by Alex Siegel
"The best word to describe her is 'scary.' If you think Marina is a cold-blooded, lethal-as-hell monster, you haven't met her master. The legate's job is to keep commanders like Marina and Aaron in line, and they're afraid of her."
"That's hard to imagine. I don't think Marina is afraid of anything. I'll certainly never be able to fight like her. Not in a million years."
"Your training is progressing," he said.
"Too slowly," she replied.
"Marina must be satisfied, or you'd be dead by now. I'm more concerned about Liam."
"He's a great fighter."
"True, but he's pretty ordinary in every other way." He frowned.
"You didn't say anything when he was recruited."
"I wasn't sure what Marina was looking for in a legionnaire. Now that I have a better understanding of this business, I'm thinking she was a little hasty in her assessment. She's a new commander and still learning her job. She was so eager to fill out her staff, she recruited the first guy who seemed remotely suitable. It wasn't fair to him. The only way out is death, and if he doesn't pick up his game, that's what will happen."
She sighed. "You may be right. Real legionnaires have a special edge that he seems to lack. He's too... normal."
Hanley's palms were itchy. He scratched them and then noticed a slight redness. "Hmm. It looks like I have a little rash. I must've touched poison oak or something."
"Don't scratch. You'll just spread it around."
"I'll try not to."
They made the long drive south to the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's office in San Jose. The small complex consisted of two square buildings, one at a forty-five degree angle to the other. One building had a pyramidal roof that came up to a central peak, and the walls were mostly glass. The other had walls made of brown stone blocks, and there were no windows at all. There were almost no signs out front to call attention to the fact that dead bodies were kept here.
Hanley parked the car, and he and Katie got out. The weather in San Jose was significantly warmer and dryer than Pacifica.
They went inside. They carried proper identification for agents of the California Department of Justice, and it garnered immediate cooperation. After talking to a few different people, the legionnaires were shown to the autopsy room.
Bright lighting panels on the ceiling illuminated peach-colored walls. There were slots for four tables, and each had a separate sink. Hanley had attended autopsies, and he knew how disgusting they could be. Modern facilities like this one had systems for sucking away noxious gases and liquids. Fresh water, cleaning products, and sealable garbage cans were always close by.
The corpse of the dead, female jogger was lying on a table without even a sheet to hide the horror. Hanley steadied himself and approached it. He immediately agreed with Aaron and Marina's assessment of the cause of death. A large number of small animals had eaten away most of the soft tissue. Hanley could clearly see small bite marks on what was left behind. Even the bones had been gnawed in spots. Shredded clothing remained, and the cloth showed blood spray patterns that could only come from a person with a beating heart. The poor woman had been eaten alive.
Katie ran to the nearest garbage can and threw up. Her stomach clenched several times until she finally settled down.
"Are you OK now?" Hanley said.
"I guess so."
She went to a sink and washed out her mouth with fresh water. Then she drank a little.
"Come look at the body. Tell me what you think."
She grimaced. "I've seen enough."
"This is your job," he said sternly.
Katie reluctantly came over and studied the corpse. Hanley could tell she was still fighting lingering nausea. He wasn't having a good time, either, but he knew how to hide those feelings.
"She was alive at the time," she said.
He nodded. "I noticed that, too."
Katie checked the victim's wrists, ankles, and neck. "No ligature marks. She wasn't tied up. What prevented her from running away?"
Hanley snapped on a set of latex gloves. He took a forceps from a table and poked at the remains. Then he picked up the corpse's legs and bent them experimentally.
"The tendons in her knees are broken. Somebody crippled her so she couldn't escape."
Katie shuddered. She glanced at the garbage can but didn't use it.
"I bet he stuck around to watch her die, too," he added. "That would be typical."
"We have to stop this."
Hanley threw away the rubber gloves. Then he took out his phone and called Marina. Katie leaned in so she could overhear.
"Yes?" Marina said.
"We examined the body, ma'am. It was eaten by small animals. The victim's knees were broken."
She made a hissing noise. "When I get my hands on the guy responsible, I'm going to do a lot worse than break his knees."
"Where should we go next?" Hanley said.
"The scene of the crime. We found rodent tracks at the last one. Maybe you'll discover the same."
"Yes, ma'am. We're on our way."
* * *
Hanley was sweating under his suit despite the cool, pleasant weather. He and Katie had spent the last twenty minutes climbing a steep dirt trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains. His leg muscles were burning, but at least he wasn't winded. Marina's marathon training sessions had given him the stamina of a machine.
Katie wasn't doing quite as well, but she was keeping up without any complaints. Her ability to endure hardship with grace was one of her finer qualities. He couldn't stand whiny teammates.
The view from the mountains was spectacular. Hanley could see all the way across the vast Santa Clara Valley to the Diablo Range twenty miles away. A giant city filled the valley, and every inch of land had been developed. Millions of people lived there in close quarters. He realized his team was responsible for protecting all those lives and many more throughout Northern California. It was a crushing responsibility.
"I wonder if we'll ever get used to this life."
"Probably not," Katie panted. "At least, Marina isn't exactly a model of peace and contentment."
"Having that edge is a survival trait."
They made a turn and saw the crime scene. Blood had soaked a wide patch of dirt, making it darker than the surrounding land. Yellow police tape marked off where the body had lain. A Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputy was standing guard over the evidence, but he wasn't alone. A woman wearing a tan shirt, green pants, a badge, and a gun was staring at the blood spot. Her straw hat with a flat brim marked her as a park ranger.
Hanley flashed his fake identification. "We're from the California Department of Justice. We're just here to look around."
"Be my guest," the deputy said.
Hanley and Katie examined the scene, and they found rodent tracks right away. A wide band of them went from the blood stain to the forest. The rodents had all travelled in the same direction like marching army ants.
"There must've been hundreds of critters," he murmured.
She nodded in agreement.
Hanley turned to the park ranger. "Do you see anything interesting?"
"Yeah." The ranger pointed at the paw prints in the dirt. "Those are rat tracks."
He raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure?"
"I'm an expert on animal tracks. Those are from Rattus norvegicus, commonly known as the brown rat. They're easy to identify."
"That's strange," Hanley said.
She furrowed her brow. "Very. They don't swarm like this, and they certainly don't attack humans aggressively. A rat will bite if cornered, but otherwise, they're timid. I don't understand this behavior at all. And where did they come from? Rats feed on our garbage, and the nearest house is a mile away. They would never travel across the forest in a large group. They tend to stick to their nesting sites. If I wasn't staring at the evidence with my own eyes, I would never believe it in a million years."
Katie came over. "Ma'am, you sound like you know a lot
about this subject. Who is the expert in the field? Who knows the most about rat behavior? Maybe he'll have a theory."
Hanley smiled at her. That's a smart question, he thought.
The park ranger thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, but it would probably be a professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. It's one of the biggest animal research institutes in the country. I'm sure they have an expert on rat behavior."
"That's a great suggestion," Katie said. "Thanks."
She and Hanley continued to look around. They tried to follow the rat tracks into the forest, but thick brush blocked their way.
He noticed a small, cylindrical object on the ground. "A cigarette butt," he said, "and it's fresh."
"I'm starting to think the rats were being controlled," Katie said. "It's the only explanation for their organized behavior. Somebody is like a Pied Piper."
"And he brought the rats here. They certainly weren't local."
"From a laboratory?"
Hanley nodded slowly. "That makes sense. An experimental form of rat control."
"Still, it seems like a very strange and complicated way to kill somebody. Using a gun is a hell of a lot simpler and more reliable."
He took out his phone, pressed the speaker button, and called Marina. Katie leaned in close.
"Report," the commander said.
Hanley relayed the information from the park ranger, and he reiterated the conversation between him and Katie.
"We're making some progress," Marina said. "Go up to UC Davis. We'll figure out the right person to talk to by the time you get there."
"Yes, ma'am. Bye." Hanley hung up.
He had come prepared to collect evidence. He took a plastic bag and a set of tweezers from his pocket. He carefully picked up the cigarette butt, placed it in the bag, sealed the bag, and put it in his pocket.
"We might be able to collect DNA from dried saliva," he said.
"Assuming Corrie knows how to do that," Katie said.
"She's smart. She'll figure it out. Let's go."
The two legionnaires hiked away.
Chapter Five
Marina rolled over in bed and looked into Aaron's handsome face. Subtle shadows clung to his features, a sure sign of seniority in the Gray Spear Society and God's favor. At some point, they became literal creatures of death.
Having sex during a mission was probably irresponsible, but she didn't care. Her time with Aaron was limited, and she had no choice but to cram in as much intimacy as possible. It might be a long, dry spell before they saw each other again.
"We have to get back to work," he said.
"Unfortunately," she said.
They were in Marina's bedroom in headquarters. They got out of bed and put on the formal gray robes of commanders. She had obtained an extra set of robes for him ahead of time, and he looked scrumptious in them. The open neck showed off his broad, muscular chest nicely. The fancy hems gave him just the right kind of gravitas. She fought off the urge to throw him back in bed and have another go at him.
The two commanders went out into the main part of headquarters. Ipo was lifting a barbell in the exercise area, and he gave Marina a look that bordered on insubordination. Her face grew warm. It was impossible to argue with his silent commentary on her mating habits.
She and Aaron walked over to Min Ho. The hacker was at his computer workstation as usual. He probably spent fourteen hours a day there, long enough to make Marina worry about his health. She sometimes forced him to get up and walk around just to restore the blood flow in his legs.
"Did you find any common factors between the victims?" she said.
Min Ho shook his head. "Only the obvious ones, ma'am. They were all in the mountains alone."
"Hanley and Katie are driving to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. They need to talk to an expert on rat behavior. I want you to figure out who that is."
"Yes, ma'am." He furrowed his brow. "Rats?"
"The victims were eaten by a horde of killer rats."
He gulped.
"May I make a suggestion?" Aaron said.
"Of course," Marina said.
He walked around to Jia's side of the table. Like Min Ho, she had four large computer screens on a single stand. Her petite body looked child-like in her oversized, overstuffed, reclining chair. Movable pads supported her forearms as she typed.
"Somebody transported and controlled those rats," Aaron said. "He probably had a van in the vicinity of the murders. I want you to look at recent satellite photos. If we're lucky, you'll spot the vehicle. The crimes happened way up in the mountains, so it should be obvious."
"Yes, sir," Jia responded in her soft voice. "The Chinese and the Russians fly spy satellites over the United States constantly. I bet one of them got a good picture."
He nodded. "Good thinking."
She blushed slightly. "I'll get to work right away."
Marina looked over at Liam. The legionnaire was rehearsing a sequence of punches and kicks on the blue exercise mats. She realized he was trying to duplicate the combination Aaron had used earlier.
She sighed and shook her head. He just doesn't get it.
She wanted to put him to work, but she didn't have an obvious task for him. Liam and Ipo would have to wait their turn.
* * *
Hanley parked his blue sedan in front of the Hediger Institute for Animal Psychology. The building was five stories tall and sheathed in white stone. Instead of being a simple box, the Institute had odd extensions poking out into space. The few windows were just small portals in the midst of blank walls. The front had an awning, but it was made of an open, metal mesh which offered little protection from sun or rain. The architect had tried for a creative, post-modern style, but instead, the building just looked stupid to Hanley.
He got out and stretched his arms. "Whew! That was a tedious drive."
The University of California, Davis was located in a town far to the north-east of the San Francisco Bay. It was beyond the limits of what was considered the Bay Area. Lush farmland surrounded the town on all sides, and during the two-hour drive, Hanley had smelled plenty of fresh fertilizer.
The enormous university campus had impressed him though. Immaculate lawns and many tall trees separated the widely spaced buildings. He could imagine students getting lost in this place. According to his information, UC Davis was one of the top schools around.
Katie stretched her back. "It had better be worth it."
The legionnaires went inside. Hanley had expected an animal institute to smell like animals, but there was just a faint odor of floor wax instead. The lobby was tall and well lit, and polished white marble panels covered the walls.
A board on the wall listed names and office numbers. Hanley was looking for Dr. Joseph Shipman who supposedly knew more than anybody else in the world about rat brains.
"I don't see him," Hanley said.
"Neither do I," Katie said. "Do you think Min Ho made a mistake?"
"That would be surprising. Let's ask around before we give up."
Several hallways branched off of the lobby. He picked one at random and walked down it.
A man wearing a plaid shirt and jeans was coming the other way. Hanley guessed the guy was a graduate student based on his apparent age.
"Hey," Hanley said, "we're looking for Dr. Shipman."
The graduate student stopped. "I've heard the name, but I don't know where his office is."
"He isn't listed in the lobby."
"We've had problems with protestors. Some professors like to keep a low profile."
"Protestors?" Hanley raised his eyebrows.
"We experiment on animals here. The research can be controversial. Who are you?"
"We're from the California Department of Justice."
"Oh." The graduate student appeared alarmed.
"I guess we'll keep looking. Thanks."
Hanley and Katie proceeded down the hallway. He peeked through a window and saw caged rabbits
with wires sticking out of their chests. Creepy, he thought.
They approached a woman in a white lab coat.
"Hi!" Hanley said with a smile. "We're looking for Dr. Shipman."
The scientist frowned. "I think his office is on the second floor somewhere."
"You're not sure?"
"He keeps to himself. He cares more about rats than people."
"Does he teach classes?" Hanley said.
"I don't think so. The stairs are over there." She pointed at a doorway.
"Thanks."
The legionnaires went up to the second floor. After more wandering, they finally cornered a janitor. Their badges convinced the janitor to reveal where Dr. Shipman was hiding.
Following the instructions, they found the office. The doctor's wooden door was closed, and Hanley knocked loudly.
"Yes?" a man responded from behind the door.
Hanley opened the door. "Hi. We're from the California Department of Justice. Mind if we ask you a few questions?" He took out his wallet and flashed his badge.
Shipman was working at a computer on his desk. He frowned and said, "I guess not. What is this about?"
He was a short, pudgy man with a large nose. The shape of his face was reminiscent of the rats he studied. He had a white mustache, and his brown hair was obviously a toupee. He was wearing a white shirt and a red tie but no jacket.
Shelves covered all four walls of his office. Papers, magazines, and professional journals packed some of the shelves to capacity. The skeletons and skulls of rodents populated the remaining shelf space. Each skeleton had its own little stand, and wires held the bones in lifelike poses. The skeletons varied greatly in size and represented many different species. They were all labeled with their scientific name.
Hanley and Katie sat on chairs facing the desk. The seats were hard and uncomfortable.
"I don't know if you heard," Hanley said. "Four people were killed recently in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Their bodies were eaten down to the bone."
"Sounds like the work of mountain lions," Shipman said confidently.
"No. It was rats. We found their tracks, and the bite marks were made by small animals. It appears somebody controlled the rats and used them as a murder weapon. We were hoping you could shed some light on this mystery."
