by Siegel, Alex
"That's insane."
"Yes." Aaron nodded. "They filled two ships with thousands of pounds of high explosives. They planned to blow up Navy Pier on the Fourth of July. It's hard to estimate how many people would've died."
Smythe's eyes widened. "I never heard anything about that."
"Right, because we did our job."
"Just you, Marina, and Ethel?"
"There was another legionnaire," Aaron said. "A man named Victor. He was killed."
"Oh," Smythe said. "Was he a good man?"
"I never really got to know him. He wasn't well liked though."
Ethel walked into the kitchen and went to the fridge. Aaron never got tired of watching how gracefully she moved. Even the smallest, most casual actions seemed thoroughly rehearsed.
She took out some bread, cheese, and salami. With a sharp knife she sliced the meat and assembled a sandwich so quickly that it looked like a camera trick. Her fingers were a blur. She came over and sat with Aaron and Smythe.
"We have to discuss sleeping accommodations," she told Smythe. "You'll stay here for now. We'll find an apartment for you later, when there is time." She looked at Aaron. "Since there are two guest rooms, I'll also give you the option of staying. I know how tired you must be."
Aaron wanted to go home and sleep in his own bed, but it would feel weird to be there without Marina. Also, his apartment was compromised because his mother knew the address. If he went back there, he would have to take extreme precautions, and he didn't have the energy for that tonight.
"I'll stay, ma'am," he said. "I'll sleep as soon as I'm done eating. What time is it?"
"Four in the morning," Ethel said. She took a big bite out of her sandwich and chewed very rapidly.
"Damn. No wonder my eyes keep closing."
Nobody spoke for a minute. The only sounds were lips smacking together and air blowing through ventilation ducts.
"This is strange," Smythe said. "I'm having a casual meal with both of you. A couple of days ago, I would've bet anything against this ever happening. The strangest part is it feels normal, like it was meant to be." He shook his head.
"Do you still want to quit?" Ethel asked.
"Is that an option?"
"No."
"Well, hypothetically, I still would like to return to my old life, but I have to admit this—" He looked around. "—isn't so bad. For the first time in years, I feel..."
"Relevant?" she said.
"Right. Was it the same for you when you joined, ma'am?"
She exhaled. "Wow, that was a long time ago. I almost can't remember what my life was like before this. I was a nurse in an emergency room. That may sound exciting, but after a while even knife wounds and heart attacks get dull. I thought I'd seen it all. Dealing with egomaniacal doctors all day, every day wasn't a treat either. No offense."
"None taken," Smythe said.
"One day a man came in with a bullet in his liver. The doctors were busy with other patients, and the man was dying, so I performed the surgery myself. I'd seen it done many times and it turned out fine. Still, I got into trouble with the hospital administrators. Insurance companies don't like nurses performing emergency surgery. That was the moment when I realized what was wrong with my life. I had lost my passion. I was just doing a job. That surgery was the first time in years I had stepped out of line to save a life, and the life I saved was the former decurion of this cell. I occupy his office now."
"He recruited you because he was grateful?"
"No," Ethel said, "because he knew talent when he saw it. My transition into the Spears was a little easier than yours. I wasn't clinging to rigid notions of justice and honor, like you are. But it was still 'strange' for a while."
He leaned forward. "What happened to your predecessor?"
"Crushed by a wrecking ball. It only took one careless moment to end the life of a great man. Remember that lesson. Now let's finish eating. We all need to sleep."
* * *
Aaron was renewed after several hours of rest, but his sense of time was still confused. The clock on the wall showed noon but it felt like early morning.
Edward was presenting the results of his investigation in the conference room. The rest of the team listened attentively.
"I started with the cell phone," Edward said. "It contained a half-ounce of explosive, which was set to go off if I pushed the wrong buttons. But thanks to Ethel, I was careful and defused the detonator. I obtained the records for the phone number. Several recent calls were made in and around Rockford, which is also where the Eternals have their fancy answering machine. Rockford is a transportation hub, so it's a good base of operations. Highways and train tracks go through there, and there is a decent sized airport. It seems like we should focus on that geographic area."
Ethel nodded. "Agreed."
"After I was done with the cell phone, I worked on the radio headset. The manufacturer is an outfit named White Flame Technology."
"I've heard of them," Smythe said. "Top grade stuff."
"They only sell to military forces," Edward said. "I had trouble breaking into their computer system, so I worked the human angle instead. I called their shipping department on the phone. I convinced the clerk a headset sent to Rockford had been lost. We went back and forth until she finally gave me an exact address. I found out where the Eternals take their deliveries. It's a large, public warehouse, open 24 hours a day."
"Smart," Ethel said. "The Eternals can pick up their packages when it's safe and convenient, even in the middle of the night. Our next destination is that warehouse."
"Our?" Aaron said. "You're coming, ma'am?"
"Marina is still recovering from a concussion, so I'll take her place. Besides, I'm itching to get out of the office." She grinned. "I need some action."
Chapter Sixteen
The Riverwalk Warehouse in Rockford was a sprawling facility adjacent to Rock River. Three giant buildings were spread across more than fifty acres of land. The tall concrete walls were painted with red, white, and blue stripes. A stream of trucks rumbled back and forth between the warehouse and Interstate 20, which was just a half-mile away.
Aaron, Ethel, and Smythe stepped out of their car.
"My God," Aaron said. "It's huge."
"It's like an airport," Smythe said. "I can see why the Eternals use this place. You could hide an elephant here. Ten elephants."
"We obviously can't search the entire warehouse," Ethel said, "and even if we tried, we wouldn't know what to look for. We need a better plan."
Aaron watched the trucks pass by. There were more than a hundred docks and most of them were occupied.
"I have a plan, sort of," he said. "We know the Eternals are buying military equipment, chemicals for poisons, and other nasty stuff. Receiving those deliveries here is risky. Eventually, a worker will read a manifest and ask the obvious questions. So, the Eternals must've made special arrangements to avoid those questions, and those arrangements will involve large cash payments. If we can figure out who is receiving the money, we can squeeze him for information."
"I like that idea," Ethel said. "Simple and direct. Stay here."
She walked over to the nearest loading dock and exchanged a few words with one of the workers. She wore a casual, blue business suit that was remarkable for being so unremarkable. A pleasant smile adorned her face and her posture was relaxed. Aaron reminded himself that it was just an act. She felt real happiness only when she was exterminating her enemies.
Ethel returned. "Follow me."
Smythe gave Aaron a curious look, and Aaron just shrugged.
They walked around the huge warehouse to a separate parking lot. Signs stated "EMPLOYEE PARKING ONLY," but the restriction seemed pointless to Aaron because parking spaces were more than plentiful.
"Start looking," Ethel said.
"For what?" Aaron said.
"The car of the guy who receives the large cash payments. I think it will be obvious."
They split up t
o cover more ground. Aaron started walking up and down the rows of cars, which were cheap pieces of crap in general. Apparently, the Riverwalk Warehouse didn't pay its workers well.
"Found it," Smythe announced after only a few minutes.
Aaron hurried over to look. A cherry red Corvette Z06 was parked in a special space with a sign that read, "Mr. Gary K. Higgins Only." The car didn't have a single ding or scratch.
"Nice ride," Aaron said. "Too nice." He turned to Ethel. "What's the next step, ma'am?"
"I expect Mr. Higgins is very afraid of the Eternals," she said, "so that's who we'll pretend to be."
"The Eternals only come out at night. Sunset is in an hour."
"We'll use the time to prepare. We need black clothes."
* * *
The business office of the Riverwalk Warehouse occupied an extension attached to one of the giant storage buildings. Aaron walked in the front door and looked around. Six clerks worked at desks in a spacious common area. Eight private offices surrounded the desks.
Aaron held the door as Ethel and Smythe followed him in. All three of them wore black shirts, pants, shoes, and gloves. Aaron felt a little ridiculous, but he stood tall with his shoulders back like a proud soldier.
The receptionist was a husky, blonde woman, who was chewing a wad of gum like a cow chewing cud. "Can I help you?" she asked.
"We're here to see Mr. Higgins," Aaron said.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but it's important. Tell him special customers wearing black are here."
She gave him an odd look. She picked up her phone and made a call.
A moment later, a man burst out of one of the private offices. "Come right in, please! You don't have to stand there and wait."
"I guess Mr. Higgins will see you now," the receptionist said in a sour tone.
Aaron, Ethel, and Smythe joined Higgins in his private office. He was a portly man, and the shape of his body made Aaron think of a giant potato. A brown hairpiece almost concealed the fact that Higgins was bald. He wore a Rolex watch and three diamond rings. He squinted constantly as if he needed glasses.
Oil paintings and sculptures decorated his office. Aaron wasn't any kind of art critic, but even he could recognize an utter lack of good taste. There was a piece of driftwood covered in gold leaf. One painting showed a woman wearing a white wedding gown, crucified on a church wall. The theme of the collection seemed to be "bizarre and expensive."
"Would you like anything to drink?" Higgins said. A bead of sweat ran down his temple. "I wasn't expecting a visit."
"There is a problem," Aaron said in a menacing tone.
"Oh? Just tell me what it is. I'll take care of it right away."
"Some of our packages are missing. Important packages. We believe they were stolen while they were stored here."
"No, impossible!" Higgins swallowed. "We always take extra precautions with your shipments. You know that. Only four or five guys are even allowed to touch your stuff."
"We want names," Aaron said. "We will interrogate those people."
"I can vouch for them."
"Not good enough."
"Please." Higgins put his hands together. "Don't hurt anybody. This must be a simple mistake."
Aaron raised his eyebrows. "Do you know what I think? You're getting lazy and sloppy. You've been living the good life for too long. You don't respect us anymore."
"No! You're my most important customers. I make sure all your business is handled properly. I personally double-check every detail. You're paying for the best possible security, and you're getting it."
"Really? Maybe you should walk us through your security procedures, and let us judge if they are the 'best possible.'"
"Sure. No problem. We can start right here." He pointed at a paper shredder in the corner. "All your manifests and invoices are immediately destroyed. Nothing gets filed. There isn't a single piece of paper in this office that could be used as evidence."
"What about electronic records?" Aaron asked.
"I delete them," Higgins said, "right away, before the nightly backups are made."
"Good. Now let's go over the physical security, but don't just tell us. Show us."
Higgins stood and put on a coat. "Follow me."
They left the office and walked out into the cold, evening air. There was no cloud cover but a slight mist concealed the stars. Even at this hour trucks were coming and going.
Higgins hurried over to another building. They went through a door and entered a vast, interior space. Aaron didn't think he had ever been in a room this large. It stretched hundreds of yards in all directions. Thousands of fluorescent fixtures cast bluish light on shelves that seemed to have no end. The top shelves were only accessible by ladder.
Golf carts were parked against the wall. Higgins sat in the driver's seat of one and the Spears took the other seats. With a lurch they were off. The electric motor in the cart made only a slight hum.
"Did you notice the security cameras?" Higgins pointed at cameras mounted on the high ceiling. "Guards watch everything twenty-four by seven, and the lights are never off. We also have motion sensors on every door and dock. Only employees are allowed in here, with the exception of yourselves, of course. If a thief walked in, the guards would see it right away. We keep millions of dollars worth of goods here, and every item has to be protected."
Aaron nodded.
"All the storage spaces are divided into quadrants," Higgins said. "Workers must stay in their assigned quadrant. That rule helps us keep track of who is responsible for what. It also means that nobody sees what they shouldn't see. High value packages are stored in a cage."
Cages made from chain link fences occupied the center of the warehouse, and each was about twenty yards square. The fences were embedded in the concrete floor and went all the way up to the sheet metal ceiling. Each cage had a door made of steel, which was closed with a heavy padlock.
"Who has the keys?" Aaron said.
"The floor manager keeps them in a safe," Higgins said. "Any time a worker goes into a cage, a supervisor must be present."
The security measures impressed Aaron. He hadn't expected so much diligence in a public warehouse.
"And at the end of every shift," Higgins said, "we search all the workers for stolen goods. Nobody leaves the floor without a complete pat down. We have a zero tolerance policy. Any kind of screw up is cause for immediate firing."
The golf cart came to a stop in front of one particular cage. Plastic curtains created an opaque screen completely around it.
"This is your cage," Higgins said. "You see we took extra precautions."
"That's all?" Aaron said. "Just a curtain?"
Higgins swallowed. "We have special procedures, too. We only let specific, highly trusted workers inside. Nobody is stealing from you. It's impossible."
"I'd feel better if the fence were electrified."
"You really want that? Sure. I'll make it happen."
"Let's take a look inside."
"I don't have the key." Higgins grimaced.
Ethel took a set of lock picks from her pocket and went over to the cage. She opened the padlock in a few seconds, her fingers moving so quickly they were just a blur.
"We don't need keys," Aaron said. "After you."
Higgins gave Ethel a fearful look. He opened the steel door and went into the cage. Everybody else followed.
As soon as they were safely behind the plastic curtains, Ethel kicked Higgins in the back of the head. The impact sounded like a hammer striking a melon. He crumpled to the concrete floor and lay still.
"When he wakes up," Aaron said, "he'll know he was duped."
"He certainly won't tell the Eternals," she said. "They'd kill him for being an idiot. Start looking around."
There were hundreds of boxes ranging in size from a few inches to large enough to hold a piano. He read the shipping labels, and it seemed like every box had a different name listed as the recipient.
"Hurry," Ethel said. "Open the boxes."
Aaron took a knife from a sheath on his ankle and began slicing into cardboard.
"I found body armor," Smythe announced. "High grade."
"Bottles of benzene and styrene," Aaron said.
"Two hundred syringes," Ethel said.
"Diamond tipped drill bits," Smythe said.
"Black felt," Aaron said.
The inventory continued for several minutes. As expected, the Eternals had purchased a lot of military gear and chemical supplies, but many other odd items were mixed in. The combination had Aaron scratching his head. What are they planning to do with this stuff?
"This is interesting," Smythe said. "Business cards."
"We already got one," Aaron said. "It's black."
"These are green and pink. Wiley's Wild and Wacky Carnival of Fun."
"Huh?"
Aaron and Ethel rushed over. The business cards showed a silly clown face with rainbow colored hair.
Ethel took out her phone and made a call. "Edward," she said, "tell me about Wiley's Wild and Wacky Carnival of Fun." She turned on the speaker so Smythe and Aaron could hear the reply.
After a moment Edward said, "A traveling carnival. Rides, games, and small circus acts. Judging from the website, it looks like a good sized operation. It recently made stops in Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois."
Smythe's eyes opened wide. "Can you correlate those locations with PRooFS outbreaks?"
"Yes, sir," Edward said. "Give me a minute."
Smythe shifted from foot to foot like an impatient child. Aaron had never seen him so animated.
"You're a genius," Edward said. "The locations match perfectly! The carnival was in town a month before the start of every outbreak. It can't be a coincidence."
Smythe grinned. He put up his hand and Aaron gave him a high five.
"Good work," Ethel said. "Continue studying this carnival. I want a very detailed report."
"Yes, ma'am," Edward said.
She closed her phone.
"I can't believe it!" Smythe said. "We actually found a possible source of PRooFS! This is amazing."
