by Alex Siegel
Slade looked at Haley and laughed. "I brought plenty of dog food. You might like it. Try some."
"No, thank you," Haley said.
Slade took a deep breath. "I love this fresh country air. Don't you? I don't understand how people can live in filthy cities like rats."
"They have a different opinion."
Slade shrugged.
He slid his eggs onto a plastic plate and sat at the rough, wooden table. He gobbled down his meal with obvious pleasure. Haley just stared.
"Where is your girlfriend?" Slade said with a sneer.
"She'll get here."
"A little late, isn't she? But I guess that's how women are. They're never around when you need them, and they're always riding your ass like a load of bricks when you don't." Slade stuffed eggs into his mouth.
"Again, a matter of opinion," Haley said. "I'm sure she's moving Heaven and Earth to find me."
"I hope she does get here, so we can kill her. My men will shoot her on sight."
"If you see her coming."
"We will," Slade said. "They got every inch of this mountain covered, and they got big fucking guns. It doesn't matter. She ain't finding you. Nobody knows where we are."
Haley sighed. He was starting to believe Slade was right.
The military radio in the corner crackled. "Slade, are you there?" a man said. "Slade? This is the senator."
Slade ran to the radio and grabbed the microphone. "I'm here, sir."
"Any trouble so far?"
"No, sir. It's been very quiet."
Haley realized with a start who Slade was talking to. The tone and cadence of the voice were as distinctive as a signature. Senator Bedford Forrest, Haley thought. Republican from Georgia. Haley and Forrest had sparred many times over legislation. Somehow, Haley wasn't surprised a bottom feeder like Forrest was involved.
"I had trouble at my house this morning," the senator said. "A good number of my men were killed. Some were dismembered. My office and my secret safe were broken into. The perpetrators got away."
Haley smiled. Go, Ethel!
"Were you hurt, sir?" Slade said in a tone of concern.
"No. Fortunately, I wasn't home. I'm hiding until this situation is resolved. A man doesn't reach my advanced years without learning there are times when it's best to stay out of sight. I have a radio with me. If you need reinforcements, let me know. I can send up my own security."
"I don't think that will be necessary, but thanks for the offer. You don't have any idea who hit your house?"
"I might," Forrest said, "but I'd rather not discuss it with you. Just stay on your toes. Out."
Slade put down the microphone.
"You run with a distinctive crowd," Haley said. "A general and a senator."
Slade smiled. "I got all kinds of friends. I'd better finish my breakfast before it gets cold. I wouldn't want to meet your girlfriend on an empty stomach." He snickered.
* * *
Aaron was staring at Perry's oversized computer monitors. Information was flowing across the screens continuously as it was collected from many sources. The Gray Spear Society had taps deep inside the military computer networks and spy satellites. The enemy's use of Red Eye radios had slowed the flow of intelligence but hadn't stopped it completely. A big organization like the U.S. Army just wasn't great at keeping secrets.
Aaron's phone rang. The caller ID showed Marina's number, and he answered excitedly. "Yes? How are things in Chinatown?"
"Good," Marina said. "We put the project back together. The twins and the scientists are hard at work on it. The rest of us don't have much to do but stand around and watch. I'm thinking about sending a team out to get Chinese food. What about you?"
"We've learned some things." He relayed the latest information about the Pythagoreans and General Walker.
"That's great. It sounds like you're making a lot of progress." She paused. "Wesley spilled the big secret last night. I wasn't sure if I should tell you or let him do it at the right time."
"How big a secret is it?"
"Huge. Enormous. I really need to discuss it with you. I've decided I'm just going to blurt it out and accept the consequences."
Aaron left his office and walked into the main part of headquarters where he could have a little privacy. He waved for Charles to stay in the office.
Seeing all the garbage on the floor still annoyed Aaron. There were broken electronic components, cables, screws, random bits of metal, chunks of wood, wads of paper, balls of tape, nails, and even some food garbage. The packers had taken everything of value and had left the rest where it lay.
"Go ahead and blurt," he said.
"Both of us are going through the aperture," Marina said quickly. "So are most of the legionnaires with me. The people who go through will become the new Society. The old Gray Spear Society is about to disappear."
Aaron thought about that for a moment. "OK. What will that thing do to us?"
"Give us eternal life and incredible powers. We'll be like warrior angels. We'll never sleep, eat, or get bored. We can take any form we choose. We can go anywhere. You and I will be the supreme rulers of the whole bunch."
"You're kidding."
"No," she said emphatically.
He was having a hard time comprehending what she was saying. The words were English, but they didn't make a lot of sense.
"And that's not the craziest part," Marina said.
"It gets crazier?"
"The new Society won't just protect the Earth. We'll be responsible for the entire universe. God wants a single, final solution to the whole damn problem of keeping His creation safe. He wants the celestial war to end on every planet."
Aaron stared at the metallic tiles on the floor. They reflected the light with rainbow hues.
"That's completely insane," he said finally.
"We don't have to do it. I talked to Wesley. We're allowed to back out and give the job to somebody else. We can become normal people again."
"That's not really a solution. We'll be bored out of our minds. Our blood runs dark with God's rage. We live for battle like all legionnaires. A normal life would be a slow, painful death for us. It seems like we have to do this."
"Is that your decision?" Marina said. "Are you ready to be chief cop of the entire universe? Are you ready to command a group of extremely powerful, immortal beings?"
"Can I think about this?"
"You have until tonight. The aperture will open exactly once and only for a few minutes. I love you."
"I love you, too. Bye." Aaron put his phone in the pocket of his robes.
Headquarters was very quiet. Nobody was up here except for Perry and Charles. Aaron's group of legionnaires was on the lowest floors of the hotel in defensive positions.
The implications of Marina's statements were starting to penetrate his mind. She wasn't just talking about a promotion. The aperture would transform him into a form he couldn't even imagine. It wasn't clear he would still be alive in the normal sense.
He had a lot to think about. He understood why Wesley had kept this secret until the end.
"Commander!" Perry yelled. "Come in here, please."
Aaron ran back into his office. "What?"
"We just got some hot intel. A headquarters unit is being relocated from here to here."
Perry pointed at a map of Chicago on his display. A dotted line showed movement from the far northern suburb of Winnetka to Park Ridge which was just two miles east of the hotel.
"What officer ranks?" Aaron said.
"A few majors and a colonel. If Leonardo and his group got there first..."
Aaron nodded. "That's an excellent idea. We'll make a military man out of you yet."
"Thank you, sir," Perry said.
He expanded the image so Aaron could get a better look at the target location. Aaron took out his phone and dialed Leonardo.
"Sir?" Leonardo said.
"Where are you?"
"Driving through Mount Prospect on
the way to our next target."
"I'm diverting you." Aaron looked closely at the map. "The enemy is moving a high value unit to the Park Ridge Public Library. Get there first. Ambush them. Perry will text you the details."
"Yes, sir," Leonardo said.
"By the way, that was great work at O'Hare Airport. You really kicked their asses. Any casualties?"
"Just three."
"That's acceptable under the circumstances," Aaron said. "It sounds like the twins will finish their project tonight. We only have to hold out until then."
The magnitude of what would happen afterwards struck Aaron again. Everything would be different. The universe itself would change. He couldn't even imagine what his new life would be like.
"That's great, sir, because I'm getting a little tired of killing."
"Bye." Aaron hung up.
Charles leaned in. "If you don't mind telling me, what was that secret phone call about?"
"Marina had something to tell me. I don't think I'm allowed to share the information. You'll find out soon enough."
Charles raised one eyebrow.
Chapter Eighteen
Sheryl was bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement. She was going to receive magical powers tonight. They wouldn't just be parlor tricks like making mirrors. She was getting the good stuff, the kinds of gifts normally reserved for angels and minor gods. She couldn't stop grinning. She felt like she had won the lottery a thousand times in a row.
She looked over at the aperture. It was sitting on a metal stand in the center of the room. Many other mysterious pieces of equipment surrounded it like disciples around a high priest. Sheryl only knew that a big, shiny thing shaped like a coffin was the "ignition source." The head of the coffin was aimed directly at the center of the aperture.
The twins and the scientists were connecting everything together with thick cables. Sheryl fervently hoped they didn't make a mistake. Her understanding was the aperture had to work perfectly. The smallest defect might lead to instant annihilation on a stellar scale. The rest of the crowd was staying back and keeping quiet.
A woman walked up to Sheryl. She had dark brown hair with highlights, blue eyes, and light-olive skin. Her muscular body marked her as a legionnaire, but she still had the curvy hips of a woman.
"Hi," she said. "I'm Katie. You have amazing eyes. The pupils are like tiny mirrors."
"My gift is making mirrors," Sheryl said.
"Cool. I don't have a gift. I feel like a total rookie in this crowd. Everybody here is so amazingly powerful."
"What cell are you in?"
"San Francisco," Katie said.
Sheryl's smiled. "Oh, you work for Marina! I work for Aaron. I guess that makes us step-sisters sort of. How long have you been in the Society?"
"Just a year."
"Six months for me."
"And you already have a gift?" Katie made a sour face. "You're so lucky."
"It's nothing compared to what we'll both get tonight."
"That's true." Katie smiled. "How do you think the battle around the hotel will go? Will Aaron be able to hold off the U.S. Army?"
"Knowing Aaron, I wouldn't be surprised," Sheryl said. "He always finds a way to win even when it seems impossible. The hotel has some amazing defenses, too. You met him before, right? I know he visited San Francisco a few times."
"Sure, but he was just Marina's boyfriend. He helped with a mission only once, but I will admit he was impressive then."
"You'll have to tell me the story, but there's no rush. We'll have plenty of time to chat. An eternity, to be exact.
"I feel bad for all the soldiers who are going to die today," Katie said in a sad tone. "I was in the Air Force once. They're just ordinary men and women who deserve to live. They never asked to fight in our stupid war."
Sheryl nodded and sighed. Thinking about battle reminded her that Tawni was still out there somewhere.
"What's wrong?" Katie said. "You suddenly look very worried."
"My girlfriend, Tawni, is on a mission with the legate. I haven't heard from her. She could be in trouble."
"You're a lesbian?"
"Yes," Sheryl said, "but it's not clear that Tawni is. Our relationship has hit a bad patch lately. I hope she's all right. I wish she would call. I can't call her because she could be in the middle of a fight."
"Relax. Somebody would tell you if she was hurt or killed."
"You're right." Sheryl tried to relax.
Wesley walked up to them. The boy was wearing an adorable white suit and polished black shoes. He looked like he was going to a wedding.
"I never really thanked you," Sheryl said.
"For what?" he replied in his musical voice.
"For saving me from those awful scientific experiments. For healing my mind. For telling Aaron to make me a legionnaire. For choosing me for this. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Wesley smiled, and it was a beautiful expression. "Just doing my job. I'm happy it worked out so well."
"You didn't know it would?"
"Surprises can happen. I never knew Aaron had a second headquarters for example."
"I thought you were perfect," Sheryl said.
"True perfection is boring. I don't want it. Nobody does. The fun is in trying, learning, and trying again. Even when you're in your new form, you won't be perfect. You'll make plenty of mistakes. Just try to avoid the big ones. Aaron and Marina will be watching closely, and they won't be patient with screw-ups."
Sheryl frowned. That would be the downside of her new existence. Aaron was a harsh boss, and Marina didn't have a reputation as being any nicer. Sheryl would have to toe the line constantly or face annihilation.
Wesley wandered off.
"Have you met him before?" Sheryl asked Katie.
Katie nodded. "The Voice of Truth came to San Francisco once."
"I'm told he never just shows up for a friendly visit. What happened?"
"It was a mission. We had to save his girlfriend's life. She's still living in our headquarters."
"What?!" Sheryl raised her eyebrows. "Wesley has a girlfriend?"
"Future girlfriend. It's a little complicated, and I shouldn't talk about it. I swore an oath to keep it a secret. It was nice meeting you." Katie shook Sheryl's hand. "I'm sure I'll enjoy working with you."
Katie walked off.
Sheryl shook her head. There's always another surprise around the corner.
* * *
Leonardo watched a convoy of trucks and Humvees enter the parking lot of the Park Ridge Public Library. It was a large convoy, but the spacious lot could accommodate it. Soldiers stepped out into the winter air and milled around as they waited for orders.
The library itself was quite large considering Park Ridge was a small suburb. The building was made of red brick. White frames surrounded tall, stately windows. Four pairs of white columns in front went from the ground to the roof line. The library stood proudly at the center of the town like a temple for books. It had been built in an era when people still cared about the printed word, before the days of electronic media and instant downloads.
Leonardo used his gift to count the enemy souls. There were about a hundred this time. He looked through binoculars to pick out rank insignia on the collars of the soldiers. He saw plenty of officers in the mix.
He and Débora were crouched on the roof of a commercial building across the street. The sun was beating down on their backs, and Leonardo was actually sweating a little in his thick body armor. The weather was improving by the hour.
He jogged to the back edge of the commercial building. His large group of legionnaires was standing in a private parking lot out of view of the library.
"They're here," Leonardo called down. "A hundred. Move."
The crowd broke up as squads ran off in various directions. Ambush positions had already been designated, and everybody knew where to go.
Leonardo rejoined Débora and took another look at the enemy. The soldiers
were starting to unload the trucks. Computers and other electronic equipment made up the bulk of the material. Four soldiers struggled to get a big satellite dish out. This was a command and communications unit, not a front-line fighting unit.
"Let's get down," Leonardo whispered.
He and his beautiful bodyguard climbed down to an alley using window ledges and a dumpster as a ladder.
In his mind's eye, he followed the enemy's movements. Some were entering the library.
"Let's try something a little different this time," he said. "Grenades."
"You don't want me to sing again?" Débora whispered.
"I love to hear your voice, of course, but this fight will be fast and chaotic. I don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."
She pouted.
Both of them unclipped grenades from their utility belts. He counted down, and they pulled the pins and threw. The grenades rolled to a stop in the middle of the cluster of enemy vehicles.
A few seconds later, they exploded. Each grenade was equivalent to a stick of dynamite in terms of raw energy released. They also sprayed shrapnel, and the effective casualty radius was 15 meters. Several soldiers went down immediately with bloody wounds. There was confusion as the rest of them tried to determine what had happened.
Legionnaires poured into the battlefield from alleys and around corners. Leonardo heard hundreds of gunshots in seconds. It was a compact space for such a large, violent engagement. He hoped everybody was picking their shots carefully. There was a serious risk of injuries from friendly fire.
He watched the lights of the enemy souls go dark. This would be a short fight.
After the initial rush was over, Leonardo and Débora ran across the street and joined the group.
He looked around with his gift. "Five more in the library! Two hiding in the back of that truck!" He pointed. "One underneath the Humvee. Get them quickly!"
* * *
"General Walker!" an officer yelled. "The headquarters unit of brigade 4-7 is under attack!"
Walker rushed over to the man's console. A display showed a map of Chicago. A red box marked a spot in the center of the suburb of Park Ridge.
