by Dwayne Gill
As always, Voronoff and his men occupied their own conference room next to the main part of the club. The owners had grown used to the Russians’ routine, and right about now was the time of night they all liked to have a round of drinks. Natalie, Jordyn, and Layla were the featured servers, and the three of them had dressed for the part.
The Russians liked their women underdressed and flirty, so the three women were decked out in stripper attire, though nothing that showed their most treasured parts. “Remind me why I didn’t get April to play this part?” asked William.
“You wouldn’t be able to stand it,” said Lynks. “You think she’s getting hit on now…”
“I wonder what Daniel would think of his little precious Layla right now?” asked William. “She’s not the little girl he remembers.”
“Probably best not to mention this part to him,” said Lynks.
William noticed Lynks was staring at the monitor that displayed Jordyn’s point of view, complete with a view of Natalie’s backside. “Stop drooling,” said William.
Lynks again looked flustered. “Interference. Camera check. Feedback.”
William laughed. “You’re a riot.”
Kristy and April were the two responsible for monitoring the club from the dance floor, positioned on opposite sides of the big room. There weren’t supposed to be any marked men at the club, but William had made sure they came prepared just in case. Hidden inside a private suite were twelve army rangers, armed and ready in case things went south, including William’s old squad members, Dirk, Trey, and Blaine, who were thrilled to be a part of it.
Natalie, Jordyn, and Layla entered the Russians’ suite and performed nicely, prancing around with the men’s drinks on trays. The men fawned over the women, as they’d expected, some whistling, while the few who knew English were complimenting them and inviting them to expand their participation. The three women couldn’t have played it any calmer, and after a bit of fraternizing, they had all the drinks passed out and ready for the Russians to consume.
As was customary, one of them sat on Voronoff’s knee while he drank. The lucky one was Natalie, as she’d insisted from the start. “You okay?” William asked Lynks.
“He’d better not touch her,” said Lynks.
William laughed. “Your mic’s on.”
Lynks clicked his mic off and blushed; every one of their people in the club, including Natalie, had heard his outburst.
“Easy boy,” said Calvin. “I told you. Too much testosterone, too many half-naked bodies. Not a good recipe.”
“Shh…” whispered William. “It’s showtime.”
The three women left the suite minutes later, and William could already see the effects on some of the men, though it would only get worse. “Let’s go,” said William. “Everyone out.”
He watched closely as their undercover crew began finding their exits, but suddenly William saw the door of the suite open, and out stepped one of Voronoff’s guards. He looked groggy and stumbled around but caught sight of Jordyn as she was walking across the dance floor.
“Trouble’s headed your way, Jordyn,” said William. “Pick up the pace.”
William considered calling Dirk to let him intervene, but Lynks stopped him. “Look.” Lynks pointed to Zeke’s monitor, showing the big guard closing on the Russian. When Zeke approached, he laid out the guard with a huge right hook, knocking him unconscious.
Calvin walked immediately over to cover his action. “Okay, buddy, you’ve had it,” said Calvin, escorting Zeke out by his arm. “You’re outta here.”
“That was a weak performance,” said Lynks.
“Shut up,” said Calvin.
“That Zeke guy is a keeper,” said William.
“I think he’s goo-goo over Jordyn,” said Lynks, explaining how he’d refused to leave Tom’s side in the panic room at the old mansion.
“He just earned a spot on the A Team,” said William.
Though they wouldn’t get to see the Russians’ deaths played out, in twenty minutes Voronoff and his men would all die painful deaths from their poisoned drinks.
The Ties That Bind
October 10, 2028
3:00 p.m. EST
Lafayette, Indiana
Things had slowed down at the new mansion. The rangers were staying at another safe house an hour away, but even that was temporary. Mathis, Plumber, Bowman, and Webb were floating between the two locations as needed while plans continued to fall into place.
Meetings, like the one they were having, were easier to come by and were a little more informal now that it was a smaller crowd. Daniel sat near the end of the big conference table beside Layla as everyone gathered, and for a moment it reminded him of the big dinners at the Marcini mansion. This nostalgia caused him to clench his fist in celebration, remembering Rick’s plummet from the sixth story of the apartment building. Daniel had achieved his vengeance, and it was even sweeter than he’d imagined it.
William, Mathis, Bowman, Plumber, Webb, and Hart all sat at the head of the table, while the rest of the crew filled out the sides. Cane was even sitting down, a rarity for him at meetings. Kristy, Natalie, Barkley, Calvin, Lynks, and Swelling were there, as well as the latest member of the inner circle, Zeke. The guard looked stoic and prepared as ever, but he’d earned his spot.
“We’ll be saying goodbye to Tina and Shauna today,” said Hart, opening the meeting. “We’ll be delivering them to their families later.” Hart didn’t mention that Tina would only return to her mother; her dad had died the day she was taken. Daniel wondered if his little buddy was even aware.
“The footage of Senator Simon has gone viral, as we expected,” said Plumber. “So far there have been almost a dozen doctors from all over the country come forward, all with evidence. Cane’s threat did what he hoped it would do.”
Daniel wondered if that had been Cane’s sole intention for the execution, but he doubted it. He knew the assassin pretty well by now, and though the doctors coming forward were a bonus, Daniel was sure Cane had a much more primal purpose.
“How will they protect them all, especially if more come forward?” asked Barkley.
“The FBI will use local law enforcement,” said Plumber. “I know,” he said when Barkley shot him a look. “It’s not ideal. But I’m hoping the public spotlight will keep the marked men from doing something stupid.”
“They were willing to come out of the shadows before,” said Hart. “But I’m betting they’ll be a little more cautious in the future.”
“My source in Baku says the Russians are spooked,” said Mathis. “Malakhov is sure the deaths of Voronoff and his men in Miami will make things very difficult on Vinson moving forward.”
“As much as we can trust what that prick says,” said William.
Mathis nodded. “I certainly don’t take Malakhov’s word for anything, but the Russians having their diplomat murdered when trying to negotiate involvement will complicate things.”
Mathis nodded to Webb, who stood. “I know there’s still a lot of people here I don’t know well, but thank you for doing your part. I wouldn’t be alive without you all.”
Daniel knew they also owed the man their thanks, so he stood up. “Thank you, Mr. Webb, for enduring the marked men for our sakes. You could have told them damaging information, but you didn’t.” Layla put her hand on Daniel’s when he sat back down. A public statement wouldn’t have been possible from him years ago, so this made her proud.
Webb nodded. “I feigned insanity, to be honest, though at the end I wasn’t sure it was an act.”
“I’ve tried to tell you for years that you’re crazy,” said Bowman.
Webb smiled. “Aren’t we all? Look at us.” After a brief pause, Webb continued. “I had been uncovering information about Senator Simon’s activities, but we’ve lost the intel. Now that he’s out of the picture, it’s irrelevant anyway. However, I suspect the CIA director is involved, and we know the attorney general is. I think there’ll be trouble
getting a real thorough, authentic investigation off the ground given the ones who can and will stall it.”
“Even with the public outcry?” asked Barkley. “I can’t imagine how they’ll be able to thumb their nose at something this serious.”
“Oh, they’ll give the appearance of concern, maybe even panic,” said Webb. “They’ll never stop it completely. But how much time can they waste stalling it?”
“Enough time for them to follow through with what they have planned,” said Cane. “Vinson will move up the timeline.”
They exchanged looks, knowing Cane was likely right. “So we’re back to where we started anyway,” said Hart. “Nothing we’ve done gets us closer to legitimizing the situation.”
“We definitely can’t march back into our old positions,” said Barkley. “We’ll be arrested and killed, and maybe not in that order.”
“I’m returning to my position as director,” said Plumber. The room’s atmosphere tightened as everyone turned to him. “If I don’t, they’ll fill my spot with another plant, possibly. I’ll raise all the hell I can, for as long as I can.”
“They’ll kill you,” said Hart.
“Indeed, they will,” said Plumber. “Let’s hope they do it publicly and stir things up even more. But I’m useless here. You all have your own methods, which I’m glad for, but I’m no warrior.”
“I beg to differ,” said Barkley, rising from her seat. “What you did lately took a lot of balls, and what you’re doing now takes even bigger ones. I, for one, respect the hell out of you.”
Nods from all around accompanied Barkley’s compliment, and Plumber smiled. “I’ll do everything I can to help from the inside as long as I draw a breath. It’s been an honor serving with this group of misfits.”
Plumber stepped away and William stood. “We’ve taken their best shot and here we are, all together. We’re a team now, and we’ll all have roles to play in what follows. We’ve killed another lieutenant, thwarted the Russian connection, at least temporarily, and we’ve struck fear into those who are complicit. Vinson is backpedaling and will panic, and we’ll be there waiting to capitalize on his next mistake. Speaking of which…” William took out his phone and dialed a number, letting it play through the speaker. The message stated the number had been disconnected. “I’ve called him repeatedly. He finally got fed up and changed his number.”
Everyone laughed, but Daniel’s was loudest and lasted the longest. I love this guy, he thought.
“What I’m saying is that he knows we got the best of him, again, and now he’ll only be more desperate to move faster and work smarter. This man is not to be underestimated. We have to work together. This has only begun.”
“Are there any more details about their big attack?” asked Natalie.
“Very little, but now we’re paying attention,” said William. “I still suspect it will be a nuclear detonation in the atmosphere, but we’re keeping all other possibilities open.”
“I’m still feeling out who I can trust in the military,” said Mathis. “I have to tread lightly because they’re looking for me. I have a ton of rangers stashed away, so their radar is pointed straight up.”
After Mathis sat, Natalie got to her feet. “I want to address the situation involving Tom, Jordyn’s dad.” Knowing looks were exchanged; everyone had heard what happened. “There are lots of factors involved with what caused him to turn back, so there’s no way of knowing if my methods worked, but I think it’s something we have to consider.”
“You treated Tom like an amnesiac?” asked William.
“Medically, probably not,” said Natalie. “I used what we had on hand. I played home videos constantly, trying to trigger memories. We’ll never know if that alone was what broke him, or if it was Jordyn’s physical presence. It could have been the crisis at hand. The bottom line is that it can be done.”
“You’re not suggesting we try to round these marked guys up and change them back?” asked Hart.
“No,” said Natalie. “But there could be a case where it would benefit us. We don’t know what’s up ahead.”
“True,” said William. “It’s good to know this, regardless. Maybe you can speak to your neurologist friend again and see what he thinks.”
“Jordyn got a chance to see her dad one last time, and we’ll all remember him as a hero instead of the man who tried to kill his daughter,” said Kristy. “Jordyn hasn’t been the same since. She’s able to move on now.”
“Tom would have turned back,” said Natalie. “I know his transformation back was temporary. There’s still a long way to go before we know if we can turn someone back for good, or if it would only always be short-lived. Maybe there’s no permanent solution.”
Daniel was happy for her, and Kristy was right; Jordyn had found peace in the situation, for Tom had saved all their lives. Daniel cringed again at the memory of him almost killing Tom on the side of the road. It was yet another example of how his darkness could have cost him his friends’ lives.
“Unless anyone has questions, that’s it for right now,” said William.
“I have loads of questions,” said Cane.
“Oh boy,” said Bowman.
William grinned. “I know you do. I’m here to answer them, at least as best I can.”
“Who the hell is Marcene?” asked Cane. “Who are we?” He pointed to himself, William, and Daniel. “Who is she?” He pointed at Natalie. “You know every question I have. It seems like everyone else in here has a lot more answers than me, but I’m not leaving this room without them all.”
Daniel stood. “Me too. I think it’s time we’re all on the same page here. No more secrets.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” said William. “In fact, I want everyone in the entire house present to hear it. This moment is what I’ve been waiting for. Everyone’s here and not in our ICU.”
“I’ll go get everyone,” said Calvin. As he got up, they could hear several chimes around the room, causing everyone to pause. Calvin glanced at his phone. “Someone’s here,” he said.
*
The all-too-familiar black sedan sat in the driveway, and Calvin watched as three men in suits exited and walked toward the front door. They looked like businessmen, handsome executives, the same ones Calvin had seen on other occasions coming to deliver one of Marcene’s messages. There was a third man present this time, and Calvin suspected he was accompanying the other two because it was their final delivery.
Indeed, one of the men held a large box, and none of them appeared thrilled to be there. Cane and Daniel flanked Calvin on the off-chance the men were a threat, but they clearly presented no danger.
Calvin waited for the men to stop in front of him. “Evening, fellas,” he said.
The one holding the box smiled and held out the package. “Marcene’s last messages,” he said. All three men looked defeated and had their heads down. Calvin wondered who they were outside of their dealings with Marcene.
“You gentlemen looking for a job?” asked Calvin. “Unless you have other mysterious characters you deliver cassettes for.”
All three men looked up and gave Calvin, Cane, and Daniel a glance, and the one who’d spoken before said, “I have nowhere else to go. These two are just couriers, but I’ve been with Marcene from the beginning.”
“Well, we have lots of questions,” said Daniel. “Come inside. My name is Daniel.”
“I know who you are. All of you. My name is Shaw Myers.”
The two other men left Shaw there and disappeared, leaving Calvin to wonder again what they’d do. “Let’s go hear what Marcene has to say,” said Calvin, carrying the box inside.
After introducing Shaw to everyone, for their benefit, for the newcomer apparently knew the crew, they gathered around the den, where Calvin had Lynks rig up a way to play the cassette player aloud. It surprised Calvin to see a lot of tapes inside the box, but Shaw instructed him to play a specific one.
After some final tweaks, Calvin inserted the
tape and pressed “play” as everyone waited anxiously to hear Marcene’s farewell.
If you’re hearing this, it means I’m no longer with you. Hopefully Vinson is dead, but if not, it’s okay, because I also know everyone there is alive.
There are so many things I’d love to say, to tell you all, but unfortunately, I must be briefer than I’d like. However, I do have much more content in the box.
I’ve spent the greater part of my adult life following a plan that involved making sure you three were who you needed to be to stop Vinson and his lieutenants. Many thought I was crazy, but I was convinced, and still am, that you three would be America’s only hope of stopping the marked men. I was determined to let nothing lead me astray from the big picture, the overall goal, and along the way I did things I regret. Cane, Daniel, and William: you were my priority, the culmination of my life’s work. Everything I’ve done was meant to prepare you for the moment you now find yourselves in. I’ve made sacrifices to make sure you succeeded and hid things from you to protect you.
I was not prepared for the direction that the three of you took when you suddenly discovered the empathetic side of yourselves. I never planned on you accumulating people you cared for so much, but you did. And given enough time, I began to care for those same people myself, and even saw the benefit of them being in your lives. I never thought I’d risk my life to make sure your loved ones survived, but time has changed me. Just like the three of you, I evolved from one thing into another.
Cane, Daniel, and William: you are genetically altered. I injected each one of you with designer DNA when you were growing inside my womb. I then abandoned all three of you after you were born, but I watched you from afar your entire lives.
I was part of a scientific research team in the early 2000s named “Written By Blood.” I was one of three American scientists working with others from various countries to make designer soldiers. It was supposed to be a joint research project, but one man there had a bigger agenda. When I and the other two American scientists discovered this, we were threatened and forced out. However, I escaped with three DNA designs, which eventually became the three of you.
