by Alex Siegel
"Stay with me," Wesley said softly. "I know it hurts. That's the darkness being ripped away."
She was shaking violently. Hanley grabbed her shoulders to keep her steady.
A crowd started to gather around them. The assistants, Jia, Min Ho, Imelda, and Corrie were the first to arrive, and they had very anxious expressions. Charles, Atalanta, and Guthrum stood back.
Katie screamed in agony. "The pain is too much!" she gasped. "You're killing me!"
"No. You're doing great. You're a very brave woman." Wesley grabbed her head to force her to look at him. "Marina must be proud of you."
Her face was turning bright red.
Ipo entered headquarters. He immediately ran over and helped Hanley keep Katie in position.
"Please," she said weakly, "stop. I can't take it."
"Just a little more," Wesley replied in a tense voice. His eyes stared into hers with unblinking intensity.
She stopped breathing entirely. Hanley became concerned, but Wesley maintained his focus.
Finally, the boy broke away from her.
Katie let out a cry and fainted.
Hanley checked her vitals. She was breathing again, and her heart was beating normally, but she was unresponsive.
"Let's move her to the couch," he said.
Ipo nodded.
The two legionnaires carried Katie over to the overstuffed couch in the living room area. They laid her down gently. Her color looked good, and Hanley had confidence she would recover.
Charles looked at Hanley with an inquisitive expression. The former legate was wearing his usual gray suit. His grooming and appearance were always impeccable, and Hanley wondered how he managed it.
Ipo summarized the events of the day for the whole crowd. When he was done, he turned to Wesley and said, "What the hell are we supposed to do now? This mission is a catastrophe!"
"Not true." Wesley shook his head. "Marina and the girl are still alive and well."
"How can you possibly know that?"
"Because I feel the winds of fate, and they haven't changed direction."
"What does that mean?" Ipo said angrily.
"If the girl or Marina died, I'd sense the difference in the world immediately. The repercussions would be enormous, particularly in the case of your commander."
Hanley stared at the young prophet. Under any other circumstances, Hanley would think Wesley was full of shit, but his protection team was as somber as a funeral. They were obviously used to these kinds of ridiculous pronouncements.
"I have no choice but to believe you," Ipo said, "but that doesn't answer the question. What are we supposed to do?"
"Find them, of course," Wesley said. "What else can you do?"
"You make it sound easy."
"It won't be, and by the way, the enemy is looking just as hard as you."
Katie opened her eyes and sat up. She seemed dazed.
"Are you OK?" Hanley said.
She swallowed. "I feel like my brain went through a meat grinder. Talk about a bad trip."
"What happened on the yacht?"
She took a long moment before answering. Finally, she said, "We heard the voice of the enemy. He told lies to Marina and me. They were intended for another woman, but we caught the backsplash. It was awful. It felt like poison being injected straight into my mind. I couldn't get rid of it, and the harder I tried, the more it hurt." She shook her head. "Marina got hit even worse than me and drove off in a speedboat. I think she went looking for the 'king.' He must be the enemy commander."
"Did you see him?" Hanley said.
"No. I was hanging off a rope halfway in the water. I only heard the voice. It was deep and powerful."
"Did he talk about the girl from Mill Valley?"
"No," Katie said.
He sighed with anger.
"Ipo," Charles said, "you have a duty to perform."
Ipo raised his eyebrows. "I do, sir?"
"If the commander is missing, the most senior legionnaire must notify the legate."
"Oh." Ipo grimaced. "Right."
He took out his phone and put it in speaker mode. The crowd became quiet. He searched through his contact list until he found the right number, and he dialed it.
After a couple of rings, the legate answered, "Hello? Who is this?"
Hanley had met her in Chicago twice, and both meetings had left a lasting impression. She was a middle-aged, black woman with white hair. Everybody had treated her as if she were made of unstable nitroglycerin. Apparently, she had a habit of cutting off people's heads.
"It's Ipo in San Francisco, ma'am."
"Oh," the legate said. "If you're calling, it must be very bad."
"Yes, ma'am. Marina is missing."
She sighed. "Tell me everything."
"It all started when the Voice of Truth told us to save a girl," Ipo said.
"Wait! Wesley is there?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Shit," the legate said. "It's even worse than I thought. Tell me the rest when I arrive."
"You're coming here, ma'am?" he said in a nervous voice.
Hanley had never seen him so anxious.
"I'm in Mexico City, but after I snip off some loose ends, I'll board my jet and shoot up there. Hopefully, I'll see you tomorrow. In the meantime, Wesley's protection team should be some help. Charles is a great resource obviously. He has more experience than any of us."
"Yes, ma'am," Ipo said.
"Bye."
He put away his phone. He looked like he had seen a ghost, and Hanley wanted to give him a comforting pat on the shoulder.
"We should let Aaron know," Katie said.
Hanley nodded. "I'll do it. We're friends, sort of."
"Not in front of everybody," Wesley said. "Just you and me."
Hanley looked at the boy. "Huh?"
"Come on."
Wesley led Hanley to the machine shop section of headquarters where Imelda usually worked. It contained lathes, drills, saws, presses, and other tools of all types. Some of the equipment had dangerously fast moving parts, but Imelda never had a problem with it.
The rest of the crowd dispersed except for Ipo and Katie. They stayed by the couch.
Aaron was the commander of Chicago and Marina's boyfriend. Hanley still had his number even though technically, there was no good reason for it. A legionnaire in one cell wasn't supposed to call a commander in another, especially a relatively junior legionnaire like Hanley. He found the right entry in his coded contact list and dialed it. He crouched down so Wesley could hear.
"Hello?" Aaron said after a few rings. "Hanley? Why are you calling me?"
"It's bad news, sir," Hanley said. "We thought you should know. Marina is missing, and we have no idea where she is. She was rendered insane by the enemy. She could be wandering the streets, in jail, or captured."
Aaron paused. "What can I do to help?"
"I don't know that you can, sir. You're in Chicago."
"I'll get the twins on it. They'll be able to locate Marina faster than anybody else."
Wesley leaned in. "No! The firewall project is too important. Bethany and Leanna must not be distracted."
"Wesley?" Aaron said. "You're in San Francisco? Damn it! Everywhere you go, you cause me grief. Just hearing your voice makes me want to run for the hills."
"It's not intentional."
"I'm not so sure. I have another hacker, a guy named Perry. I'll get him involved."
"You can't help Marina," Wesley said. "She needs to fight this battle alone. If you meddle, you'll just upset the balance and put her in greater danger. Try not to think about it. I'll see you in a few months."
"What? You're coming back here!"
"Bye." Wesley pressed the button on Hanley's phone to end the call.
Hanley furrowed his brow. "What's it like to cause so much trouble all the time? Does it make you feel guilty?"
"No." Wesley shrugged. "I'm just following the plan."
Hanley shook his head in disbe
lief.
"Sirs!" Min Ho yelled from his computer workstation. "I got something!"
Hanley, Wesley, Ipo, and Katie ran over. Min Ho was reclining in his padded chair with four computer monitors arranged in front of him. The chair had an integrated keyboard and mouse tray which he could move into any position.
"A police report," Min Ho said. "Five men were killed a little while ago near Tiburon. They were dressed like soldiers. I have evidence photos."
Pictures appeared on his screen, and they showed large, dead men wearing black body armor. They were equipped with many weapons including some very expensive assault rifles. The bullet holes in the men's heads had been placed beautifully.
Ipo grunted. "I think we can conclude our commander is alive and well."
Hanley nodded. "And still leaving a trail of corpses. Now I'm not sure why we were so worried about her. This happened near Tiburon?"
"Yes, sir," Min Ho said. "The Paradise Cay Yacht Harbor just south of San Quentin."
"Those men were trying to get to or from the water. Maybe the enemy has a ship in the Bay?"
"A good observation," Ipo said, "and that location isn't far from Mill Valley. Maybe those men had the girl when they bumped into Marina. Bad luck for them. Incredibly good luck for us."
Min Ho typed on his keyboard. "Yes, sir. The timing is right."
"Which means there is a chance Marina and the girl are together." Ipo looked at Wesley. "You knew something like this would happen, didn't you? Marina was precisely where she needed to be. Destiny is jerking us around like marionettes on strings, and you're enjoying the show. Is it fun to watch us twitch?"
"I didn't know all the details," Wesley replied softly.
"You could have told us anyway."
"No, I couldn't."
"Why not?" Ipo said angrily.
"Because it wasn't the right time. You think my job is easy? I know so much I can't reveal. Great things. Amazing things. Horrible things. I have to stand back and watch them happen like a helpless idiot, even when my friends are being killed." Wesley glanced at his protection team.
That statement gave Hanley an entirely new perspective on Wesley. It wasn't fair for a boy to carry such a huge burden. He was too young to have so much profound wisdom forced upon him. He wasn't being allowed to have a real childhood.
Hanley remembered something. "You mentioned a 'firewall project' to Aaron. What is that?"
"Bethany and Leanna are trying to reengineer reality," Wesley said.
"Huh? How?"
"I can't go into the details, but if they succeed, all life in the universe will be safer. It's the biggest secret ever."
"Then why are you talking about it?" Hanley said.
"I'm the Voice of Truth. I have to say something."
Ipo frowned. "Will this project affect us?"
Wesley faced him. "Yes. Your life in human form is almost over."
"Sirs!" Jia said. "Over here!"
Everybody ran around to the other side of the computer tables. Jia's setup was similar to Min Ho's, but the big, padded chair made her look small. Her delicate fingers danced on her keyboard.
"I'm starting to see this all over the internet," she said. "A hundred thousand dollar reward for information about the murder of Tom and Jessica Bellar and for information about their missing daughter, Olivia. She was the one in Mill Valley."
"Who is offering the reward?" Ipo said.
She typed for a moment. "It doesn't say. It's anonymous. There is a picture of the girl."
A photograph appeared on her screen. It showed a blonde girl who was so cute, it was hard to believe she was real. One eye had a white iris, and the other was black. She had a terrified expression on her little face.
"I know her!" Wesley yelled.
"You do?" Hanley faced him.
"She's my wife and the mother of my children."
"Huh?"
"Or she will be..." Wesley walked off with a thoughtful expression.
Hanley watched him go. "Having that kid around makes me think about recreational drugs."
Ipo snorted. "We have to forget his useless prophesies and get back to work. I'm taking this reward as a very good sign. The bad guys are desperately fishing for information. It also seems like locating Marina won't be too hard. We just have to follow the bodies, and when we find her, we might get Olivia as a bonus. Min Ho, stay on the police channels. You know what to look for. Our commander's bloody signature is very distinctive."
"Yes, sir," Min Ho said.
"And Jia, make a survey of all the ships in the Bay. Our enemy might be on one of them."
"Yes, sir," Jia said.
Ipo looked at Hanley and Katie. "And I think we should take this opportunity to get some rest. It's been a long day, and when the legate gets here, she'll push us hard."
"That's a good idea," Katie said. "After what I've been through, I could sleep for a week."
"You may get an hour or two."
Chapter Thirteen
Aaron reached across his gray metal desk in his office. He grabbed pens from a cup and squeezed them in his hand. The plastic and metal was crushed, but it didn't make him feel any better. The woman he loved more than life itself was in trouble, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. The fucking Child of Destiny had told him to stay away.
Aaron abruptly got up and walked out of his office. He couldn't do paperwork in his current mental state.
He wandered into the computer room next door. The fan noise from a thousand computers was like a jet engine, and a giant air-conditioning system sounded like rolling thunder. Servers were stacked floor to ceiling in tall racks. Miles of wiring formed bundles that snaked everywhere. Space was so tight, Aaron had to walk sideways to get through.
The twins, Bethany and Leanna, were seated at their computer workstations as usual. They had the bodies of slim, young women with light brown skin, but their heads weren't human at all. Instead of skin, gray metal with a smoky pattern covered their skulls. The covering was hard and smooth but had enough flexibility to allow simple expressions. Spherical, black crystals had replaced their eyeballs, and golden structures were just visible inside the translucent material. Even though the twins lacked pupils, their vision was excellent.
They had been entirely human once, but God had recently transformed them into cyborgs. He had given them brains made of technology from a million years in the future. Their thoughts were powered by starship fuel. They were now the smartest beings in existence, but the change had come at a price. The twins could barely feel any emotions. Most of their humanity had been stripped away. They existed for only one purpose: finishing the firewall project. He couldn't even ask them to save Marina's life.
Aaron hated the project. It had progressed from an annoyance to an inconvenience to an ongoing crisis. It was a black hole that sucked up all resources. Protecting the twins had become the most important thing in the world.
"How's it going?" Aaron said.
Neither twin moved. They were sitting in their chairs with their hands in their laps. Computer monitors surrounded Bethany and Leanna, but they had no keyboards or mice. They used some kind of wireless technology to link their digital brains directly to their machines.
"Very well, sir," Bethany replied. Her voice was made of pure tones, clicks, and hums.
"Could you be more specific?"
"Our theoretical analysis is almost complete. We believe we have a workable engineering plan, but some practical testing is necessary. After that, we will begin construction."
He raised his eyebrows. "Of what?"
"The aperture."
"That means a hole or a window, right?"
"Yes, sir," she said.
"What will it do?"
"I'm not permitted to share that information with you at this time."
"You're keeping secrets from me?" he said.
"I must."
Aaron frowned. He would feel much better about this project if he understood it.
&nb
sp; He knew he wasn't supposed to distract the twins with other problems, but he couldn't contain himself. "Marina is in deep trouble."
"Oh," Bethany said. "Her death would be extremely unfortunate."
"I'm glad you feel that way."
"You and she are essential components in our plan."
"We are?" Aaron said. "What role will we play?"
"I'm not permitted to share that information with you at this time."
He gritted his teeth. "And when will that information be shared?"
"The Voice of Truth will tell you when he deems it appropriate."
"Of course. Why am I not surprised?" He stormed out of the computer room.
* * *
Yang arrived at headquarters in a rental car. It was only his second day as a member of the Society, but the place already felt safe and familiar. It was God's secret fortress.
He found one of the few available parking spots in the tent behind headquarters. All kinds of vehicles were parked there from low-slung sports cars to bulky delivery trucks. Old, rusty pieces of crap were next to luxury cars costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. He had been told they were all available for his use, and the keys were on the front seats. He didn't even have to sign a form. Having spent a lot of time in the Marines, he couldn't imagine life without requisition forms.
As Yang got out of the car, he accidently used his right arm the wrong way and winced. The bullet wound had been cleaned, closed, and bandaged, but it still hurt like hell. He knew from personal experience that it would take weeks of healing before the pain was gone. Until then, he would have to suck it up and pretend he was OK. Good soldiers never acted like they were hurt.
He knew he was working with some amazing soldiers now. He was still marveling at the way Ipo had moved through the woods. He was a huge man, but somehow, he had run as silently as a ghost. He had killed like a pouncing lion. Marina had handled the SAS operatives like they were practice dummies. Yang wondered if he would ever reach that level of skill. It didn't seem possible.
He walked through the darkness until he reached the front door. It was made of very thick, bulletproof glass. He entered expecting to see dead bodies, but they had been cleaned up.
Yvonne was in the security booth. She was supposedly strong enough to tear him in half with her bare hands. After everything he had seen, he didn't doubt it.
