystal. Sharp edges gleamed in the setting sun. The creature's eyes were white flames, and its face was just human enough to show rage. A gray cloak made of smoke hung from its back.

  Everybody began firing their guns. Bullets struck the monster's faceted skin and fell harmlessly to the ground.

  It flashed across the battlefield into a group of Circassians. It decapitated one man with a kick and bisected another with a karate chop. A palm strike punched a hole through the chest of a third man. It was like their bodies were as soft and fragile as cotton candy. In an instant, the monster was somewhere else, and more men died just as gruesomely.

  Time to go, Walfred thought.

  He jumped to his feet and ran. The steep, rocky terrain tripped him, but every time he fell, he scrambled to get back up and keep going. He didn't know where he was headed and didn't care.

  He couldn't believe what he had just seen. The monster had been something from a drug-induced nightmare. Walfred wondered if anything could stop it. The bullets hadn't even dented its hide.

  The thing was suddenly in front of him. Walfred ran straight into it, bounced off, and fell to the ground. It was like hitting a statue made of solid steel.

  Walfred instinctively reached for his pistol and shot every round in the magazine. The monster just stared down at him as bullets bounced off harmlessly. Even a shot in the eye socket did nothing.

  "Are you going to kill me?" Walfred said.

  "Not yet," the monster answered in a voice that resonated like a kettle drum.

  It grabbed Walfred's wrist with a crushing grip. He suddenly felt like he was falling through space, and the world became a blur. When his senses recovered, he found himself in a very different place.

  He was on a tiny island in the middle of an ocean. Judging by the angle of the sun, he had travelled thousands of miles to the west. The island was just a volcanic outcropping, and no other land was in sight. He could almost touch the water on both sides at the same time.

  "Stay," the monster said. "I'll be back for you."

  It vanished.

  Walfred looked at the endless expanse of blue water around him. He wasn't going anywhere. Goddess, save me, he thought. Please!

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Iris opened her eyes. "Drive!" she yelled. "Go! Now!"

  Laurence started the car and drove. They had been parked on an access road near Interstate 280, and it took only a moment for him to merge onto the highway. He went as fast as possible in the heavy traffic.

  "What happened, ma'am?"

  She shook her head. "I'm not sure. I was looking through Walfred's eyes when a... thing came out of the cave. It was like a serial killer's fantasy made real. It was impossibly fast and deadly. Bullets were useless. Walfred escaped for a minute, but then the thing took him away. I don't know where."

  Laurence stared at the traffic ahead. It was rush hour, and cars were packed bumper to bumper.

  "The mission has failed," Iris said. "We're flying to Brazil."

  "You'd better call Grupo to confirm he'll take us in, ma'am. I don't want to land in Rio and discover we're not wanted."

  She grimaced. Laurence was right, but she wasn't looking fo
rward to making the call.

  She had no choice. She took out her phone and dialed a number.

  "Olá," a man with a raspy voice answered.

  "Grupo? This is Iris. I'm coming for a visit."

  "Olivia Bellar is dead?" Grupo had a thick Portuguese accent.

  "Unfortunately, no," Iris said.

  "That's disappointing. There will be consequences."

  "Which is why I'm coming to you, my good friend. I expect to arrive around dawn. Have somebody pick me up at the airport."

  "If you want me to hide you from the other Pythagoreans," Grupo said, "it will be expensive. I'll be taking a huge risk for you."

  She sighed and lowered her head. "How much?"

  "Half."

  "Half of what?"

  "Half of your entire empire," he said.

  "What?!"

  "Consider the alternatives."

  Iris was trying not to think about the alternatives. Pythagoreans who failed in their missions usually paid the ultimate price.

  "Fine," she said. "Just don't get greedy and ask for more later. I can tolerate only so much humiliation."

  "I wouldn't think of it, my good friend. I'll see you in the morning."

  Iris hung up the phone.

  Laurence glanced at her. "You don't look happy, ma'am."

  "We really needed to kill that damn girl."

  * * *

  The explosions had stopped, but Jia's ears were still ringing. She had never been more afraid in her life. Olivia's slim body was shivering against Jia's belly.

  Jia didn't understand why the enemy had stopped the attack. It had been working. The Spears were just seconds from death. Only the odd twists in the cave had kept grenade shrapnel from tearing them to shreds.

  She saw a single flashlight bobbing down the cave. She immediately fired her gun at the light.

  "Whoa!" a familiar voice yelled. "Hold your fire! It's Yang!"

  "Yang?" Jia hesitantly stood up from behind the rocks.

  Yang worked his way down to her. Seeing his handsome face again made her cry with relief. She threw her arms around him and squeezed as hard as she could.

  He petted her hair. "Shh. Calm down. It's over. We won."

  She released him.

  Olivia was sobbing, and Yang crouched down to give the girl a hug.

  "The bad guys are gone," he whispered. "You're safe."

  Imelda turned on her own flashlight. "What are you wearing?" she said.

  Jia had the same question. Yang had a nice gray business suit with a black tie and a white shirt. His hair was neatly combed. Freshly polished black shoes gleamed in the light. He didn't look like he had been in any kind of fight.

  "Just something I threw on," he said.

  "What happened?" Imelda said. "What's going on? How did you get here?"

  "That's a little complicated to explain, and I'd rather not tell the story in this dank cave."

  Jia noticed Rachiel was staring with wide eyes full of fear.

  "Is something wrong?" Jia said.

  Rachiel pointed at Yang. "That's not human."

  "What do you mean?" Jia said. "Yang is completely human."

  "No," Yang said. "She's absolutely right. Olivia, where do you want to go? How about a nice hotel suite? Everybody can take a long, hot shower and relax in front of the TV."

  "Sure," Olivia said.

  "But it's getting dark," Imelda said, "and we'll have to hike for miles to reach the nearest road. Maybe we should just camp in the woods tonight."

  Yang smiled. "We don't have to hike. I want everybody to get a firm grip on my body. Squeeze as tight as you can. You won't hurt me."

  "Why?"

  "Just do it."

  Six witches, four assistants, and Olivia formed a little circle around Yang. They grabbed his arms and hands.

  "Here we go," he said.

  The bottom dropped out of Jia's stomach. For an instant, she had no idea where she was.

  When her vision cleared, she was standing in the nicest hotel suite she had ever seen. All the furniture was covered in gold leaf. There were four bedrooms that she could see and a separate kitchen. A glass wall provided a spectacular view of a huge city. She didn't recognize it until she spotted the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Somehow, Yang had teleported the entire group across the world.

  "Paris?" Jia said in wonder.

  "Yes," he said. "I always wanted to take you here. I'd better go to the lobby and pay for the suite. Look at the room service menu and pick what you want for dinner."

  He vanished.

  Jia and Olivia exchanged looks of astonishment.

  * * *

  Bethany and Leanna climbed a step ladder and dived into the green membrane head-first. They didn't come out the other side. They had permanently left the universe.

  The legionnaires followed with Yang leading the charge.

  Marina put her crown on a workbench. She ran forward and forced her way to the front of the line. She had to get to Aaron before the aperture shut down, and that would happen in just minutes. Without hesitation, she threw herself into the membrane.

  In a flash, her body vanished along with time, space, and everything else. There wasn't even emptiness. She was in a place where nothing could be measured, defined, or predicted. Life and even the concept of life were impossible. She had entered the chaotic void outside of reality.

  Only her mind remained, and it was wrapped in a cocoon of sustaining love. God was keeping her from blinking out entirely. His willpower was strong enough to shield her from oblivion's grasp. At that moment, she had a piercing insight. The chaos was His enemy, and it was constantly trying to destroy everything He had created. All of His opposition sprang from there.

  Marina slowly gained the ability to exist on her own. A new body formed, and it was as impervious as the laws of physics. It had skin made of thought and bones made of love. She could take it anywhere, even inside a black hole.

  "Go," the Lord said. "Find Aaron."

  He released her to fly free.

  Marina thought about the Rosemont Tower Hotel, and instantly, she was there. She hovered above the roof and looked down.

  The sight was shocking even to her. The hotel had burned down to its concrete skeleton, and parts were still smoking. There were many thousands of corpses, and they had died from bullets, blades, fire, and gas. Most of the dead were American soldiers, but Marina saw plenty of fallen legionnaires. Wrecked tanks and armored personnel carriers were also on display.

  The battle between the U.S. Army and the Society was still raging, but it was on its last legs. The dead far outnumbered the living. The combatants still fought though, and Marina already knew the eventual outcome. The remnants of the old Gray Spear Society were destined to die.

  Aaron, where are you?

  Marina remembered Yang talking about following his love to Jia. Marina wondered if the same trick would work for her and Aaron. She thought about the eternal bond they shared, and instantly, she was in a different place.

  It was a highway. She recognized Interstate 290 from her years in Chicago. Army trucks and Humvees had created two roadblocks which spanned the entire highway, and sound walls formed the other two sides of a box. Aaron and Charles were trapped inside with no clear escape route. Hundreds of soldiers were preparing to shoot them down.

  I need a weapon, Marina thought.

  You are a weapon, the Lord replied.

  She smiled. Right.

  She appeared in front of Aaron, causing him to bump into her. He staggered backwards and stared with wide eyes.

  "Hello, Marina," he said fearfully. "You look different."

  She realized that name didn't work for her anymore. It was a human name, and she was anything but human. She needed to choose another.

  She winked. "The name is Nails now."

  She stretched out her hand towards the enemy vehicles. Her fingernails had become much more than merely toxic. They shot out like streams of tiny black missiles and exploded on i
mpact. Trucks and cars went up in fountains of flame, and the blasts tore men apart. With broad strokes of her hands, she swept the battlefield until there was nothing left but corpses and burning wreckage.

  "Take my hand," Marina said. "Both of you."

  Aaron and Charles grabbed her hands.

  She teleported with them to the basement of the Chinatown building. The aperture was still open, but she could tell from the sound that the machine was about to fail.

  "Go!" She pointed at the film of green energy.

  "What about me?" Charles said.

  Wesley was still in the room. Marina looked at him, and he shook his head.

  "Just Aaron," she said. "Hurry!"

  Aaron ran across the room. He climbed the stepladder but hesitated.

  "It's about to close!" Marina yelled.

  He took a deep breath and threw himself into the film.

  With a final rattle, the aperture died. The membrane became a black hole which sucked up all the components, and they vanished. There was nothing left but a smoky haze.

  Marina felt enormous relief. She jumped outside the universe to meet Aaron.

  She watched him discard his old body and take on a new one. It was an interesting process to witness from the outside, and it made her wonder whether God was the only one at work. There was something familiar about the compulsive use of symmetry.

  Bethany and Leanna, Marina thought, are you doing this?

  We designed the bodies, Bethany replied. God is making them. They're actually just mental projections. You can take any form you can imagine.

  Seeing the transformation helped Marina understand its purpose. The twins had thought of everything.

  How are you girls doing?

  Fine, ma'am. The new firewall is active. It's quiet out here. God wants to meet with all of us right now.

  I know a place, Marina thought.

  Back when she and Aaron had worked together as teammates, they had shared an apartment in downtown Chicago. It hadn't been the nicest place, but she had a lot of fond memories of it. The two of them had learned how to love each other there. Seeing that old, familiar apartment would help Aaron settle into his new form.

  In the chaotic void, nothing was real, but anything was possible. Marina used her will to recreate the apartment around Aaron. It was just a transient illusion, but it was a good place for a meeting.