by Siegel, Alex
As he drove through the city, she stared out the windows. The tears in her eyes made the street lights blurry.
Gradually, she settled down. After a few miles, she managed to say, "Thank you for rescuing me."
"You're welcome. Why didn't you use your phone to call for help?"
"I don't know how. I didn't read the manual."
Smythe was kind enough to leave that statement hanging in the air.
"How did you know I was in trouble?" Tawni said.
"Aaron asked me to keep an eye on you. I followed you from the hotel."
She furrowed her brow. She didn't like being followed even in this case. She also wasn't comfortable with Aaron caring so much about her welfare. It felt a little creepy. All her life, men had seen her as a sex object. She couldn't believe Aaron was different.
"Does he really have a girlfriend?"
"Marina," Smythe said. "They're deeply in love."
Tawni took a deep, shuddering breath. "Is she nice?"
"She and Aaron make a perfect couple. They're both very nasty sons of bitches."
She smiled slightly despite everything. It was good to know other people shared her opinion of Aaron.
"I have another question," she said. "How did you shut off the lights? You didn't touch the switch."
He glanced at her. "I had Bethany hack into the electric company's computer system. She turned off the whole neighborhood for ten seconds. I wanted it dark."
She raised her eyebrows. Cool.
He drove the rest of the way in silence. He parked in front of the hotel and took her straight up to her room.
She was still fumbling with her key card when the door opened. Aaron glowered at her from inside the room.
"Welcome back," he said. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
She looked down as she walked in. "Carlos..."
"I know about Carlos, but you should've called me instead of running off. I explicitly ordered you to stay here."
"Sir," Smythe said, "maybe you should go easy on her. She just watched her mother die."
"Oh," Aaron said quietly. "I'm sorry."
The food had been cleaned up and taken away in Tawni's absence. She sat on a chair and put her face in her hands.
He walked over to her. "I tried to tell you before," he said in a gentle voice. "The rules for us are different. While you're learning your way, it would be best if you just followed my instructions. Trust my judgment, or there will be more incidents like tonight."
"Incidents?" She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "My mom just died! That's not an incident. What fucking rules are you talking about?"
"For one, disobedient legionnaires always get punished, one way or another. The Lord expects all of us to be good soldiers. When you flagrantly ignored your commander, you offended Him. I expected there would be trouble, which was why I sent Smythe to look after you."
"You knew those men would be waiting for me?"
"No," Aaron said. "I just had a bad feeling. Did you commit any other sins?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did you tell your mother about us? Did you reveal our secrets to an outsider?"
"Yes," she said, "but that has nothing to do with anything!"
"You're sure?" He shook his head. "Are you also sure I can't spit acid? Or that Smythe can't move his hand through your body? Or that a dead man can't talk? You know a lot less than you think."
She wiped her eyes.
"I'm very sorry about your loss. I truly feel your pain. I have a mother, too. I'm begging you, just follow orders next time."
"You don't follow orders," she muttered.
"That's completely false," he said. "I have a boss. Her name is Ethel, and I do exactly what she tells me to do."
"Your boss is a woman?"
"A black woman who grew up in Chicago, just like you. She also came from poverty. She's the legatus legionis of North America now. That means she's in charge of the entire continent."
Tawni was intrigued. She wanted to see Aaron taking orders from somebody like her.
"Does Ethel have a boss?"
"His name is God," he said, "I know it will be hard, but try to get some sleep. If you need a pill to help you relax, call room service. Tomorrow will be another interesting day."
He headed towards the door.
"What if Carlos comes back, sir?" she said.
"Stay put! I'll send Wesley down. Carlos will do whatever that kid tells him to do."
He and Smythe left.
Tawni started crying again.
Chapter Seven
Smythe bounced on the balls of his feet like an eager child. Odelia was almost here!
He was standing in the baggage claim area of O'Hare Airport. Waves of travelers washed back and forth in the vast echoing space. Kids were running around and babies were crying. The weary faces of people who desperately wanted to be home were all around.
He hardly noticed. All he could think about was a woman with white hair and eyes the color of rubies.
"Hi!" she said.
He turned around and found her standing behind him. He grinned at the pleasant surprise. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the lips. She melted into him. He expected that people were staring, but he didn't care. Odelia was in his arms, and life was good.
Eventually, they separated. He stood back to admire her beautiful pink skin and gorgeous body. The peculiar red color of her eyes was a side effect of her gift.
She had a small, black bag which had enough space for only a few changes of clothes. It was a painful reminder that this visit would be as brief as usual. They never had enough time together.
"Are you going to tell me what the big surprise is?"
He shook his head. "You'll know when you meet him."
"Him?" She raised her eyebrows. "That's interesting. Are you at least going to let me see your new headquarters?"
"We're going there right now. I can't wait to give you the grand tour."
He grabbed her bag and walked out of the airport with her. The morning sunlight was bright outside. It still felt like early spring, but the air was warmer than yesterday. He wasn't wearing a jacket and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
"I love this weather," Odelia said.
"We could walk."
"Your headquarters is that close?"
Smythe pointed at the hotel in the distance. "See that tall building with brown windows? That's it. It takes about a half-hour to walk if you move quickly. We probably shouldn't. We have a full agenda today, and we can't waste any time."
"What's happening?" She lowered her voice. "Aaron mentioned a mission."
"Not here. I'll tell you when we get to headquarters."
They hailed a taxi. The ride took only five minutes but Smythe tipped generously. He always felt bad about making cabbies waste their time on such a short trip.
They walked into the lobby.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the luxurious black and gold décor. "Is this a real working hotel?"
"Six hundred very comfortable rooms," he said. "Great rates, too. We're already booked solid."
"Where is headquarters? Buried deep underground like usual?"
"Top floor."
She smiled. "With windows and everything? You can actually see the sun during the day?"
He nodded.
"Nice!"
He took her up to headquarters using the first floor elevator. She was impressed by the special conference room that went up and down silently.
They held hands as they walked into the concrete entry chamber.
Jack grinned from behind the bulletproof glass. "It's great to see you again, Odelia."
"Thanks," Odelia said. "I love the new place already, and I haven't even been inside."
"We're certainly proud of it."
A side door buzzed. Smythe held it open so she could walk through.
"I'm dying of curiosity," she said. "Before I get the tour, I want to know what the surpris
e is."
"Let's see if we can find him."
He walked quickly through headquarters, checking in the obvious places. He found Wesley in the computer room. Leanna was standing in front of a large monitor which displayed several complicated equations. She was lecturing him like a college professor, and he appeared intensely interested. Bethany was sitting at her computer workstation, oblivious to the lecture.
"Smythe," Odelia said, "why is a child in your headquarters?"
"That's the big surprise," Smythe said. "I'd like to introduce you to the Voice of Truth, Wesley."
Wesley turned and looked at her. His eyes refracted the light like blue prisms.
She backed up abruptly. "Holy crap! What is he doing here?"
"He made himself a legionnaire," Smythe said. "He works for Aaron now."
She stared at him. "That doesn't make any sense."
"We know."
Wesley came over with a curious expression. "Hello. Who are you?"
"Odelia." She shook his small hand. "I'm in the Los Angeles cell."
"What are you doing here?"
"Visiting this guy." She caressed Smythe's face.
Wesley looked back and forth between them. He frowned.
"What's wrong?" Odelia said.
"You love each other a lot."
"That's very true." She smiled.
"Your relationship is way too strong, and you're both great healers. Too much power in one place. It was planned."
"Are you saying God brought us together?"
Wesley nodded. "And I think I know why." He walked back to Leanna.
She continued her math lecture.
"Does he always talk that way?" Odelia said in a low voice.
"Yes," Smythe said, "when he isn't whining about something."
"Hold on. Doesn't he have a special protection team?"
"They're downstairs in the hotel."
Her eyes widened. "Carlos?"
"Him, too."
She looked down at the floor with a terrified expression. He hugged her.
"I'm starting to have second thoughts about coming," she murmured.
He kissed her. "We're together. That's all that matters. Let's find Aaron."
They walked two doors down to Aaron's office. He was unpacking, and it didn't look like the project would take him long. He had few personal possessions. The boxes were mostly full of folders containing valuable information that he wanted to keep near at hand. The twins had offered to computerize his files on many occasions, but he had refused. He was an old-fashioned detective at heart. He liked to say, "paper can be burned and it never gets a virus."
He looked up. "Odelia! Welcome to my new headquarters. You bless it with your presence." He grinned.
Odelia bowed slightly. "Thank you, sir. I just met Wesley. You warned me about a surprise, but I had no idea it would be that big."
"These are interesting times. Speaking of which, we're investigating a very troubling situation in Chicago. There have been a lot of protests lately. They're getting larger and more violent."
"I saw the news reports. A few people died yesterday."
He took a stack of papers off his desk and gave them to her. "Here is some background information the twins prepared. I'm convinced something is causing thousands of people to become so angry they can't think straight. The madness seems to be spreading."
"A poison in the food or the water?" she said. "An infectious brain disease?"
"We'll try to find out today. You and the rest of my team are going to kidnap one of the protestors. You'll give him a thorough medical exam."
"Yes, sir. That sounds like an excellent idea."
Aaron's phone rang. He frowned and put it against his ear.
"Hello?" he said. "How did you...? No! That's not reasonable. You can't make those kinds of demands. This is my team and my territory. I'll decide..." His shoulders slumped. "I'm not going to keep putting up with this shit. Next time, you'll have to go through Ethel. I take orders from her, not you."
He put his phone away and stared at Odelia.
"What's wrong, sir?" she said.
"The protection team noticed your arrival. They want to check you out. We have to go downstairs."
She shook her head, and her face showed anxiety.
"I'm sorry," he said, "but if we don't go down, they'll just come up. We'll all go together."
He looked furious as he walked swiftly out of the office. Smythe and Odelia followed him.
Aaron stopped at the computer room. "Wesley! Come. Your pals are causing trouble again."
With an expression of profound annoyance on his perfect, little face, Wesley joined Aaron.
The four of them took the secret elevator down to the ground floor. They rode a regular elevator back up to the twentieth floor, where the nicest rooms were located. Nobody spoke during the brief trip. Aaron just worked his jaw. Odelia was tense and Smythe held her close to comfort her.
Aaron used a keycard to open the door at the end of the hall. He didn't bother to knock before going in. The rest of his group followed.
They entered the largest suite in the hotel. The main room had two separate bedrooms on the sides. There was a kitchen and a bathroom with a full-size Jacuzzi tub.
Charles sat in the center of the room like a king holding court. As usual, he wore an impeccably tailored suit and carried a silver cane. Yvonne stood behind him. Her yellow dress would've been pretty on a normal woman, but her distended musculature made it look odd. Atalanta stood off to the side, and she held a samurai sword on her shoulder. A loose, gray sweat suit probably hid many more weapons.
Smythe looked around and discovered Carlos standing behind the door. Odelia jumped when she saw Carlos. She recovered her composure and stood tall even though she was pale with obvious fear. She held Smythe's hand very tightly.
"Who are you?" Charles asked Odelia directly.
She cleared her throat. "Odelia. I'm with the Los Angeles cell. I came here to visit Smythe."
"Are you a legionnaire?"
"Yes, for five years."
"I'm confused." He cocked his head. "Why is a legionnaire travelling across the country on personal business? You're supposed to stay in your home territory."
"I was given special permission by Aaron and my commander," she said in an unsteady voice.
She glanced at Carlos. The dead man was as still and silent as a stone.
"Aaron," Charles said, "is this true?"
Aaron nodded. "Yes, but it's none of your business. I'll vouch for Odelia. She's very reliable and skilled. She understands her responsibilities. Are we done here? All of us have things to do besides appeasing you."
"I'm just doing my job."
"And I'm trying to do mine. You're not making it easier."
Atalanta walked over to Odelia. The tall Japanese woman made Odelia look petite in comparison.
"Five years?" Atalanta said. "A true veteran. Not bad. Do you have a gift?"
Odelia's skin started to glow with a bright white light that lit up the entire room. Her hair became a crown of white flame, and her eyes burned like embers. To Smythe, she looked like a warrior angel sent from Heaven. She was never more beautiful than when she used her gift.
"Yes," she said calmly.
The glow faded.
"Interesting," Atalanta said.
Wesley stepped forward. "That's enough!"
He tried to shove her even though his head only came up to her chest. With an amused expression, she stepped back.
"I like Odelia," he said. "She's a kind and wonderful person. Leave her alone."
"We have to make sure the right people are around you," Atalanta said.
"You can't make that decision. You're terrible at judging people! The only thing you're good at is cutting them to pieces."
Atalanta flinched, surprising Smythe. Perhaps she had some emotions after all. Of course, if anybody could reach her, it would be the Voice of Truth.
"Odelia," Charles said, "I j
ust need to make sure you understand the situation. Will you protect the Child with your life? Do you swear it?"
"Yes, sir," Odelia said.
"Then you may go."
"Wait!" Aaron said. "Don't dismiss her like that. She's a member of my team at the moment. This is my territory, my hotel, and my headquarters. You are my guest, and a very rude one at that."
Charles suddenly disappeared. Aaron stared at the chair with an expression of intense concentration.
"I still see you," Aaron said in a very tight voice. "That trick doesn't work on me anymore. It certainly doesn't intimidate me."
Charles reappeared in the same spot as before.
Aaron abruptly stormed out of the room. Smythe, Odelia, and Wesley followed close behind.
They entered an elevator. Aaron stood in the corner and continued to stew.
"Sir," Odelia said, "thank you for standing up for me."
He grunted. "You're welcome."
She knelt down in front of Wesley. "And you were very nice to me, too."
"I just told the truth," the boy said.
"But you just met me. You don't know anything about me."
His astonishing blue eyes looked into her red eyes. "I know more than you think."
"Did you accidently just use your gift?" Aaron said with a smirk.
"Uh." Wesley blushed. "Forget I said anything."
Odelia stood up. "What's going on?"
"He refuses to use his gift," Aaron said. "He's trying to be normal."
"The Voice of Truth wants to be normal? That doesn't make any sense. It's like telling the sun to stop shining."
Wesley raised his chin. "I'm going to try. You'll see."
Aaron rolled his eyes.
"I still want to go out with the team today."
"Wesley," Smythe said, "we already talked about this. We're going to a hospital. Kids aren't allowed."
"I don't want to spend the whole day stuck here!"
"You can keep me company," Aaron said. "We'll train together, and maybe I'll take you up in the helicopter. It will be fun."
Wesley pouted.
It took a few minutes to return to headquarters. When they were inside, Wesley wandered off with a disgruntled look on his face.
"As if things weren't complicated enough," Aaron said to Odelia, "we have one more irritating issue to deal with. Her name is Tawni. She's a new recruit with a foul mouth and a poor attitude. She seems physically unable to show me proper respect. Last night, her misbehavior got her mother killed."