by Frank Morin
“Wow.” It boggled the mind to think of that much history. He was talking about works started in biblical times. Sarah knew nothing of her family beyond her great grandmother on her father’s side. It seemed impossible to trace a family line that far back.
“I knew it.” Gregorios broke into the intimate conversation. “There is a master book.”
Alter cringed and looked like he might stop talking altogether. It was clear he was attracted, so Sarah pushed him a little.
“What did you learn about the runes in the photos?”
He barely hesitated before explaining. From his initial study and from what he learned from Eirene about the machine, he felt confident her initial assessment was correct. The runes allowed the person wearing the secondary helmet, assuming they were either heka or facetaker, to see into the mind of the person wearing the primary helmet and drive through their memories.
“That confirms our theory,” Eirene said. “But with so many runes involved, there has to be something else going on.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know enough about these other runes yet. I can probably figure it out with more study, but for now we’re guessing.”
“You can figure out what a rune does?” Sarah asked.
“Usually. They’re generally built around known symbols from ancient languages. Most common are Egyptian hieroglyphics or ancient Chinese pictographs.”
“You understand all that?”
“I’ve studied it all my life.”
She had not even managed to learn Spanish.
Tomas spoke for the first time. “Whatever those other runes mean, the threat’s obvious. With the information Mai Luan could glean from the council members, she could overthrow the entire operation. She could learn everything.”
“She’ll know as much as anyone. More even,” Gregorios said. “She can remove them and step into their place without missing a beat. They’re signing their own death warrants, and they’re doing it willingly.”
“Won’t they stop when they learn the truth?” Sarah asked. She felt no love for the mysterious council, but even she saw the danger in granting Mai Luan more power. Once she consolidated her position in place of the council, she’d hunt Sarah and the others down.
“No,” Quentin said. “They see only the promised reversal of their advanced soul fragmentation. She’s got them by the throat. Without her, they’re at the end of their last life.”
Alter perked up. “So they’re going to die either way? Perhaps we should put them out of their misery now and thwart Mai Luan at the same time.”
“Nice try,” Gregorios said with a chuckle. “You’d go down in history as the hunter who decapitated the entire council.”
“For the good of the many, it may be time to reward them for their evil ways.” Unwavering fervor burned in his eyes. He absolutely believed they were evil.
Sarah could be convinced where the council was concerned, but Alter lumped Gregorios and Eirene into that same group. Their powers were unnerving at best, and always terrifying, but she didn’t believe they were evil.
“Let’s hold that option for a last resort,” Eirene said.
Sarah was a little surprised when Alter reluctantly agreed with her. He had looked ready to argue all day with Gregorios.
“Timing is bad,” Quentin said to move the conversation along again. “There’s some high profile soul transfers scheduled soon. The King of Thailand is due in just a couple of months.”
“Queen of England will probably make another transfer sometime next year,” Tomas added.
“What?” Sarah looked from one to the other, but neither of them made any sign they were joking.
Tomas shrugged. “The queen’s jumped before. She probably can’t handle more than one more though, not unless the council gets their hands on one of those machines.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Sarah wasn’t sure if the thought of the Queen of England utilizing the facetaker services troubled her more than the idea of the council gaining the ability to glean state secrets from her mind through a machine.
“She’s a lot older than you think,” Tomas said.
Eirene said, “She should’ve transferred a few years ago. We had it all scheduled to use Diana as the transfer vehicle but her premature death derailed those plans. It’s taken a few years to orchestrate the right pieces to try again.”
“You can’t be serious!” Sarah had loved Princess Diana.
“Of course we are, dear.” Eirene actually looked surprised by her shock. “It’s tradition to prepare a suitable host. The queen is a little more particular than some, but she can’t just transfer into any commoner. She’d lose access to her power and wealth.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” She refused to ask what they had planned to do with Diana after stealing her body. They were casually discussing identity theft on a level the world couldn’t comprehend.
Alter watched her with interest. “You knew nothing of the activities of these demons, did you?”
“I’m new.”
“You should leave,” he said. “They speak the truth in this case. My clan has worked for millennia to eradicate the kashaph and to block the worst of the facetaker plots. They’ve corrupted the souls of some of the world’s greatest and created monsters we usually have to put down.”
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Gregorios said.
“I speak the truth,” Alter declared. “European royalty in particular have long embraced the dream of eternal youth. If not for the safe havens they provided you demons we would have eradicated you centuries ago.”
“First-life optimism is always refreshing,” Gregorios said. He smiled at Sarah and added with a shrug, “Everyone needs to make a living.”
Alter barked a laugh. “You corrupted entire royal lines. You introduced the weakness that drove them from the throne.”
“I blame inbreeding,” Gregorios said. “We tried warning them about that, but they just couldn’t seem to grasp the concept.”
“We’re getting off topic,” Quentin said.
“She must understand the company she keeps,” Alter said. He focused on Sarah. “The Hundred Years war was fought primarily over which country would maintain rights to facetaker transfers. Much of the Spanish gold from the new world was siphoned off to pay facetakers so royalty could purchase extended lives.”
“I can’t believe it,” Sarah said. No one was even denying the allegations. Everything she knew about world history was apparently wrong.
“Nice one-sided lesson,” Gregorios said. He didn’t look the least bit rattled by Alter’s accusations. “You just left out the fact that your self-righteous clan murdered quite a few royals in your attempts to interfere.”
“Your acts are an abomination!” Alter shouted.
“You’ve got plenty of blood on your hands,” Gregorios countered. “Your murders triggered World War One. What’s more abominable, allowing those who can afford it to purchase extended life or triggering a conflict that killed millions?”
“Whoa!” Sarah cried. “You’re saying the hunters assassinated the Archduke of Austria?” She’d studied the Great War in high school, and was proud that she actually remembered that part.
“He was kashaph,” Alter said.
“That was only the last straw,” Gregorios said. “The hunters had made several attacks in preceding years, and their heavy-handed attempts to influence world powers set the stage for world conquest and then triggered the war.”
“You cannot justify your abomination by pointing out the blame of others,” Alter cried. “It’s not right for the wealthy to take the lives of the poor.”
“Life isn’t fair,” Gregorios said. “It never has been. What we do is no worse than what anyone else does. We try to find willing donors and provide for their families. You can’t say that for your clan.”
“The English princess was not willing.”
“How would you know that?” Eirene asked.
Al
ter lost some of his bluster and stammered, “Well, she didn’t look willing.”
“You set up that accident, didn’t you?” Gregorios asked.
“I refuse to answer your questions.” He began to blush.
“Self-righteous hypocrite,” Gregorios muttered.
“Your family killed Diana?” Sarah asked, horrified. “How could you?”
“Her life was forfeit,” Alter said, blushing under her accusing gaze. “This way she died at peace, not sacrificed to the demons’ abomination.”
“Don’t pretend you know what it’s like,” Tomas said angrily. “You took the choice out of her hands.”
“I won’t stay here,” Alter declared. “I cannot work with the likes of you.”
“Relax Alter,” Eirene urged, but he rose and backed away.
Sarah wanted to yell at him, slap him for condoning the death of Diana. She’d been the storybook princess that all the girls loved. The revelation that she’d been a victim in the secret world of facetakers and hunters disgusted Sarah. But Mai Luan’s threat loomed over everything else, so she swallowed her anger. “Alter, please. We need you.”
That deflated some of his anger and he paused three steps away from the exit. She held out a hand. “Please, help us. Not everyone sees the world the same way, but we have to deal with Mai Luan.”
He slowly returned. “I’ll use whatever information you divulge to aid my family’s efforts in thwarting you.”
Eirene patted his arm. “It’s all right, dear. I am sure your family is already monitoring the high profile transfers. If they didn’t know about them, I’d be very disappointed in your father.”
“Besides, there are always standing precautions against interruptions,” Tomas said. “We know how to deal with your assassination attempts.”
“You know nothing,” Alter snapped, staring down at Tomas. “No hunter would remain invalid like this. If you cross my brothers, they’d destroy you.”
Before they could start arguing again, Eirene said, “Alter needs more time to study the runes, but we know enough to start making plans. The council must change course and bring their resources to bear in removing Mai Luan.”
“We should just call in my family,” Alter said. “We’d remove the Cui Dashi.
“Not a chance,” Gregorios said. “Any hunter strike in Rome would lead to open warfare, especially now with the council committed to her. They’d see it as an attempt to kill them all.”
“We are not afraid of them,” Alter declared.
“You should be,” Eirene said. “There hasn’t been outright war between the facetakers and the hunters since before the days of your great-grandfather. You have no idea how many people would die in a conflict like that.”
“Besides, the enforcers monitor the hunters as standard procedure,” Tomas added. “If a strike team headed for Rome, they’d find the full might of the Tenth waiting for them.”
Alter opened his mouth to argue further, but Eirene made a placating gesture. “Let’s leave your clan as a last resort.”
“We may want to begin positioning some of our own assets,” Gregorios said.
“Carefully,” Eirene said. “Any big moves will tip off the enforcers.”
“Best to convince the council of the danger and unleash the enforcers on Mai Luan,” Tomas said.
“They want the machines too badly,” Quentin disagreed.
“But if they recognize the threat, they can at least use the machine without allowing Mai Luan access to their minds,” Gregorios said.
“He has a point,” Eirene said.
“I could bring the information to Asoka,” Tomas volunteered.
“That would reveal your true loyalties,” Quentin said. “I’m afraid his anger at the betrayal would overrule any logical consideration of the information you tried to bring to light.”
“How can they not know you freed Eirene?” Sarah asked.
“I was careful,” Tomas said. “The enforcers I disabled never saw me coming, and I avoided the video cameras.”
“Mai Luan saw us,” Eirene said.
“She hasn’t revealed his part in your escape,” Quentin said. “I would’ve heard about that.”
“Probably because she wanted to kill you herself,” Sarah said, taking Tomas’ hand. “She nearly succeeded.”
“It’s still a bad idea,” Quentin said. “You won’t convince Asoka, and might make matters worse.”
“I could try Meryem,” Gregorios suggested.
“She’s scheduled to arrive in Rome late tonight,” Quentin said. “So she’s a good choice.”
Sarah wondered what would happen to Quentin if the council learned of his involvement with Gregorios. His only concern seemed to be for Tomas.
“Are you sure?” Gregorios asked.
“All of the council are gathering for the results of the tests with the machine.”
“Very well. I’ll pay her a visit. I just saw her a few days ago.”
“I don’t like it,” Eirene said. “I don’t trust her.”
“She didn’t try to kill me last time.”
“So you think you’ll get lucky twice in one week?”
Gregorios grinned. “I feel lucky. And my goal is to get lucky every day.”
Eirene’s frown faded. “You wish.”
The banter helped ease some of Sarah’s renewed nervousness. Some of what she had learned disturbed her deeply, but seeing the depth of their bond helped reassure her they were still good at heart. She’d learn the full truth eventually, but her trust in them wasn’t misplaced. She glanced at Tomas and he winked.
Alter frowned at the two. “I don’t believe in luck.”
Could he really be so clueless?
Eirene gave Alter a warm smile. “You will, dear. One day you’ll meet the right woman.”
“What does a woman have to do with luck?”
Gregorios said, “Let’s stop while you’re behind.”
To Eirene he asked, “Can you think of anyone better to speak with?”
She considered for a moment before shaking her head.
“It’s settled then. In the morning, I’ll pay Meryem a visit and share what we’ve discovered.”
“Do you think it’ll help?” Tomas asked.
“Perhaps not, but it’s all we can do until we find where Mai Luan is hiding.”
“We’ll have to fight her directly if the council won’t do it,” Sarah said. The thought terrified her, but it’d be necessary. Mai Luan had made it all too clear that she planned to kill them all. There was only one way to respond to a threat like that.
“It’s either the council or it’s us,” Eirene said.
“I’ve wanted to take down a Cui Dashi for years,” Alter said, fists clenched.
“Be grateful you haven’t had to face her yet,” Eirene said.
Gregorios added, “If we can ferret out her lair, with careful planning we can neutralize her.”
Sarah doubted it would prove that easy, but she’d stand with them. Mai Luan would regret making the fight personal.
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
~Oscar Wilde
Chapter Thirty-Two
Gregorios paused across the street from the main entrance to the Suntara headquarters and smiled. Tomas had outdone himself.
Gregorios had asked for a diversion to allow him time to pass through the semi-public foyer of the building and avoid detection by the enforcer spotters. The secondary entrances were all monitored and even with the right codes, he couldn’t hope to pass without getting intercepted. Usually that was the case with the main entrance too.
Not any more.
Crowds of people of all ages clamored outside of three of the four entrances to the lobby, jostling for their chance to get in. Guards stationed around the last entrance struggled to keep eager civilians back. Over and over they repeated that those doors were reserved for workers with security clearance.
Gregorios timed his approach for when an overweight
foreigner tried to rush past the guards and it took three of them to wrestle him back. When Gregorios flashed his badge, the distracted guard waved him through with barely a glance.
Behind him the overweight foreigner screamed, “Tell the Pope I’m worthy!”
Inside the foyer was even worse. Frantic people packed the area around the main desk, jostling for their chance to make their case before the overwhelmed staff. Their voices echoed through the vaulted room in a deafening roar.
Tomas had leveraged a Vatican email address to begin the rumor that the Pope was planning an unscheduled visit to the building. He suggested that the Pope planned to grant special blessings to a handful of lucky believers. All they had to do was present themselves at the main desk and convince the attendants that they were the most deserving. The catch was that the attendants would deny any knowledge of such a visit unless a person convinced them they were worthy.
Surrounded by cries of, “I’m worthy” in a dozen languages, Gregorios slipped around the edge of the crowd to a simple, unmarked door locked with a code panel. Although normally monitored, every available staff member would be diverted to deal with the unexpected rush on the building.
Gregorios entered the code and, after one last appreciative glance across the tumultuous room, took the stairs up.
Meryem’s office was located on the fourth floor with the other council members. Gregorios made it to her door without alerting anyone to his presence. He slipped inside without bothering to knock.
Meryem sat at her desk. After a brief look of surprise, she gave him a dazzling smile. “Gregorios my dear, even I’m surprised by your audacity.”
“We need to talk.”
She pouted as she rose and came around the desk. “Why waste such a romantic gesture with talk? After showing such ingenuity to get to me, I’d hoped for something more.”
“Here’s something more. Did you know Mai Luan is Cui Dashi?”
Meryem’s smile vanished and she recoiled. “You lie.”
“Not about this.”
She regarded him for a long moment before responding. “Impossible.”
“You’re all in grave danger.” He took her hand, which triggered an instant smile from her. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”
