“Now, I have asked the networks for thirty minutes tonight. I am going to give our nation a speech on the steps of the Capitol building at seven o’clock. I would like you all to be there, but I understand if you want to get moving on finding our Prophet.”
“What are you going to say?” Boz spoke up.
“I’m going to try and assure everyone we are going to be all right. That we think this stock market thing is just the free market doing what it does. But I’m also going to tell them that they need to take this as a warning. And then I’m going to do something that perhaps no president has ever done.”
“What’s that?” Keene asked.
“I’m going to share the Gospel with them. And then I’m going to ask them to repent, as a nation. And to turn back to the God who gave them their country in the first place.”
CHAPTER 35
The Prophet sat on his couch, weeping. He didn’t understand. He had done what he was told to do. And now, he was told, the president was going to attempt to call the nation to repentance. But then he was told that it would not happen. The nation would not turn. That this must come to pass.
“But why, Lord?” he cried in desperation. “Why? If he is to do what You’ve asked him to, then why? Why have me do all of this? I don’t understand.”
“Because it is about much more than just one man’s obedience,” he was told. “Yes, President Grant is a good man and a true believer. But it is not for him to lead these people through this.”
“I don’t understand,” the Prophet cried again. “Show me, Lord.”
“Yours is to do as you are commanded,” he was told. “Not to question.”
“But if not President Grant, then who? Me? I cannot lead them, Lord.”
“No, you shall not lead them,” came his answer.
“But what of these people?”
“They have given themselves over to the ruler of this world,” he was told. “Long have they forgotten who it is that brought them here and gave them this land. So I shall remove My hand from them for a time.”
“Please, Lord,” he wept. “Let me tell them. Let me tell them all. They can change. Please say we are not too far gone.”
“It is not for you to speak to them anymore,” he was told. “You shall be silent until I call you to bring council to the one whom I have appointed.”
“Oh, Lord!” the Prophet sobbed. “Please, no. Please spare them.”
“Weep for your people,” he was told. “Pray for them. For they shall need it.”
PART 3: JUDGMENT IS COME
CHAPTER 36
Alex Smith stepped off her plane and entered the waiting car. She was back. She had called Marianne to check in as the plane had taxied to the hangar. Though she could not fully discuss things with her over the phone, she knew it was not good. And this brought her a smile. Not because things were not good but because she knew ultimately what it meant. It meant she was about to have a new assignment.
When she was taken from the girls’ home by Joseph, it was the happiest day of her life. No more did she have to clean up after herself, do her own laundry, help cook the meals, and study her books. Weapons and stealth became her new studies. Joseph had told her that he was going to make her into something great. And he did.
Four years of intense physical training turned her into one of the world’s most deadly assassins. She had worked for many people. Some bad, some not so bad, but all very rich and willing to pay enormous amounts to have certain people removed. And so now she was rich. Very rich. But for her, it wasn’t all about the money. Joseph had told her long ago that doing this kind of work would birth something in her. He told her it would bring a fulfillment. A dark, satisfying fulfillment. And it was the power to wield life or death.
She felt the darkness take her soon after her fifteenth birthday. The day she did her first mark. He was a foreign dignitary who liked young girls. Joseph set it up. She would be the mark’s “date” for the evening, waiting for him in his room that night.
She had sat there, waiting patiently for the disgusting man to arrive. And when he did, it was exactly like Joseph had said. He had walked over to her, looked her over, and then ordered her to undress as he sat down on the bed.
Joseph had told her that she needed to take his life with her own hands. It would be more satisfying than just putting a bullet in his head. However, he allowed her to have a weapon, in case things went wrong. But they didn’t. The man was as predictable as his dossier. He waited for her to get undressed, and then he turned his back to her and asked her to rub his shoulders. That’s when it happened. She reached down and removed the short piece of wire she had stowed under the bed. And in one swift motion, she jammed her knee into his back as she wrapped the wire over the man’s head, forcing him to stay bent over. She pulled and twisted the wire cable as the fat man flailed and scratched at her arms. But she pulled harder and felt the man’s life leave his body.
Afterward, she got dressed and left the room. The excitement and exhilaration she felt was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Then the darkness came. And it took her. She realized she liked it. That was several years ago. There had been many more since. And there was about to be another. She was sure of it.
The driver of the car dropped her off at the main gate, as usual. She produced her badge, given to her by Marianne, and did the security thing. Once inside, she headed straight for the top floor and knocked on the director’s door.
“Come in.”
She closed the door behind her and took a seat. Marianne was sitting at her desk, her eyes closed and leaning back in her chair.
“You look comfortable,” Alex said.
Marianne opened her eyes and looked straight at her. She’d seen this look before. It was the one they all gave. Right before they asked her to do it. She loved that look.
“We have a big problem,” Marianne said.
“So you told me. What’s going on?”
“Well, for starters, I’m no longer in charge of everything.”
“How do you mean?” Alex said, genuinely confused.
“That hack has invoked section 1a of the EIA. He’s taken over this office and all intelligence and law enforcement.”
“How did he do that?”
“Well,” she said, “the provision’s there. All he had to do was show a credible threat.”
“You mean—”
“No. I don’t. He—they—don’t know anything. I’m sure of it.”
“Then what?”
“This is partly why I called you,” Marianne said standing up and then coming around her desk with her finger covering her mouth. The universal shhh. “Why don’t we go grab some coffee. We can talk then.”
“Sounds good. I could use a cup.”
The two women left the building, neither saying a word. Outside, a car came around and met them. The driver got out and opened the doors. Marianne told the driver where to take them as they got in and sped away.
The short drive was a silent one. Marianne had always told her that they should never speak inside the car. Though she had the entire system under her thumb, she never wanted to take any chance of someone somehow compromising one of her cars. Once there, they ordered their drinks and stepped back outside. There was a small park less than a block away with a walking path through it.
“It’s a pretty day,” Alex said. “Shall we take a walk?”
“I think so,” Marianne said. Then to the driver, “We’ll be right back. Going for a short walk. Wait here for us.”
The driver nodded and got back inside the car.
Once she was confident they were out of earshot of anyone and no one was paying either of them any mind, Alex picked back up the conversation.
“So, this problem …”
“Yes, it seems there is a man who calls himself a prophet. Some religious zealot, to say the least. Apparently he’s been in contact with the president, warning him to speak to the American people and tell them that God is angry
with us all.”
“Good thing I don’t believe in God.” Alex laughed. “I might have to be frightened, otherwise.”
“I don’t care who believes in what,” Marianne said. “The fact is, with his warnings and this stock market thing, he’s got the man scared. And—unbeknownst to me—the president apparently had three agents working on trying to find this guy when he tried to blow them up in a warehouse in Chicago four days ago.”
“So he leveraged that to get you removed.”
“Exactly!”
“And what about Chin?”
“It has no effect on Chin. He’s ready to move whenever I give him the go-ahead.”
“Then what? What do you need me for?”
Here it was. She knew it was coming. But she wanted Marianne to say it. It was, perhaps, her favorite part. When they actually asked her to do it. And Marianne was ripe! The woman was consumed with it; Alex could see it all over her face.
“Two things,” Marianne said. “First, he’s giving a speech on the steps of the Capitol building this evening. I want you to be there.”
Marianne let that hang there, like Alex was supposed to read her mind. But that’s not how it worked. Marianne would have to say the words. This was Alex’s second-favorite part, making them squirm as they wrestled with actually saying it. It was one thing to think it. Or even want it. But to say it, that was a whole other thing.
“You want me to be there … why?” she prodded.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Marianne said, perhaps a little too loudly. Some people stopped to look their way.
They continued walking and remained quiet for a few moments. When it was evident no one was looking or paying attention, Marianne continued.
“Do I have to spell it out for you?” she said in an intense whisper.
Alex stopped walking and looked her dead in the eyes. “Yes, if you want me to do this, then I want you to say it.”
Marianne gave an exasperated sigh. “Fine, then yes. I want you to kill the president of the United States.”
And there it was. The payoff. She felt the tingle inside, the one that stirred the dark emotion in her. It had been awhile since she’d had a mark. This one was the pinnacle of the assassin’s world. But her life had been leading up to this, all along.
For it was Joseph who told her that one day she would be asked to do this. And when it happened, she needed to be ready. She had asked then how he could know that someone would ask this of her. “Because,” he had told her, “it is the very reason you were born.”
“You’ll need to be careful,” Marianne was saying. Alex had wandered off into her own thoughts for a moment. But she was back now. “With this being an outdoor speech, there will be snipers on the rooftops and Secret Service agents everywhere.”
“This isn’t my first rodeo, Marianne,” she said. “It’ll be done. You know my price.”
Marianne nodded. “Yes, no problem.”
“And the second thing?” she asked.
“Find this Prophet before they do. And then do the same to him.”
CHAPTER 37
Keene, Boz, and Taylor all sat together in an office that Hardy found for them. He told them it was a catchall office for staffers and others who were there doing business for short periods of time. It was small but comfortable. There was a computer and a coffeemaker and a few pastries, but other than that, just a couple chairs and four walls. Keene put a fresh pot of coffee on and grabbed a frosted donut thing and shoved it in his mouth.
“Thoughts?” he said, wiping the frosting crumbs from his lips.
“I need to get back to the bureau and analyze this video,” Taylor said. “I need to be on my computer, with my gear.”
“I could take you back to see Artie,” Keene said.
Taylor gave him a sarcastic grin.
Keene poured himself a cup of the fresh brew and sat down facing them. He had already been trying to devise some kind of plan to use all three of them as effectively as they could. But he still had a few things to work out.
“Okay,” he said. “I think that’ll be good. Boz, why don’t you and I stay back and try to game plan where to go from here.”
Boz nodded in the affirmative. “That’s fine.”
“But,” Keene said quickly, “I want us all to be back here before President Grant gives his speech. I want to be on-site in case this nut job decides to show up here.”
“You think he will?” Taylor asked.
“Don’t know,” Keene said honestly. “But I don’t want to take any chances if he does. Secret Service will be taking care of protective detail. The three of us can be moving around the area looking for him.”
“We don’t even have a good description,” Taylor said. “Are we supposed to stop every person who kinda looks like this guy?”
“If we have to,” Keene said.
“Okay, then I’m going to go get started on this video. Maybe I can get something from it that will help us.”
“Okay,” Keene agreed. He looked at his watch and saw that it was already after three. “Why don’t we break from here and meet at the Capitol at six o’clock. Megan, that’ll give you a couple hours with the video. Boz and I can go get cleaned up and talk about what we need to do next.”
“Sounds good,” she said. “I’ll meet you at the east entrance. Give me a shout if anything comes up before then.”
Keene gave her a nod as she left. Then to Boz, “My place is about fifteen minutes away. We can go there. Get cleaned up.”
“Fine by me, but we should probably talk with Agent Greene first.”
“Who?”
“The head of Calvin’s detail.”
“Oh, yeah,” Keene said. “I guess we need to let him know we’ll be there.”
“If you don’t want to get your face shot off.”
Keene peeked his head out the door and grabbed the first person who came by. Some staffer or secretary. He didn’t know. Didn’t matter anyway. “Hey, you,” he said. “Tell me where I can find the head of Secret Service around here.”
“There’s an office down the way and to the right,” the young man said. “Someone should be in there who can help you.”
“Thanks.”
They found the office right where the staffer had said it would be. With a big presidential seal on the glass door. A young man sat behind the lone desk in the room.
“Agent Greene?” Keene asked, peeking his head inside the door.
“He’s with POTUS, sir.” The president of the United States.
“Special Agent Keene, CIA, on special assignment for POTUS,” Keene said. “Where are they?”
“Sit Room, sir. Meeting with the JCs and the DOD.”
The kid likes his acronyms, Keene thought. “Thanks.” Keene backed out of the doorway and turned left down the hall. He knew where the Situation Room was. Then to Boz with a smirk, “POTUS is in the Sit Room with the JCs and the DOD.”
“I heard. He’s probably a former jarhead,” Boz joked.
“Hey, I resemble that remark.”
When they got there they were met by another two agents standing outside the door.
“May I help you two gentlemen?” the first agent asked.
Keene flashed his ID again and introduced himself.
“Need to see Agent Greene,” he said.
“He’s in with the president and the joint chiefs, sir.”
“It’s kind of important,” Keene said. “Can you get him?”
“One second.”
The agent lifted his wrist mic and spoke into it. Then placed his finger over his ear as he listened.
“He’ll be out in just a moment, sir. You can wait over there,” he said, pointing to a small alcove in the hall.
Agent Greene stepped out a moment later and stuck out his hand. “Agent Brian Greene. Nice to meet you, Mr. Keene.” Then to Boz, “Boz, good to see you again.”
“You, too, Brian,” Boz said.
Keene looked back and forth between th
e two men.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Keene?”
“You know anything about what the president has had me and Boz doing?”
“A little bit, sir. Just that you’re on special assignment for him and we’re to give you anything you need.”
“Good. Here’s the deal. I know you aren’t all that excited about a speech outside on short notice.”
“No, sir, I’m not,” Agent Greene interrupted matter-of-factly. “But he insisted. So we’re humping it to get it ready.”
“Right,” Keene continued, “so there’s a possibility that the guy we’re tracking may show up tonight. I just want you to be aware. I have a picture. Not a great one. We’re working on getting something better. But you need to pass it around to your guys. We’re going to be on-site, walking. I want Boz and Taylor and me to all be on comm.”
“Not a problem, sir. We can get you wired up.”
“Anyone sees this guy, they are to report to me. You got that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And unless President Grant is in immediate danger, you do not take a shot at him. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Good. We’ll meet you at arrival.”
CHAPTER 38
Taylor inserted the thumb drive into her computer at her desk. It was perhaps one of the fastest, most geeked-out machines on the planet. It had every kind of software imaginable and could do just about anything, short of cook and do laundry, though she could probably design a program that could do that, too. And it was able to literally hack into any other system in the world and never leave a trace of her being there, a fact she kept secret from even her boss.
She typed her password in and waited for the window to come up. She tapped away on her keyboard and then hit ENTER. While she waited, she brought up the video. She opened her editing software and began to strip away the layers. One by one, everything in the video disappeared, until she was left with just the man, sitting on the stool, with the bandana over his face. She deleted the body and left herself with just the head. She isolated the bandana and slid it over to a secondary screen, leaving her a forehead and a pair of eyes on the original one. She opened up another portion of the editing software and applied it to the bandana. The image was now sitting in a three-dimensional grid. With her mouse, she could turn the image three hundred and sixty degrees. She clicked a couple buttons and the grid began to map out depth points on the image; how far out the nose stuck, the width of where the lips were, the cheekbones and jawline.
The 13: Fall Page 13
