Teller of Lies (Gray Spear Society Book 13)

by Alex Siegel

  "Hi," she said. "It looks like you got dinged."

  Yang glanced at the bandage on his arm. A bit of blood had leaked through the stitches and had stained the fabric. "I've had worse."

  "It's too bad this team doesn't have a healer. They could fix you up."

  "The Society has healers?"

  "Powerful ones," Yvonne said. "They can cure disease, put shattered bones back together, and close wounds in seconds."

  He furrowed his brow. "Then why don't they use their powers to cure normal people?"

  "Because we fight God's enemies, and that's all. The rest is not our problem."

  "That's a lazy attitude."

  "Listen to me, rookie," she said, "we don't mess with the Lord's plan. If somebody gets cancer, maybe it was supposed to happen. Maybe that cancer serves a purpose. Even axe murderers might have a rightful place in this crazy world. We just don't know. Now go in."

  The rear door buzzed. Yang pulled it open with both hands and went through. Arguing with Yvonne was clearly a losing proposition.

  The computer area was on his left as he entered the main part of headquarters. He immediately went to Jia. She was wearing a purple baby-doll dress which went down to her bare thighs. Matching purple ribbons held back her black hair. A wide, red belt was pulled tight around her narrow waist.

  Yang smiled at her. "Hi."

  She looked up from her work, and her gaze settled on his bandage. "Oh! You're hurt!"

  "Don't worry about it. I'll be OK. What happened while I was getting stitched up?"

  She summarized the latest news. Hearing about Marina came as a shock to him.

  Jia finished by saying, "Ipo, Katie, and Hanley went home to take naps. They live only a few blocks away."

  "Wow," Yang said. "I thought my life was interesting before I joined the Society, but this is a whole different level of intensity." His stomach growled. "Have you eaten dinner? I'm starving."

  "I guess I can take a break." She climbed out of her padded chair. "My last meal was breakfast. It's hard to remember to eat when you're in a mission."

  "You look great, by the way. I love that dress."

  "Thank you." She smiled beautifully at him.

  They walked over to the large kitchen. Yang hadn't explored it yet, and he was eager to see what food was available. A table made of inlayed wood had ten chairs. There was a stainless steel stove, an oven, two microwaves, a dish washer, and a gigantic refrigerator. Spacious tile countertops were ideal for food preparation.

  He opened the refrigerator, and his eyes widened when he saw the variety of food inside. The San Francisco team knew how to eat!

  "I see chicken breasts," he said, "Soy sauce, green peppers, mushrooms, onions. I could make stir fry for both of us."

  Jia raised her eyebrows. "You can cook?"

  "I cooked for my squad all the time in the Marines. I know it sounds racist. The Chinese immigrant making Chinese food, but the guys always asked for seconds."

  "That's great because I'm a terrible cook. My mother used to say I didn't have taste buds."

  Yang got to work. He was eager to impress her with his skills, so he included some tricky flourishes when he was slicing the vegetables. He stopped when a knife came close to cutting off his finger. Fortunately, no blood was drawn.

  Twenty minutes later, the simple meal was prepared. There was plenty of space at the table, but he was hoping for a little time alone with Jia. Between Wesley's protection team and various members of the San Francisco team, headquarters felt a little crowded.

  "Is there a place where we can have some privacy while we eat?" Yang said.

  Jia blushed charmingly. "We can go back to the costume closet and eat at the makeup tables."

  "Sure."

  They took their bowls of stir fry to the costume closet. As before, Yang was impressed by the variety of clothes. The team hadn't needed a lot of costumes for the current mission, but he could see how they would be useful for undercover work in the future. He wondered if acting lessons were part of legionnaire training.

  They sat side-by-side at tables with makeup mirrors. He didn't want to look like a pig, so he waited for Jia to begin eating before he started. Once he began though, he chowed down like he was starving.

  "This is delicious," Jia said.

  Yang smiled. "I think I used too much soy sauce."

  "No, it's fine."

  They ate for a moment in relative silence. He was enjoying her company.

  "I've been thinking about you all day," he said when the moment felt right.

  She blushed again. "So have I."

  "After the mission is over, can I take you to a real restaurant? Eating in a closet isn't the nicest way to spend time together."

  "Yes. I'd like that." She kept her eyes on her food.

  He touched her hand softly. She smiled and continued to eat.

  "What are you working on now?" he said.

  "I'm looking for suspicious ships."

  "Suspicious in what way?"

  "Recent arrivals. False registrations. Money laundering. I should get back to it. I wasn't expecting such a long break. I know you did the cooking, but can you please also do the dishes? I'm really busy." She stood up.

  "OK." He stood in front of her. "On one condition."

  "What?"

  They stared into each other's eyes. She stood silently, waiting, until the tension became unbearable. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips. She made a happy sighing noise.

  "That was it," he whispered.

  Smiling, she left the closet. He let out a soft whoop of joy.

  * * *

  Marina looked out the windshield at the hills of Berkeley. It had been a long drive through brutal traffic. Getting through San Francisco at rush hour was always a nightmare.

  During the entire trip, she had seen things that clearly didn't belong in 1936. Even worse, the roads and bridges were familiar, as if she had driven on them many times before, but that was impossible. She was the King of England's consort, not a native of San Francisco. The irreconcilable conflict in her mind was excruciating. She was desperately searching for some rationalization that would relieve her misery.

  As the pickup truck climbed the dark hills, the truth became obvious. Her spirit had travelled through time from the year 1936, and it had settled in the body of a woman in 2014. That was why the future seemed so familiar. She was drawing on the memories of Marina, the person she had unintentionally possessed, but Sheila was actually in control. Some kind of temporal wormhole had caused a soul transfusion. She was literally two people in one.

  She sighed with relief. Of course, she thought. I should've known right away.

  Now she just had to figure out how to de-fuse and transport her spirit back to 1936. If she could go one way, then she could go the other. Taking care of Olivia came first though.

  The truck parked in front of a white stucco house built on a steep slope. It was a very small house but lovely nonetheless. Spanish tile covered the roof, and redwood trim surrounded the windows and doors. A big bay window in front allowed Marina to see into the lighted interior.

  "This is the right address," the truck driver said. "Do you need anything else?"

  "No," Olivia said. "Thank you. You've been extremely nice."

  He turned away in obvious embarrassment. "No problem."

  Marina got out and helped Olivia to the curb. The little girl's legs weren't quite long enough to reach the ground. The truck drove away.

  Marina immediately hid behind a bush. She was still wearing a bathing suit and guns, and she didn't want to attract attention. Apparently, her spirit had inhabited the body of some kind of aquatic soldier. A change of clothes was definitely in order.

  "Wait. I have a question."

  "What?" Olivia said.

  "How did you make that man give us a ride?"

  Olivia looked down. "I... uh..."

  "What?" Marina said.

  "It's the big secret my parents told me to hide. I ca
n change emotions and attitudes. I can make people feel what I want them to feel. I made that man trust me."

  "That's incredible."

  "Don't tell anybody," Olivia whispered. "Please."

  She went to the door and knocked as loudly as her little knuckles could. Marina remained concealed behind a bush.

  A moment later, a woman in her forties answered the door. She was wearing a flannel nightgown which covered her arms and went down to her knees. A yellow daisy pattern was printed on the fabric. Her brown hair was cut so short, she looked masculine. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had obviously been crying.

  "Aunt Suzy?" Olivia said.

  Suzy's eyes widened. "Olivia? What are you...? How did you get here?" She looked around.

  "My mom and dad are dead."

  "I know." Suzy crouched down as if to give Olivia a hug but then backed away awkwardly. The woman seemed afraid to touch the girl. "I've been crying since I heard. There is a huge reward for information about who killed them. The authorities are looking for you, too."

  That statement surprised Marina. Huge rewards weren't typical even in double homicides. The money had to come from somewhere. She wondered who was offering the reward and why.

  "The men who killed my parents tried to take me away," Olivia said. "Sheila saved me."

  "Sheila?"

  Marina stepped out of hiding. "I'm Sheila. Glad to meet you."

  Suzy took a long, hard look at Marina. "Who the hell are you?"

  "Just somebody who happened to be in the right place at the right time."

  "What are you wearing, and why do you have guns?"

  "That's not important," Marina said. "What matters is Olivia's safety. Can you take care of her? More men may come for her, so you have to hide her. Don't tell anybody she is here. It will be dangerous, but you're the only family she has left."

  Suzy looked at Marina for another moment, and then she turned to Olivia with an uneasy expression. Suzy was obviously thinking about it.

  Another woman came to the door. She was a little taller, skinnier, and older than Suzy, but they had matching nightgowns. The newcomer also had an unattractive haircut.

  "What's going on?" she said.

  "This is my niece, Olivia," Suzy said. "She's the one I was just telling you about. Her friend is Sheila."

  "Hi. I'm Suzy's wife, Clarice."

  Clarice's attention was focused on Marina's guns at first, but then her gaze drifted to take in the rest of Marina's body.

  "We really need to get inside," Marina said. "It's dangerous for us out here."

  Suzy hesitated for another moment, but finally, she ushered everybody into the house.

  Marina smelled the cats right away. Three of the fuzzy critters were lying on pillows in front of a television. The smallness of the house trapped and amplified the odor. The front room was barely large enough for a plastic couch, a coffee table, and a cheap television. Photographs and portraits of cats decorated the walls. The blue rug had probably been nice before the animals had taken over. The nicest element was a large, purple dream catcher made in a traditional, Native American style. It was hung up high where the cats couldn't reach it.

  "Clarice," Suzy said, "would you mind taking care of our guests? I have to, uh, use the bathroom."

  "Sure," Clarice said.

  Suzy hurried out of the room as if the situation were desperate. Marina became suspicious.

  "You seem a little underdressed," Clarice said.

  "I was swimming earlier," Marina said. "I didn't get a chance to change."

  "Swimming with guns?"

  "Yes."

  Clarice frowned and crouched down in front of Olivia. "I'm very sorry about your parents. I can't imagine what you're feeling right now. Can I get you anything? Tea? Milk? Hot chocolate?"

  "Milk," Olivia said in a small voice.

  "And I'd like water and something to eat, please," Marina said. "Bread or fruit would be good."

  Clarice gave her a dark look but didn't say anything. Clarice went into the next room.

  Marina looked at the cats. "Is this place OK for you?"

  "It smells funny." Olivia wrinkled her nose.

  "I know. I wish I had a better option, but I have my own problems. I don't even know where I'll sleep tonight. I may end up camping in a park, and that's no place for a little girl. I'm a mess."

  "Let me touch your head. I'll help you feel better."

  Marina hesitated before kneeling down. Olivia put her small hand against Marina's forehead.

  Within seconds, Marina became calmer and more focused. Some of the anxiety and desperation faded away. She was still terribly confused about her own identity, but it didn't seem like such an insurmountable problem now. She would figure it out eventually.

  She smiled. "Thank you. That was wonderful."

  Olivia stroked Marina's face. "You have pretty eyes."

  "And your eyes are... distinctive."

  Marina heard Suzy speaking in a low voice on the other side of the house. Marina became suspicious and crept through the house silently. She discovered Suzy in a cluttered little bedroom speaking on the phone.

  "She's here now," Suzy said softly. "Come and get her. Where do I collect the reward?"

  Marina ran across the room and blasted Suzy with a flying kick to the head. Suzy staggered backwards and struck the wall. Stunned, she slid to the floor.

  "I can't believe you!" Marina yelled. "You couldn't wait five minutes to betray your own flesh and blood."

  Suzy shook her head. "I don't want that little freak show in my house."

  "What's wrong with her?"

  "She does things. She's dangerous."

  "You know about her ability?" Marina said.

  "I know enough. She's a monster. She doesn't belong with normal people like me."

  "And I'm sure the huge reward wasn't even a consideration."

  "Somebody will get the money," Suzy said. "Why not me?"

  Marina wanted to spit at her.

  Clarice came into the bedroom with an alarmed expression. "What's going on?"

  Marina drew her gun. "Sit with your wife."

  With her hands in the air, Clarice walked over and sat next to Suzy. Marina remembered she had the ability to put them to sleep. Her fingernails were syringes which could dispense venom. It wasn't something a king's consort would do, but Olivia had calmed Marina's mind and helped her think more clearly. As long as she was occupying another body, she might as well use it to her advantage.

  Marina stabbed her fingernails into Suzy's neck and gave her a quick injection. Clarice screamed and tried to get away, but Marina tackled her from behind. Marina put Clarice to sleep.

  Olivia wandered into the bedroom and looked at the unconscious bodies on the floor. "Are they dead?"

  "No," Marina said. "They'll wake up in an hour or two."

  The phone was still off the hook, and the damage had been done. The police or somebody worse would arrive within minutes.

  Marina gave Olivia a serious look. "We need to get out of here fast, but before we go, I need money and clothes. Help me search the house for anything that looks useful. And put some food in a bag. Move!" Marina roared.

  Olivia squealed in fright and scrambled to comply.

  Marina turned to the nearest closet. Clarice is about my size, she thought. I'll steal her clothes.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "Sir!" a console operator yelled. "We intercepted a call from the girl's aunt to the police. She's claiming Olivia is in her house."

  Vulture ran over to the operator. "Where?"

  "Berkeley Hills. A police unit is already being dispatched."

  He gritted his teeth in frustration. The Fearless Star was floating in the Pacific Ocean far from shore. To reach that location, his men would have to cross twenty miles of choppy water at night in a boat. Then they would need ground transportation for the second leg of the journey. It would take an hour, at least, and by the time they arrived, the girl would be long gone.<
br />
  "We'll just have to trust the cops to do their job. I assume they'll take her into protective custody immediately. Once we determine where they're holding her, we'll finish the mission."

  "Yes, sir," the operator said.

  Vulture was counting the minutes until his reinforcements arrived. If Olivia had just waited a little longer before popping up, he would've been in a much better position to deal with her. Very inconsiderate, he thought.

  * * *

  Ipo's phone rang. He groaned, rolled over, and looked at the clock. His nap had lasted forty-five minutes, even less than he had expected.

  He grabbed his phone and put it against his ear. "Yes?" he said gruffly.

  "The police are reporting Olivia is in Berkeley," Min Ho said. "Her aunt made the call from her house."

  "Is Olivia still there?"

  "Unclear, sir. The call was cut off."

  "Shit." Ipo sat up and turned on the light. "Are there any legionnaires in headquarters?"

  "Yang is here. He was, uh, spending time with Jia."

  "I see. Tell the lovebird to put on an FBI costume and pick me up in a car. I already have a costume here."

  "Yes, sir," Min Ho said. "I'll make sure he has everything he needs."

  "Hurry. Bye." Ipo hung up.

  He looked across his small bedroom as he tried to gather his energy. Legionnaires were discouraged from keeping personal items of value in their homes. They might have to be abandoned on short notice.

  Ipo couldn't resist having a few treasures though. A full set of traditional samurai armor was on a stand. A web of intricately tied strings held together blue steel plates. The helmet had horns made of bronze. Unfortunately, he couldn't wear the armor because he was much too big.

  His first black belt was tacked to the wall. He had earned it long before joining the Society, back when he was a normal man. The belt was badly frayed from overuse, and white cotton was showing through in spots, but looking at it still made him deeply nostalgic. He would never give it up.

  He stood up with a grunt. It was time to get back to work.

  * * *

  Marina saw flashing red and blue lights outside the front window.

  "Olivia!" she yelled. "We're leaving now! Follow me!"