The guard shook his head. “Negative. The RAID tower and infrared fences are clear. Are you worried about an invasion?”
“Not exactly…” Lukas said. “Just let me know if you see anything strange.”
The guard nodded and continued his patrol. Lukas walked the other direction and entered a concrete hut that was covered with emerald-colored antennae. A handsome man with blond hair and soft features pivoted in his chair to greet him.
“Sup, Dedrick,” he said.
Lukas’s earpiece modified the man’s American accent to crisp, Oxford English. He tapped his ear to turn off the translator, then pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “Sven, where did you get that? You know chairs aren’t allowed in our facility.”
Sven grinned and spun around twice. “I know a drone pilot who works in resupply. He special-delivered it for me a few days ago.”
“I want it gone by the end of the day,” Lukas said.
Sven seemed to melt in his chair. After a long moment, he nodded.
“Thank you. Now, I need your help setting up a secure connection with Empress.”
“Sure thing,” Sven said, jumping up from his chair. His fingers twitched in front of a small camera, and a large monitor on a chest-high desk cycled through different menus. “How secure would you like? One twenty-eight-bit encryption draws less attention from intelligence agencies, if you don’t mind using code words.”
“No code words,” Lukas replied. “I want you to connect through a Server.”
Sven froze. “You want to talk to Empress through a Server?”
“Please.”
Tilting his head, Sven continued manipulating the menus. “You know it’ll take her at least twenty minutes to answer the call, unless she just happens to be in the server room.”
“I’m aware.”
Sven nodded. Watching Lukas in his peripheral vision, he said, “Must be pretty big news. Feel like sharing?”
“Not at this time, no,” said Lukas. “If I receive further instructions, I will pass them along immediately.”
“Sure,” Sven said, shrugging. “No problem.” He gave a final flourish with his fingers and stepped back. “It’s all set. Now you just have to wait for her to answer. I’m assuming I need to step outside…”
“Yes, please.”
Stepping around his boss in the confined space, Sven opened the door and said, “You can use my chair, if you’d like.”
Lukas gave his IT specialist a disappointed look.
“Just thought I’d offer.” Lukas grinned and let the door swing shut.
Alone in the small room, Lukas wiped his hands on his shirt and took a deep breath. He had been with Katharos nearly as long as Empress herself, and was one of the few people who knew her real name. But he still got nervous any time he had to speak to her. Her personality was two-sided. One side was compassionate and gentle, and the other was harsh and impatient. Usually, Lukas stayed on her good side, and he hoped today’s conversation wouldn’t change that.
“Yes?” a voice in front of him said.
Lukas blinked. He wasn’t expecting to connect so quickly. Roberts must have been in the server room when the call connected. “Hello, Empress,” he said, “how are you?”
“Knock it off, Lukas,” the voice responded. “This is a secure connection. You can relax. What can I help you with?”
He let out a sigh of relief. He was on her good side, for the moment. “I’m sorry, Emily. I suppose I’m a bit tense.”
The computer screen blinked and displayed a video feed of Emily Roberts’s face. “I know you wouldn’t call without a good reason,” she said, smiling. “What’s wrong?”
Lukas took a deep breath. “I’ve been monitoring signal intelligence from the militant groups we employ in this area. Apparently, there have been attacks on two detachments in the past twenty-four hours. The attacks do not coincide with planned strikes by military or law enforcement, so I delved further into it.”
Emily nodded.
“Apparently, there are a few survivors, most of them children. Among the dead are Hasan Sarr and General Nwosu. The general was taken from his headquarters without any of his guards noticing, and they found his body in the woods the following evening, naked and desecrated by ants.”
The caring expression on Emily’s face waned slightly, so Lukas hurried on. “I initially excused it as an inside job, perpetrated by someone trying to usurp the General’s authority. But there are images surfacing online regarding one of the attacks. Our system identified one of the bodies as Hasan Sarr, with twelve percent certainty.”
“Why so low?” Emily asked, squinting.
Lukas hesitated. “The…body was severely disfigured. I can send you a photo.” He tapped his watch and swiped upward on his forearm, sending the grotesque image to Emily’s computer. She studied the display for nearly a minute.
Finally, she faced the camera and said, “What are your thoughts?”
“I, um, had a hunch, but I wanted to find more evidence before bringing it to you. As I said, most of the survivors were children, and they have been taken into custody by local authorities. They were child-soldiers in Sarr’s personal platoon. This detail stuck out in my mind, so I investigated further. After a brief search, I found several reports of violence against child-abusers stretching from the Atlantic coast to central Africa. They are calling the vigilante ‘The Nightmare.’ After reading first-hand accounts, I feel strongly that they are referring to Jarrod Hawkins.”
Emily’s eyes widened. “It has to be someone else. I killed him myself.”
Lukas shook his head. “There are hundreds of Nightmare sightings that are clearly false, but the most credible reports bear startling similarity to your description of Project Nerium. I also plotted their locations and created a possible route for Jarrod’s movements. It appears that he may have encountered a vehicle bomb we were going to use in an embassy attack. We had feared the vehicle was compromised, so we detonated it. We assumed the blast had killed the driver and anyone nearby, but we sent Hasan’s group to assess the damage and check for survivors just to make sure.”
“And you think Jarrod linked up with Hasan and followed the trail to General Nwosu’s camp?”
Lukas nodded. “I also have an audio recording of a meeting between the general and the lone adult survivor from the first attack. The survivor perfectly described someone with Jarrod’s capabilities.”
Emily took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After several seconds, she said, “This is a minor setback. Jarrod is just a dog chasing scents through the woods, acting on impulse and instinct.”
“There is something else…” Lukas said, wincing. “I’ve found very recent reports of ‘Nightmare’ attacks at a brothel and a sweatshop, both of which are uncomfortably close to this compound.”
“It has to be a coincidence. No one outside our organization knows where your compound is,” Emily said.
“That isn’t…entirely…true,” Lukas said. “General Nwosu was instrumental in its construction. He vowed on his life never to reveal its location to anyone, but—”
Emily’s eyes widened, and her fingers played at the air in front of her. “I’m sending a drone to pick you up. Tell your men to shoot any intruders on sight. If we get very lucky, we might be able put Jarrod down once and for all, but you’re too valuable to risk. Give your second-in-command the failsafe and the neurotoxin, then get out.”
Lukas nodded. “Where will I go?”
“I’ve already arranged travel plans. You’ll stay with Borya and I, for now.”
A jolt of excitement coursed through Lukas. It had been years since he had seen Emperor. Emboldened by the good news, Lukas said, “What about sending Lateralis to our compound to aid in the defense?”
Emily shook her head. “It’s already on its way to the United States.”
“That’s right,” Lukas said, slapping himself on the forehead. “The attack is only six days away, isn’t it?”
&
nbsp; Emily grinned for a moment, then grew serious. “You need to get out while you can. The drone should be there within the hour.”
“I’ll be ready,” Lukas replied. “I look forward to seeing you and Borya. And thank you.”
“Of course,” Emily said. With that, the connection ended and her face vanished from the screen.
Lukas threw the door open and took in the fresh air. Sven was sitting again, this time on the ground. His head was down, and he was lazily tossing pebbles at a spider. The breach in protocol didn’t bother Lukas. After all, Sven would probably be dead by nightfall.
“The communications room is all yours,” said Lukas. He watched the American struggle to his feet, then added, “And Sven, you can keep the chair. Just don’t tell anyone about it.”
Sven beamed and blew his boss a kiss.
Lukas could barely keep himself from running across the red concrete. He strode into the main building and opened a small safe, then retrieved a capped glass vial. After pocketing it, he went room-to-room searching for his trusted deputy.
“Ah, Franco,” he said, finding his second-in-command in the break room. “I need to talk to you.”
“Absolutely,” Franco said in a thick south-Dublin accent. “’Would ya like to discuss it over a mug ‘o scald?”
Lukas pretended to scratch his ear while he turned the digital interpreter back on. “I’d love to, Franco, but I’m afraid I don’t have time.”
“Very well, Dedrick,” was the response that came through the earpiece, though Lukas knew it had filtered out a few expletives.
“I’ve been summoned by Empress,” Lukas said plainly. “A drone is on its way to pick me up, and I need you to assume command in my absence.”
Franco sipped his tea and shrugged. It wasn’t an unusual request. Setting the cup aside, he said, “Certainly. How long will you be away?”
“Perhaps a week,” said Lukas. “But I need to warn you of a potential threat before I go.”
Franco crossed his arms and fixed his keen, verdant eyes on Lukas. “What sort of threat?”
Lukas hesitated. “I’m not sure. But Empress believes it poses a significant risk to this compound.”
“Not like Empress to be vague,” Franco said, lifting his tea for another sip.
“That’s true. Which is why I want you to be extra careful. Double staff the guards for the next few days.”
“Double staff? You must be…” there was a long pause as the digital interpreter ignored a string of curses. “Insane.”
Lukas sighed. “There’s one more thing.” He removed the glass vial from his pocket and handed it to Franco. “In the unlikely event that the compound is overrun, open this container and toss its contents into the air.”
“What’s inside, fairy dust?”
The distant thrum of an approaching drone caught Lukas’s attention. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t have time to explain. Use it if you need to, and don’t hesitate to activate the fail-safe.” Looking suddenly sorrowful, Lukas added, “Please, be careful.”
Franco rolled his eyes, then made an obscene gesture when Lukas turned his back.
Lukas grabbed a harness from a peg before rushing outside. He felt a sting of guilt at his departure. This was the first time he had lied to his second-in-command. They normally got along as well as any coworkers could. His deputy managed the everyday affairs of the compound with mechanical efficiency and never flinched when Empress tasked their compound with brutal directives. Franco was a soldier, through and through.
The drone’s eight rotors whined as it descended, then hovered ten feet off the ground. Lukas donned the ergonomic harness and hooked in to a pair of cables hanging from the drone’s underside.
With a whoosh of air, Lukas was lifted off the ground. As he rose skyward, he waved at the guards, wondering if he would ever see them again.
21
The drive into town was like escaping Shawshank. Susana cruised well-past the speed limit in her Mitsubishi Lancer. Her niece and nephew had their faces plastered to the windows, as if they had returned to civilization after years on a desert island. Philip was in the passenger seat, and Maria was strapped in behind him.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Susana said, “I’m glad for the company. But what’s so exciting about a trip to the grocery store?”
“I just wanted to get out of that stuffy tent,” Philip said, tugging at his seatbelt. In truth, he had ulterior motives for accompanying his Aunt. On the drive out to their remote campsite, he had noticed an electronics store next to the supermarket.
“Yeah, me too,” Maria added.
Susana smiled and tilted her mirror so she could look at Maria. Her niece had hardly left her side in a week. But it didn’t bother her. She had no children of her own and relished every moment spent with her niece. Soon enough, Maria would be too cool to hang out with her Tía.
She frowned, and wondered why Philip really wanted to come with. She doubted it was to spend quality time with her. He probably hoped to spot some teenage girls at the store, or perhaps sneak some junk food into the shopping cart.
A traffic signal came into view, and Susana hit the brakes. The ceramic brakes could have brought the vehicle to a smooth stop, but she tapped them at the last moment. Her passengers jolted forward in their seats, and Maria giggled.
“Oops, sorry,” Susana said.
Philip just rolled his eyes. Maria bounced in her seat and asked, “Are we gonna go fast?”
“I don’t know,” Susana said, depressing the clutch and revving the engine, “Seems like there’s something wrong with my car…”
Maria gripped the armrest tightly, a smile plastered on her face.
The light turned green, and the traffic around them rolled across the intersection. The Mitsubishi lagged for several seconds, its turbocharged engine whistling as Susana pumped the gas. Finally, she dropped the clutch and the vehicle shot forward. She accelerated to nearly sixty miles-per-hour before she caught up with traffic and had to slam on the brakes.
“That was awesome!” Maria shouted, gripping Philip’s headrest.
Susana glanced at the lanky teenager, and caught a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Yep, she was still cool.
They reached their destination a moment later, and Susana double-parked at the far end of the near-vacant lot.
“You couldn’t pick a closer spot?” Philip complained.
“And risk someone denting this beauty?” Susana scoffed. “I don’t think so.”
As the trio made their way across the lot, Philip put his plan into action. He stared at a nearby sporting goods store and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“What is it?” Susana asked.
“I’m trying to remember…” Philip said. His face lit up and he snapped his fingers. “That’s it, Mom wanted me to grab some more lighter fluid and charcoal.”
“That’s alright,” Susana replied, “they should have those in the supermarket.”
Philip tried to think fast. “Yeah, but, she also said I could pick up another camping chair. I’m tired of sitting on that picnic table all the time.”
“Okay…” Susana said slowly. “Why don’t we go there first, then get the groceries.”
“Come on, Aunt Susana,” Philip moaned, “I’m not a baby. I can grab that stuff while you and Maria shop for food. It’ll save us time.”
Susana pondered for several long moments. San and Anita hadn’t explained the reason for their impromptu camping trip, but she knew her sister well enough to know when something was wrong. Still, it was broad daylight, and the shopping center wasn’t busy. Nodding, she said, “Alright, but make it quick. Grab what you need and meet us inside.”
“You’re the best, Tía!” Philip said as he jogged away. When he reached the door, he glanced over his shoulder. His sister and aunt entered the grocery store, and he moved farther down the sidewalk to the next shop—the electronics store.
As he entered, an employee in a button-up shirt and presse
d slacks approached him. “How can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m looking for a tablet,” he said quickly.
The woman nodded and gestured toward a large display of laptops and handheld tablets. Philip thanked her and strode over to them. He picked up a tablet, stretching its security cable to its limit. He tapped a few times, and was relieved to see that it was connected to the store’s wireless internet. Opening a browser, he navigated to a search engine and typed the word “Katharos.”
He read the definition, then typed in the words, “Katharos criminal organization.”
The woman’s mouth stretched wide and her eyes bulged. She gasped and grabbed the rails of her bed, the skin on her grayish hands pulling tight. A blue light at the end of her bed blinked in pulses of three. At the far end of the room, Emily Roberts rose from her chair.
“It seems you’ve found something, Three,” she said.
The gray-skinned woman didn’t respond. Her wide eyes stared off into space, and her grip on the railings slowly relaxed.
Roberts stared at the computer screen and flicked her gloved fingers in the air, scrolling through a list of messages.
Outside search for keyword: Katharos identified.
Webcam and security systems accessed.
Facial analysis complete. Subject identified as Philip Torres, 99.887% accuracy.
Authorize assets to intercept/terminate?
Emily took a deep breath. In a low voice, she said, “Terminate.”
Assets mobilized for termination. Maria Torres located in structure one hundred meters northwest of Philip Torres. Authorize assets to intercept/terminate?
Emily frowned. “Are Anita and Santiago with her?”
Negative. Maria Torres is accompanied by Susana Espinosa. Authorize assets to intercept/terminate?”
“No,” Emily said. “Leave them be. We might be able to follow them to the others.”
The search for “Katharos organization” yielded more than forty-eight thousand results. Philip scanned a few, shook his head, then entered the address for his favorite conspiracy forum. After logging in, he repeated his search, trying over a dozen phrases. There was nothing but vague biblical references and a few links to online lexicons. He sighed, then looked over his shoulder. Holding the tablet close, he navigated to the cryptozoologist thread detailing attacks by “The Nightmare.” To his surprise, there were over one hundred new posts. He browsed the first page of entries, and was interrupted by an employee offering assistance.
The Path Of The Nightmare Page 14
