Oh no! This is it, she thinks to herself. This is how I’m going to die.
She stares straight ahead as the lone figure approaches through the darkness, coming closer its slim figure walks directly up to her and stops. Confused she squints her eyes attempting to focus. Then her jaw drops.
“Melody, is that you?”
CHAPTER 66
“We can’t kill him in a public place, so have someone ready to follow him after the exchange. Wherever he’s hiding that’s where we’ll get him. Pay him as much as he wants we’re going to get the money back anyway. Okay, sounds good,” Glenn speaks into the phone while sitting behind his desk. “Logo, you know we’re getting close to impregnation, make sure everything, the woman etc. are all ready to go. Okay good.” He hangs up. Twisting his fingers he thinks of how happy he’ll be when this charade is over and he’s on a plane over the Atlantic never to return.
His cell phone rings, “Yes, everything’s fine the idiots know nothing. It should be clear sailing from here on out. I’ll meet you at the airport (JFK?) with the sample.”
As soon as he hangs up Cosward pops his head in the doorway. “Glenn, Haggai’s complaining, says he has the runs and needs his medicine.”
“So, go to his house and get it. Don’t let him get sick. We still have to try him for treason. But of course if he dies in his cell so be it,” he shrugs his shoulders.
“We have another problem. The man that escaped from downstairs, we still don’t know where he’s at.”
“He doesn’t know much isn’t that right?” Glenn asks.
“He only saw the parking lot and downstairs. We think he’s still in the area.”
“Okay, keep looking. What about the FBI agent?”
“We got her locked up downstairs.”
“Q&K her.” Glenn says.
“Question and Kill,” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“That’s another body to get rid of.”
“So what, we have to do what we have to do,” Glenn says.
“Okay, I’ll talk to her tonight then we’ll take her out to the country tomorrow.”
“Yeah, tomorrow or no, no, wait until we get Dunbar. We can kill them both at the same time, save a trip, we’re over budget this month on gas anyway.”
“Glenn you’re a genius,” Cosward says.
“Thanks,” he smiles.
CHAPTER 67
Everything’s just like it’s always been, he thinks while slowly and quietly walking through Haggai’s office, its late everyone is gone. Reaching the wall-safe behind the bookcase he punches in the combination and swings open the door. There it is: a small brown metal box. Quickly, he switches them, identical except for their contents. He places the box with the third and potently sacred sample into his jacket pocket along with the first sample box too, (putting a note on the first so as not to mix it up with the third sample.) “There you go,” he says closing the safe door and replacing the bookcase. “The little clowns will never know and then after they are exposed for what they are I will come back and destroy this sample too.”
He turns and walks toward the door when suddenly he stops dead in his tracks as the door knob slowly begins to turn.
CHAPTER 68
“It is you Melody. Get me out of here, please Melody come on we’re sisters.”
“It’s not that simple,” she says walking through the dim light toward the chair.
“Why are you here? Why are you doing this?”
“I have a chance to change the world, that doesn’t come along everyday.”
“These guys are criminals Mel don’t you see that. They’re killers. Who’s to say they won’t kill you after they’re done with you.”
“Nice try sis, but it ain’t going to work. You see we’re getting close to the time when I’ll begin carrying the son of Christ within my womb,” she says moving her hand over her abdomen, “Imagine that, how many people have a chance to do something like that? I’m going to be part of something big, bigger than your college degree or your badge. I’m going to help change the world!”
“Melody that’s load of crap, they don’t know if it’s His and they don’t even have the sample anyway!”
“So negative,” she says looking down and shaking her head.
“They’ve brain washed you, can’t you see that? Now get me out of here, get us both out of here. We can get you help Mel, everything will be okay if we just get out of here now.”
“Again, so negative.”
“Damn it Melody it’s just like when we were kids, you never want to listen to anyone.”
“Not a good time to bring up sore spots.”
“Mel, come on, please Mel,” she says pulling on the handcuffs.
“They’re going to talk to you soon. I just wanted to say goodbye,” she turns and walks toward the door, “Bye, Sis,” she says as the door clangs shut.
CHAPTER 69
“Well, well it’s you.”
“Lily, what are you doing here?” He asks, taken back by how little she’s changed, still the short cropped jet black hair, the thin arms matching her pencil like legs, her skin dark, the product of many trips to the tanning booth in an attempt to stave off the advance of age, though her creeping crows feet give her away.
“After all this time and no contact, you never called,” she says.
“Lily,” he throws up his arms.
“How the tables turn in life, funny isn’t it?” She says with a slight smile.
“I don’t think so,” he says.
“The real question is what are you doing here? No, wait don’t answer that I already know.”
“You don’t know anything Lily now come on I don’t have time to play games.”
“Think you’re real clever don’t you. But you’re really not that hard to figure out.”
“Really?”
“You’re such a bad boy betraying your own order.”
“What?”
“That little box you came in here for,” she points toward his hand.
“It’s none of your business, how would you know about it anyway? What are you doing following me again?” he says.
“But it doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to the Elite you know, your brothers, the ones you’re screwing over by doing this.”
“I’m doing everyone a huge favor,” he states.
“Don’t you think they’ve been asking about you?”
“It hasn’t been that long.”
“Since you left the Elite or since you left me?”
“We were never really together Lily. Come on that was a long time ago, it was a Christmas party; we both had too much to drink. A night of wild sex doesn’t constitute a relationship, Lily we’ve been over this before,” he says.
“And yet not enough,” she says.
“Lily, I don’t have time for this I’ve got to get going,” he begins walking toward the door.
“Not so fast,” she pulls out a .45 revolver from her black purse. “Strip!”
“Lily, come on, this isn’t a game, think about what you’re doing,” he says.
“I want one more time, just once more before everything ends,” she says without emotion, pointing the gun straight at him.
CHAPTER 70
Waking up was never so painful. He can barely open his eyes, the strangest of his surroundings competing with the dull pain in his leg for attention.
“Well, sleepy head there you are. Turnip! He’s waking up!”
He silently gazes up at the mountain man figure standing over him dressed in a red flannel shirt and blue jean overalls, his large round face covered with a dark stringy beard and long greasy hair.
“How ya’ feeling?” he smiles revealing a missing yellow tooth in front. Still too startled to speak his eyes dart to the plump woman entering the room carrying a large mug.
“Rise and shine. Here, sit up I made you some herb tea,” she says putting down a large mug on the small table next to the couch.
Mount
ain man lends over to put a pillow behind him helping him sit up. “Turnip here makes a swell cup of tea, fix ya’ right up it will, though I like mine with a little peppermint schnapps,” he laughs: again the yellow smile.
“Where—?” he says attempting to focus.
“I keep my stash out in the van you know case the cops show up. Went out to snag a little refill and there you are,” he tells him.
“Here, drink up,” she raises the mug to his lips.
“You must’ve tied on a good one to tear up your leg like that.”
“Yeah,” he drinks a sip thinking it’s not too bad.
“The church down the alley, you know much about them?” he asks his hosts.
“Dem strangers to us. Don’t never see many come and go over there but daze strangers and Turnip and me don’t mess none with strangers,” mountain man says.
“Oh,” he says.
“You like the tea?” she asks.
“Yeah,” he nods.
“Good, I put a bandage on your leg you should be okay. I figure it a'hurtin you a good deal so I put a little something in the tea to help you sleep some, take the edge off,” she says.
“What?” His eyes bulge open. The distance yet very real thought of dying here enters the back of his mind, resting there waiting for some bit of information to either confirm or deny the grim possibility.
“Don’t worry, you rest some then we’ll give you a lift back to where you need to get to,” she says.
“Meanwhile, Ol’Rufus here will keep you good company,” he says pointing to the large black Newfoundland dog curled up in the corner. The animal upon hearing his name rises up and walks over to him sniffing his hand on the couch.
This is just great he think as the two walk out of the room. Beginning to feel drowsy he looks closer at the dog noticing its large black collar, suddenly, frantically he reaches into his pocket. Yes, it’s still there.
CHAPTER 71
With the sample in his pocket and the safe now empty he grabs his briefcase and heads downstairs to his car. Then the airport, and soon the deposit will be in his Swiss bank account. Should I say goodbye to Haggai, he wonders to himself, that poor idiot I really hung everything on him. They really brought that story I fed them. It’ll be awhile before they discover I’m missing with this sample, even though it is meaningless but so what? Rome won’t know the difference. Because I’ve faked the results, they think they’re getting the sacred sample. I could care less what they do with it, clone a child call him the son of Christ who cares! I’ll grow old in luxury and by the time the child is grown I’ll either be senile or dead. It’ll be their problem, let them fight it out: Rome, the Elite, and Dunbar whoever, with Rome’s protection the Elite will never find me. I’m as good as gold. He throws his briefcase into the backseat of his car and begins the drive to the airport.
“He’s gone!” Cosward says running into the Elite office.
“What?” Logo asks
“Glenn, our Master Elite is missing,” he tells him.
“Kidnapped?” Clovis asks with a puzzled look on his face.
“No, the safe’s empty he took the other samples,” Cosward says.
“Why? They’re ordinary human flesh. Dunbar still has the sacred sample,” Clovis says.
“Yeah, Glenn knows that so why did he take them unless he’s trying to pass them off as the real deal,” Logo says.
“The calls to Rome you idiots, they weren’t made by Haggai but by Glenn! He’s the one who was taking to Rome. He sold us out,” Clovis says.
“No, he didn’t. The samples he took are ordinary,” Cosward says.
“But Rome wouldn’t know that. Glenn could have faked the results and sold them a doctored sample. If Rome buys it they’ll think they have the sacred sample and begin impregnation,” Logo says.
“Haggai was right, and we just imprisoned our rightful master Elite for treason,” Clovis says.
“I bet he’s going to be pissed,” Cosward says.
“No, he’s not,” Solor says entering the office.
“Why do you say that?”Logo asks.
“Because he’s dead.”
CHAPTER 72
“You wouldn’t believe it,” the One Who Turns says having returned to the apartment.
“I thought you said you could BS your way out of any problem,” Jim says.
“I didn’t count on running into Lily.”
“Who’s Lily?”
“An unbalanced demented wretch, we had a little thing once. She’s crazy. She’s worked for the Elite; her father was one of us,” the one who turns says while sitting down.
“Oh the wrath of jilted love,” Jim laughs.
“Funny.”
“Is that blood?”
“The bullet nicked my thigh. You don’t want to know where she was aiming.”
“Too small of a target?”
“Again, very funny, I dropped her off at the ER parking lot. I’m sure they won’t mind another half naked unconscious woman. I had to knock her out she was shooting at me!”
“No one noticed you two in the Elite office?”
“Nah, the place was dead. We used to have good security but now, forget it.”
“And the third sample?” Jim asks.
“Right here,” he holds up the brown metal box.
“Ah,” Jim takes it and holds it up. “The third and potentially sacred sample, the one that everyone wants so very badly, the one piece of flesh that may in fact be His: from the Savior Himself.”
“And there’s this one too, the first sample.” The One Who Turns says as he reaches into his bag. “The one that we’ll give back to them and say it’s the one they’ve been chasing you for.”
“Ordinary flesh nothing special,” Jim says. “Speaking of which, your old buddies from the Elite called my cell. They want to do a deal.”
“What kind of deal?” He asks.
“They have a hostage, a woman they want to exchange for the sample.”
“They think you still have the second sample which they mistakenly believe to be sacred.”
“Our plan is to give them the first meaningless sample. They won’t know the difference,” Jim says.
“Then we destroy the third. But what happens if we don’t agree to the deal?” The One Who Turns asks.
“Then they kill her.”
CHAPTER 73
I can walk, at least I can walk, the words play over in his head while leaving the house. I’ll come back for the dog and the key I hid in his collar if I need to.
“You know these people?” Mountain Man says as they walk down the sidewalk.
“Not really, I just need to see something then you can take me back to my apartment.”
“That’s fine, I ain’t got a whole lot to do anyway. I’m on disability: bad back. The government pays me to stay home so I do though I’ve been thinking of starting up my own business, woodworking, making duck decoys. You know the economy gets bad folks be out hunting their own food and then they needing decoys, that’s what I figure anyway,” he says.
They continue walking, he with a slight limp. “Yeah, okay good luck on that. If I need a duck decoy sometime you’ll be the first person I think of. Oh, thanks for letting me borrow your coat,” he says in reference to the large black overcoat two sizes too large draped around him.
“No problem bud, ya could probably get that blood outa yours, Turnip knows how to do stuff like that.”
“Hang on,” he says holding out his arm upon seeing the façade of the red brick church.
“You know, I don’t think this is really a church. They never have services here.”
“Get down.”
“What? You okay? You sure that stuff Turnip gave you is worn off?”
“I’m fine. I slept seventeen hours didn’t I?”
“You hungry? They’s a burger place up a ways I’m getting the munchies.”
“Down! Get down!” Go Man says as they squat behind a row of unkempt half dead bushes.
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“It’s kinda dark out here. What the heck you looking for anyway?” he asks.
“That,” he says as three figures walk out of a side door.
“You know them people?”
“Just the woman.”
CHAPTER 74
“Dead?” Logo asks with a stunned look on his face.
“Yep, found him in his cell dead as a door nail,” Solor says.
“I told you he had the runs,” Cosward adds.
“What a way to go,” Clovis says.
“Glenn is responsible for Haggai’s death. He would never been in there if Glenn hadn’t mislead us,” Logo says.
“We must revenge Haggai’s death by wrecking vengeance upon Glenn!” Cosward says.
“Yes, but we must find him first,” Logo tells him.
“Easy. Where else would he go?” Clovis says.
“Rome, the Vatican to sell the samples,” Solor says.
“Okay, send a crew to Rome, find Glenn and take care of him,” Logo says.
“What about the samples?”Clovis asks.
“I could care less about those samples they’re meaningless. Dunbar has the Sacred one,” Logo says.
“About him,” Solor says.
“Yes?” Logo asks.
“We’ve set up a deal. We’re trading the woman downstairs for the second sample,” Solor tells him.
“A trade?” Logo asks.
“Yes, and he says he’s going to do it. It’s set up for tomorrow at 2pm on 7th street,” Solor says.
“Excellent, then we will finally have the sacred sample,” Logo says.
“And the doctor has arrived from Boston. He will begin impregnation as soon as we bring him the sample,” Clovis adds.
Sacred Flesh Page 11
