Operation Rubicon

by Preston William Child

  August had genuinely surprised Nina—and that was why she wanted him on this expedition, too. He was trustworthy, even if he looked intimidating. He was the best of the stragglers who’d remained from the previous Black Sun roster.

  He’d more than already proven himself as an ally, but he still seemed utterly shocked that Nina was recruiting him for her new mission.

  “Me?”

  “Yeah, you,” Nina said with a laugh. “Why do you look so surprised?”

  “Maybe because last time, you and Purdue kept looking over your shoulder at me the whole time, from here to Mongolia. You were scared that I was going to stab you right in the back. Wouldn't take your eyes off me for a second.”

  “But you didn't,” Nina said happily. “You more than earned our trust. You even saved Purdue a couple of times. Can you really blame us for being a little cautious around you at first? I mean, given the circumstances...”

  “No,” August admitted. “But...you and I...you remember me from when you were a prisoner, don't you?”

  “Of course,” Nina said. “But don't feel too bad about it. You were just following orders and doing your job.”

  “Isn't that the same shit that the Nazis said, too? I don't think it's the best excuse to use.”

  Nina smirked at that. He did feel guilty, that much was clear, but she didn't want him to feel too bad about it all. It wasn't just an excuse that he was following the Black Sun's orders. She knew that really was the situation that he’d been forced to perform. August hadn't been one of the guards keeping her prisoner due to any sort of real malice or anything personal; it was just part of the job for him. She couldn't hold it against him too much. He hadn't been cruel or anything, like some of the other menaces. He hadn't tormented her or taunted her or spit in her food. He just tried to stop her escaping—but he’d failed at that in the end.

  “You're not the only one from the old order that we've forgiven, you know.”

  “That creep, Elijah, right...but at least he helped you before Julian went down. I didn't until after.”

  “Well, if you really feel that bad about the whole thing, then just keep making amends if you want. The next step toward your redemption is lending me some muscle on this search, if I need it. Got it?”

  August thought it over. The guilt was still plainly etched along his face, but she could see it starting to fade. Her words were impacting him. The enormous lumbering man looked so fragile and uncertain, but he slowly nodded.

  “I guess I can roll with that. Where are we heading? What are we after this time?”

  “WE’RE GOING to be looking for Julius Caesar's sword.”

  Riley Duda looked much less stunned to be asked to join on this new quest. After all, she and Nina had gotten along rather well during the last mission. Riley was young and easygoing, but knew her stuff and was determined to excel in the new Order of the Black Sun. Riley took her membership very seriously, always doing her best with a thirst to prove herself. She was reliable and her bubbly personality would help keep their morale positive during what was no doubt going to be a long journey.

  “That sounds great to me,” she said with a bright smile. “I'm just honored you’d even ask for my help, really, but it's nice knowing that us girls will stick together!”

  Nina explained that they’d have to travel to Rome to visit Santino, and Riley seemed completely on board. It didn't take much convincing at all. If only Elijah could have been nearly as agreeable, then Nina would have the complete team that she wanted.

  “Pack your things and pack smart. I don't know how long it’ll take to the find the sword.” There was still a high chance that they wouldn't find the blade at all but she left that part out. There was no need to start the search with such a pessimistic mindset, no matter how realistic and possible it was. “I'll meet you and August outside, tomorrow morning. Try not to miss the plane out of here, alright?”

  Riley clapped with excitement, looking downright giddy.

  Nina spent the rest of the night feeling a bit agitated that her dream team wouldn't completely form. She always knew that Elijah Dane was going to be hard to convince, but she didn't expect him to be so vehemently against the idea. His outright refusal was more blatant than she ever predicted it could be, and it was outright annoying.

  So her team wouldn't be quite ideal—but it’d still do. She at least knew what to expect with Riley and August. The three of them would probably be able to handle things well enough on their own. Nina would just be the one that had most of the historical knowledge. Riley was well-educated and knew a lot of basic facts and helpful things, but she wasn't a fully-fledged historian. August was more likely to punch a textbook than read one. They’d have to do.

  That damn Elijah Dane always had to be a thorn in her side.

  THE SUN ROSE the next morning and Nina looked up at the pink sky uncertainly. This was her first time in a real leadership position in the Order of the Black Sun. It was her chance to prove herself to the rest of the organization. They’d see that she wasn't just the brainy woman who knew a lot of dates and names of famous dead people. She’d show that she wasn't only the new leader's old friend either. They’d all understand that she was her own force to be reckoned with who didn't need David Purdue holding her hand all of the time.

  Nina waited by one of the Order of the Black Sun's private jets. The Black Sun had acquired their own runway back when it was being run by megalomaniacs and it was one of the only things that Nina appreciated them for. She always wondered how those Black Sun agents they used to fight got around so quickly, always following them all over the globe. They had their own private squadron of jets. The pilot was already prepping the plane, a mercenary like all of the other pilots who flew the jets. They were being paid well by Purdue, far more than they used to be which immediately won Purdue their loyalty.

  “Morning,” August said, lumbering up to her with two bags in his hand. He let out a massive yawn that came from the bowels of his big body. “We couldn't have started a little later? I can barely keep my eyes open--”

  “Of course not!” Riley said, appearing close behind him. She was far too perky for that early in the morning. “An early start is the best kind of start for things like this, obviously. Right, Nina?”

  “Right,” Nina said, but wished that Riley would turn down her volume a little bit. She loved the girl, but it was too much at once at the moment.

  This would be the team for the foreseeable future. They each had their strengths and weaknesses, her probably most of all, but they’d worked well on the last mission to find Genghis Khan's bones. She knew what great things these two were capable of. They were reliable, and that was something she really valued.

  “Hope you saved a seat for me,” someone said.

  They all turned to see Elijah walking toward them, a bag slung over his shoulder. He was casually chomping down on a breakfast sandwich, like he was meant to be there. It was as if he hadn't completely blown Nina off the previous day.

  “Elijah?”

  He took one last bite of his sandwich and then shifted his glasses on his face bashfully.

  “What?” he asked innocently.

  “What do you mean 'what'?” Nina snapped, but was more surprised than angry. “What are you doing here?”

  “What do you mean? I was invited, obviously.”

  She was sure this was his idea of some kind of joke, but Elijah wasn't usually the joking type of man. He especially wouldn't come all the way out of his seclusion in that vault to come pull off some sort of prank. He’d see that as nothing but a waste of time. But if he wasn't trying to trick her, then what was he doing there?

  “So you're coming then?”

  “It appears so,” he said.

  “What changed your mind?”

  “Definitely not you,” Elijah said flatly. “I was told by my doctor that getting a little bit of sun once in a while might be good for my skin. Fresh air would be beneficial as well. And since you already invite
d me on this venture, it's just a happy coincidence that I can get those things if I go with you.”

  Nina rolled her eyes. “You're a real ass, you know that?”

  4

  SURPRISING NEW ROLES TO PLAY

  The flight to Rome was going smoothly. They hadn't even hit a patch of turbulence the entire way which was unusual. Nina was used to more eventful flights with Purdue. Usually they were being pursued by murderers or on their way to some suicide mission. This seemed much more casual, like she was going on vacation with a bunch of friends. Still, she tried to keep focus. She was in charge and couldn't take that for granted. She’d never forgive herself if she screwed up her first time running things.

  Riley was sitting in front of her but she was turned around in her seat, her arms hanging over her chair and looking back at Nina thoughtfully. The young woman stared at her, chewing a piece of gum. “You nervous?”

  “No,” Nina said with a stifled laugh. “Why would I be nervous? There's nothing to be nervous about.”

  “You sure sound nervous,” Riley said, blowing a bubble with her gum. “Come on, it's your first time really calling the shots, right? You've got to be feeling sick to your stomach. I know I’d be. But relax, you're going to do great...unless we all die horribly.”

  Nina laughed. “You're really giving me a lot of confidence.”

  “You're welcome,” Riley said. “But really, you'll do fine. Don't panic. You already practically led before when you were with Purdue. You were just the brains and he was the...not really brawn but charm maybe...or the stubbornness...one or the other. You were kind of like co-captains when we were looking for Genghis Khan. So you already know how to lead...the only difference is now you can make all the decisions without having to run it by Purdue. If you look at it that way, this really isn't all that scary, right?”

  “I appreciate that,” Nina said. “You have a point.”

  “How do you think Purdue is doing?” The question came out of the blue and it seemed especially out of place given that Riley was the one asking it. It sounded so serious and cryptic compared to most of the things that came out of that girl's mouth. Riley looked legitimately concerned and that caught Nina completely by surprise.

  “What do you mean? Doing with what?”

  “He’s just seemed distant lately...and I know he's technically very distant from us right now...geographically speaking...I just mean that he has seemed really focused lately, and not in a healthy way. I haven't seen him leave his office much since after we got back from digging up Genghis Khan.”

  Riley wasn't wrong. Purdue had been very different since his last outing, but Nina had a better understanding of why that was than Riley did. That mission—the mysterious man who’d tried to kill them all—it’d really upset Purdue. That man told him that there was another group that they were unaware of that apparently had history with the Order of the Black Sun and were pulling all kinds of strings in the background. And according to that man, before he died, an old woman was at the center of that web of strings. After defeating Julian Corvus, Purdue and Nina didn't know there was even another dangerous player on the board, and Purdue was still reeling from that revelation. It made everything so much more dangerous and he didn't want to underestimate an enemy like that, like he’d done with the original Order of the Black Sun.

  He just wanted to find out all he could about their new enemy and that desire had very quickly warped into something of an obsession. Purdue had done his best to hide it, still pretending like he was alright, but Nina saw through it. She knew him well enough to know when he was afraid and this was even more than just fear. Purdue was rattled; he'd thought they had finally overcome their enemies, but there was one potentially even more dangerous out there.

  It was hard seeing him like that. He was normally so confident and when that self-assurance wavered, nothing felt quite right with the world. At least when she was on this search, far away from Purdue, she didn't have to see him slowly twist himself inside out.

  “He'll be fine.” That was what she settled on saying. She wasn't exactly certain of that herself, but they couldn't spend all their time worried about Purdue. She appreciated Riley's genuine empathy, but they had to keep pressing forward. Purdue wasn't here and he wasn't even anywhere nearby. This was their task and they were going to get it done. They could trade concerns about the Black Sun leader later. “David Purdue is a big boy. If he needs us, he can let us know, don't you think?”

  “I guess so.”

  SURPRISINGLY, while sitting by his window seat on the jet, the brutish August Williams had a book in his hands, titled The Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar, The Greatest of All Romans. He was reading through it intently, his big powerful hands gripping the binding tightly.

  Nina watched him from across the plane and the thought crossed her mind that August could probably crumple that book into a tiny piece of paper if he wasn't careful. Or he could even rip out a page with ease if he pulled just a little too hard. It was just a strange sight to see someone so physically powerful reading a book so quietly. It was like if a tank was playing bingo, it was just interesting to see.

  “Good read?” Nina said, trying to hide her surprise that he was doing research.

  He looked up from the book and gave an awkward smile, like had just been caught doing something wrong. “I'm just trying to learn about him. Reading had never really been a big thing for me exactly...but if we're looking for this guy's sword, then I want to know what the hell we're talking about, you know?”

  August wasn't known for being particularly well-spoken or well-read. He didn't mince words and instead preferred trading blows with his fists to truly communicate. He hadn't been recruited for his intelligence or his knowledge of history. He’d been enlisted to the Order of the Black Sun by Julian Corvus to be nothing more than an enforcer or a guard. August’s ability to inflict pain was his most useful skill, and he didn't need anything else. But here he was, trying to do more than that—and Nina loved it. That was some real dedication to the cause that she didn't expect from him.

  August tapped the cover of the book. “He was a pretty big deal, that's for sure. He’d all of Rome on lock. He knew all of the ins and outs. Reading right now about him working with Pompey and Crassus to get higher up. Seems to be working out for him.”

  Nina nodded. “It worked out for Caesar for a long time, yes...until it didn't. That tends to be how it goes for most leaders throughout history. Some fall on their way to the top, others make it there but then are rather quickly kicked off the summit.”

  “Like what happened to Julian.”

  There wasn't any bitterness in what August was saying. He wasn't trying to defend his old boss. On the contrary, he looked quite pleased when talking about Julian Corvus' defeat. Julian was a psychopath and Nina doubted that he was a very good boss.

  “So, what do you think happened to his sword?” August asked.

  “Well, if the legends are true, he used the same sword his whole life. So it must have been pretty important for him. I suppose if he had the choice, he would have probably wanted to do something ceremonial with it. Maybe pass it down to a successor or be buried with it...but instead...he didn't get that chance. He obviously didn't know he was going to die so suddenly so he probably just left the sword at home.”

  “So you're saying the housekeeper took it. A maid or a butler or...”

  “No,” Nina snickered. “I don't think it was any of them. I'm not entirely sure, but I'm really hoping this trip to Rome will clear some of that up for us.”

  “Me too,” August said, returning his gaze back to his book. He started reading for a moment before darting his dark head back up over the binding. “Caesar really was an interesting guy.”

  “He really was,” Nina said, happy to see him enjoying the book so much. “Keep reading. It gets even more interesting.”

  5

  THE THIRD TRIUMVIRATE

  Nina was happy to be in Rome again. She hadn't been for q
uite some time. It was the perfect city for someone like her and that's why she’d gone numerous times. It was a relaxing vacation destination, with wonderful food, and some incredibly fun things to do. What she loved most was all of the history that had taken place there. That city had once been the capital of one of the most successful civilizations mankind had ever had. It was the central hub of so much. So many names and events were connected to the city. Some of the names came from the time when Rome was still a republic, while many others were immortalized during the time Rome was an empire. Either way, it was one of the most fascinating places and points in history Nina had ever researched. And here she was, right where it all happened. It was an incredible feeling to be right in the thick of it all, surrounded by history.

  There were structures and places in Rome that still stood from those ancient times and they always drew Nina's attention. The most famous of which was the Roman Colosseum, which had endured thousands of years; a reminder of a much cruder time when violence was not only preferred, but also practically worshiped.

  “This is incredible,” Riley said, taking a picture of the city.

  “It really is,” Elijah agreed. He didn't exactly look happy—he rarely ever did—but Nina could tell that he was at least content. His love of history probably made this place just as much of a sanctuary for him as it was for Nina.

  “Not what I pictured,” August said. “Isn't the whole thing supposed to be on water? Like even the alleys and the roads are for boats and..”

  “You're thinking of Venice,” Nina said, patting him on the back. August was getting better with his studies, but he was still far from being worldly. Hopefully his time with the Order of the Black Sun, going on expeditions like this, would get him to see more of the world than he had.