Face Behind the Mask

by Leo King

  Several hours later, Sam and Aucoin finally settled down underneath the covers. As he lay back with an exhausted but happy expression, she sat up. She picked up her shoe charm and kissed it. Then she popped open a bottle of Jack Daniels. She paused, considering it for a few moments. With a frown, she closed it back up.

  “What, you’re not going to drink?” he asked, resting his hands behind his head.

  Putting the bottle back on her dresser, she lay down next to him. “Nah. I think, for the first time in a while, I’m satisfied.”

  “Really?” He laughed softly, trying not to appear full of himself. “And I thought I was out of practice.”

  She hummed and leaned over, running her fingers down his hairy chest. While the sex hadn’t been as physically intense as her encounters with men like Caleb, it had been far more emotionally fulfilling. “You’re fine, Kyle. I think…”

  She nuzzled against him. “I think for the first time in years, I’m happy being next to someone. I’m ready to open up again. Ya know, I’m ready to feel.”

  He put his arm around her and gently stroked her side. “So, what happens now? I mean, between us?”

  Kissing his chest and then nuzzling it like a cat, she asked, “I dunno, what do you want?”

  Resting his hand on her hip, he said, “For you to be happy.”

  “Happy. I like that.” She didn’t say anything else for a while, just snuggling him and occasionally kissing his chest. Hair aside, he felt like a leather jacket—smooth but tough. That’s how Kyle is—tough but comfortable.

  Finally, she stretched and rolled off, sitting up. “I’m going to take a shower. You’re welcome to join.” She posed demurely.

  Sitting up, he said, “Sounds like fun.”

  He cracked his neck. “So, Sam, what do you want?”

  Popping her spine in one last stretch, she reclined against the doorway to the bathroom and watched him fondly.

  “I want you, and everyone I love, to be safe.”

  Chapter 44

  The Operation

  Date: Sunday, June 15, 1997

  Time: 8:00 p.m.

  Location: Napoleon Wharf

  Port of New Orleans Avenue

  It was Father’s Day when the operation began.

  As Sam stood on the edge of the pier, grasping the steel container that held the silver pen and gazing off across the river, she thought of the upcoming battle. It was no longer about just her and Vincent—no, that fight might never even come. Now it was about one thing: making sure Vincent could no longer harm those within the physical world.

  Back in 1992, when she had opened her door to Rodger and Michael, she couldn’t have possibly imagined being at such a crossroad.

  “Hey. Thinking about something?” It was Aucoin, handing her a cup of coffee.

  She inhaled the chicory flavor and then drank it down. “Saying goodbye to the past. Come on, hun. Let’s go.” She secured the container with the silver pen in her cargo pants.

  As they headed back into the GEIST camp, she took in the flurry of activity. People were preparing for the operation, and except for the operatives and admins, everyone was in a black or gray GEIST uniform. Misty and Lester were running checks on the helicopters, the black “doors off” kind that she first saw during her Evergreen rescue. Sebastian and Sheree, two young adult agents, were examining a map of the oil rig. Behind them were crates containing equipment to hack into the boring device’s controls. Gavin and Curtis, two older agents, were arguing out a strategy. Chase and Noelle, two agents as different as night and day, down to one being a deep chocolate and the other being almost albino, were discussing details of their mission. Tania, back in her indigo robe, and Amelie, an agent skilled with throwing knives, were sparring. Hakim was kneeling on a prayer rug, facing the east. Alexia was in quiet contemplation. And Victor was lying on top of some boxes of machine-gun ammo, hat over his face and apparently asleep.

  “This is the biggest operation GEIST has ever undertaken,” Aucoin said. “And yet no one appears to be nervous.”

  “They’re too focused on preparing,” Sam said. She knew that come tomorrow morning, everyone else could be dead.

  They entered the command tent. Abel and Meyer were at a large map, going over the initial approach to the oil rig, while Patty and Dr. Lazarus were conversing near several sets of computer screens. Off to the side, Dixie was speaking with Ouellette.

  As Sam entered, Ouellette locked eyes with her. Then, without a word, he turned back to Dixie.

  Sam started toward him, but Aucoin grasped her shoulder. “Sam, don’t bother with him. There will be plenty of time after this is done.”

  “So you say.” But he had a point. She headed over to Patty and Dr. Lazarus.

  “Hey, Sam,” Patty said, grinning up at her. “You and Alexia have a chance to talk strategy yet?”

  “Yes, last night. Right now, she just wanted to pray.”

  “That’s Alexia for you. That bullheadedness of hers is what gives her strength.”

  “So, what’s the plan now?” Sam asked.

  Dr. Lazarus flipped through pages on a clipboard. “The agents we sent to scout out the oil rig just reported in. The Knight Priory is still gathering, but they’ve already set up a defensive perimeter. That is not surprising, considering that we’ve been on their backs for over a year. But tonight, the stakes have been raised. We’re going to have to go in low, fast, and armed.”

  Patty brought up a video feed from a boat. “This tech is so advanced, I wanna have its babies! But anyway, the four corners of Deepwater all have machine-gun nests. There’s also some funky thing in the middle that’s possibly a fifth one, so it’ll be a hot insertion and an even hotter extraction.”

  “Lovely,” Sam said. “So what are we waiting for?”

  “As soon as the police and medical staff get here, we’re setting off,” Dr. Lazarus said.

  “Right. Thanks.”

  Sam left with Aucoin. Outside the tent, they almost bumped right into Dixie and Ouellette, who were arguing.

  “Sir, with all due respect, this is not your operation!” Dixie shouted, obviously agitated.

  Ouellette was in her face. “I don’t give a rat’s ass whose operation it is. It’s my police, so it’s my call. Besides, need I remind you what happened the last time you didn’t take my advice, Captain? You lost half your goddamn arm.”

  Tightening her fist, she reared back to punch him. “Why, you son of a—”

  Moving like lightning, Aucoin grabbed her arm. “Dixie, stop it!”

  Still kind of lost, Sam asked, “What the hell is going on here?”

  Dixie pushed Aucoin away. “Commander Ouellette is insistent on sending the SWAT team directly to Deepwater after GEIST punches through the defenses, instead of intercepting the Knight Priory when they get back to land like he originally agreed.”

  “You’re being stupid, Captain,” Ouellette said. “If they make it to land, catching them will be next to damn near impossible!”

  “Why can’t you have faith in my leadership?” Dixie was near tears.

  Aucoin stood between them. “Calm down. It’s not worth your career. Don’t hit him.” Then he added, “Let me do it.” Swinging a wild haymaker, he punched Ouellette right in the mouth.

  Sam shuddered inside and out. Oh! Yes!

  But just as fast, Aucoin recoiled from the punch, holding his hand and swearing. “Oh, fuck! Son of a bitch that hurt!”

  Ouellette nonchalantly rubbed his jaw. “You’re lucky I rolled with that punch, Aucoin. Lucky as hell.” He returned to the command tent.

  Dixie and Sam got Aucoin to stop hopping around in pain so they could tend to him. His knuckles already had a nasty black-and-purple bruise forming. Handing him off to Dixie, Sam said, “Get him some medical treatment. We’re launching any minute.”

  “What are you going to do?” Dixie asked.

  “Something I shoulda done years ago!” Sam stormed back into the tent.

  No norma
l person is that strong!

  Ouellette was talking with Dr. Lazarus. Grabbing his collar, she pulled his face to hers. “What the fuck are you, you son-a-of-bitch? Are you fused like me? Answer me!”

  He angrily pushed her away. “Get your hands off me, Castille!”

  Everyone in the tent was staring at her, but she didn’t care. Tightening her fists, she said, “Let’s see you shrug off a blow from me. How about it, Ouellette?”

  “Sam, stop it,” Dr. Lazarus pleaded. “He’s just trying to help us with the—”

  “Shut it, Andre!” Sam said. Years of frustration with Ouellette were finally coming to a head. She jammed a finger in his face. “I want answers. Answers, you prick. And I want them now!”

  Glaring at her with an indignant expression, his brow wrinkled. Then he said, “Fine. When my work is done, we can have our little confrontation.” Then he stuck his finger up in her face. “But you listen to me, Castille. I’ve got a personal interest as well. So like it or not, we’re allies tonight against a common enemy. You have no idea what’s really at stake here, so stay out of my way, or I will put you down.”

  She glared back a few more seconds, their gazes equally intense. Then she spat to the side. “Fine. But afterwards, me and you. One way or another.”

  She glanced over at Abel and Meyer, who were being cautiously observant, and Patty, who was watching with wide eyes. “I’m sorry you all had to see that.” Sam left the tent.

  Sam had just finished checking on Aucoin, whose hand had been wrapped in bandages by Camellia, when the New Orleans police arrived. SWAT team vans, ambulances, and squad cars flooded the pier—it seemed like every precinct was there. Officers blockaded the entrances to the wharf from pedestrians, escorting out ravers and partygoers who wandered too close.

  “This is a screwed-up scene,” Aucoin said as he tested his hand’s range of motion. “The police of this city are going up against the mayor.”

  “Most of them probably don’t know he’s a target,” Camellia said as she finished checking him out. “Only Ouellette is risking himself. And besides, the mayor will likely be allowed to testify against the Knight Priory in exchange for immunity.”

  “Typical politician,” Aucoin said.

  Sam gently touched his hand. “You gonna be able to shoot with this?”

  “I don’t have a choice.”

  Outside, Dixie’s voice rang out over the camp’s PA. “Everyone, gather into your groups. We’ll be departing in ten minutes.”

  “This is it, you two,” Camellia said. She smiled saucily. “Have fun storming the castle.”

  With a smirk, Sam said, “Cute movie reference.”

  Aucoin flexed his hand again. “I must have missed it. What movie is that?”

  She tapped his nose. “You, sir, have just signed up for a date night when this is over.”

  Outside, agents and operatives alike were gathering near one of four helicopters. Sam hugged Aucoin and then said, “No matter what happens, thank you for teaching me to love again.”

  He hugged her back. “Yeah, well, stop acting like this is goodbye.”

  “All right, Kyle. See you later?”

  “Yep. Still gotta share that drink.”

  They kissed and parted ways.

  Joining Alexia at her helicopter, Sam was issued a headset. Alexia already had one on. “This will keep us in contact with Command.”

  When Sam put the headset on, she heard Dixie’s voice. “Veronica, our infiltration specialist, has snuck onto the oil rig. We’ve received confirmation that the entire Knight Priory has arrived. They are just waiting on Mayor Morial to begin.”

  “Are my children there?” Sam asked.

  There was no answer.

  Alexia tittered and pointed to the “push to talk” button.

  “Oh.” Sam pushed the button. “Hey, are my children there?”

  Patty’s voice came up. “Sam, we’ve received visual confirmation of your children. Don’t worry, I’ll be personally guiding in Team Two.”

  Then Dixie said, “The Knight Priory arrived from several yachts currently docked below the rig. They were already wearing their masks. So when you get to the main meeting hall, scatter the Knight Priory, find your target, and apprehend them. Stick to your missions, people! Let the SWAT team and Ouellette handle the rest.”

  With a whine, the helicopters started. Meyer hopped onto one and shouted into a loudspeaker. “Teams Five and Six, board here now!”

  Sam entered the helicopter with Alexia and Hakim. As she strapped herself in, she saw Misty, Lester, Sebastian, and Sheree loading up the equipment to hack into the boring device. Aucoin was getting into another helicopter with Victor, Gavin, and Curtis. She squeezed her charm as he vanished inside. Good luck, Kyle.

  “Hey, Your Majesty! Welcome aboard!” It was the Jamaican from her rescue at Evergreen. She didn’t even know his name. “Don’t worry about a ting, Your Majesty. Anything comes close and I’ll shred it wit’ the fifty cal right here.”

  Being called that made her blush. “Thanks. But please, just call me—”

  The helicopter engine roared to life.

  “What was that, Your Majesty?” He held his hand to his ear. “I couldn’t hear you.”

  She spoke a bit louder. “I said, call me S—”

  And then the helicopter drowned out her words as it took off.

  “All right!” he said, putting on his headset. “Let’s go kick some Knight Priory ass!”

  Despite getting cut off twice, she laughed at his enthusiasm. Much like Alexia’s sincerity, his attitude was refreshing.

  As they flew south toward the Gulf of Mexico, Sam steeled herself for the upcoming battle. The words of both Tania and Victor resonated within her.

  Whatever your destiny is, you have to fulfill it.

  Make your own damn destiny.

  Sam closed her eyes and focused on what was ahead.

  No matter what happens, this story ends tonight.

  Chapter 45

  Sounds of War

  Date: Sunday, June 15, 1997

  Time: 9:47 p.m.

  Location: Deepwater Olympus

  Somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico

  The rocking of the helicopter had just lulled Sam to sleep when she was jerked awake to the sounds of war.

  Aucoin called out over the headset. “Dixie! We’ve got problems. Big ones!”

  Sam started looking outside when an explosion rocked the helicopter, tossing Alexia against her. Grabbing her partner, she braced herself and held on tight. The Jamaican yelled, “Shit!” and started firing his machine gun. Outside, it sounded like the world was ending.

  “Are you OK?” Sam asked, nudging Alexia.

  “Y-yeah,” she said, although her eyes were wide and she was almost hyperventilating. “What’s happening?”

  Instead of answering her, Sam pushed her back in her seat. “Hang on. No matter what happens, do not jump. If the helicopter crashes, wait until it stops moving, then unharness and swim to the surface.”

  “If it cra—what?”

  Strapping Alexia in, Sam said, “Stay calm. If you panic, you’re dead.” Then she leaned out of the side of the copter to take in the scene. It was pure pandemonium.

  The sky was illuminated with the hail of machine-gun fire, both from GEIST helicopters and the oil rig. Streaking by like lines of fireflies, they kicked up the water in splashes and bounced off metal hulls with sparks. The smell of gunpowder and oil was choking.

  Aucoin called out again, “They have surface-to-air missiles. I repeat, surface-to-air missiles!”

  Another explosion went off. Above them, one of the helicopters burst into flames. She gasped. “No!”

  “Helicopter down!” Dixie cried. “Tania, Amelie, Chase, Noelle—anyone, answer!”

  Then Alexia screamed, “Sam, we’ve got incoming!”

  Joined by Meyer and Hakim, Sam saw a missile flying straight at them, streaking from a large vehicle with a radar dish situated in the cen
ter of the rig.

  “An SA-15 Gauntlet,” Meyer said, shouting over the sounds of battle. “Probably Russian black market. Sam, we need to take that or we’re all dead!”

  The missile rapidly approached

  Suddenly, Sam had an idea—a bat-shit crazy, but entirely plausible, idea. Victor’s words rang in her head. You’re a god, right? Start acting like one.

  “Meyer, Hakim, Alexia, can you three take that thing out if you get close enough?”

  “Affirmative,” Meyer said.

  The missile drew even closer.

  Tightening her gloves, she said, “Good! You three do that. I’ll handle these.”

  “Right,” Meyer said. “Keenan, we’re going in. Shred everything on the ground!”

  The Jamaican gunner shot him a thumbs-up. “Right as you say, Mister Rabbi, Sir.”

  As the missile neared, Sam focused her power. Time around her slowed down until even the rattle of machine-gun fire was like the tick of a metronome. With a quick inhale, she leapt out of the helicopter, swung from the landing skid, and landed on the missile. Then with a guttural cry, she punched the missile in half. Wasting no time, she scanned the battlefield. The helicopter holding Aucoin, Victor, and the others was approaching the rig, while the one holding the equipment to hack the boring device had soared upward. However, a missile was flying at it.

  Damn it!

  Even as the missile she had just destroyed started falling, she pushed off of it, hurtling toward the others. She visualized herself making the jump, and when she collided with the other missile, she knocked it off course. And as she flew past the helicopter, riding on the missile now, she caught a glimpse of the shocked expressions of Sheree and Sebastian. She shot them the victory sign.

  I can do this!

  Again, she glanced around. The helicopter with her team was beginning its approach, while the one with Aucoin, which was almost to the side of the rig, had two missiles flying at it.

  No—Kyle!

  Pulling on her missile with short, controlled tugs, she kept altering its course until she was flying straight at the other two. She took a second to assess their velocity, guessing as best she could, and then kicked hers like a soccer ball. It flew through the air in a tight spiral and hit, both exploding at a safe distance from the helicopter. Then she dove into the other missile, intercepting it just a few feet from impact. The moment she punched it in half, she realized that she had made a miscalculation. The head of the missile flipped up and hit the rotor mast. For a brief moment, she saw Aucoin, his face pale with fear. Then he closed his eyes as the top of the helicopter exploded.