by Alex Siegel
Marina examined the cuts, burns, and contusions on their bodies. "Your methods are crude."
"I'm not an artist like you, ma'am, but I get results."
"I'll give you some instruction when we have time. You'll practice on cadavers."
"Yes, ma'am," Ipo said.
Marina turned her attention to "Rat." Clearly, the fancy electronics were used to communicate with the corresponding implants in rats.
She took out a gun and shot Rat in the skull, splattering blood on the floor. She used a knife to pry apart his broken skull and dig into his brain. She discovered hair-thin wires deep in the tissue. She wiped the knife on his clothes.
Liam cleared his throat causing Marina to look up at him. His face was pale.
"Is there a problem?" she said.
He looked like he might puke. "No, ma'am."
"Good. Step outside if there suddenly is a problem. I don't want you contaminating the bodies with vomit."
"Yes, ma'am." He swallowed.
Marina looked at Ipo. "Do we know who he is?"
"I have his wallet." He handed her a black leather wallet. "The others only knew him as 'Rat'."
She flipped through the wallet, and it contained just a driver's license, a credit card, and an insurance card.
"This ID is probably fake, but maybe Min Ho can do something with it." She put the wallet aside.
Marina began to slice off Rat's clothes with her knife. The razor sharp blade cut the cloth easily. She was looking for tattoos or other identifying marks, but the body was surprisingly clean. Patches of bleached skin on his arms suggested tattoos had been removed with a laser. There was a long surgical scar on his leg.
The tips of his fingers looked strange, and she examined them closely. "His fingerprints were burned off."
"Ouch," Hanley said.
"We're going to have a hard time identifying this guy. He's been worked on by experts."
Marina took another look at the circuitry on Rat's skull. Hard, clear plastic protected the computer chips, and steel mesh covered the connective wiring. She guessed circular pods were batteries.
"Very high-tech," she said. "I don't think this is the work of Dr. Shipman. We saw nothing from his laboratory that could create such a sophisticated device. His control helmet was much cruder and didn't involve implants."
"Somebody else has the rat control technology?" Hanley said.
"That's my conclusion."
Marina stood up. "Everybody can go home. We'll leave the bodies here and take another look at them in the morning. We clearly need the help of Min Ho and Jia to discover Rat's true identity."
"When do you want us to come back, ma'am?" Ipo said.
"Whenever. Sleep in. The assistants need to do their jobs before we can do ours."
The legionnaires went into headquarters to change out of their body armor. Marina returned to the security booth and gave Aaron a kiss.
"I have an idea," he said.
She smiled. "I'm eager to hear it."
"The trick of two pickup trucks sharing one set of plates was interesting. It's a great way to misdirect the authorities, and I bet it's not the first time Rat used it. His friends might be driving other vehicles that use the same trick."
She nodded. "Yes. We'll definitely follow up on that idea in the morning."
"I'll see you then." He stood up. "I'm going to bed."
"What? You're not going to keep me company?"
"All night? There's no point in both of us being exhausted. Besides, I'm supposed to be on vacation." He kissed her on the lips. "Good night."
She pouted. He pointedly ignored her and left the security booth.
She sighed and focused her attention on the surveillance monitors. It was going to be a long, boring night with just some corpses to keep her company.
She faced Rat's body. "I'm going to find out who rewired your brain, and then I'm going to kill him."
* * *
Marina's eyes were half-closed, but she wasn't asleep. She would never fall asleep on duty no matter how tired she got. She was nothing if not mentally strong.
Jia was the first to arrive at work in the morning. The Chinese girl was wearing a cute, pink top and a matching skirt with ruffles. She was a grown woman but as small as a teenager. Even her white tennis shoes were adorable. Butterflies made of silver held back her long, black hair.
She froze and stared at the corpses in the entry chamber. The blood drained from her face.
She turned to Marina and said, "Ma'am?"
"Our enemy," Marina said. "See the guy with the hardware in his skull? Your job is to find out who he is. His wallet is on the floor, but it might not help you much. Take pictures and try to find a match in the criminal databases."
"Yes, ma'am."
Jia walked around the edge of the room to stay as far from the bodies as she could. Marina pressed a button to buzz the back door, and Jia left the entry chamber.
A few minutes later, Corrie arrived. The scientist was as pudgy as ever despite Marina's repeated admonitions to exercise more and eat less. Her Native American features were attractive though. Black hair was braided in a long rope which went down her back. She was wearing a nice, blue shirt with a pattern of beads sewn into the fabric. Her jeans fit snugly on her thick legs.
She gasped in horror.
"Have you ever seen a dead body before?" Marina said.
"No, ma'am," Corrie replied in a hoarse voice. Her gaze was locked on Rat's broken skull.
"Then get a good look. This is what we do to our enemies."
Corrie took a step forward. "These guys were tortured!"
"Yes," Marina said.
Corrie ran back outside. Marina could see Corrie on a surveillance monitor, and she was vomiting up her breakfast.
Eventually, she came back inside, and her knees were wobbling.
"The guy with the hardware in his skull is the leader," Marina said. "I want you to examine the circuitry. See if you can figure out who built it, but be extremely careful. It's forbidden technology. Don't try to understand how it works. Don't analyze the design. Just look for superficial clues. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am. But how do I...?"
"Get it off his head? With tools. I suggest a saw and pliers."
Corrie looked like she might throw up again.
"Get to work," Marina said. "This is urgent."
"Yes, ma'am."
Marina buzzed the back door of the chamber, and Corrie stumbled out.
Min Ho was the third assistant to arrive. He always dressed according to his own peculiar sense of fashion. He was wearing a blue jacket with a white flower in the breast pocket. A white shirt had a black stripe down the center. White and black pants had a plaid pattern which seemed to vibrate in the bright lights.
"I'm glad you're here," Marina said. "I have a job for you."
Min Ho was staring at the corpses. He was a relatively experienced member of the team, so he didn't look ready to faint like Jia and Corrie, but he was shaken.
"What is it, ma'am?" Min Ho said without looking at Marina.
"You know how those two pickup trucks had the same license plates? I want you to find other vehicles that are using the same trick."
He turned to her. "How?"
"You can start by getting a list of all the cars that were wrecked by the junkyard in the last year. Match them up against parking tickets, traffic stops, toll booth records, anything that gives you a time and a location. Try to find a case where one vehicle seems to be in two places at once."
"That will be difficult, ma'am."
"I know," Marina said, "but do your best. It was Aaron's idea, actually. Get to work."
Min Ho stepped carefully around the bodies and left the entry chamber.
Finally, Imelda arrived. Her tall body was so skinny, she could be mistaken for a man from behind. The prominent bones in her face also suggested she needed to eat more, but as far as Marina knew, Imelda ate normally. As usual, a cheerful smile adorned her Mexic
an face. She was wearing blue jean coveralls over a plain, black shirt. She already had her work boots on. The only dash of feminine style was silver stud earrings.
"You're finally here!" Marina said. "That means I'm off duty. Get in the booth. You're doing the next shift."
Imelda was staring at the dead bodies. "Ma'am, there are corpses in here. Messed up corpses."
"Not your problem. Come on! I'm falling asleep."
Imelda left the entry chamber through the back door. Marina let her into the security booth through another door which only opened from the inside. With a sense of relief, Marina left the booth. Free at last, she thought.
She went straight to the bathroom and then to her bedroom. Aaron was lying on her bed. He wasn't snoring, but she could tell he was sound asleep.
She walked over and tried to punch him in the gut. His hand blocked her fist an inch from his belly.
He smiled and opened his eyes. "Good morning, dear."
"I'm going straight to sleep," she said. "Are you getting up?"
"No. I need another few hours."
"Then good night." She kissed him.
He closed his eyes and went right back to sleep.
* * *
Hanley walked into headquarters. The dead bodies were still in the entry chamber, but he saw a few differences. The most notable was the circuitry had been removed from Rat's skull along with a big chunk of bone and scalp. Brains were smeared across the floor.
"Hello, sir," Imelda said. She was in the security booth. "I'm guessing you had an interesting night."
"It was memorable," Hanley said.
He walked to the exit, and she buzzed the door. It was heavy enough that he had to use some strength to open it.
He walked through headquarters. Min Ho and Jia were sitting at their computer workstations as usual. Corrie was in the electrical cage, and she was examining something with a microscope. Hanley moved closer and saw she was studying the circuitry from Rat's head. Pieces of bone were still attached, but she had washed off the blood.
Aaron was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. He had a newspaper in his hands.
Hanley walked over. "It's been a while since I saw anybody read a newspaper, sir. I get my news from the internet these days."
"I prefer paper and ink," the commander said. "It seems more... substantial. Anything stored on a computer can change in the blink of an eye."
He was wearing a gray jogging suit, and his hair was mussed. Hanley guessed Aaron had taken a run around the neighborhood.
"I'm surprised you're still here, sir," Hanley said. "Shouldn't you be back in Chicago by now?"
"Without a doubt, but I justify it by telling myself I'm doing God's work by staying. There is a mission in San Francisco but not in Chicago. I'm needed here."
"That's true, sir, and it's also true that Marina is in San Francisco but not in Chicago."
"A happy coincidence," Aaron said.
Hanley nodded. "I don't know if I ever thanked you for saving my life."
Aaron furrowed his brow. "When did I save your life?"
"When you asked the legate not to kill me for working with Xavier."
"Oh. You're welcome, but I think I got the better end of the deal. Quality legionnaires are worth a lot."
Hanley smiled. "You think I'm a quality legionnaire?"
"Marina speaks highly of you, and she would know. She's seen plenty of legionnaires come and go."
Aaron put the newspaper down and walked over to Hanley. There was a flash of movement, and Hanley reacted instinctively. When it was over, he was holding Aaron's thick wrist, and there was a knife in the commander's hand. The sharp tip was almost touching Hanley's belly.
"Good," Aaron said. "A normal human would be dead."
Hanley decided to try a little test of his own. He had a knife mounted on a spring release up his sleeve. He twisted his wrist, and the knife popped into his hand silently. He slashed at Aaron's throat.
The next thing Hanley knew, he was flat on his back and seeing stars. The concrete floor of headquarters was an unforgiving surface.
"You think like a legionnaire, too," Aaron said. "I approve." He helped Hanley to his feet.
The knife in Hanley's hand was dissolving into greasy, black smoke before his eyes. It smelled like burnt toast.
"I wish I could spit acid, sir." Hanley scratched his palm.
"It's a useful gift." Aaron furrowed his brow. "What's wrong with your hands? Do you still have that rash?"
Hanley showed his palms. The red areas had become distinct circles, and the tiny arteries were pulsing with his heartbeat.
"Whoa!" Aaron said. "Does it hurt?"
"There's a throbbing, burning sensation, but it's not too bad. I was hoping to see a dermatologist today."
"When did this start?"
"I'm not sure," Hanley said. "Around the time you showed up. Do you think it's serious?"
Aaron studied his palms. "I think it's wonderful."
"Huh?"
"This is God's handiwork. There is nothing natural about it."
"A gift?" Hanley stared in disbelief.
"We'll know soon."
"Does it usually take this long for a gift to happen?"
"It's different every time," Aaron said. "I'm going back to my newspaper and my coffee. Get some exercise while you have the chance."
"Yes, sir."
Aaron sat at the kitchen table and resumed reading his paper.
* * *
A knock on Marina's bedroom door woke her up. She groaned. The faster we finish this mission, she thought, the sooner I can get a good night of sleep.
"Who is it?" she yelled.
"Min Ho, ma'am. I found something."
Marina grunted and dragged herself out of bed. She put on her commander's robes. The plush fabric felt luxurious against her skin, and the robes allowed complete freedom of movement. They were designed for fighting as well as ceremonies.
Rubbing her eyes, she opened the door. "What?"
"A speeding ticket in Dobbins, California," Min Ho said. "The license plate was for a car salvaged by Ace of Diamonds Auto Wreckers, but the owner of the car lives in Los Angeles. I called him, and he claimed he's never heard of Dobbins. He's fighting the speeding ticket."
"What's in Dobbins?"
"Nothing. It's a tiny town up north in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The unusual location is what got my attention."
Marina frowned. It was possible the bad guys were just passing through Dobbins, and sending legionnaires to investigate was a complete waste of time. On the other hand, the team had nothing else to do at the moment.
She walked out into the main part of headquarters. Her legionnaires were sparring in pairs: Ipo with Hanley and Katie with Liam. Aaron was commenting on their technique, and they were paying close attention to everything he said. Liam seemed particularly attentive.
"Hanley and Katie!" Marina said. "You're going to Dobbins, California."
Hanley stopped sparring and looked at her. "Where is that, ma'am?"
"The northern part of the middle of nowhere, so you'd better get going. It will be a long drive. Pack for a mission but wear civilian clothes."
"What about me, ma'am?" Ipo said.
"You and Liam will handle the next wild goose chase," Marina said.
Ipo glanced at Liam, and she could tell from Ipo's expression that he wasn't pleased with this partnership. It was expected though. The most senior legionnaire was usually given the task of supervising and protecting the newest member of the team.
"Go!" Marina said.
Hanley and Katie jogged to the costume closet.
Marina walked over to Jia. The hacker's fingers were clattering away on her keyboard, and her adorable face was focused on her work.
"Any luck?" Marina said.
Jia jumped a little and looked up at her. "No, ma'am. I've run his face and description through every law enforcement database I could think of, and no matches. His identification was usele
ss. Somebody wiped all the records before I got to them. Right now, I'm investigating the Ace of Diamonds junkyard."
"Good. Who owns it?"
"Officially, a real estate investment fund based in Panama, but I don't think the fund actually exists. It's just a paper company."
"That's a little shady," Marina said.
"Everything about that junkyard is shady, ma'am. Most of the financial transactions were in cash, and the records are almost nonexistent. According to the police, a lot of paperwork burned up last night. I'll keep digging."
"OK."
Marina walked over to Corrie. The scientist was peering into a microscope.
"Did you discover anything?" Marina said.
Corrie twitched in surprise. Marina was silent and sneaky out of habit.
"Yes, ma'am. The circuitry uses custom computer chips. The packaging has no markings at all."
"Why is that interesting?" Marina said.
"You can't make chips like these in a garage. It takes equipment costing millions of dollars. You need a staff trained in semiconductor doping and lithography."
"So, the guy responsible must have serious money and resources."
"Definitely." Corrie nodded. "Dr. Shipman may have invented the rat control technology, but he didn't make these chips. Somebody else took it to the next level."
"I've already reached the same conclusion," Marina said, "but keep working. You may still find a lead."
"Yes, ma'am."
Marina put her hands on her hips and looked around. She wanted to be doing something useful, but there was nothing to do.
"Liam," she said, "you and I are going to do some training together. You need it."
Liam's eyes widened in alarm. "Yes, ma'am."
Chapter Seventeen
Hanley stopped the car at the intersection of Lake Frances Road and Old Dobbins Road. According to the navigation system, he had arrived at the center of Dobbins, California.
He was unimpressed.
The village was just a small collection of buildings in the middle of a forest. The construction was generally cheap and flimsy, and many were mobile homes. There wasn't even a stop light. Even calling it a village suggested a level of organization that wasn't apparent.
"I suppose the good news is this won't take long," Hanley said.
