AfterLife

by S. P. Cloward

  It seemed like a very small group to Wes. If he had been planning the raid himself he would have assigned at least a couple dozen people to accompany them. “Is that going to be enough?”

  “It’s about what I expected. We have enough information to get into the building; that won’t be difficult. If they have as few people as there are in the Hub under normal circumstances, it should be enough for a rescue operation. That’s the thing though, I have a gut feeling there will be more there than we expect, and I’m fairly confident they know we’re coming.” She went to a small chest that sat at the side of the couch in the living room and opened it to pull out a couple of metallic black gun-like weapons. “These are Electrical Disabling Darts for Incapacitation Emitters, or EDDIEs, as we like to call them. They’re now standard issue for AfterLife members thanks to our new direction to counter the Atumra. They work similar to a Taser except the darts are each individually charged instead of the power coming from the gun itself. They’re nothing new, the Atumra have them, too, but they don’t know that we know that they know we’re coming.” She smiled at the confusion of the wording. “They think they’ve bamboozled us, or at least I hope they think that. They’re not expecting much of a fight.” Meri handed one of the EDDIEs to Wes and then handed him a holster so he could hide it under his coat.

  “Nice.” Wes turned the EDDIE around in his hands, examining it. “How does it work?”

  “Well,” Meri said, performing a brief demonstration as she talked, “Mortuis use electrical impulses to move and control their bodies. These darts disrupt those impulses by causing muscles to tense up, and thus incapacitating them. It doesn’t hurt though.” Meri aimed hers at Wes and fired.

  Instantly, Wes found himself on the floor. He had no control over his body as he tensed up into a ball on the carpet. He didn’t feel pain, but the loss of control over his body became a source of frustration. Meri reached down and pulled the dart from his shoulder which immediately returned the control of his muscles. The shiny, silver-looking dart was no larger than a bullet, except it had a sharp end that penetrated into the muscle. “Thanks for the demonstration,” he muttered from the floor.

  “You see how useful it can be? A regular bullet would tear right though you, but since you can’t feel anything it wouldn’t stop you. These will stop you for a bit, that’s for sure.” She returned to the chest and pulled out a few other things Wes couldn’t see and placed them in her pocket. “Be careful if you’re ever hit by one of these darts. Mortuis have been known to rip apart muscles in an attempt to free themselves from its effects. Also, the dart doesn’t last that long, but it can penetrate up to six layers of thick clothing and can be recharged in the holster if you’re able to get it back. I guess you could say it’s our green initiative.”

  Wes stood up and attached his holster and his EDDIE underneath his coat. Meri handed him a small bundle of replacement darts wrapped in a small fabric bag that he put in his pocket. “The gun only holds 15, which should be enough, but you never know.” She gave Wes a considering look, then moved to the small, square dining room table and collected her phone and keys before walking to the door of the apartment and opening it. “Ready? I think it’s time to go now.”

  Wes followed Meri out and checked the door to make sure it was locked, a habit from his days among the living. He didn’t really care if someone broke in to rob them; there wasn’t anything here he had an attachment to, but it was good to keep up appearances. “Who did you call? You said there were some people you wanted to call for backup.” They spoke softly as they walked down the hallway to the elevator. If anyone was listening they wouldn’t be able to make out the words.

  “I’ve got a few friends coming to help us out. I don’t want to give you any more information than that in case you eventually do sync with this Seth character. I don’t want him to know who or how many people are coming to help us. You’ll just have to trust that I’ve taken precautions to help ensure we have that positive outcome we’re going to have.”

  “Thanks for everything, Meri,” Wes said once they were on the elevator and it began its descent toward the lobby. “It means a lot to me that I have people I can count on. It’s a good feeling.”

  Meri leaned in and hugged Wes, then looked up at him and gave him an over-exaggerated grin that exposed her teeth. “I appreciate you too, Wes. You’ve definitely added some spice to my existence. It’s completely my pleasure to be going with you to save your brother.”

  They went the rest of the way to the rendezvous point without speaking. Meri held Wes’s arm like she had the day before, both of them comfortable with the closeness. Wes thought they probably looked like any couple out for a leisurely walk in the evening. The more he chose to let people in, the more he discovered he liked having others to rely on. There was something about Meri that made Wes believe he could trust her, and so he did. He trusted her with both his own life and his brother’s.

  Chapter 26

  Meri led the way into the diner when they arrived. “Just sit anywhere,” a passing waitress said and Meri nodded. Wes remembered a visit to this particular diner years before for a lunch with some work associates. It had since been remodeled and updated. The interior now looked more like a hospital cafeteria and not the sleek, contemporary look the designer was no doubt attempting to achieve. Despite the institutionalized atmosphere, the place was fairly busy.

  Once inside, Meri scanned the room to see if she recognized any of the patrons as AfterLife members. Wes also examined the room looking for anyone wearing something that had the AfterLife emblem on it, but before he got very far Meri began walking toward a very large booth. The booth was situated in a corner at the rear of the diner and four people were already gathered at it. There was room for a few more. Meri approached and Wes followed one step behind.

  “Are they who we’re looking for?” Wes asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Meri said, half turning to direct her response back at Wes, “but they’re the only people in here without kids, a pile of school books on the table, or who look like tourists. Just a guess but we’ll find out in a moment.”

  Wes nodded even though Meri couldn’t see him. Her logic was sound. He would have missed most of the clues Meri had pointed out if he’d had been the one to decide which table to approach.

  At the table Meri smiled at the four adults sitting there. “Hi, I think—” Meri said and then cut herself off without finishing the statement.

  “Therefore, you are,” answered one of the men sitting at the table.

  “Oh, good,” Meri said. She turned back to Wes, “I thought they were who we were looking for.”

  The four people scooted in and Meri and Wes took a seat at the table with them.

  “I’m Meri and this is Wes,” Meri said, introducing them.

  “I’m Charlie,” the man who’d completed the password phrase said, grinning at them. His hair was salt and peppered and he appeared to be in his early 40s. “This is my companion, Simon,” he said, motioning to the guy sitting next to him. Simon looked about Wes’s age with dirty wash-water blond hair. Standing, he was probably half a foot shorter than Wes, but looked like his antemort life was spent at the gym. It was possibly the result of steroid use, Wes thought, since he looked bigger than he should have been naturally.

  “I’m Chloe,” said the only girl sitting at the table. “We came down from Madison.” She placed her hand out palm side up toward her partner as if presenting him for an entrance on a stage. “Caleb called us from the Hub and thought we might have something to add to this little operation.” She smiled, revealing teeth that looked almost too perfect to be real. She could have passed for a college student with her highlighted burgundy hair and perfect skin. Wes couldn’t help but smile back at her. Based on first impressions he liked Chloe, although he didn’t know how stealthy she would be in her black knee-high boots that sported 3 inch heels.

  “I’m Xander,” Chloe’s companion said. He also looked like a college kid; his
dark hair was long and parted down the middle and the bangs on either sides of his face swooped back to cover his ears. He habitually ran his hand over the top of his head to pull his hair back out of his face.

  Wes looked over the four AfterLife members. He was sure they had each been selected for a reason. Caleb was a military strategist, so there must be something about Chloe and Xander he felt would be useful in rescuing his brother. Important enough to bring them from Madison. Simon’s ability would have to be his strength, but Charlie’s was a little less obvious. Wes wondered which of the Ancestors felt they would be the best candidates for this mission.

  “So none of you have met before?” Wes looked around at the small group assembled at the table.

  “Nope,” Charlie said, “but that’s not unusual. AfterLife is a pretty widespread organization, so we don’t always have a chance to meet everyone.”

  “Ah, here’s someone I do know,” Meri interrupted. She was looking toward the door at a couple who had just entered the diner.

  The couple must have recognized Meri because once they saw her they headed directly for the booth. “Meri!” the couple said almost simultaneously as they approached.

  Meri motioned for Wes to scoot out of the booth so she could slip past him and stand up to greet the newcomers. “How are you guys? I haven’t seen either of you in a while.” She hugged each of them and then slipped back into her place at the table. Wes also sat back down after making room for the late arrivals. “Wes, this is Jose and this is Amanda. Jordan and I worked with them on a project last year. They’re good people.”

  “Thank you, Meri,” Jose said.

  The rest of the group introduced themselves. It was odd, Wes thought, that none of this select group really knew one another. Well, at least Meri knew two of them. That was a little reassuring. Hopefully they would be able to pull together to save his brother.

  Jose was Mexican American and taller than Wes. Amanda was also tall and had a soft round face and blond hair. Wes didn’t know if they were actually a couple, but they definitely gave the illusion they were. Amanda hung on Jose’s arm as if she would fall over without his support.

  Once introductions were complete, Meri took the lead in organizing the evening. “I’m sure you all know the basics, and Oscar has sent you the outline of what we’re planning to do tonight.” There were nods from everyone at the table as she spoke. “The individual we are attempting to rescue is Wes’s brother, and although we don’t know why, his liberation is more important than any other antemort rescue mission we’ve done recently. The Atumra want him, and we need to make sure he doesn’t remain in their custody.”

  There were only a few matters to discuss since the entire plan was sent earlier that day from the Hub to each of them. Meri confirmed minor details and answered a few questions before they all felt ready to leave the diner. Once outside, they split up into their separate pairs. The plan was to approach the Atumra headquarters from different sides, watching for any signs of trouble before meeting up in the back alley. Each individual wore a communication device that allowed him or her to be in constant contact while also letting Oscar participate from the Hub. Wes was certain the Ancestors were also listening.

  The streets were fairly quiet. Wes walked along the sidewalk with Meri at his side. They were approaching the Atumra headquarters from the north, which took them through a residential neighborhood. They could hear short conversations from the four other pairs through their earpieces. Wes and Meri remained silent while observing the passing landscape of aged stone buildings with sporadically lit windows that spilled down light on the frozen pavement at their feet.

  “We’re arriving at the location,” Xander’s voice came over the earpiece.

  “So are we,” Charlie said, answering for Simon and himself. “We’ll be entering the side street from the south.”

  “We still have a couple of blocks to go,” Amanda’s voice chimed in. “We took the subway one stop too many. Sorry guys.”

  Meri pulled on Wes’s arm. He looked down at her and she pointed her nose ahead of them. Their destination sat on the next block. Its windows were mostly dark, a deceptively good sign.

  They met up with the other AfterLife members in the side street at the back of the building. It was poorly lit and the pavement was riddled with potholes. Their soft steps echoed off the surrounding buildings. The stainless steel door Jezebel had described to Wes was right where she’d said it would be. The team gathered near the door and Wes took the lead as they approached.

  Just as he reached for the handle, Meri grabbed Wes’s arm and looked up at him. He looked down at her questioningly. Their eyes met and she synced with him instantly. They stood facing each other in the nothingness.

  “This is a trap Wes, I know it,” she said, “and I want you to come out of this. The only way to do that is to be prepared. We’re going to be heavily outnumbered. There are more people than we can handle on our own. To be honest, I don’t think we can trust Charlie and Simon. I’m not sure about Xander and Chloe. When they get you, which I know they will, you need to go along with it. That’s the only way your brother will survive. Act like you didn’t know it was a trap. Pretend you’re completely surprised by the turn of events. Play their game; it’s the only way to win this one.”

  The sync broke instantly and they were again in the alley in front of the stainless steel door. The sync must have lasted less than a second since the others didn’t seem to notice anything had happened. Wes gave Meri a slight nod acknowledging what she’d said and she pulled her hand off his arm. He turned the doorknob and the door clicked open. It was unlocked. Jez had done her job.

  The door opened into a medium-sized loading dock that was scattered with crates and stacked with boxes. The room was lit by a small incandescent bulb next to the door opposite the one they were passing through. There was no sign of anyone. This was too easy. Meri was right, it was definitely a trap. They stepped inside and Simon quietly closed the door behind them.

  Charlie pulled out his phone and looked at the screen. “According to the blueprints Ops sent us, there’s a hallway on the other side of that door. Midway down the hallway is a stairwell that will take us to the lower levels. That’s probably where your brother is being held.”

  Wes and Meri looked at one another and Meri raised an eyebrow and gave a half smile. Wes knew she was telling him “It’s up to you.” She was right. Even if they didn’t trust Charlie, it was the only way to get closer to where his brother was being held. Wes nodded to Charlie and followed him through the door into a hallway that ran perpendicular to the main lobby of the building. The rest of the group did likewise, with the exception of Xander who remained behind to watch the door. He would also notify the others if they needed to use another exit. As they traveled down the hallway, Wes got a glimpse into a lobby that was lit by soft light.

  The floors were polished gray marble and the walls were paneled with wood. There was a grand staircase and an atrium that opened up to the three floors above the main one. Opposite the main entrance was a desk where a doorman would stand, but tonight the desk was empty. The group paused temporarily when they heard some muffled voices coming from one of the upper floors. Charlie, phone in hand, pointed down the hall and they quietly proceeded past the lobby to the stairwell. Jose and Amanda motioned that they would remain in the corridor that intersected with the lobby to stand watch and keep the exit clear should they need to get out in a hurry.

  “I think we came on a good night,” Charlie whispered as they made their way down the quiet staircase. “We may get in and out of here without any trouble.” Wes wondered if the comment was intended to reassure him as he led him into a trap, or if Charlie was just naïve and didn’t really see the trap they were in already.

  They descended three levels below street level before Charlie, still consulting the plans on his phone, led them out of the stairwell and down another long, unlit hallway with doors on either side. The hallway was about 8 feet wide
. This made for easy movement of equipment for whatever was done in these chambers hidden by earth and rock. From Emily’s stories, it couldn’t be anything good. Bright light from an open doorway ahead spilled into the corridor halfway down the length of the otherwise dimly lit hall. The group cautiously approached and stopped where the light from the doorway made a line on the floor, separating it from the hall. Wes leaned forward slightly to look inside, his head crossing the line from hidden shadow to revealing light. In the middle of the room he saw Lyall strapped to a table.

  He quickly pulled his head back into the darkness. Meri held his arm to keep him from running into the room. His quick glance had also revealed there was a man sitting on a chair reading a book. He was older with gray hair, but Wes knew one should never underestimate a Mortui by his appearance. He might appear to be no threat to their rescue when in fact he was the most lethal person in the entire building. For all Wes knew, the man in the room could be Seth himself.

  They looked at Charlie, who was in the lead, to see if he had any directions as to what the next step should be, but they didn’t have time to execute anything. As they looked at one another, a door opened behind them. The fluorescent lights in the ceiling flickered on, and the now brilliantly lit hallway revealed a dozen Atumra soldiers.

  Wes leapt toward the room where his brother was, but Simon pulled him back and restrained his arms behind him. Meri was right, he wasn’t to be trusted. Shouting a warning about Simon and Charlie to the others, Wes tried to pull away, but Simon was stronger. At the same time, Meri pulled out her EDDIE and began firing darts at the soldiers. Some of them retreated behind open doors. They hadn’t come equipped with EDDIEs of their own. Wes didn’t know if this was because they weren’t standard issue or if they didn’t think they’d need them. With Charlie and Simon now identified as traitors, there was only him, Meri, and Chloe to fight them.