by Siegel, Alex
"That doesn't make sense, sir."
"These are the rules as laid down by the Almighty," Aaron said. "If you don't like them, take your beef to Him."
"Sure." Hanley spat at the frozen ground.
"You think I'm joking? You're going to encounter Him sooner or later. But don't worry about that now. What's your status?"
"We're on a highway in northern Illinois. Emergency crews are still mopping up the mess."
"Get your people moving as soon as possible," Aaron said. "The more time you spend with them, the more danger they'll be in."
"I'm not a threat, sir."
"What did we just talk about?" Aaron said. "You're a Spear now. God's toxic rage seeps from your pores."
"What about my wife? I have to see her again."
"If you like her, you won't spend the night with her."
Hanley gritted his teeth.
"You did a decent job when you talked to Xavier this morning," Aaron said.
"You heard the call?"
"Of course. We studied it in considerable detail. Why didn't you mention last night that the Atlanta cell was at risk?"
"It slipped my mind," Hanley said. "I was a little overwhelmed. I still am."
"You can use that excuse just this once."
Hanley looked back at the wreckage from the crash. There was plenty of blood on the pavement.
"I know you feel like the Lord just took a huge dump on your head," Aaron said. "It will all make sense when you start doing missions. You'll be part of a team. You'll be doing a ton of good instead of watching your friends die."
Hanley sighed deeply. "I hope you're right, sir."
"I am. Bye."
Chapter Fifteen
Xavier sipped his coffee in the dining room. Lunch had ended a half-hour ago, and everybody except him had left. Now he was sitting by himself, which was fine. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
The only noise came from the adjacent kitchen. It sounded like the staff was cleaning up from lunch and beginning the preparations for dinner. There would be another banquet tonight, and Xavier was looking forward to eating this time.
Aaron came out of the kitchen. When he saw Xavier, he stopped.
No, Xavier thought. Don't come over.
Aaron walked over. "Hi," he said, "are you looking for something to do? A lot of people are playing paintball in the woods. Your man Sampson is having a hell of a good time out there."
"I'm not going out in that cold." Xavier shook his head. "Thanks for the offer though."
"Well, if you want warmer entertainment, there is a poker game in the arts and crafts room. Somebody found decks of cards. There are two tables going right now, and I'm sure they'll make room for you."
"Poker does sound interesting. I want to finish my coffee first."
Aaron sat at the table. Xavier didn't let his annoyance show on his face.
"Enjoying the convention?" Aaron said.
"I'm not sure. Yesterday, I watched people beat the shit out of each other, and then I got sick. Today, I have a short meeting with the legate at the end of the day. I was expecting more of an actual agenda for this convention."
"The legate wanted people to gather naturally and talk about whatever interests them."
Xavier raised his eyebrows. "That doesn't sound like her. It's too soft and nice."
"She's the boss." Aaron shrugged.
"I couldn't help but notice that Marina is quite a bit more than just your second in command."
"She is pretty much the reason I became a Spear. I've loved her since I first met her, which was before I was even recruited."
"She has more seniority than you?" Xavier said.
"A lot more, but circumstances dictated that I was promoted instead."
"She can't be happy about reporting to a junior member of the team."
"She understands why it happened," Aaron said.
Xavier was deeply jealous of Aaron. Rhiannon was dead and Marina was alive.
"It's nice that you're still so affectionate with each other," Xavier said. "A situation like that could ruin a relationship."
"I hate to be rude but let's drop this subject. My personal life isn't any of your business." Aaron stared from beneath his bushy eyebrows.
"Sorry, and I'm usually the one who complains about people being too nosy."
Xavier studied Aaron. The man had a pleasant but vague smile on his face. What does he know? Xavier wondered. What does he suspect?
"I'll be happy to talk about something else," Aaron said. "We can discuss past missions. That seems to be everybody's favorite topic at this convention."
"I'm not in a story telling mood. I'd rather just finish my coffee and play poker."
Aaron nodded. "I should get back to the paintball game anyway. I'm supposed to be officiating. I just came in to make sure the situation in the kitchen was under control. It's a shame I couldn't have this convention professionally catered. My poor staff has been cooking and cleaning non-stop since Friday night."
"Don't let me keep you," Xavier said.
Aaron stood. "Enjoy your poker game. I'm sure you'll do well." He walked off.
* * *
Marina stared down the barrel of her paintball gun. She was lying flat on the frozen dirt, her body as low as possible. Her breath was fogging her face mask. A patch of ice was slowly freezing the skin on her thigh, but she didn't move a millimeter.
The scene in front of her had so little color it looked black and white. Tall trees with barren branches offered little concealment. Snow covered most of the ground, but dark dirt was visible in places. There was just a slight rise and fall to the land. Rocky outcroppings provided alternative places to hide for a small woman but probably not a man.
The rules of this game were simple. Anybody could shoot anybody, and the last survivor was the winner. It was a free-for-all.
What would Aaron do? she wondered.
She had served under Aaron for eleven months. At first the experience had been pure misery but not because of him. He was a wonderful man and she loved him dearly. Her problem had been herself. A traumatic childhood experience had left her almost incapable of obeying men. Every order he had given had provoked a strong emotional response. She had wanted to argue with him constantly.
Slowly and with great difficulty, she had learned to accept her role as his legionnaire to command. Their mutual love had eased the process. She had eventually broken free of the psychological shackles she had received as a teenager. She no longer minded following his orders, and the last few months had been vastly more enjoyable as a result. She had even started to imitate his style.
She was particularly intrigued by his remarkable ability to outfox his adversaries. She had observed him closely in an attempt to learn his tricks. One was carefully examining every battle from both sides without any bias. It was a difficult thing to do, but it allowed him to find opportunities that most people would miss.
Marina mentally put herself into the shoes of her unseen opponents. They were in the same woods, dealing with the same harsh conditions. They would be flat on their bellies just like her. They were staring at the same damn trees and also wondering what to do next.
If she moved too much, she would be spotted and immediately shot. Everybody in these woods was an expert marksman and a good observer. Her first mistake would be her last in this game.
Another of Aaron's tricks was his willingness to cheat. He was always looking for unconventional ways to gain a surprising advantage.
Marina looked to her left at a line of red flags that marked the boundary of the play area. The woods beyond those flags were laden with deadly traps. The idea of messing with the flags intrigued her, but then she put it aside. That was a good way to get her friends killed. Even Aaron wouldn't take a risk like that.
She looked up at the tall trees again. There was cover up high but only a little, and it was hard to reach. She would be exposed for most of the long climb. But if she made it, she would have a
commanding view and would likely win. It seemed like her best chance.
She squirmed over to a good looking tree. She used shadows and what little variation the terrain offered to hide her body.
When she was in position, she fired two balls at a tree on the far corner of the arena. The gun clicked and hissed like a real gun with a high quality suppressor. The balls made splatters of neon pink paint where they struck. She fired another two balls at a different tree in the same area. She was trying to simulate a battle at that end to draw attention away from her position. However, her hopper only had twenty-five balls, and when she ran out, she was done. She couldn't afford to waste any of them.
When she started seeing balls from other players flying, she knew it was time. She hopped up, jammed her gun down her pants, and started to climb. Her motions were smooth and continuous. People were good at noticing changes in velocity, but objects that travelled at a constant speed tended to be ignored. It was one of the many lessons Ethel had taught Marina.
Her shoulders started to ache. She didn't have the upper body strength for such a difficult climb, but she pushed on. There was a fork in a branch that looked just right if she could reach it.
A flash of movement made her reflexively sway to one side. A green ball zipped by her head. She drew her gun and was about to return fire when the shooter stood and raised his hands. Somebody else had tagged him. I'm lucky, she thought.
She climbed until she reached the fork in the branch. By bending her body at just the right angle, she matched it to the shape of the tree. From a distance, she was now invisible.
She took a moment to catch her breath, but she made sure the branch didn't sway. Little mistakes like that often made the difference on a real mission.
When her heart rate had slowed and her aim was steady, she peered around the branch. Everybody in the game was wearing a gray tracksuit with a hood. The clothing wasn't real camouflage but it still tended to blend in.
Marina spotted four opponents, but picking them off would be tricky. Once she started firing, she would draw attention. Plan the last shot before you shoot the first, she thought. It was one of the lessons Aaron had taught her. She had been blessed with two fine instructors.
She determined her firing pattern based on who was facing what direction. Without hurrying, she shot two balls at each target in rapid succession.
Four people stood with their hands in the air. A moment later, she heard an air horn. She had won.
She grinned. Now I just have to get down without breaking my neck, she thought.
* * *
Aaron waited at the edge of the woods for Marina to come out. She had dirt on her clothes and twigs in her hair, but she was smiling.
He gave her a hug and a kiss. "Nicely done."
"Thanks." She kissed him back. "I really like these paintball guns. They're quiet, fast, and accurate. They can pump out a lot of firepower in a hurry. If we put something other than paint in the balls..."
"Poison gas, micro-grenades, smoke, the possibilities are intriguing."
"And if we're caught with the guns, we can say they're toys."
"Brilliant." Aaron's phone rang, and he answered it, "Hello?"
"Come to my office," Ethel said. "Bring Marina. I have Charles on the line."
"Ethel wants us," Aaron said to Marina.
She nodded.
They jogged to the main building. Keeping the legate waiting was bad enough. Aaron certainly didn't want her predecessor waiting for long also.
He went into the office marked "President" without bothering to knock, and Marina followed him. Ethel sat behind the desk with her phone held facing forward. Clearly, she had it in speaker mode. Guthrum stood behind her as silent and still as always.
Aaron closed the door.
"Everybody is here," Ethel said.
"Hello," Charles said through the phone. "What's going on?"
Aaron recognized his deep, commanding voice. He was an impressive man, even when just talking over the phone.
Ethel quickly summarized the situation for him.
Charles was silent for a long moment after she finished. Finally, he said, "Oh, Xavier. What have you done?"
"The what is clear enough," she said. "We're determining the why now. Aaron believes it has something to do with his former lover, Rhiannon."
He sighed. "A beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. Her death was painful for everybody who knew her, even me. Xavier was utterly crushed, of course. The two of them were inseparable in life. I was actually worried about his sanity for a while. I spent a month in Houston just to keep an eye on him. He eventually seemed to pull himself back together. I assumed he had healed. I was wrong."
"So, you think she is the reason for his behavior?"
"Without a doubt." Charles took a deep breath. "This disaster is entirely my fault. Xavier was an old and dear friend, and I allowed that trusting relationship to blind me. I should've stopped him two years ago. My duty was clear even then."
"I don't understand," Ethel said.
"Then hear it from the Voice of Truth. Wesley."
"Hello, Ethel." Wesley said.
The boy's musical voice was instantly recognizable. A year had passed, so it was a little deeper, but it still rang like a bell. Aaron imagined Wesley's jewel-like blue eyes which were so full of divine wisdom.
"Did you hear what I told Charles?" Ethel said.
"Yes. It's obvious why Xavier did those bad things. He's destroying the Society to weaken God."
"And why does Xavier want to weaken God?"
"Because he's angry at Him for killing Rhiannon," Wesley said.
Ethel shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. The Lord's enemies killed Rhiannon."
"But He could've saved her. How many times did He save your life?"
"Twice." She furrowed her brow.
"What about you, Aaron?" Wesley said.
"Twice for me, too," Aaron said. "On Lake Michigan and recently near Springfield."
"And at least once for Xavier. So, God chooses who He wants to save, and He let Rhiannon die. The Lord intentionally left Xavier alone."
"Inaction is very different from action," Ethel said.
"Xavier is in terrible pain. He doesn't care about that difference. He only wants revenge. Here is Charles again."
"I couldn't have explained it any better," Charles said. "Again, my deepest apologies. If I could do anything to make amends, I would. You shouldn't have to clean up my terrible mistakes."
"Just keep Wesley safe," Ethel said in a sad voice. "That will be amends enough. Good bye."
She put away her phone.
"It's that simple?" Aaron said. "I was expecting hidden conspiracies. Instead, it's just a lone man broken by grief. It could happen to anybody."
Ethel's shoulders sagged. "Indeed. Anybody. Xavier's demise will be the appetizer at tonight's banquet. Unfortunately, the final big meal of the convention won't be the happy occasion I had hoped for."
"But it will be memorable, ma'am."
"And very educational. I'm going to give a speech. I have a lot to talk about." She checked her watch. "Now get out of here. Xavier's scheduled meeting with me is in ten minutes. It will be the last time we pretend to be friends."
* * *
Xavier was lying on his bed in his cabin. The clock on the nightstand was telling him to get ready for his meeting with the legate, but he lingered in bed a moment longer. The idea of sitting with her and playing nice was so repulsive it made him sick. He just wanted to destroy her instead.
The conversation with Hanley had nagged at Xavier all day. The entire tone had been wrong. Hanley had seemed a little too wise and weary, as if he had had a profound experience last night. More importantly, Xavier didn't understand how he had survived Camp Zonta. It seemed incredible that Hanley had just walked away unscathed. Aaron was too smart to have created such a sloppy trap.
There was only one reasonable conclusion. Hanley was still alive because Ethel wanted him a
live. He had probably been captured last night, interrogated, and released. There was an even worse possibility. She had recruited him, and now he was a Spear.
It wasn't a ridiculous idea. Hanley had exactly the right background for a new legionnaire. He was a highly trained and experienced killer. Those same attributes had drawn Xavier to Hanley in the first place. The more Xavier thought about it, the more sense it made.
If that were the case, Xavier had already been caught, but then why was he still alive? Ethel wasn't known as a patient or forgiving woman. Maybe she was waiting for the best time to drop the guillotine. The banquet tonight, Xavier realized. She wants to use my death as a lesson for the others.
He needed to execute his escape plan, but before he started running, he wanted to confirm his conclusions. He would talk to Hanley one more time before fleeing.
Xavier put on his warmest clothes and wore two layers of shirts. He didn't know how long he would be outside. He strapped on as many weapons as he could comfortably carry. He stuffed one pocket with cash and the other with fake identification taken from his suitcase. Finally, he put on the heavy winter coat Aaron had given him.
Xavier took out his big, gray Society phone and stared at it. It was more than just a communication device. It was his lifeline. The phone was how members found each other in an emergency. Carrying it at all times was absolutely mandatory. A Spear would literally not be caught dead without his phone.
With some reluctance, Xavier placed the phone on his bed. It felt like he was leaving a piece of himself behind. He had carried that phone or one like it for the majority of his life. Thus, I cross the Rubicon, he thought.
He went outside into the bracing cold. He hustled to the mechanical shed where the ATV was hopefully waiting for him. The door was still unlocked. He went inside and found the ATV in the spot where he had left it. The propane tanks and road flares were still in position. Everything appeared ready.
He took out his slim black phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Hanley here."
"This is Xavier. Let's not bother with the usual questions. I want to make this quick."
