by Siegel, Alex
"What can I do for you, ma'am?" Dew said in a quavering tone.
"You were just speaking with Xavier."
"Yes, ma'am. How did you know?"
"The twins listened to the conversation," she said. "They reported it to their commander, who reported it to me."
He began to shiver. Whatever was going on, it was very bad. "Why, ma'am?"
"Let me ask you a question first. It's a very important one, so pay close attention. Your answer will have a direct bearing on your short term survival. Are you listening?"
"Yes, ma'am." His voice was tight.
"Consider the list of the following things: God, the Society, myself, and Xavier. Of those four, which one are you most loyal to? To which do you owe the greatest responsibility?"
The answer seemed obvious, but Dew's mind was racing. Was it a trick question? If he made a mistake, he doubted she would give him a second chance.
"God," he said tentatively.
"Correct," she said. "Which one is second on the list?"
This answer wasn't as obvious. Arguments could be made for all three possible responses. He tried to imagine what she wanted to hear. Did the legate place herself above or below the Society as a whole? Did she expect him to follow Xavier's orders regardless of other considerations? Dew started to hyperventilate. He imagined Ethel's dark eyes staring at him while she waited for an answer.
"The Society," he said at last.
"Well done. Which one is third? If I gave you an order, and Xavier gave you a conflicting order, who would you obey?"
The most obvious answer was also the safest. "You, ma'am."
"Which puts Xavier properly in last place," she said.
"Yes, ma'am." He felt enormous relief. He had passed the test and would be allowed to live.
"That wasn't so hard, was it? Regarding your question, I'll tell you exactly what's happening when I'm there on Monday. I'll personally brief your entire team."
He swallowed. "You're coming to Houston?"
"Yes, and I'll stay for a long time. You and I will get to know each other very well."
A fresh wave of fear struck him. An extended visit by the legate couldn't possibly be good news.
"Until then," she said, "here are your orders. Refrain from making contact with Xavier. Don't give him any information. In fact, you already told him too much."
"But he's my commander. What if he calls me?"
"Be polite but ignorant. Also, don't discuss this matter with your teammates. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said quickly.
"I'm sure I don't have to mention the penalty for violating a direct order from the legatus legionis. Out of respect for your long and faithful service to the Society, your death will be painless."
"I appreciate that ma'am, but it won't be necessary. I won't talk to anybody, especially not Xavier."
"You're sure?" she said.
"Very sure, ma'am. Extremely sure."
"I'm already looking forward to spending time with you. It sounds like we'll get along very well. In case you're curious, the twins did hack the tracking system. Let's see if you're smart enough to figure out how they did it."
"I'll get right on it, ma'am," Dew said.
"Good night."
The call ended.
He was shaking like a leaf. His hunger had been replaced by nausea. What the hell did Xavier do?
Chapter Twelve
Aaron nodded with satisfaction. The banquet had ended and only a few stragglers remained in the dining hall. All the guests had seemed to enjoy the food and the company greatly. The night had been a rousing success all around.
Ethel was talking to a couple of commanders off to the side. Her bodyguard, Guthrum, was standing by himself. Aaron walked over to him. With his smooth pale skin and bald head, Guthrum looked like he was wearing a skull cap. His polished steel gauntlets reflected the lights.
Without warning, Aaron drew a dagger and slashed at Guthrum's exposed throat. The move was so quick it would've killed any ordinary man. Guthrum stepped back a half-second before Aaron even started his attack. Aaron sliced the air uselessly and made himself look ridiculous.
"Why?" Guthrum said in a raspy voice.
"I'm fascinated by your gift," Aaron said. "How far into the future can you see?"
"A second or two." Getting the words out seemed like hard work for him.
"Do you see what will be or what might be? Can you change the future? Is it crisply defined or just a collection of possibilities?"
Guthrum stared at him. "Know you quantum mechanics?"
"No."
"Can't explain then."
"Did you know he was trained as a physicist?" Ethel said.
Aaron turned to the legate. As usual, she had snuck up on him.
"Let me guess," Aaron said. "His specialty was the study of time."
She nodded. "The gifts we receive often match our backgrounds in some way. Or maybe we pursue specialties that match the gifts we will eventually receive. God likes to work backwards sometimes. As a child I was always a fast runner. I was a track star in high school and went to the state finals. That was a long time ago. Come join us."
She went back to her previous conversation with two commanders: Yule and Hector. Aaron had caught himself glancing at Yule's giant yellow cat eyes several times, which Aaron found almost hypnotic. Hector was from Manhattan. With his tall slender build and sprinkling of gray hair, he came across as the elder statesmen of the convention. If Ethel hadn't been promoted to legate, the job probably would've fallen to Hector. An old scar from a deep burn disfigured his forehead.
"Gentlemen," Aaron said.
The other two commanders nodded politely.
"Hector," Aaron said, "you could ask Odelia to fix that scar for you. It would take her only a minute."
"I like my scar," Hector said. "It keeps me humble and reminds me of my frailty. Overconfidence is a great danger for men in our position."
"True."
"We were discussing Xavier," Ethel said.
"What did you tell them?" Aaron said.
"Everything. I asked Yule and Hector to assist you in this matter."
Aaron faced his colleagues again. It felt strange to have other commanders at his disposal. "Welcome to the inner circle. Right now we're just keeping an eye on Xavier while we quietly investigate his treachery. Other people might be involved. Xavier is under constant surveillance."
"Where are the cameras?" Hector said.
"Everywhere. We tried to get as much coverage as possible."
"I haven't seen any cameras. Are they in the cabins?"
"Yes," Aaron said.
Yule smiled. "I saw the cameras right away and wondered why there were so many. My eyes must be a little better than yours."
"A little." Hector snorted. "I assume you also tapped Xavier's communication?"
Aaron nodded. "We're watching him every way we can. The most helpful thing you can do is simply follow him around. Covertly, of course. We don't want him to know he's in trouble. At the same time, we can't let him escape. We have to guard him closely without appearing to do so."
"That will be difficult. Xavier is a very experienced and intelligent man. He knows how to spot a tail. His gift of throwing shadows also makes him very deceptive. It would be a lot easier if we just killed him now."
"Not yet," Ethel said. "I want to play with this fish a little more. Let's see who he talks to."
"Yes, ma'am," Hector said.
"We should make contingency plans though," Aaron said. "No matter how vigilant we are, he might still escape. Now would be a good time to start thinking about that scenario."
Ethel smiled. "Always planning two moves ahead."
"I like to be prepared."
"Any word from Marina?"
"Race Hanley and his Special Missions Unit are in Milwaukee," Aaron said. "Marina and her team are close behind."
Ethel nodded. "Let's change our clothes and hit the road. We might as well
start driving to Milwaukee now."
"Yes, ma'am. Leanna sent me a ton of background material about Hanley. I want to print it out before we go so we can read it in the car."
"Good idea."
* * *
"It's a nice hotel," Colonel Rosecrans said.
Hanley yawned. "Maybe a little too nice. I'm going to have one hell of an expense report to fill out. A hundred rooms at one hundred fifty dollars per. The FBI bean counters won't be happy."
The two of them were riding in an elevator. The walls were covered in maple veneer, and the floor was brown Berber carpet. Triangular light fixtures cast uneven illumination.
"Operating in the field is expensive," Rosecrans said. "What can you do?"
"We probably should've planned ahead and had something cheaper lined up," Hanley said.
"We couldn't make reservations. We didn't know the mission would be so quick. At least we got off season rates."
It had taken a good chunk of the night to find accommodations for the entire Unit. The closest hotel with enough rooms was in Milwaukee, which was a long drive from Camp Zonta. Loading up at one end and unloading at the other had also been a time consuming process. They were finally here though, and most of the men were already sleeping in their hotel rooms. Hanley was looking forward to doing the same in a few minutes.
The elevator stopped, and Hanley and Rosecrans stepped out. Two soldiers sat on chairs on either side of the elevator door. They wore green Army fatigues and carried rifles. Combat helmets and ballistic vests served as basic body armor. Both soldiers saluted.
"Sorry about the late duty, guys," Hanley said.
"It's no problem, sir," one of the soldiers responded. "We got plenty of sleep last night."
"Don't let any civilians onto this floor. No exceptions. I don't care if it's the hotel manager. This area is strictly off limits for the night."
"Yes, sir."
Hanley and Rosecrans proceeded down a long hallway with bland yellow walls.
Hanley's bad knee was still inflamed. It hadn't recovered from the abuse earlier at Camp Zonta. He would need to stay off his feet for a couple of days and take some pills before he could walk normally again. In the meantime, each step was a shot of white hot pain.
"What are the odds of the Gray Spear Society actually trying to grab me tonight?"
"Fifty-fifty," Rosecrans said. "They may be terrorists, but even terrorists draw a line at some point."
They turned a corner and went down another hallway. Three soldiers guarded the door of one of the hotel rooms. Two sat on either side and one was facing the door. They wore the same combat gear as the men near the elevator.
"Besides," Rosecrans said, "it doesn't make sense for the Society to fight all this security just to kidnap one guy, even if that guy is you. You're not any more of an enemy to them than me or the rest of us."
"You're right," Hanley said, "but that woman seemed pretty sure of herself. She did save my life."
"I still don't understand that part."
The three soldiers stood and saluted as Hanley and Rosecrans approached.
"Good night, men," Hanley said.
"Good night, sirs," the soldiers replied.
Hanley entered the room being guarded, and Rosecrans took the one next door.
Hanley closed his door and locked it with the security latch. He also wedged a chair tightly under the handle. It couldn't hurt to take extra precautions.
He went over and checked the window. He was seven floors up and had a nice view of downtown Milwaukee. At this time of night, there wasn't much traffic. Piles of crusty, dirty snow lined the sidewalks.
He undressed. With a great sigh of relief he lay down on his bed and took the pressure off his knee. What a day, he thought. He placed a gun on his nightstand. He made sure it was loaded and the safety was off before going to sleep.
* * *
Marina looked up at the side of the hotel. It was ten stories tall and covered with brown glass. Strips of bronze formed a grid that covered the edges of the windows, but the trim didn't look strong enough to climb.
Jermaine, Smythe, and Odelia stood with her. All of them wore civilian clothes.
Marina took out her phone and called Leanna.
"We're here," Marina said.
"Hanley is on one of the upper floors."
"Your fancy triangulation technology can't be more precise than that?"
"The building is messing with the signal," Leanna said. "Sorry."
"How many rooms is the Special Missions Unit occupying?"
"A hundred. Be careful, ma'am."
"Are any of those rooms isolated?" Marina said.
"The Unit is using just two rooms on the second floor. 2031 and 2033."
"Don't go to sleep. I may need you again."
"Yes, ma'am," Leanna said.
Marina closed her phone. "We'll start in room 2031," she announced.
Her teammates nodded.
* * *
Marina knocked on room 2031. "Room service!" she announced with a Spanish accent.
She heard somebody stumbling and cursing. After a moment, the door opened. A well built man wearing only green camouflage underwear blinked at her.
"We didn't order room service," he said.
Jermaine grabbed his head, yanked him out of the room, and clamped a hand over his mouth. Marina used her fingernails to inject venom into the soldier's carotid artery.
She slipped into the dark room and closed the door behind herself. Working as much by touch as sight, she melted into a corner. She heard somebody else groping around in the darkness. She had expected the Unit would put at least two men in each room.
She waited patiently. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and she was able to make out the silhouette of a man holding a gun. He was creeping towards the door.
She came up behind him and gave him a dose of venom. He turned. She grabbed the gun and held it until he passed out.
The room was silent now, but just to be sure, she waited and listened a little longer. She heard nothing.
She turned on the light and let her teammates in. Jermaine and Smythe carried the unconscious body of the first soldier and deposited it on a bed. Odelia followed.
"Jermaine and Smythe, try to find Army uniforms that fit you." Marina pointed to a pile of duffle bags in the corner. "Odelia, call the front desk. Have them send a maid with cleaning supplies. Tell them it's urgent."
The two men started opening duffle bags and dumping out the contents. There was a mix of civilian and military clothing along with standard weapons. Smythe easily found a set of fatigues that fit him well, but Jermaine was a bigger man. He struggled to pull on the loosest clothes he could find.
There was a knock on the door. Odelia let in a maid wearing a blue uniform and a cute little hat. The maid carried a plastic box of cleaning supplies. She stared at the unconscious bodies with an alarmed expression. Marina rushed over and gave her some venom. The maid's body was laid gently by the others.
"Odelia," Marina said, "take her clothes."
Odelia quickly stripped the maid and put on the uniform.
"How do I look?" She turned around.
"Adorable," Marina said. "Go scout around. We'll wait here."
Odelia nodded, grabbed the cleaning supplies, and left the room.
Smythe appeared anxious.
"She'll be all right," Marina said. "A pretty girl like her can get out of trouble with just a smile."
He nodded and sighed.
"You really love her, don't you?"
"Hopelessly." His shoulders sagged.
She shook her head. "That's so tragic."
"I don't agree. How often do you find true love? It's worth it, even if it's only for a weekend."
"You may not feel the same way on Monday. Just don't start drinking to drown your sorrows. That's such a cliché."
Marina turned to Jermaine. His gift allowed him to choose any skin color he wanted, but when he was with friends, he went to pure
black. It looked like he had been dipped in black ink.
"I'm curious," Marina said. "How did you get your gift?"
He smiled, and his teeth were white against a black background. "Lasers, if you can believe it. We were on a boat in the harbor, and the enemy was shooting giant lasers from the top of a lighthouse. The boat was already on fire and the water was full of ice. It was the dead of winter. We had three choices: stay on the boat and burn, freeze in the water, or use the life raft and become an easy target. We thought we were done."
"God gave you a fourth option?"
He nodded. "I stood in the open and let them shoot at me. I bounced the lasers straight back with my skin. It warmed me up. We used the life raft to get over to the lighthouse and finish the job."
"What's your background?" she asked. "Do you have a history of working with light?"
"Before I became a Spear, I was an expert in solar power. I built homes that generated their own electricity. But that was just my day job. At night, I fought in illegal prize fights."
"Interesting."
They waited in silence for a while. Eventually, Odelia returned to the room.
"Seventh floor," she reported. "There are two guards by the elevator. They wouldn't even let me walk out. They were extremely rude."
"How are they dressed?" Marina said.
"Green Army fatigues, vests, helmets, and M16's. I didn't see any other guards from the elevator. The hallway was clear."
Marina nodded. "Smythe and Jermaine, try to match those costumes."
The men pawed through the piles until they found the right equipment.
When they looked ready, Marina said, "Attention!"
They snapped to attention with their rifles held in the proper positions. She inspected them like a real officer would. Jermaine had switched his skin to a medium brown.
"A half-shade lighter," Marina said.
His skin instantly changed its color.
"Perfect," she said. "Let's go upstairs."
The team went out to the hallway. A laundry cart was there with a short stack of towels on it. A big blue sack hung from a heavy rail.
"I found this," Odelia said. "We can use it to get Hanley out."
