Eyes of the World (Gray Spear Society Book 10)

by Alex Siegel

  "Is the Fraternal Order dead?"

  "Completely."

  Walker put the headset down. He was tired of depressing conversations with the enemy. He decided he was done talking to them.

  He walked back to Erika.

  "What is it?" she said anxiously.

  "The Gray Spear Society rescued the President. This is a disaster. He'll call off the Army."

  She bit her lip, and then she put on a fierce expression. "Not yet, he won't. We still have time for one final push. We can still salvage a victory."

  "You're right." He nodded.

  He looked at the projection screens at the front of the bunker. One image showed the current state of the Rosemont Tower Hotel.

  The hot fire had gutted the building and had left only the blackened, concrete skeleton. All the glass had fallen off, and floors were open from one side to the other. Sixteen massive pillars, each three meters thick, supported the enclosed bunker on top. There was a lot more concrete than necessary everywhere. It had been massively overbuilt.

  Walker yelled down to the officers below, "Get every unit ready for the final assault. I want to attack in fifteen minutes."

  "But, sir," an officer replied, "the building is still hot."

  "Work around the hot spots. It's the dead of winter. I'm sure some areas are already cool. Just do it! We're out of time."

  "Yes, sir."

  * * *

  Aaron looked at the four gray, metal boxes on the floor of his office. They were the nerve gas pods he and the plumbers had taken from the hotel. Aaron had rigged impact triggers and small C-4 charges so the pods would explode and release all the gas at once.

  It's time for the final trick, he thought.

  He walked over to Perry and put a hand on his shoulder.

  Perry looked up from his workstation. "Sir?"

  "Pick your favorite fake identity. That's who you'll be from now on. Put ten million dollars in your bank account."

  "Why?"

  "That's your retirement bonus in case we never see each other again," Aaron said. "Then take the slide down to the shelters in the basement. Your part in this is done."

  Perry had a stricken expression. "But I don't want to quit the Gray Spear Society! I love this job!"

  "It will no longer exist after tonight. If I survive, I'll be in touch. We'll see what arrangements we can make then."

  Perry looked like his dog had died.

  "Hurry up!" Aaron said. "Charles, help me with these gas pods."

  He picked up two of the pods off the floor, and Charles grabbed the other two. The old man still looked fresh and ready to go despite a very long and stressful day. Every strand of his silver hair was in its place. The polished surface of his silver cane gleamed. His gray suit was wrinkle-free.

  They went out into the main part of headquarters.

  Aaron quickly located Mr. Rosenblum and said, "Everybody is going down to the basement now, but wait for Perry. He'll show you how to avoid the traps. In case we don't see each other again, it was a great pleasure knowing you." Aaron put down the pods and gave the hotel manager a warm hug.

  "This is it?" Rosenblum said in a tone of disbelief.

  "Yes. Move quickly. The enemy will attack again soon. It's no longer safe up here." Aaron faced Charles. "We're going up to the roof."

  The two men found their coats, hats, and gloves. They got ready for winter.

  Before leaving, Aaron looked up and said, "Jack, we're taking off. If the enemy manages to get up here, destroy this place. The sanctity of our headquarters must be preserved."

  "Yes, sir," Jack said without emotion even though he would die as a result.

  "And you may be just a computer, but it was an honor to work with you. I can't imagine a better security chief."

  "Thank you, sir, but this isn't the end for me. My programming is part of the new universal firewall. I'll continue to be your security chief forever."

  Aaron smiled. "Then I'll see you on the other side. We have to go."

  He and Charles carried the gas pods to the roof.

  Aaron looked up at a clear night sky. He could see a lot of stars tonight despite light coming from Chicago. The air was still, and it wasn't as cold as he had expected. The winter storm was long gone.

  He looked over at his sleek, blue helicopter. That was his ticket to Chinatown.

  He and Charles went over to the eastern edge of the roof and looked down. Many thousands of soldiers were in the parking lot. Flood lamps placed all around provided plenty of light. The troops were putting on their gear, but it would be ten or fifteen minutes before they were organized enough to make another assault on the hotel.

  Aaron sighed. Tragic, he thought.

  He took out his phone and called the Dragon.

  "Sir?" the legate of the Far East said.

  "You can come out of the woods now," Aaron said. "It's time for your group to attack."

  "Finally!"

  "The enemy is gathered around the hotel, and you'll hit them from behind. I'm going to scatter them with some nerve gas. That will make your job a little easier. Keep fighting until you win or die. Don't quit. Those are my orders. I'll expect you here in five minutes."

  Charles gave Aaron a sharp look.

  "Yes, sir," the Dragon said.

  Aaron hung up.

  "Why are you doing this?" Charles said. "The aperture will open soon, and nothing can stop it. We've practically won. Your plan worked. There is no reason for another bloody battle."

  Aaron faced him. "These soldiers work for an enemy of God even though they don't know it. Technically, they must be killed. More importantly, I have to give the remaining legionnaires an honorable death."

  "What do you mean?"

  "You heard Wesley. There is no place for them in the new Society. I've been thinking a lot about this, and I've come to the conclusion the Voice of Truth is right. We're warriors down to the bone. God's rage runs in our blood. Going back to a normal life is impossible for most of us. We'd go crazy. We'd die of boredom. This battle will be the noble end our people deserve."

  Charles looked down at the mass of soldiers. "You expect them to lose?"

  "There are only four hundred on our side," Aaron said, "and they aren't even our best legionnaires. Wesley picked the dregs of the Society for the last group. He knew it would come to this. I just hope they make a good showing before they die. I want God to be proud of them."

  Charles nodded slowly with a sad expression. "If you can make a decision like that, you've truly become the Lord of the Society."

  "I'm not sure if I should be proud or ashamed. Let's get this fight started."

  They tossed the nerve gas pods down into the middle of the crowd. The pods exploded on impact, but the charges were small. They sounded like gunshots to Aaron.

  At first, there was just confusion. Soldiers looked around as they tried to determine the source of the noise. Clouds of invisible gas spread out. When they began to fall down dead, confusion turned into panic. There was a stampede as they scattered in all directions. Some soldiers were trampled.

  Aaron observed coldly from above. He hated what he had done, but there was no alternative. A rollercoaster known as "destiny" had taken him to this place. God had needed Aaron to prove he had the stones to lead the Society and protect the universe.

  He still felt terribly guilty. His decisions, both good and bad, had created these circumstances. He was to blame for the brutal massacre that was about to take place. Three quarters of the Society had died or would die under his watch. That was a good definition of failure.

  Aaron heard gunshots. He glimpsed violent activity in the darkness beyond the parking lot. A jet of red flame marked the location of the Dragon. The true last battle of the Gray Spear Society had begun, and he hoped it would be glorious.

  "Let's go," he said. "We need to get to Chinatown fast."

  He and Charles ran over to the helicopter.

  "Wait!" Aaron said. "One sec."

  He
took a notepad and a pen out of his pocket. He wrote two big words on the notepad. He placed it off to the side where the wash from the rotors wouldn't blow it off the roof.

  "Now we can go," Aaron said.

  He climbed into the helicopter cockpit and turned on the power.

  Nothing happened.

  He flicked the switch back and forth, but there was no response. The helicopter was dead. He noticed scorch marks on the control panel.

  "Damn it!" he said. "The lightning storm must've fried the circuits!"

  "What are we going to do?" Charles said.

  Aaron put his hands on his head and thought hard. There was no way to get another helicopter in time.

  "We'll have to drive," he said. "Come on!"

  They ran back down into headquarters. The hotel staff had formed a long line coming from the costume closet. They were going down the slide one at a time.

  Aaron barged his way to the front of the line. "Sorry! Coming through! We're in a bit of a hurry!"

  He pushed the last person out of the way and jumped into the slide. The walls were made of polished metal, but the friction was still uncomfortable against his bare skin. There were no lights. He went round and round in the blackness for what seemed like a hundred stories. He became dizzy and a little nauseous. I should've designed a better escape chute, he thought.

  Aaron finally fell out the bottom of the slide. He landed on a thick, foam pad in a small room. A single, bare bulb provided light. He quickly got out of the way.

  Perry was standing there. "Sir? What are you doing?"

  "Just passing through," Aaron said. "I decided to take a car."

  Perry raised his eyebrows.

  Charles fell out of the chute next, and Aaron helped him off the pad. They left the room at a run.

  They were in the bottom level of the basement under the hotel. The passages were narrow, low and made of unpainted concrete. Pipes and electrical ducts hung from the ceiling. Widely spaced fluorescent bulbs provided uneven light. The air smelled musty. The turns were confusing, and there were no signs.

  "I hope you know your way around down here," Charles said.

  "I should," Aaron said. "I'm more worried about stumbling into a trap than getting lost."

  He had to backtrack a few times, but he eventually found the underground garage where the team kept vehicles used for missions. There were forty trucks, cars, and motorcycles. Some had logos for local businesses painted on the sides.

  "We're going to punch our way out of here," Aaron said. "We need something big, heavy, and armored."

  His gaze settled on a brown pickup truck with oversized wheels. It had been designed for off-road driving. Nancy had equipped it with bulletproof glass all around and Kevlar inserts in the doors. A heavy, steel grill protected the front.

  "Perfect," he said.

  Aaron climbed into the driver's seat, turned on the ignition, and tapped the gas pedal. The engine roared like a lion. Charles got in the other side.

  Aaron drove off. He quickly made his way through the basement. It was a labyrinth, but he knew the route very well. The giant pipes and machinery were familiar landmarks to him. Turns that seemed to loop back in circles didn't confuse him. He finally arrived at the outer door.

  It started to rise on its own.

  "Jack is paying attention," Aaron commented.

  He blasted out of the basement and up a ramp. He flew into the parking lot behind the hotel. It was crowded with soldiers, and they scrambled to get out of his way. Some were a little too slow. The big wheels of the pickup truck had no trouble bouncing over the bodies.

  Aaron heard gunshots. Bullets started plinking off the glass. He kept going in a line that would take him away from the hotel by the shortest possible route.

  He drove over grass and bushes until he came to a parking lot for another building. There were still a few soldiers here but not enough to get in his way.

  He gunned the engine and picked up speed. It was a long way to Chinatown.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  The mood inside the underground command bunker had changed from peaceful to frantic in the space of a few seconds. The video feed from the recon drone was providing a good overview of the battle. Walker's troops were being attacked all along the perimeter by enemies hidden in the dark of night.

  "Where the hell did they come from?" he bellowed.

  He had wrongfully assumed the fuel-air bomb had destroyed the bulk of the Gray Spear Society. Certainly, there had been no more guerilla attacks afterwards. Apparently, the Lord of the Society had simply held back until this moment. The Army was now diminished, demoralized, exhausted, and poorly prepared for a savage fight against supernatural foes. It was possible they would lose.

  "I want every unit engaged!" Walker yelled. "They should be assaulting the hotel or fighting the Society. If any soldier isn't busy doing one or the other, have him and his superior officer court-martialed!"

  He gritted his teeth. He had to admit the mysterious Lord had done an excellent job of managing this war. At every turn, he had yanked victory from Walker's grasp. Each engagement had produced horrific losses. The Rosemont Tower Hotel had more dead American soldiers in it than some national cemeteries.

  Walker tried to shake off his weariness and frustration. He would deal with this problem just like all the others. Giving up wasn't an option. Concession meant his own death. Either the benefactors, the Pythagoreans, or the Gray Spear Society would kill him, and it wouldn't be a pleasant demise either way.

  A brown pickup truck shot out of the hotel from an underground area. The driver used the truck like a battering ram to bash through any soldiers in his way. Clearly, he was desperate to escape.

  "Don't lose that truck!" Walker screamed. "It must be important. Keep the surveillance drone focused on it."

  "But sir," an officer said, "we have only one working drone."

  "I don't care! The secret could be inside that truck. Intercept it by any means necessary. Call up some of the units who refused to participate earlier. Tell them I'll forgive their dereliction of duty if they catch that damn truck! Use the police if you have to."

  Walker watched the truck speed through the empty streets of Rosemont. The driver was taking his life in his hands with every sharp turn, but it didn't matter how fast he drove. The drone wouldn't lose the target.

  Erika came up to Walker. "Do you still think we can win?" she said softly.

  He furrowed his brow. "I don't know. It's going to be close."

  * * *

  Smythe was holding Odelia's hand tightly. He looked into her red-brown eyes, and his heart sang. To him, she was the most beautiful person in the world.

  Wesley walked up to them. The boy was so excited, he was bouncing with each step. His amazing eyes sparkled with extra brightness.

  "Have you made your decision?" he said in a voice that had the depth and quality of orchestral music.

  "Yes," Smythe said. "We're not going through. We'll get married and have kids instead."

  Wesley smiled. "That's great. I know you'll have a wonderful life."

  "Is anybody else staying back?"

  "No." Wesley shook his head. "You're the only ones. You're very special."

  Smythe looked at the aperture. The twins were gradually ramping up the power, and some components were glowing very brightly now. In just a few minutes, the passageway to God would open. A green dot was forming at the center of the colorful torus at the heart of the machine. Gravitational effects were playing havoc with Smythe's sense of balance.

  Norbert joined the group. He was wearing body armor over his formal, gray robes. For some reason, the combination worked.

  "Are you ready to become my guardian angel?" Wesley said.

  "Absolutely," Norbert nodded.

  "One day, I'll get married, and you'll protect my family. When I die, you'll protect my children. This is a long-term commitment."

  "That's not a problem for an immortal. I'll have all the time in the wo
rld and no better way to spend it than keeping you and your family safe."

  Wesley smiled.

  Marina came over. "It's almost time," she said firmly. "Get in line, but let the twins go first."

  A step ladder was placed in front of the aperture. All the legionnaires began to form a line in front of it. The scientists and Nancy stayed well out of the way. They were just assistants.

  Norbert jogged to get in line.

  Marina frowned. "Aaron isn't here yet."

  "I was afraid this would happen," Wesley said. "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 brilliant green light made Smythe look at the aperture. The green dot had expanded to a membrane of energy which filled the hole in the torus. It sparkled with millions of tiny flashes. The effect was stunningly beautiful.

  Smythe expected to hear a choir of angels and see a vision of Heaven. A direct conduit to the Almighty was open. Instead, Smythe heard only the loud hum of equipment running at impossibly high energy levels.

  Bethany and Leanna rushed to the step ladder. They climbed up and dived into the membrane head-first without a parting word. Their bodies didn't come out the other side.

  One by one, the legionnaires followed their example. Nobody hesitated, and the line moved quickly.

  "Go," Wesley told Marina. "Save your lover. Now!"

  She ran to the front of the line.

  "Goodbye!" she yelled.

  She jumped into the aperture, and it seemed to swallow her whole.

  Smythe watched her go with a bitter-sweet feeling. He looked at Odelia's perfect face, and the feeling vanished. He had made the right decision.

  * * *

  Aaron was gripping the steering wheel firmly with both hands. He was flying down the highway at top speed. He was late for his appointment with destiny. Hopefully, he wasn't too late. Wesley had warned Aaron the window was tight.