The Soul of the Matter

by Bruce Buff

  “It’s never too late,” Trish said.

  “Even now, I say ‘found myself’ instead of ‘choose to do.’ A long series of small non-decisions were adding up to one big, wrong decision. They planned it that way. They enjoy corrupting people instead of picking those who are already depraved.”

  “You can choose a different path,” Trish said.

  “Not anymore. I’ve been thinking about this a long time. ”

  Throughout this exchange, Dan was mesmerized by what was taking place, reluctant to say anything lest he cause it to go awry.

  “I helped abduct Stephen Bishop. I was outside the building. I didn’t know what they had planned to do.”

  “And you hated what happened. You didn’t know how bad it was going to be,” Trish said.

  “Yes, but I knew it wasn’t going to be good. I can’t be forgiven for that.”

  Remembering what she heard earlier, Trish said, “The only thing that can’t be forgiven is unrepentance. And you are very contrite. Someday, when he is old enough, your son will be proud of you.”

  “I won’t be around for him.”

  “You can be. You don’t belong with these people. Let’s all go,” Trish said.

  “They’ll kill my son if I leave,” Peter said sadly.

  “I can get government protection for both of you,” Dan said.

  “They’ve infiltrated the government so deeply that it wouldn’t be long before we were found and my son killed before my eyes.”

  “There must be something you can do to save you and your son,” Trish said.

  There was a pause, and Peter seemed to be deliberating. Then, slowly, he stood. “There’s only one thing I can do. End it now,” Peter said as he approached Trish with his knife drawn, then cut her free.

  Peter looked down at Dan. “As Elena said, they plan to give you a final choice. If you reject their offer, they’ll do preliminary ‘work’ on you here, and then take you somewhere else to finish things off. They’ll do to you what they did to the guy in Seattle, and worse. It has to end now, do you understand!”

  Dan nodded. As Peter cut his bonds, Dan looked toward Brother Cletus and asked, “Is he really working with them?”

  Peter nodded, “They get to people everywhere. They knew you’re friends with the priest and turned this guy.” Peter gestured to Brother Cletus.

  Dan was still confused by the apparent conversion of the mercenary. Had it really happened, just like that? Or was he lying to them, a ruse to gain their confidence? “If you’re telling the truth, why did you stay with them till now?”

  “He’s telling the truth,” Trish said.

  Peter looked at Trish and nodded, and then turned back to Dan. “I decided to stay and look for a chance to take them down. When I heard about their plan for you, and what they were after, I thought maybe I could save you.” He looked down at the knife in his hands. “I need an act of redemption that can earn grace for my son,” he said.

  A low moan indicated that Brother Cletus was waking. Dan walked over to him, gestured for him to be quiet and then demanded, “Why did you do it?”

  To his surprise, the priest answered right away. “I didn’t want you to use Stephen Bishop’s work to undermine the Church,” Brother Cletus said in a weak, pained voice.

  “Why would Father Michael help me if I was going to do that?” Dan said.

  “I was shown evidence that you were misleading him and were behind Stephen Bishop’s death. You hate God and religion so much that you are committed to destroying it.”

  “O ye of little faith. There’s a reason he’s called the Prince of Lies,” Dan said harshly. He freed Brother Cletus and helped him sit up.

  “What good is your belief in God if science threatens it?” Dan asked.

  Brother Cletus bowed his head.

  Dan added, “I don’t want to make a martyr of you. Sit down and don’t dare move. I’ll crucify you if you pull anything further.”

  Ignoring Trish’s Oh, really look, Dan faced Peter and asked warily, “You do have a plan, don’t you?”

  Chapter 74

  Peter walked down the narrow hall to the front vestibule. Willy, simple, eager, and depraved, stood by the door, peering out through a crack between the curtain and the side of the window.

  Seeing Peter approach, Willy tightened up and said, “You’re supposed to be watching them.”

  “They’re not going anywhere. The religious guy is going into convulsions. He may die.”

  “That’s his problem. We don’t need him anymore.”

  Peter looked at a text displayed on his smartphone. “They’re almost here.”

  “It’ll be fun watching Sergei work. He said something about unfinished business with the guy. I get to talk with the lady at the same time,” Willy said with obvious relish.

  “You really know how to have a blast. You must be a hit with the ladies,” Peter said.

  “Got a problem with that?” Willy said, in rising anger. “Maybe we should have a conversation.”

  “We definitely should. But not now, unless you want to answer to Sergei. You know how those conversations turn out.”

  “You’d better get back to our guests before Sergei gets here.”

  Taking a sideways step, Peter said, “They’ll be gone by then.”

  Willy looked confused, then his face twisted when he saw Dan walking up the hallway, pointing Peter’s gun at him.

  As Willy started to raise his own gun, Peter Tasered him, grabbed his gun, then used plastic ties to bind his hands behind his writhing back.

  Peter pointed Willy’s gun at him and said, “Get up.”

  Willy stood shakily, then snarled, “Sergei’s going to cut you into little pieces, slowly, and I am going to love every second of it.”

  Jabbing the gun into Willy’s back, Peter said, “Walk if you want to keep breathing. And don’t try anything. I’m doing my best to find a reason to take care of you right now. You don’t want me to succeed.”

  Willy snorted, then began walking, with Peter behind and Dan in front, both with guns drawn.

  They entered the living room and Peter tightly tied and gagged the seething Willy on the floor. Then he pointed to the back door and said to Dan, Trish, and Brother Cletus, “Now get of here. I’ll take care of Sergei so you won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

  “Sergei won’t be alone.” Looking at Brother Cletus, Dan said, “Take her to safety until Evans’s agents get here. That can be the start of your penance.”

  “I’m not leaving without you,” Trish said.

  “You can’t stay,” Peter said to them.

  “I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me,” Dan said to Peter. “Sergei is my problem, too. And I have a longer history and bigger score to settle with him.”

  “I have no intention of dying. I still have my son to take care of. I need to make sure he makes better choices than I did. I want him to have the father I never had,” Peter said.

  Before anyone could say anything further, there was a sequence of knocks on the front door.

  It was too early to be Evans’s agents.

  Chapter 75

  Dan and Peter raced to the vestibule. Dan hid behind the long curtain next to the entrance.

  Peter opened the door.

  “We have a problem,” Peter said as Sergei and Elena entered cautiously.

  Trish moaned loudly from the living room.

  Peter continued, “Willy started playing with the woman. The guy got upset and tried to break free. Willy started slamming him, and I had to intervene. The guy’s hurt. Willy’s watching both, worried about what he’s done and what you’ll do to him.”

  Sergei and Elena looked at Peter and then each other, angry, confused, and wary.

  Sergei pulled his gun and started down the hallway saying, “Sarastro is
not going to be happy about this.”

  Elena gestured for Peter to go next, then pulled her gun, carrying Dan’s tablet in her other hand. Elena took a step to follow, but Dan stepped out and jammed his gun in her back.

  “Drop it. I don’t get my kicks getting physical with women, but for you I could make an exception,” he said.

  Hearing Dan’s voice, Sergei started to turn, but stopped when he felt the barrel of Peter’s gun against his head.

  Elena dropped her gun, which Dan picked up as Peter grabbed Sergei’s gun.

  “Keep walking,” Peter said.

  Sergei’s eyes met Willy’s as he entered the room, delivering an unmistakable message: it wasn’t going to go well for him no matter how things turned out.

  Pointing at the chairs, Peter said, “Sit.”

  Elena sat in the chair by the couch where Brother Cletus and Trish were. Sergei took the chair by the back door. There was nothing to tie them up with.

  Peter emptied the clips and chambers of Sergei’s and Elena’s guns.

  “Leave now and your son will be spared,” Sergei said to Peter in a businesslike voice, leaving unsaid that the same would not hold true for him.

  “That’s right. Threaten the innocent instead of being man enough to deal with the difficult things yourself,” Dan said with derision.

  “What you call innocence is nothing more than weakness unfit for survival. But it does have value for one thing: the enjoyment in despoiling it.” said Sergei.

  “Shouldn’t you be worried about what’s going to happen to you?” Dan said.

  “What, this from a guy who lacks the stomach to do his job and another who isn’t man enough to face the world? We know all about you, Lawson. You failed once, you’ll fail again. Go ahead. Turn us in. We’ll get right out, have fun with the ‘innocence’ of a boy, girl, and a woman doctor.” Sergei looked at Trish. “After we’ve given you time to watch what happens to them, then we’ll see how manly you are. Peter knows what he has to do to save his son, despite whatever you told him.”

  “You’re making a very good case for why we should finish you off right here, right now,” Dan said with deadly intent.

  “You should hear what Sarastro has to say before you make any more foolish decisions. He thought, given the right information, you might want to help him build a new society based on science, reason, and strength. One where things like this aren’t necessary, the type of place our analysis says you’ve always wanted.”

  The idea of finding out more about The Commission, Stephen’s involvement with it, and the possibility of treatment for Ava, appealed to Dan but not at the cost they’d have to pay.

  “We can set up a simple phone conversation,” Elena said.

  “If I talk with him, you’ll leave the others alone?” Dan asked.

  “Yes,” Sergei answered.

  Peter said, “Don’t do it. They’ll never let you live once you know Sarastro’s identity. Your family will always be at risk to guarantee your loyalty.”

  “All you’d hear is lies and deception,” Trish said. “They have nothing for you. They want what you have, including your soul.”

  “Who else is on the way here?” Dan asked.

  “Wait and see,” Sergei taunted.

  Turning to Peter, Dan said, “US agents will be here in twenty minutes. Can we hold them until then?”

  “Sarastro will be disappointed to find out that I was right about you,” Sergei sneered at Dan.

  Dan and Peter exchanged glances.

  Dan said, “Trish and Brother Cletus, go to the basilica and wait for Evans’s agents. We’ve got these low-lifes under control.”

  “We’ll all wait here for them. There’ll be no ‘unfortunate accidents’ while we’re gone,” Trish said, looking at Peter.

  Sergei snickered at the idea that Peter and Dan would execute them.

  Elena’s eyes did their best to burn holes into Dan.

  “Please go. If they behave, nothing will happen to them,” Peter said. “I promise.”

  Trish and Brother Cletus headed toward the vestibule. As they reached the hallway, a man holding a gun burst through the back door. He tripped over Willy’s prone body and lost his balance.

  Mayhem broke out.

  Dan knocked the gun out of the man’s hand. It flew out the door and into a storm drain.

  Trish yelled to Brother Cletus, “Get help. Quickly!”

  He ran to the vestibule and out the front door.

  The new man reached for Dan’s gun and they struggled for control of it.

  Elena stood up and walked toward Trish, followed by Peter’s eyes.

  Taking advantage of the distraction, Sergei kicked the gun out of Peter’s hand. It slid past Elena to Trish. She picked it up, pointed it at Elena, and said, “Sit.”

  Elena hesitated, then took another step toward Trish.

  “Sit now!” Trish said, raising the gun and pointing it at Elena’s chest.

  Elena sat, eyes riveted, catlike, on Trish, waiting for a moment to pounce. She was clearly wondering if Trish was the type of person who could actually pull the trigger. Many could not.

  On the floor, Willy squirmed, trying to free himself.

  Driving the barrel of his gun into the man’s chest, Dan said, “Stop or I’ll blow a hole through where your heart should be.”

  The man stopped struggling. Dan shoved him back a few steps. “Turn around,” Dan said, then clocked him on the back of the head with the butt of the gun, knocking him out.

  The fight raged between Sergei and Peter. Superhuman strength seemed to radiate from Peter, until at last he drove Sergei to the ground with one dreadful blow, the sickening crack of it echoing in the room.

  Trish winced at the sound. Elena kicked the empty chair next to her into Trish and then jumped up, grabbing at the gun.

  Seeing that, Peter turned and pulled Elena back.

  Staggering, Sergei found the strength to withdraw a knife from his jacket, plunge it deep into Peter’s back, and pull it out. Dan attacked Sergei before he could stab Peter again, slamming the side of his head with the butt of the gun and causing Sergei to drop the knife.

  Sergei grabbed Dan’s wrist and twisted it until his gun fell to the floor. Sergei, unsteady from the effects of Dan’s strike, faltered momentarily, giving Dan just enough reach to kick the gun out the door.

  Peter slumped to the floor, gasping for breath, blood flowing from his mouth.

  Now empty-handed, against a weakened Sergei, Dan delivered a crushing blow that sent him sprawling.

  Seeing that Sergei was about to be defeated, Elena no longer deterred, rushed Trish, and grabbed her gun.

  Elena pointed the gun at Dan and yelled, “Stop!”

  No one moved.

  “You don’t have everything you need from me. I’m indispensible to The Commission. None of the rest of you are,” Dan said.

  “You are, but she’s not,” Elena said, turning toward Trish, only to be on the receiving end of a blast from the fire extinguisher that used to be hanging by the door. Elena dropped the gun and fell to the floor.

  Sergei scrambled and picked up the gun.

  Dan grabbed Sergei’s knife from the floor and threw it at him, driving it deep into the center of Sergei’s chest.

  With the little strength Sergei had left, he pointed his gun at Dan.

  Before he could pull the trigger, Trish blasted the fire extinguisher at Sergei, leaving him gasping and blind. The gun tumbled from his hand.

  Dan recovered it as Elena, clutching his tablet, rushed past Trish and out of the house.

  Trish yelled, “She’s getting away!”

  Chapter 76

  Go after her. I’ve got these guys,” Trish said.

  “No. I’ll explain later,” Dan said.

  Sergei’s breathing w
as rapid and shallow, his eyes closed.

  Peter was slumped against the wall and Trish was kneeling beside him, tending to him with a tenderness that seemed almost sacred.

  She looked at Dan and shook her head slightly. Peter raised his eyes in Dan’s direction.

  Dan bent over and heard Peter whisper, “My son will be safe.”

  Dan thought, not again. Another young boy orphaned by Sergei. Another father Dan couldn’t save.

  To Trish, Peter faintly said, “Thank you,” then, slowly, his breathing ceased. Serenity settled over him.

  A gasp from Sergei caught their attention. Despite who he was and all that had happened, Trish went over to him and touched his wrist.

  Immediately, his eyes opened, dark with fury. He flung her hand off. Full of defiance, he spat skyward, then fell facedown into the ground, knife twisting further in his chest, as he died.

  Trish looked at Sergei with pity, then sat back down next to Peter.

  Dan secured the man who started the chaos when he came in through the back door, and who was still unconscious, with Sergei’s belt, then collected weapons.

  Sitting down next to Trish, Dan said, “I’m sorry you had to go through all this. As tremendous as you’ve been, I never should have allowed you to get involved.”

  “You’re still under the mistaken belief that you’re in control of things.”

  “That illusion used to be comforting. As you’ve said, it doesn’t take much for reality to shatter it.”

  She nodded, the stress of what had taken place showing on her drawn face. “Why did you let her get away with the tablet?”

  “Before I sent it over here, I set it up with facial recognition. If anyone other than me accessed it, key files would be deleted, leaving only decoys behind. It would look real enough, causing people to spend lots of time on things that wouldn’t get them anywhere, without letting them know they should be looking for something else, including us.” Dan added with a wistful smile, “Stephen had helped me select the right data sets for that.”