The song ended and the radio station took a commercial break, causing Arielle to lower the volume as she continued down the freeway like a drag racer.
“I didn’t realize that driving was one of your strong suits,” Martin said. “Do you have any actual weaknesses?”
“I love driving, and no I do not,” she replied with a soft chuckle. “After I lost my family, I dedicated my entire life to the Road Runners and being the very best. We don’t have any certifications because we don’t believe in that sort of stuff, but we get graded, us agents. Sort of like power rankings. I’ve been number one for the last two years, and was number two behind Alina until she started taking fewer missions to work on bigger projects. My scorecard shows no weaknesses either. I’ve earned perfect marks in driving, running, strength, stealth, espionage, shooting, bombs, combat, and a whole bunch of other categories I can’t keep track of.”
“Christ. And you were trained under the Road Runners like anyone else?”
Arielle nodded. “Yes, the program is great. What you put in is what you’ll get out. I’d skip days off and do more training on my own. When sessions ended, I stayed and worked in private with the instructors. And I don’t want you to think that the rest of our agents are lazy or don’t care, they’re all fantastic—I just wanted so much more out of it. Training became like a drug for me, it gave me a high. Then when I graduated from training, missions gave me a new high. Then it was the agent rankings, and I wanted to climb all the way to the top. I literally can’t get enough of this work.”
“So driving me two hours is pretty boring work for someone like you?”
“Not at all. There is no higher honor than working on a mission for the commander. And this one is working with the commander. It might not be as physically grueling as other missions, but it’s definitely the most important mission I’ve ever been assigned.”
“You’re an impressive young woman,” Martin said. “When I was your age, I was drinking every night in college, just trying to get by with C’s to graduate. Even with what you’ve been through you know exactly what you want out of life and how to get it. I am curious, though, where do you go from here? You’re the top-ranking agent, so what is left to achieve for Arielle Lucila?”
“I honestly don’t know. I’ve enjoyed being the top agent and I definitely want to do it a few more years. I’m aware that one day I’ll no longer be the best, but until then I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. I don’t see myself ever entering a leadership type role—I need to be out in the world, not calling shots from behind a desk. Maybe that will change once my body has taken the abuse of this job, but maybe not. Right now, it’s hard to imagine doing anything else.”
“I wish I understood. It seems for me that what I’ve wanted out of life has constantly been in flux. I never imagined myself here, but there’s no turning back now.”
“I believe we are always right where we need to be. I’ve never questioned that for a moment. At some point in our lives, we are called to fulfill our destiny. Most people shy away—it’s the spectacular ones who step up. It’s important we never doubt ourselves.”
Martin had never considered anything about his life to be spectacular, but the sentiment still managed to consume his thoughts as they sped along. He didn’t respond, and Arielle seemed content letting her remarks linger as they continued without further conversation, the radio playing softly and Martin coming to terms with fulfilling his own destiny.
Chapter 26
Arielle was skilled in several categories, as she had mentioned. Relaxing a flustered person was nothing difficult for her, even if it was the commander of the Road Runners. She’d found herself in plenty of scenarios, as a group leader, having to rein in the erratic emotions of her team as they embarked on extraordinarily risky missions, lives teetering on the brink of death for each grueling second.
Commander Briar fell more on the charts as a man who couldn’t get out of his own head. He put up his own roadblocks of doubt as the mission progressed from its initial days as a mere idea.
Arielle didn’t care. Her job was to get the commander safely to Angle Inlet where he’d wander into the woods on his own. Safely was the key word, and that also applied to his mental capacity. If he were to have any fighting hope of actually bringing down Chris Speidel, no matter how weak all reports claimed the monster to be, he needed a clear, focused mind. Arielle had stalked Chris for nearly the entirety of his life as they sought to learn his vulnerabilities as the Keeper of Time. She was perhaps the Road Runner with the most knowledge of what Chris was capable of. She knew his burning desire to keep his power and status, a willingness to stop at no costs to protect it. He had even admitted in a private conversation with his lifelong friend, Duane, that he would indeed kill his own daughter if it meant staying in control.
She had no way of knowing what Chris was up to at this exact moment as they drove through the middle of the Manitoba province, but she could guarantee that the Keeper of Time was indeed making preparations for Martin’s arrival. The chaos around the country certainly tipped off the fact that Chris was worried. If he had any confidence in his ability to come out of this situation alive, there wouldn’t have been any need for such deliberate distractions.
This fact had been obvious to both her and Alina, and they assumed to Commander Briar, but they had no way of knowing for sure. The commander had a tendency to close off his emotions and thoughts, sometimes becoming distant in the middle of meetings and conversations. Alina assured her he was a calculated person, not afraid to take his time and examine a situation from all perspectives before blurting out an idea. Knowing this, she had drilled it into his head during the drive that he must act exactly that way once entering the woods.
“Don’t think this is a matter of just walking up to his door and knocking,” she said once the festive mood of blaring music died down and they came within the final thirty minutes of their destination.
“Nothing has ever been simple with Chris,” Commander Briar replied. “Even when he and I were on the same side.”
“Even if he’s been weakened, expect him to use powers we haven’t seen. This is the final stand, and the entire time travel world knows what’s at stake. I’m not sure if the lieutenant has mentioned it, but your name is splattered across the news—well, it was before the blackout. Road Runners aren’t dumb. They know what’s going on and the anticipation is causing madness—pretty sure that’s what led to all the protests.”
Commander Briar raised his hand. “Please, Arielle. I’m well aware of the stakes and the stress our entire organization is under. I intend to put an end to it, but you know what’s been a calming realization that I haven’t had until this car ride? The fact that if I fail, I don’t have to be around to deal with the consequences. Maybe it’s morbid to think that way, even negative, but it has brought a sense of calm that I’ve been struggling to find all along.”
It’s called acceptance, Arielle thought, knowing that the removal of fear was one more pillar to fall that had been holding up the commander’s self-doubt. She understood the fine line between fearless and reckless, and the former always led to stunning results on her mission work.
“I don’t think it’s morbid at all,” she said, taking a sip of water and putting the bottle back into the cupholder separating them. “And it’s not negative—it’s positive. You’re setting yourself up for success, but what do I know? I’m no psychiatrist.”
She grinned, knowing that even though she had no degree in psychiatry, she had taken the same courses and had an equal understanding as someone practicing in the field, just another weapon in her never-ending arsenal. This moment wasn’t anywhere in the plans—especially the long drive—but she had been told by Alina to prepare for it nonetheless. Commander Briar would need to be convinced that he could defeat Chris, but he’d just need a little mental nudge to get him to believe it himself. The car ride provided ample time to get the job done, and she sensed a shift in both his tone and body
language compared to when they had first left Winnipeg.
“Can I ask you for a favor?” Commander Briar in a hushed voice. “Not as your commander, but as a concerned citizen.”
“Okay,” Arielle said, bracing herself for an odd request.
“If I die, I need someone to fight these plans to abolish the Road Runners. It’s wasteful, and while I understand the basic logic behind it, I think it’s highly irresponsible of our organization to stop when it’s all so close. If it were up to me, my death should be followed with a quick attack. Don’t worry about my body—if you get a chance to drop bombs on this cabin to end the war, then do it.”
“First off, you’re not going to die, so stop thinking like that. Secondly, I don’t have enough power to do anything like that.”
“Then start a new group. Take the Road Runners who are interested in continuing the fight and finish it. Don’t let me die for no reason.”
Arielle shook her head, becoming distracted by her simple task at hand, not wanting to lose the momentum of confidence that had been brewing within Commander Briar. “The lieutenant made this decision and already stomped out this possibility. She said if anyone gets caught trying to continue, they will be detained by the Road Runners. Trips are already booked for tonight in case the worst happens; they want to move quickly with our departure, so Chris or any of his Revolters don’t have a chance to track us down before they realize what’s happening.”
“Trips? What about everyone on the jet? This team who has given everything for this mission… they’re just going to fly away in the night?”
Arielle nodded. “We’ve each booked a flight to our preferred location—safe zones scouted out by the organization, with a lot of help from Councilman Templeton.” She debated dropping that name in front of the commander, unsure how he’d react seeing as Templeton ran against him for the commandership. He remained smug, arms crossed with a look of disappointment stuck on his face.
“Where are you flying to?” he asked, monotone.
“Europe. Small island off the coast of Greece. Traveling outside of North America was strongly encouraged, so that’s what most of us decided.”
Martin snorted. “Funny. All I’ve wanted was a vacation, but it’s been one thing after another, even before becoming commander. The one vacation I took—which was to clear my head after Chris slaughtered my mother—was soon interrupted and I had to run. Do you know how many times I’ve thought about running away to an island, or Europe, just to get away from this life? Running against Templeton—who, quite frankly, I loved his idea of running away. And now to hear that is literally the plan for all Road Runners should I die.” He jerked his head from side to side, biting his bottom lip to the point of nearly drawing blood. “What a fucking slap in the face.”
Arielle had completely lost control of the commander and felt as if they were back to square one, if not even regressed from that point. The GPS showed only fifteen more minutes until they arrived. “Look, Commander, we can bicker about these decisions all you want, but we’re about to arrive and there will be no turning back. Everything has been planned and arranged to ensure your success on this mission. I’m sorry how things have unfolded, but this is where we are. The finish line is literally at the end of this road. It’s time to block out the noise and get ready for what’s coming.”
Commander Briar turned his head away and looked out of the passenger window, the glow from the dashboard lights brightening his face in the reflection. Arielle noticed him staring blankly into the pitch-black of the woods. “I’m fine—really. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time. It’s just all these logistics behind the scenes keep me distracted. I know they shouldn’t, but I’ve really grown to appreciate my role in leading this organization. The thought of it no longer existing, regardless of the circumstances, really fires me up.”
“Then win.” Arielle spoke these two words sharply, watching as they stabbed Commander Briar in the gut of his psyche.
“Then win,” he repeated, nodding his head. “Well, if you say so, then that’s what I’ll do.” He grinned, the tension softening within the car.
“The key to my success has been to trust my teams that plan the missions. If you’re confident in who you hired on this team, then there is no reason to not trust and follow their directions. You’re equipped with everything you need, just follow the plan.”
The road changed from pavement to dirt, signifying that they were now five minutes away from their destination. Arielle knew this, the GPS showed it, but Commander Briar said nothing, not even looking toward the center console that confirmed these details.
“It’s time to call Steffan,” Arielle said, keeping her voice soft with hopes of not startling her commander any more.
He pulled out his cell phone and started dialing, Arielle listening intently, nerves starting to formulate, intimidated by the sheer magnitude of this ultimate step in the mission.
“Mr. Privvy,” Commander Briar said in a forced, cheerful voice. “How are things there at such a late hour?” He nodded while Steffan replied from across the Atlantic, finally looking at the GPS. “Yes, looks like we are three minutes away. So give me five on top of that and you’ll be all set to freeze it. Eight minutes total from right now.” He gulped and looked back out his window, his legs bouncing uncontrollably. “Ninety minutes, understood. I’d better be done well before that. Thank you.”
The commander hung up and let out a deep sigh, keeping his eyes closed as the inevitable had finally arrived. “It’s all taken care of,” he said. “I’ll be staying in the car with you to confirm when time is frozen, then I’ll head into the woods.”
“Understood, sir,” she said with a quick nod as the car slowed down and pulled to the side of the road, the little strip of shops roughly two hundred yards ahead of them. Arielle killed the engine and turned off the headlights, leaving them to listen to the howling wind outside, blowing swirls of snow from the tops of the surrounding trees.
Arielle had never knowingly gone into frozen time, the act not having an effect on those not involved. From her vantage point, time would continue as it was, the pause passing in a matter of milliseconds within her mind, while Commander Briar used the next ninety minutes of frozen time to roam the woods. Only he, Chris, Steffan, and any other lucky Warm Souls alone could use the world as a playground.
The commander checked his watch. “Should be one or two minutes until he freezes it. I’ll see you on the other side.”
Arielle didn’t know what further to say, relieved to not only see, but hear the regained confidence in Commander Briar’s voice. “I’ll be right here, ready to help carry his dead body.”
The commander grinned, and shot his hand to the door handle, clearly anxious and ready to dash through the dark woods as his legs hadn’t stopped bouncing for the past hour. Arielle debated suggesting that he relax his body, that even a subconscious movement like his could still fatigue him before reaching the cabin. She decided against it, as starting any sort of discussion at this point would prove useless.
Arielle didn’t see herself with her lips parted, her thoughts stuck in her head. Nor did she see Commander Briar step out of the car, gently close the door behind him, and start trudging into the woods.
Time had been frozen, and while no one realized it, the time travel world waited in grave anticipation.
Chapter 27
Chris Speidel lay on the bed in his cabin, drenched in sweat, shivering as he patted himself dry with the couple of hand towels kept in the place. He had confirmed that he was officially on his own, with no invincibility to save his life. I have to do it myself, he thought.
He had spent the past hour channeling the abilities afforded to him as the Keeper of Time, but little did he know—he did, but his arrogance refused to let him accept reality—every task he had ever done as Keeper expelled a certain amount of energy from his body. While invincible, however, that fatigue was never noticed. With that protection now removed, and
combined with his archaic age, Chris found himself forced to choose with careful precision how to best proceed. His first priority was to enter the mind of Martin Briar to learn his foe’s whereabouts.
Much to his surprise—he didn’t think Martin would come so soon—he entered Martin’s mind to find him in a car, headed toward Angle Inlet, Minnesota, with a beautiful young woman driving the vehicle. The act of entering Martin’s mind had drained Chris, knocking him on his ass for five minutes after returning to his own conscience. Once he regained some strength, Chris dashed outside to confirm the slots in his cabin walls had unobstructed views to all surrounding angles. He returned inside where he further prepared for the impending encounter, placing boxes of ammunition in different positions, leaving him free to reload his guns wherever he ended up within the confined space.
Chris debated trying different tactics available to him as the Keeper, but didn’t want to lose what little energy he had left in the tank. It was a double-edged sword. Should he decide to fight Martin as a mere mortal man, he’d have better endurance and would only have to wear Martin out. He didn’t know which direction Martin would come from—he was still too far to tell—and he didn’t want to waste energy moving from wall to wall until his old friend arrived. So he gambled and settled in the cabin’s southeast corner, also convenient as that is where the bed was, providing a soft seat for Chris while he waited. He figured Martin would either enter the woods from the airport or the town. The airport would require him to backtrack, while the town was the first option when driving in.
The lack of communication to the outside world drove Chris crazy. He wanted to know how the riots around the continent were going, and if they had changed anything. Clearly the Road Runners didn’t care since Martin was still on his way, but the fact that he was coming with only one other person suggested resources were thin. He knew the odds were lined up for time to be frozen, something even the Keeper of Time had no way of controlling should someone else authorize the act. He could try freezing time first, but that action required an amount of energy from Chris that could kill him.
Time of Fate (Wealth of Time Series #6) Page 16