Sharp Teeth and Bloody Claws (Gray Spear Society Book 12)

by Alex Siegel

  Her eyes widened. "Who is this, ma'am?"

  "Aaron." Marina gave Aaron a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm sure I mentioned him to you."

  Jia got out of her chair and bowed slightly. "We're honored by your presence, sir."

  "Thank you." Aaron smiled and bowed in return.

  "Jia is one of my hackers," Marina said. "She's young, but she's bursting with talent."

  "You're the commander of the twins," Jia said.

  Aaron's smile faded. "That's right."

  "They're so smart! They redesigned the whole Society shadow network. Their security protocols use math I've never even seen before. We're using their software right now in this booth."

  "Yes. I'm very proud of them." His voice had a wary edge which surprised Marina. "May we go in?"

  "Just one security question, sir. What are the twins' names?"

  "Bethany and Leanna."

  "Thank you, sir." Jia pressed a button, and a back door buzzed.

  Aaron quickly opened the door and held it for Marina. Both of them went through.

  "What's going on with the twins?" she whispered.

  "Their special project with God is getting more intense. Wesley warned us that big changes are coming. I probably shouldn't talk about it." He frowned.

  "Oh."

  He looked around and smiled. "I like this layout. Nice and open. You can see everything. What's the cage for?"

  They walked over to a big steel cage in the center of the room. It contained complicated apparatus mostly used for electrical experiments. Corrie had also placed some chemistry equipment inside.

  The scientist was working in the cage. She was a short, Native American woman, and in Marina's opinion, Corrie definitely needed to lose a few pounds. Her silky, black hair framed a light brown face. She was wearing blue jeans and a shirt decorated with colorful beads. A turquoise and leather necklace hung around her neck.

  "Corrie," Marina said, "this is Aaron, my boyfriend. I told you about him."

  Corrie turned. "Oh!" Her eyes widened. "Hi! It's odd seeing a stranger in here. You flew in from Chicago?"

  Aaron smiled. "That's right. Very nice to meet you."

  "Corrie is our scientist," Marina said. "She worked in the company that occupied this building before we moved in. They were trying to develop new battery technology. This cage kept people away from the most dangerous equipment."

  "And contained electrical discharges, ma'am," Corrie added. "We played with very high voltages."

  "Aaron has a gift. As a scientist, I think you'll find it fascinating."

  "Show me, please."

  Aaron opened the door of the cage and went inside. He picked up a thick, copper bar and spat at it. His saliva dissolved the metal quickly and produced a cloud of greasy smoke. Within seconds, the bar was cut in half. He gave both parts to Corrie.

  She stared at the corroded ends. "Impossible," she whispered.

  "My spit can cut through anything that's not alive," Aaron said.

  "Anything? Really?"

  She quickly dug into drawers full of materials until she found a block of what looked like white plastic. She handed it to him.

  He spat at the plastic, and his saliva cut a clean hole. A few drops fell to the floor and burned the concrete.

  "Wow!" Corrie's eyes were very wide. "Even hydrofluoric acid can't dissolve that stuff."

  "That's the power of God."

  "Come, dear," Marina said. "Let's continue the tour."

  Aaron left the cage.

  "I thought I heard a familiar voice!" a man yelled from across the room. "Aaron!"

  Hanley ran over. He had been practicing martial arts by himself, and his face was flushed. His white karate uniform sagged with sweat.

  He shook Aaron's hand vigorously. "It's good to see you again, sir."

  "Same here." Aaron pounded him on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "And it feels like you packed on some muscle since the last time I saw you."

  "Marina runs killer training sessions. I'm in the best shape of my life by far."

  "You look it. We'll spar later." Aaron leaned towards Hanley and whispered in a conspiratorial manner. "I'll teach you a few tricks for how to fight Marina."

  "Hey!" Marina said. "That's not fair. You know all my weaknesses."

  "Then it's an opportunity to work on those weaknesses."

  She sniffed. "Let's move along."

  Marina led Aaron to the computer area next. Min Ho was working in front of four computer screens arranged on a stand. He was leaning back on a reclining, padded chair with a built-in keyboard tray. His keyboard had a complicated, curving shape which looked difficult to use, but he obviously had no trouble with it.

  The hacker was a short, thin, Korean man. His black hair was teased out to form a wild mane around his head. He was wearing red leather pants and a yellow shirt. His belt had a huge, Western-style buckle.

  "This is our other computer expert," Marina said, "Min Ho."

  Min Ho looked up at her with a startled expression. He obviously hadn't heard her walk over.

  "Ma'am?" His attention turned to Aaron. "Who is this?"

  "My boyfriend, Aaron, the commander of Chicago."

  Min Ho got out of his chair and shook Aaron's hand. "It's a great honor to meet the commander of the twins, sir."

  "I didn't realize they were so famous." Aaron raised his eyebrows. "Their reputation precedes me."

  "That's pretty much the whole team," Marina said. "Our mechanic, Imelda, had the night shift. She went home to sleep."

  "No security chief?"

  "Sadly, no."

  "Still," he said, "a nine-member team is pretty good. I'm short a legionnaire."

  There was a commotion towards the front of headquarters. Ipo and Katie were carrying Liam in, and Katie was struggling with her half of the load. Liam's wrists and ankles were still bound, and Marina expected he was in some pain by now. It was an awkward, unnatural position.

  Liam was a large man and perfectly proportioned. He had short, brown hair which needed to be brushed. Thick eyebrows almost met over his big nose. A strong, square jaw and deep eye sockets made him look a little primitive and thuggish. He had some scruff on his chin, but it wasn't really a beard.

  "You can release him now," Marina said. "I think he learned his lesson."

  Katie took out her lock picks and began to work on Liam's cuffs.

  "I have an announcement," Marina added in a loud voice. "Aaron and I are going to spend the rest of the day together, just the two of us, and probably the night, too. We're going to see San Francisco. Ipo, you're in charge. Call me only if it's urgent."

  "Yes, ma'am," Ipo said.

  Marina grabbed Aaron's hand and pulled him towards the back of headquarters. "Let's finish the tour."

  They walked past the "living room" area with its plush, blue couches and chairs. The nearby kitchen was on the south side of headquarters, and it was big enough to feed the whole team. A lacquered wooden table had ten chairs. There was a stainless steel stove, an oven, two microwaves, a dish washer, and an industrial-grade refrigerator. Gray tile countertops offered plenty of space for food preparation.

  Marina took her boyfriend into her bedroom in the southwest corner. Black dressers, wardrobes, and clothes racks held her huge collection of clothing. There was no separate closet. A king-size bed had a frame made of black wood.

  Her personal knife collection had its own set of shelves. Some were very valuable, such as an authentic Mongolian knife made around the year 1300. She had a World War I trench knife used by Alvin York. Her favorite was a golden knife from the tomb of Horemheb, an ancient Egyptian general. According to legend, it had the power to slay the undead. Marina knew from personal experience that a double-barreled shotgun loaded with frag shells worked well, too, although sometimes it took two blasts.

  She closed the door.

  "I thought we were going to San Francisco," Aaron said.

  "Later," Marina said. "We have some other business first
."

  "Business?"

  "I want you lying on my bed, naked, now."

  He saluted hastily. "Yes, ma'am." He began to strip.

  * * *

  Marina had her hands on the steering wheel, and she was grinning. She was driving a speedboat across the choppy waters of the San Francisco Bay. The sun was bright, but the air was cool and moist over the water.

  The city was on her left, the Marin Headlands were on her right, and the Golden Gate Bridge was directly ahead. The two orange towers of the bridge reached high into the sky. The suspension cables seemed thin and delicate from a distance, but she knew they were actually very thick. From the water, she couldn't see the six lanes of constant traffic.

  Marina glanced back at Aaron. He was relaxing in the back seat with his eyes closed even though it was a rough ride. The boat skipped across the tops of the smaller waves and flew up the larger ones like little ski jumps. She kept crashing back into the water, but she didn't want to slow down. The spray of mist in her face was too much fun.

  She passed a sea lion swimming through the water. The animal looked at her, and she winked back at it.

  Marina made a wide circle around one of the giant concrete bases that supported the towers. She looked up at the complicated superstructure underneath the roadway. There was a lot more to the bridge than she expected, and all of it was painted orange.

  She headed back towards San Francisco. She had spent a lot of time thinking about where to take her lover on their big day together. The obvious locations such as Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square were always packed with obnoxious tourists. Both Marina and Aaron absolutely hated crowds and tried to avoid public places. After some research, she had found an answer.

  She parked the boat in the small marina used by the prestigious St. Francis Yacht Club. It was located on the north side of San Francisco close to the Golden Gate Bridge. The docks were normally fully booked, but she had made a few calls and had secured a spot.

  Aaron stood up, rubbed his eyes, and looked around. "That was fun. What's next?"

  "A surprise, dear," Marina said.

  She took his hand and led him onto the shore. A busy road ran along the shore, but the sidewalk was very wide. They walked slowly, enjoying the sunshine and each other's company.

  She took him south into the city. This neighborhood was one of the nicest in San Francisco, but the buildings were still packed tightly together. Not one square inch of land was wasted, not even for a lawn. The three and four-story apartment buildings were painted light pastel colors. Each had distinctive architectural features such as decorative stonework or embellishments along the roofline. The parked cars were also very close together. Marina saw drivers circling as they searched for rare and precious parking spots.

  She and Aaron arrived at a building that had clearly once been a home, but now it was a business. The sign over the front door read, "Passion Massage Therapy."

  "A massage parlor?" he said.

  "You make it sound dirty," she said. "This is supposed to be one of the best massage places in the city, and they have a special deal for couples. It's very romantic."

  She squeezed his hand and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She had to stand on her toes to get up that high.

  They went inside. Incense smoke was a little thicker than she liked, but the cinnamon scent was pleasant.

  "We're Mr. and Mrs. Berrycloth," Marina said. "We have an appointment."

  A young Chinese woman typed on her computer. "Yes, ma'am. Our honeymoon package. Come this way."

  She took the couple upstairs and into a large room with plenty of windows. Thin curtains covered the windows, but sunlight still poured in. There was a glass table with an assortment of fresh fruits, chocolates, and champagne on it. A queen-size bed was in the back of the room, and rose petals decorated the clean, white sheets.

  "A bed?" Aaron said.

  "For you and your wife to share after the massage is over," the Chinese woman said. "Our clients often find the experience... arouses them. Please take off your clothes and lie on the tables."

  She pointed at a pair of massage tables. The headrests had holes in the center so Aaron and Marina could lie face down.

  "All our clothes?" Marina said.

  "Most clients find nudity helps them relax, but if you prefer, you can keep your underwear on."

  "I think we'll do that."

  The Chinese woman left.

  Aaron and Marina took off their outer clothes and placed them neatly on the table. They both had guns and knives which had to be hidden carefully under the pile. Even though she was still wearing underwear, she felt completely naked without her weapons. She tried to relax. She had run a thorough background check on this massage parlor to make sure it was safe.

  They laid down on the tables. A man and a woman entered the room, and both were wearing white uniforms and latex gloves. The man went to Marina, and the woman went to Aaron.

  The masseuses started with scented oils. Marina felt like a turkey being basted, but the experience was certainly relaxing. The massage began in earnest after that. The guy rubbed and stretched her muscles with enough force to almost cause pain, but he knew exactly what he was doing and stopped just short of hurting her.

  "Your muscles are huge," the woman said to Aaron. "My hands aren't strong enough. Can I walk on your back?"

  "Please," he said.

  She climbed onto the table, grabbed an overhead bar, and gently stepped onto Aaron. Marina kept an eye on the woman. That's my guy, Marina thought. Be careful.

  Aaron sighed. "That feels wonderful."

  After a while, they flipped onto their backs. The male masseuse continued to caress Marina's body, and he began to touch her intimate places. It felt so good, she didn't complain. He had a masterful touch. Aaron was getting the same treatment, and soon, his arousal became obvious.

  "I think it's time to use the bed," Aaron said.

  "Yes," Marina said.

  The masseuses left and closed the door.

  * * *

  Marina popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth. It had been a long time since she had felt so relaxed and at peace. She wished this moment would last forever. She refused to think about the fact that Aaron was only staying for a few days.

  "We have to see each other more often," she said.

  "Yes," he said. "We waited too long this time. We can't let our work completely ruin our love life. It's OK to be selfish once in a while."

  He sipped from a glass of champagne. Both of them were completely nude as they sat at the glass table, and the receptionist had been right. It was relaxing.

  "And God approves of our love."

  He nodded. "That's right, but you have to come to Chicago next time. I can't leave my team twice in a row."

  "Sure. I think we should get dressed. I have more things planned for today."

  They reluctantly put their clothes back on. They made sure their weapons were properly located and concealed.

  Marina was still feeling dreamy as they left the building. Bright sunlight made her blink. She checked her watch and saw it was early in the afternoon.

  "Let's find some food," she said. "The fruit and chocolate weren't really lunch."

  "OK," Aaron said.

  They held hands and started walking down the street.

  When they reached the corner, Marina noticed an interesting headline on a newspaper in a vending machine. It read, "Famous Environmental Activist Eaten By Animals." She put four quarters into the machine and pulled out the top paper.

  "What is it?" Aaron said.

  She read the article out loud. "Famous activist, Dr. Andrew Midler, died in his mountain cabin last night. According to police reports, animals consumed most of his body before it was discovered. Dr. Midler was sixty-five years-old, and he possibly died of a heart attack or a stroke before he was eaten. He was apparently alone in his cabin. At present, the police are not treating the case as a crime."

  "Never heard o
f him."

  "Neither have I, but he must be important to rate a headline in the paper." She stared at the article. "It smells fishy."

  "Hold on." He raised his hands. "I hope you're not thinking about taking a look at the body. If I want to see a mutilated corpse, I can get that in Chicago. We're supposed to be on a long-overdue date."

  "Just a quick diversion..."

  "We'll have to go back to your headquarters and grab costumes. We'll need cover stories. This 'quick diversion' will take hours."

  She smiled encouragingly. "At least we'll be together. It will be like old times."

  "Some of those 'old times' weren't much fun." He furrowed his brow. "And why do we need to go? You have four sturdy legionnaires. Checking out half-eaten bodies is their job. Send them."

  "I want to go. I want to see it with my own eyes. My gut is telling me it will be worth the trip."

  His shoulders sagged. "There's no arguing with that kind of crisp logic, but I want lunch along the way. All the sex is making me hungry."

  "Of course." She kissed him on the lips. "And I promise the date isn't over. It's just on hold for a little while."

  Chapter Three

  Aaron and Marina walked into the autopsy room of the Santa Clara County Medical Center in San Jose. Everything was white or pale green. Drawers, cabinets, and counters lined the walls. A stainless steel autopsy table was in the center of the room, and it included a built-in sink. The surface of the table had many small holes to allow fluids to drain away, and Marina heard the steady hiss of an air suction system for controlling odors.

  She nodded. Nice and modern, she thought. She had been in similar rooms many times before.

  She and Aaron were disguised as investigators from the California Department of Justice. They were wearing white shirts with short sleeves. They expected to get their hands dirty.

  An orderly in green scrubs was leading them. He was a short, Mexican man with a big mustache.

  "Wait here." The orderly went into another room.

  Marina searched the cabinets until she found a box of latex gloves. She snapped on a pair and then gave a pair to Aaron.

  "I can't believe I'm doing this on my vacation," he said.