The Relic Keeper

by Anderson, N David

  “But she wouldn’t do that. There’s no point. That would only make any sense if Caroline already knew that the massacre was going to happen.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “Well, how would she know that the commune was going to be attacked? If she knew that she’d have stopped it wouldn’t she.”

  “Deon, I think you may have to assume that this woman is, perhaps, not quite as holy and righteous as you thought.”

  “No, I don’t believe that, Philip. Caroline wouldn’t do anything to her own people.” But even as he spoke the words the conversation he’d had earlier was echoing in his head. “Why would she do that?”

  “I don’t know Deon. Did they take money from people at Fort Burlington?”“Well, yes, but it was kept safe.”

  “And does she have money now?”

  “Oh, there’s a great mission that we’re working on. I don’t know how it’s funded, but I imagine God provided for it…” He paused in thought.

  “Deon? You there?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking. Is Mathew there?”

  “Yeah, but he’s not really up to talking at the moment.”

  Mathew walked across the room to Philip. “It’s ok, mate, I can speak to him. Deon, mate, it’s me. What’s up?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What’s happening, Deon?”

  “I don’t know. Are you ok?”

  “Yeah, Warwick came, but I think he’s gone for the moment. If we can get across the channel before he comes back we’ll be ok. He’ll need to get some more people, which will take a while, so we’ll use that and move off now. So it wasn’t a huge problem. Really.”

  “Good. I don’t know what to do, Mathew.”

  “About what?”

  “I’m confused. Someone wants me to do something, and it seems the obvious thing to do in some ways, but not in others, you know. I’m just confused.”

  “Deon, I don’t really understand what you mean, and I haven’t really got the time at the moment, but, just do what you feel is right. You don’t need to listen to other people.”

  “I listen to you, because there’s something special about you, Mathew. You have returned from God and that means that you have his blessing and his word.”

  “No I don’t, Deon. There’s nothing special about me. Loads of people have died and been brought back to life, you know, it’s just that I was dead a little longer. It doesn’t mean that we all have a secret to share about the meaning of life or the will of God. I haven’t been drawn to a big light; I don’t have the answers you’re looking for. Rei said something to me, you know. She said that you have to choose what to do and what not to, and what to take from each person that you meet. Take their good points, reject their bigotry. You see what I’m saying?”

  “I think so.”

  “So just your let heart guide you. I don’t know what these people want you to do, and I’m guessing you’re not going to tell me. But you know already in your conscience if it’s the right thing to do or not. You still there?”

  “Yeah. I was just thinking. I have to go. I have something to do.” With that Deon terminated the connection. He did know what he had to do, and he now realised that he really was on a mission from God.

  “What was that about?” asked Philip.

  “I have no idea. I hope he’s ok, though.”

  “We really need to move before Warwick gets some help,” said Philip with a sense of urgency. “And we still need to find Rei.”

  They had checked the rooms again, and tried to contact her via her c-pac, but it was still deactivated. “So where the hell is Rei,” said Philip.

  “Do you think that she tried to follow me to Jessica’s?”

  “No, I don’t think so. I think that her absence and Warwick’s appearance are related though.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “I don’t know, Mathew,” Philip snapped. “I’m trying to think of something.”

  “If he’s got her then it’s only because he wants me. He’d have to get in contact.”

  “Yeah, but we’ve seen Warwick since before she went missing, so either he hasn’t got her, in which case I’ve no idea what’s happened, or else he’s got at least one other person working here with him. Either way it’s bad news.”

  Mathew felt bewildered. He kept thinking about the various scenarios that could have led to Rei’s disappearance. Was it possible that the Roamers had returned in some attempt of vendetta against her? Or that it was something completely unrelated to their previous experiences? These seemed unlikely. The most probable explanation remained that somehow Warwick had her, and that meant that he was going to try to trade her.

  Deon shook the reliquary and heard the comforting noise of something rattling inside. It was the answer. The key. He slid the mechanisms open as Mathew had shown him, and flipped out the small key to the lock. He turned the box over and, no sound. He jiggled it, and it made no noise. Deon slipped the key back into the compartment, and shook the box again, hearing the distinctive rattle.

  “You know the answer. You’ve always known what was in the box.”

  Deon looked over to the speaker. The Archangel Michael stood by the door, one foot resting against the wall. He was casually smoking an autopipe. He coughed, shook his crumpled wings and said. “You always knew the answer. Do not be deceived, do not believe false promises.”

  “I’ve betrayed Mathew.”

  “Deon, there could be no resurrection of Christ without Judas’ involvement. You have your part to play. You already know what is in the box. It is not the right answer that you need, but the correct question. You know what you need to do.”

  Deon watched through the swirling mist that filled the room as Michael ascended, plunging the room back into half-light.

  “Have I been deceived?”

  Deon carefully opened the box, even though he knew what to expect before the lid was raised.

  And he stared into the compartment he had waited all that time to see, with full and final understanding of the answer he had sought.

  “Should we check the car again?” asked Mathew.

  “Can’t hurt, pal, can it.”

  They left the Prince William and Philip ran to the site where the Jaguar was still parked, while Mathew followed on as fast as he could. His leg still felt stiff and he could feel the increase in his heart rate. His chest tightened and he recalled having this sensation before, a long time ago in a distinct world and a different life. He caught up with Philip as quickly as he could, but there was still no sign of Rei. They stood by the car in the driving rain, searching desperately in the darkness for any sign of her.

  “Lyal,” a voice called from the void of the night.

  “Warwick? Where are you? What have you done?”

  A figure appeared about twenty metres from them, hardly visible in the gloom. He walked towards Mathew and Philip slowly and with motive. As he neared they could make out that he was forcing another person to walk in front of him.

  “Lyal, I want you to come with me. There’s no reason to involve anyone else in this. So just come here and this will all be over.” He came closer and the figure he had a hold of struggled slightly.

  “He’s not going to do that, Warwick,” yelled Philip. “I don’t know how you see things, but me and Rei are in this with him, and we’re not leaving him with you. I know what you’re capable of with Mathew, but you won’t harm Rei, because you know that you can’t do that without there being any repercussions.”

  “Brading, I can do whatsoever I like. You have to understand that. Don’t underestimate me. I own people. Don’t taunt me with empty threats of what I can and cannot do. If Lyal comes here now then no one else needs to be involved. There are more people involved than just yourself and Reiko, you know.”

  “What do you mean?” shouted Mathew. “What else have you done?”

  “I am not leaving here without you, I’ve told you that. So I have a simple exchange lined up
. You come with me now, and I will release Rei and Jessica.”

  “Jessie?” called Mathew, and the figure in front of Warwick squirmed. He could now make out his daughter and Warwick’s hand covering her mouth. In the backgrounds they could now see two more people, and both Mathew and Philip realised that this was Malik with Rei.

  “Malik?” called Philip. “This isn’t you, you’re not like this. Don’t start following this guy blindly. You don’t want to get caught up like this. You’re a stronger and better person.”

  Malik looked scared as he approached them. Warwick called out: “Amar, don’t listen to this idiotic hack, he knows nothing. He does not have the morals that he preaches. This is going to end my way.”

  Malik pulled Rei closer to Warwick and she immediately started calling to Mathew not to go through with the exchange.

  “I have to,” Mathew said softly to Philip, placing one hand on his shoulder.

  “There isn’t any other choice.” He moved slowly towards Warwick, the rain and wind still gusting onto his face. “Ok, I’m coming, on my own. Now let the others go.”

  “When you are in my vehicle I will release them to Mr Brading, who will desist from publishing any of this, otherwise I will simply return and they will die, and I will then arrange for Brading to be persona non grata in any job anywhere in the world. I can do that you know.”

  “He won’t print, Warwick, just let Jessie and Rei go. They’re nothing to do with this and they’re not important to you.”

  Philip heard his c-pac beep and glanced down. It was Deon connecting to him. Without taking his eyes off the scene in front of him, he answered in a whisper.

  “Deon, we’re here with Warwick, this really isn’t a good time.” He disconnected before Deon could speak. He listened to the commands that Warwick gave to Mathew, waiting for the moment when he could act, and hoping that his instincts were as good as they’d been ten years previously.

  “Come forward to where I can see you clearly. Good, now stay there.” Warwick moved slowly forward pushing the woman in front of him. Jessica seemed resilient under the pressure, and kept her eyes firmly fixed on her father, who stepped forward in the rain to meet them.

  “You ok?” Mathew asked. “Has he harmed you?”

  “No, you don’t have to do this, you know,” she said calmly. “I’ve had a fuller life than you have. If this monster shoots me you’ll have a better chance of getting away.”

  “That isn’t true, Mr Lyal, and I’m sure that you don’t want either of these women harmed on your behalf.”

  “No parent should ever see their child killed,” Mathew said, glancing back at Philip. “Let them go and I’ll do whatever you want.”

  “Yes, I know you will.” Warwick looked puzzled for a second as a beeping noise came from his hand. “Stop, do not move,” he shouted, while he checked the c-pac that was sounding. He looked confused at the message there, and shouted, “Malik, if either of them moves, kill the girl.” He activated the incoming message and an ethervision image appeared.

  Deon moved quickly along the corridors to the room he required. He had made up his mind what to do. When he thought about it the decision seemed clear. Caroline was right, he was on a mission, and the voices that raged in his head all agreed on the right course of action to take. God had given him a job to do and had provided him the means with which to do it. This was his destiny, and now he was to take a place in history after all. Instinctively Deon knew that he was working for the good of the Christian faith. There was no mistake, and now there could be no going back. He was concerned that Philip had just disconnected him like that, especially when he had such an important piece of information for him. He felt certain that the journalist would be pleased with the insight that he could give him into the events that were unfolding, but Philip obviously had concerns of his own at this moment. But of course there was always a method of being heard. Caroline had told him that you should always know your enemy’s weakness and should always know a way to make them hear what you want them to. He reactivated his c-pac and set it to a priority message, input the code he had worked out and set it to broadcast only. It wouldn’t take long to send the details he needed, and he doubted that anyone would ignore a priority coded call attached to the title he’d given it. He was right, and he heard the recipient answer as he opened the door into the room and walked up to the desk in the centre, holding the c-pac on his hand in front of him so that the camera showed his own face.

  “I’m on God’s mission,” he said, aware that everyone was staring at him. “I need to destroy His enemies on Earth.”

  Philip was astounded that in the middle of a hostage exchange anyone should want to accept a message, but Warwick obviously felt that it was more important than events here. He watched the doctor’s expression change from confusion to rage, as the image in front of him shimmered into life. The rain made the picture glimmer and sparkle, and occasionally break into pixelated data, but the image was still clear enough to be seen, even from where Philip stood, several metres away. It was Deon. He was standing in a grey room that Philip did not recognise, and looked tired and drawn, but seemed to have a certain determination to him that he had seen only rarely when Deon was working on something he thoroughly understood, such as using his c-pac to access restricted information. Philip would have to admit that Deon had an incredible skill at that. And now the ethervision Deon moved forward into the room and spoke.

  “I’m on God’s mission. I need to destroy His enemies on Earth. I have to do what is the right thing to do. Dr Warwick, I have emptied your bank accounts, all of them, and distributed your wealth to medical research clinics.”

  “You’ve done what?!” yelled Warwick to the unlistening image.

  Philip saw that Warwick was engrossed by the image and seized his chance. If he could skirt around the area he could come up behind Malik. He started to move as quickly as he could without attracting attention, utilising the rain and darkness as he’d been trained to in Africa.

  A voice was heard through the communication device, but not on camera.

  “What are you talking about? Deon, what’s going on?” it said. Then they watched as Deon held a small yellow capsule to his mouth and bit into it.

  “I was wrong,” Deon said to the people around him in the room. “You’re not working for God, you killed the people at Unit, Caroline. You murdered Nasreen . Your time on Earth is finished. You can face God’s judgement now.” There was a bright glow that seemed to start from within Deon’s body, the sound of screams and a red glare before the image disappeared as the machine sending it ceased to exist.

  “No!” Rei screamed as the image vanished.

  Warwick stood aghast, and for a second didn’t notice Mathew move towards him, or reach for his pocket and pull the Luger from it. He glanced up to see the barrel pointing at his head from less than a metre away.

  “Let them go, or I’ll kill you where you stand,” said Mathew.

  “I still have your daughter, Lyal, and Malik has Reiko, so don’t do anything stupid. Malik, keep hold of the girl.”

  Malik was still gazing at the site where the ethervision had been a second earlier and hadn’t heard the footsteps behind him. Philip pulled his head back hard. Rei whirled around and caught his hand, knocking the gun from it. Rei instantly ducked down, trying to find the small weapon in the dark. Malik struggled to stay upright and bite hard into Philip’s already damaged right hand, causing him to release his grip for a second. Malik turned to Philip unsure what to do next when a loud crack resounded and he yelped in pain and fell to the ground clutching his leg where Rei had fired a shot into his right thigh. Warwick turned for a second and Mathew leapt forward and slammed the weight of the pistol into his face. Warwick felt his nose crunch and his head filled with a white light for a second. The small hand weapon he had fell out of his grasp. He reached up to his face and felt a sharp kick to the shin as Jessica pulled away from him in the confusion. He flailed about grabbing at Math
ew’s hand and pulling the Luger. Mathew held the gun tightly; it was no longer pointed at Warwick’s head. The doctor had hold of his arm and was pulling the weapon down sharply. Mathew struggled to hold it up, and looked around to see Jessica struggle to her feet and back away towards Philip and Rei. He realised that Warwick had hold of his weapon and reached to grab it with both hands. He wrenched his assailant’s hand as hard as he could, freeing the hand holding the archaic gun. His leg threatened to buckle under him and his heart raced unnaturally fast. He could taste the sweat on his lips. He desperately tried to pull the gun up. He raised it to Warwick’s face, and Mathew’s finger tightened around the trigger.

  “Mathew, you don’t want to shoot him,” yelled Philip, as he ran towards them, closely followed by Rei and Jessie. “Trust me, you really don’t want to do that.”

  Mathew was conscious of the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He stared along the sight of the gun, keeping it levelled at Warwick’s face. He held it in both hands, but felt the weight growing heavier and heavier.

  “I’ve read your case notes, Lyal,” Warwick hissed, moving his face away. “I know your history and your problems with violence as a child. Mathew, if you succeed in shooting me, you’ll be just like your father was.”

  Mathew’s eyes narrowed as tried to keep hold of the weapon. He could now feel his blood pounding in his head, and the noise echoed in his ears. He felt his legs start to shake, and was aware that his aim was lowering. The rain was stopping, but the water felt cool on his skin, and his vision became blurred. Numbness worked along his left arm as it failed him and fell to his side. His chest hurt, and a strange sense of confusion overcame him. He could hear sounds, but wasn’t able to process what they were. He was not even aware that the gun had dropped as his right arm fell, and he dropped to his knees and then the floor.

  Warwick moved towards the fallen gun, but Philip tackled him and brought him to the ground. Philip picked the Lugar up and aimed it at Warwick.

  “Move and I’ll kill you,” shouted Rei at Warwick, moving the hand gun between him and Malik, as he lay supine in the rain.