The Belial Stone (The Belial Series)

by Brady, R. D.

  “You’ve found it?” he asked eagerly.

  Priddle looked up and smiled. “Yes, sir. In site twenty-one, just like I predicted.”

  “Let me see it.” He demanded, moving to sit opposite Priddle at the table, careful not to jar his injured arm.

  Priddle placed the jeweler’s loupe on the table and handed over the crystal. Kensington took it reverently.

  “It’s warm,” he said with surprise.

  Priddle nodded. “I’ve done some preliminary readings and the heat seems to be generated by constant vibrations within the stone.

  “Is it a form of acoustic resonance?”

  Priddle couldn’t conceal his surprise. Kensington bristled at the look. These academics always thought they were the only ones with a brain.

  “Actually, I think it is. The readings I’ve conducted so far suggest that the energy stored in this small crystal is immense. I’m not an expert in this area, but I’d say you’ve found an incredible source of renewable energy in this stone.”

  Kensington held up the stone. “You’ve done well. With this stone, America will achieve its greatest heights.” And I will lead them there, he thought smugly. This was proof that he was destined to lead. This stone was put here for him to find, and to help bring America back to its former greatness.

  Priddle glanced behind the Senator. “Will Mr. Gideon be joining us?”

  “No,” the Senator said firmly, still staring into the crystal. “Mr. Gideon is no longer a part of this project.”

  CHAPTER 75

  Gideon drove his black Mercedes SL550 down the private drive towards his home. He’d spent the last few hours in the company of an accommodating woman over in Beaver Creek. He smiled at the memory of her silken generosity. He smiled even wider as he recalled her eyes as the life drained out of them.

  The interlude had distracted him, for a few hours, from the search for the stone. He couldn’t believe that they still hadn’t uncovered one at the site. Was it possible he had miscalculated? That there was actually no stone to be found?

  He pulled to a stop in front of his home. No. They would find the stone. It was just a matter of time.

  Before exiting his car, he took a moment to appreciate the beauty of his home. He might actually miss this place, he thought as he walked to his front door.

  Pulling out his electronic key, Gideon felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. He wasn’t alone. Without giving any indication of his awareness, he dropped his keys and lowered himself to the ground to pick them up. Sliding his hand underneath his jacket, he felt the grip of his handgun.

  A whisper of a sound and a shadow came from around the corner of the house.

  Bullets slammed into the front door behind him. He threw himself to the ground and rolled behind one of the columns at the entryway. He peeked out. The man had taken refuge behind his car.

  Gideon lay down on the ground and peered underneath the car. He could see the man’s foot just beyond the front tire. Lining up his shot, he pulled the trigger. The man howled in pain and fell, his whole body now exposed to Gideon’s view. He emptied two more bullets into the man’s face and chest. The yelling stopped.

  Sensing movement to his left Gideon rolled to his feet and swung around. A second shooter was coming around the other side. The man was caught out in the open.

  “Amateur,” Gideon muttered disgustedly. He shot the man twice in the chest.

  As the man dropped, Gideon stalked towards him, keeping his gun trained. He kicked the man’s weapon away and looked at his would-be assassin. The man was gasping for breath.

  He calmly shot him in the face. A face he recognized. He was one of Kensington’s private security detail.

  He strode over to the man in the driveway. He was already past help. Wishing he could kill him again, he emptied the rest of his clip into him.

  He stomped to the front door and kicked it open, breaking the door frame. Seething, he stopped, looking around his home with narrowed eyes. How dare he. Who does he think he’s dealing with? And only sending two men to kill me? That’s just insulting.

  He paused, halfway into his living room. Why would Kensington make this move now? It was bold. And Kensington was never bold, except when he felt he held all the cards.

  He turned to his right and walked over to his bar. He pulled a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue off the shelf. Pouring himself two fingers worth, he downed it before re-filling his glass. The drink warmed his throat. Ah, Kensington. You foolish man. You’ve found the stone, haven’t you?

  He emptied his glass. Placing it back on the counter, he looked around his home. It had been a good refuge. But if all went well, this would be the last time he saw it.

  Smiling, he turned and walked back out to his car.

  CHAPTER 76

  It was just before dawn as the assault team crept towards the enclosure. They had broken into two groups of fifteen men. The first group, led by Henry, took out the truck patrols. The second group, led by Jake, hightailed it to the enclosure.

  Patrick watched behind him for the first group to join them. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw them appear from the darkness. Together, the two groups advanced on the enclosure. So far they’d been lucky. They hadn't encountered any guards. They must all be at the compound itself.

  Patrick’s pulse quickened as the enclosure came into view. A wind blew towards them, bringing the scent of body odor and death. The thought of Laney being held in there chilled him to the bone. He gripped his Glock more securely. He would get her out. Nothing was going to stand in his way.

  He nearly tripped as he counted the guards at the site. They seemed to have tripled in number. He shoved aside the doubts that tried to crowd his mind. They would succeed. They would get Laney and Tom out of there.

  Patrick watched Yoni move towards the transformer, using the shadows as cover. Almost time. In one minute, Yoni would blow the transformer and back-up generator. The darkness and chaos would, hopefully, provide the assault team with enough time to subdue most of the guards.

  Patrick crawled up next to Jake. Making the sign of the cross, he said a little prayer for the upcoming assault. He hoped that Gideon was nowhere nearby. This was going to be tough enough without that obstacle.

  He looked over at the sleeping cage where Laney slept. He had to hold himself back from springing for it.

  Jake reached over and grasped Patrick’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Patrick. We’ll get her out.”

  Patrick looked into Jake’s eyes and read the commitment there. Jake would not let Laney be harmed. He was as determined to get her out as he was.

  He nodded. “Yes, we will. And Tom, too.”

  The radio beeped and Yoni’s voice called out softly. “Ready to go. All teams in place?”

  The teams all called in their affirmatives.

  Yoni counted down. “Darkness in 3, 2, 1.”

  CHAPTER 77

  Yoni leapt away from the transformer. The explosion blasted through the metal casing, sending shrapnel in every direction and a fireball straight up.

  A wave of heat blew over him and he rolled farther from the flames. The site was pitched into darkness.

  Yoni pulled out his M4 as silence descended and all work stopped. He imagined the guards, looking around, trying to figure out what had just happened.

  Gunfire broke through the silence. Yoni got to his knees, ready to join the fight.

  “Shit,” he yelled as gunfire peppered the ground behind him. He dove behind the wreckage of the transformer. The guards had recouped faster than he’d expected. He looked up at the gun tower and saw the sparks of light that the shooters set off with each shot.

  “Shit,” he groaned again, struggling to figure out a way to avoid the enemy, who had the higher ground.

  “Yoni, get down!” Jordan dropped to a knee and sent a surface-to-air missile into the guard tower.

  “Shit!” Yoni threw himself to the ground, covering his head as a shower of tower debris rained around hi
m.

  Jordan ran over, pulling him to his feet.

  Yoni slapped at a small fire that had started on his sleeve. “Next time, send the debris inside okay?”

  Jordan took a shot at a guard that appeared in the enclosure’s entryway. “Sorry about that, Yoni.”

  A second explosion at the other guard tower drew Yoni’s attention.

  Yoni slapped Jordan on the shoulder and gestured to the smoldering ruins of the other tower. “Learn something new every day. Both surface-to-air missiles and grenade launchers are effective at taking out guard towers.”

  Jordan’s reply was cut off as a conveyance of ten guards appeared behind them. Jordan yanked Yoni to the ground.

  Bullets whistled above their heads. They scrambled for the cover of the destroyed transformer. Yoni switched the M4 to automatic and let loose a spray of bullets. The guards ran for cover.

  He turned to Jordan with a grin. “So, how do you think the assault's going so far?”

  CHAPTER 78

  Jake sprinted from his hiding spot as the transformer exploded, Patrick keeping pace next to him. Jake took out the guards at the entrance of the sleeping cage with two shots.

  Then Patrick slammed into him, tackling him to the ground, as automatic fire chewed up the ground behind him. Simultaneously, they turned, taking out the solitary shooter.

  “Thanks,” Jake said.

  Patrick nodded as the guard tower above them exploded with Henry’s grenade hit.

  Jake scrambled to his feet, seeing Patrick do the same. Side by side, they sprinted for the sleeping cage. A guard appeared around the side of the enclosure with his gun raised. With a fluid motion, Patrick pulled his shotgun from around his back and shot the man, practically slicing him in two with the blast.

  Jake grinned. The priest could definitely hold his own.

  Jake held his position, covering Patrick as he ran for the cage.

  A padlock secured the gate. Patrick took aim and blasted the lock. Flinging the shotgun back over his shoulder, he threw open the door and yelled.

  “Laney!”

  CHAPTER 79

  Laney jolted awake, trying to figure out what had pulled her from her sleep. Tom was sitting up next to her.

  “Tom, what’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. There was a loud noise and then the place just went dark.”

  Gunfire rang out and an arc of light shot through the sky. The guard tower nearest them exploded. Scrambling to her feet, Laney turned to Tom. “It’s Jake!”

  Tom had jumped to his feet at the sound of the gunfire. He pulled Laney and Seeley to the side, just as a group of inmates charged for the gate.

  Above the yelling, Laney thought she heard a voice calling her name. She looked around, but couldn’t see anyone amongst the mass of bodies rushing to the exit. Then she saw a man pushing against the tide, fighting to get into the enclosure. “Uncle Patrick!”

  Patrick’s eyes looked up and caught Laney’s. He fought through the swarm of bodies and reached her, pulling her into a tight hug.

  “Laney,” he breathed.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks.

  Patrick pulled back and took the shotgun from across his back, loaded it, and handed it to her. “We need to get going.”

  She nodded and reached out to grab Tom’s hand. “Where’s Jake?”

  “He’s in the enclosure.” Patrick gestured beyond the gate as he handed a handgun to Tom. “You must be Tom.”

  Tom nodded., holding onto Seeley’s waist to keep him upright. “And this is Seeley,”

  Patrick looked at the injured man, his face expressionless, but Laney saw the sympathy dart across his eyes. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Following Patrick, they headed to the gate. A noise behind her caused her to glance back. Two guards were coming up on the back side of the enclosure.

  “Look out!” Tom threw himself on top of Laney as the guards opened fire on the cage.

  Gunfire whistled through the air above them. Tom rolled off Laney. She and Patrick grabbed onto Seeley’s arms. They pulled him along the ground to the gate as Tom crawled behind them. Suddenly, the gunfire stopped. Laney turned and saw a group of inmates had jumped the guards. They began to kick and stomp on the guards in a mad frenzy.

  She turned away and scrambled to her feet.

  Patrick pulled Seeley to his feet and carried him out of the cage with a fireman’s lift. Laney and Tom ran behind him and over to the open storage truck used to transport the men.

  Crouching low, Laney checked her shotgun. “What’s the plan?”

  Patrick lay Seeley gently on the ground. “Henry and Jordan’s assault groups are keeping any additional guards at bay, while Yoni and Jake enter the enclosure with an additional assault team and clear it. I’m supposed to get you clear.”

  An explosion from inside the enclosure rocked the walls. A chorus of screams rolled over them.

  Laney looked at Tom and he nodded. “Sorry, Uncle Patrick. But we’re not leaving this fight.”

  Laney could tell Patrick wanted to argue with her. She cut in before he had the chance to speak. “Can you get Seeley to safety?”

  Patrick looked at the man on the ground and a group of Kensington’s men’s heading for one of the Suburban’s to escape. “I’ll take him to some of the men, and have them get him out of here. I’ll find you in the enclosure.”

  With a nod, she and Tom turned to leave when Patrick’s words stopped her.

  “Delaney McPhearson.” She turned to face him. “Don’t make me come save you again.”

  “You got it, Uncle,” she said with a smile. And then with a deep breath, she and Tom sprinted for the enclosure gate.

  CHAPTER 80

  Henry crouched low to the ground, using some debris from one of the destroyed towers as a barrier. He’d helped clear the area of guards and was going in for one last sweep. Almost a hundred yards away, he saw a group of Kensington’s guards pulling away in a Suburban. They were too far away to reach.

  He quickly made his way to his ammunition stash, hidden to the left of the enclosure entrance. He pulled out the surface to air launcher and lined the truck up in his sights as it sped from the enclosure. Pulling the trigger, he watched the plume of smoke trail the missile as it zeroed in on the truck.

  The impact flipped the truck, sending it flying twenty feet into the air. It crashed down to earth in a ball of fire, just like the other surface-to-air missile had done to the Jeep at the Chandler headquarters.

  “That’s for my men,” he whispered.

  Dropping the empty canister, he reached for his gun. A man collapsed onto his back with a shriek. From the smell, he could tell the man was a captive, not a guard.

  “Bring him over here,” another man yelled. Henry looked up to see two more inmates a few feet to his left.

  Henry let the man pull him over to the other two. “Look, I’m not one of the guys who put you here. I’m one of the guys who set you free.”

  “Well, right now, I don’t really care.” The man’s face had been horribly scarred from burns that looked recent. “I’m owed payback and it looks like you’re going to give it to me.”

  Henry was about to reply when he was distracted by the sight of a car pulling up in front of the enclosure. The glow of the fires around the enclosure and the breaking dawn provided enough light for Henry to identify the man getting out of the car.

  It was Gideon.

  “Hey, man, I’m talking to you,” the inmate yelled, accentuating his point with a right hook to Henry’s ribs. Henry’s body shifted only a little with the punch, but the man now had his undivided attention.

  CHAPTER 81

  Jake flattened himself against the enclosure wall with an upturned sifter table in front of him for cover. He reloaded his M4. Leaning around the table, he caught sight of Yoni entering the enclosure and let loose a spray of cover fire.

  Yoni sprinted across the dig site to him. He dove over the table and landed in a heap next to him. />
  Yoni quickly righted himself as Jake ducked back behind the table.

  “So, how’s it going in here?” Yoni asked.

  Jake spared him a grin. “Oh, great. We’ve got a bunch of armed ex-cons who don’t seem to realize that we’re the good guys and Kensington’s security appears to be endless. How’s it going outside?”

  “Henry and Jordan did their part. They took out all the guard towers and most of the guards around the perimeter. And Patrick got to Laney and Tom.”

  “Are they clear?”

  “Well, they’re no longer in the cage,” Yoni replied cheerfully.

  Jake groaned. “Please, tell me they’re not joining the fight.”

  “What do you think?”

  A string of bullets slammed into the top of table, cutting off his reply. Jake flung himself at the ground. Beside him, Yoni did the same. The barrage of bullets halted as gunfire erupted from a different direction across the enclosure.

  Jake glanced out. Laney had pinned down the shooters. A slim black man rose up behind the two guards and took both of them out.

  Yoni peered over his shoulder. “Personally, I’m okay with them joining the fight.”

  CHAPTER 82

  After the transformer blew, the enclosure was plunged into darkness. Priddle’s trailer, which ran on its own battery, stayed lit. Kensington jumped at the sound of the explosion and went to look out the trailer window.

  “The enclosure’s dark.”

  “Hmm?” Priddle murmured, still staring at the stone. “I can’t swear it, but I think I just saw a puff of smoke drift through the center of the stone. I wonder what that could be?”

  “Arthur!”

  Priddle jerked his head up to look at Kensington with barely concealed annoyance. “What?”

  He gestured to the window. “The enclosure. It’s dark.”

  Priddle paused in his inspection of the stone and leaned over to pull back the curtain next to him. “Huh, that’s never happened before.”