by Siegel, Alex
"Legionnaires are respectful and obedient. You're neither. You know I'm telling the truth."
Wesley scowled and stormed out of the room.
Tawni shook her head. "The kid is spoiled."
"Not a surprise," Aaron said. "He has spent his whole life being treated like God's gift to the world because that's what he is. Back to the mission. Tawni, you'll operate over here." He pointed to an empty lot. "The drifting smoke should block the surveillance cameras. I also want you to knock out the electrical power. That should disrupt the enemy for a little while. Our people will have night vision goggles."
Tawni studied the image on the monitor. The intensity in her eyes made her face more beautiful. Her smooth skin was a rich, dark brown.
"What are you feeling?" Aaron said.
"God's breath is burning me. My veins are on fire. But it's good. It makes me stronger."
He wanted to give her a congratulatory hug, but that didn't seem appropriate. "Come on. Let's go shopping."
Aaron, Norbert, and Tawni went down the hall to the armory. The room had reinforced concrete walls in case a weapon went off. It was about forty feet square. Tall racks of guns took up half the space. Grenades, mines, launchers, and other more exotic weapons had their own section. The rest was dedicated to body armor, night vision gear, and general equipment.
"Everybody take a cart," Aaron said.
Shopping carts were placed along the wall. They were a convenient way to move lots of bulky equipment at once.
He grabbed a cart and pushed it over to the advanced body armor. Complete suits made of dense, fibrous material hung on hangers. The tough strands were knitted together to form layers of tight mesh. Overlapping plates covered critical areas like fish scales. Black and gray stripes created the camouflage pattern preferred by the Society. The suits were designed to fit snugly and allow complete freedom of movement.
Tawni came over. "I noticed these before. What are they made of? It's not like any kind of body armor I saw in the military."
"I don't know what the fibers are. Some top secret material. Flexible, fireproof, bulletproof, and extremely expensive. We use these suits when we expect a major battle."
He picked out body armor for the team members and put it in his shopping cart. He also grabbed night vision goggles.
"Sir," Norbert said from the other side of the room, "can we use the paintball guns tonight?"
Aaron grinned. "Why not? I think we tested them enough."
"Paintball guns?" Tawni said. "Are you serious?"
They walked over to Norbert. Six paintball guns were standing in a rack. Black and gray powder paint covered the contoured metal surfaces. Charged canisters of CO2 and spare hoppers were nearby. The boxes of ammunition were marked with plenty of stark warning labels.
"Why don't you try one in the shooting range," Aaron said. "I'll put it together for you."
He assembled a gun, screwed on a CO2 canister, and filled the hopper with bright pink balls. They walked to the range next door.
He clicked off the safety and gently gave Tawni the gun. "Aim at the wooden target. It's fully automatic. Enjoy."
A wooden dummy was placed half-way down the range. She pulled the trigger and a stream of balls shot towards the target. The gun made a soft hissing noise.
As each ball struck, it burst and exploded into flames. Greasy material clung to the target and continued to burn fiercely. Aaron could feel the heat from twenty-five yards away. Within seconds, fire enveloped the entire dummy.
"Wow," Tawni said. "I think I just had an orgasm."
"We got the idea during the convention," Aaron said. "We had a paintball tournament and liked the guns a lot. We just needed to replace the paint with rocket fuel."
She looked at the pink balls. "Very cool."
"Let's go back and finish shopping."
* * *
Wesley glanced left and right to make sure nobody was in the hallway. He silently returned to the computer room. The twins were working at their computers, which meant they were oblivious to the rest of the world. He would have to poke them to get their attention.
He examined the satellite photo of the target building a little more. The streets were labeled and he memorized key intersections. He mentally plotted the path he would take tonight. He intended to join Smythe and his team shortly after they entered the building, when it was too late to send Wesley away. It was helpful Aaron had laid out the plan. Wesley merely had to be in the right places at the right times.
He felt it was his duty to ignore Aaron's order to stay in headquarters. A real legionnaire fought God's enemies regardless of circumstance and risk. Wesley was tired of being constantly protected. He was old enough and skilled enough to take care of himself. It was time people stopped treating him like a child just because he was ten.
He tapped Bethany on the shoulder.
She twitched as if startled. She looked up at him, "What is it?"
"What town is the truck factory in? Where is it exactly?"
He used a little of his gift to encourage her to talk. He just had to allow his inner light to flow through his eyes. She immediately relaxed and smiled. For a person like her who had nothing to hide, the light of truth was pure pleasure.
"Crestwood," she said. "Near the intersection of 294 and Cicero. Why?"
It was impossible for him to lie so he changed the subject instead. "What are you and Leanna working on?"
"I'm analyzing the financials of Clear Path Cable. That might tell us who is behind the Nonsectarians. I'm already finding strong patterns of financial deception. Leanna is digging into Ted Cobby's background, and she has other leads to follow."
"You're very tired," he said.
"We'll go to sleep after tonight's operation is done and the team is safe. Tomorrow morning we can give you another math class."
"That sounds great. Thank you."
Wesley left the room and immediately took out a notepad and a pen. He wrote notes to himself so he wouldn't forget the details of his plan. He couldn't afford any missteps, and the timing had to be exactly right. Being even a minute off could lead to disaster.
Now he just needed some money to pay for a cab ride to Crestwood. He had no idea how much it would cost, but it probably wouldn't be cheap. There was cash in the security booth.
He went down the hall and knocked on the door. Kamal opened it.
"Where is Jack?" Wesley said.
"Oh, hi, Wesley. He went home to sleep." Kamal sat at the security console.
He wore crisply pressed brown slacks and a white buttoned shirt. Black shoes had a shine even in the darkened room. He was always the best dressed member of the team even though nobody else cared much. The clothes looked good on Kamal's tall, slim body.
Wesley hadn't spent much time with Kamal. The scientist was usually alone in his laboratory working on experiments. Wesley's gift was warning him that Kamal was secretly publishing results under a fake name in professional science journals. Gathering information from outside scientists was acceptable, but it couldn't flow the other way. One day soon that dangerous habit would get him into deep trouble. Aaron would have to deal with that problem when the time came.
"Can I help you?" Kamal said.
"No," Wesley said. "I'm fine, thanks." He watched the surveillance monitors.
"What does it feel like when you use your gift?"
"I open myself and let the light out. It's very natural for me."
"And you always know when people lie?" Kamal said. "How?"
"A thousand little clues. The tone of their voice, the color of their skin, the smell. Sometimes I don't know how I know. I just do."
"Fascinating. You can tell the future, too, it seems."
Wesley shook his head. "Not really. God has His plans and sometimes I get a peek at them. I know some stuff that's supposed to happen. I keep most of those secrets to myself. It's dangerous to mess with destiny."
"You see the future that God intends?"
"Kin
d of. God doesn't move through time like we do which makes it complicated. He can have a plan and still be surprised by it. Or He'll change the past to match the future. The twins understand the theory a lot better than me."
Kamal frowned. "I looked at some of the math they're doing for Him. It's incredibly hard. I thought I was a smart guy, but their work is way beyond me."
"And it will get even harder until their brains can't handle it anymore. No human is smart enough to reprogram the universe."
"What will happen?"
"A transformation." Wesley paused. "Norbert will be sad. He loves those girls, and when he sees how God changes them.... They'll still be beautiful but not the way they are now. I can't say any more."
Kamal became quiet.
Wesley had watched the surveillance video long enough to confirm the cameras he had turned off were still off. He went to the cash closet.
He didn't understand money at all. The whole concept was a huge lie. The pretty pieces of paper and metal had little intrinsic worth. The numbers that banks kept in their computers were even less meaningful. Humanity had played the money game for so long that few people even knew it was just a game. Wesley was painfully aware of that fact though. He despised money and all the trouble it caused. There had to be a fairer way to organize the world.
He took a short stack of hundred dollar bills from the closet.
"What's that for?" Kamal said.
Wesley instinctively wanted to tell the truth and reveal his entire plan. He fought a mental battle just to keep his mouth closed. Summoning every bit of his willpower, he walked out of the room without answering.
He stood in the hallway and gasped. Sweat dotted his forehead. That was close, he thought.
* * *
Tawni, Norbert, and Aaron were sitting around the kitchen table. They were eating a steak dinner, and the only sound was chewing and swallowing. Nobody had spoken a word during the meal.
Tawni looked at her commander. Her opinion of him had changed and changed again during their time together. She still thought he was a complete asshole, but now she understood why. She didn't even hold a grudge for the time he had almost drowned her in the lake. The test had been necessary.
Unexpectedly, she felt jealous of Marina's relationship with him. Aaron was quite a catch. Powerful, strong, intelligent, and handsome, he had all the qualities a woman sought in a man. His frosty personality was his only serious flaw. If he and Marina ever broke up, Tawni might make a pass at him. Until that happened, she would keep her distance. Tawni had seen Marina fight in the tournament and wanted no part of that action.
"How do you think the mission will go tonight?" Tawni said.
"Poorly," Aaron replied around a mouthful of steak.
She raised her eyebrows. "Really?"
"I've gone through a lot of scenarios in my head. Most do not end well."
She looked over at Norbert. If he was afraid, he wasn't showing it. He simply ate his meal quietly.
"Then why are we doing this?" she said.
"The enemy is before us," Aaron said. "We must fight. If my people run into trouble, they'll just have to deal with it. I've given them all the advantages I can."
He was very hard to read, but she detected anxiety in his voice. He was afraid of what might happen tonight. He cared.
"You want to go with them."
"More than anything," he said, "but if the operation fails, somebody has to be here to clean up the mess. The cell must carry on its work. If necessary, replacement legionnaires must be recruited. That's my job."
Tawni glanced at Norbert again. He didn't react.
She looked around. "Where is Wesley? I haven't seen the twerp in a while."
"Probably sulking," Aaron said. "Finish your meal. It could be your last, so try to enjoy it."
"Yes, sir."
* * *
Wesley checked his watch. Time to go, he thought.
He walked up the stairs to the roof. It was a chilly night but his body armor kept him warm. Clothes over the armor gave him a normal appearance. A clear night sky and bright stars made him look up. The heavens were beautiful tonight.
He knew where the surveillance cameras were located and sat on a piece of ductwork in full view of one. Kamal was still in the security booth. Wesley stayed in one spot long enough to cause Kamal to lose interest if he were watching. Casually, Wesley stood and walked into one of the areas where the cameras were off.
He placed his phone on the roof. The built-in tracking system would make everybody think he had never left.
He sprinted over to the emergency rappel system. Buckling and tightening the straps took just a short time. Without hesitation, he leapt off the building.
The electric winch whined and the rope vibrated during his rapid decent. Excitement made him grin all the way down. This part was more fun than he had expected.
He touched the ground. He quickly unbuckled himself and stepped into the darkness at the base of the hotel. He crept around the building, sliding from shadow to shadow. He contorted his body to blend into his environment every step of the way, just as he had been taught.
He reached the front where a line of taxicabs waited. He worked his way along the line, keeping his head down. He opened the door of the cab at the head of the line and slipped inside.
The driver was a Hispanic man with a thick mustache. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Wesley.
"Take me to Crestwood," Wesley said.
"That's a long ride for a kid. Where are your parents?"
"Dead."
The cabby stiffened.
"Here." Wesley gave him a hundred dollar bill. "Can we go? I'm in a hurry."
The driver hesitated. Clearly, he was nervous about taking an unattended child across the city at night.
Wesley gave him more money. "Please. It's really important. I can't be late."
The driver shrugged and drove away.
Forty-five minutes later, the cab finally arrived at a particular intersection in the Crestwood industrial park. The streets were dark except for an occasional street lamp. Wesley didn't see any other traffic. Huge, widely spaced buildings were the only landmarks, and the parking lots were almost empty.
"Thanks. How much do I owe you?"
"I can't let you out," the driver said.
"Why not?"
"There is nobody here."
"Don't worry," Wesley said. "My friends are on their way."
"What kind of friends would send a kid to this place in the middle of the night?"
"This is exactly where I need to be." He threw five hundred dollars onto the front seat, opened the door, and got out.
"Hey!" the driver yelled out his window. "Get back in. I'll take you someplace safe."
"I just left a safe place. You can go now."
"You can have your money back if you get in the cab."
Wesley started walking along a sidewalk. "I don't want the money."
"Come on. Please." The cab followed him down the street.
"No. I'm warning you. I don't have time for this. If you don't leave me alone, I'll ask you a question you don't want to answer."
"What kind of threat is that? You don't even know me."
Wesley stopped. The cab pulled up next to him.
Wesley faced the driver. "Last chance to go away."
The driver shook his head. "I have a baby at home. What kind of father would I be if I left you here?"
Wesley turned his gift up to full blast. "Why are you a cab driver?"
The man gasped and his face contorted. Wesley could sense the truth inside him struggling to escape. It had been bottled up for too long. Mental walls stood in the way, but they crumbled before the light. The driver twitched as if he were having a severe seizure, but Wesley didn't have time to be gentle. He was already a few minutes behind schedule. The trip across the city had taken a bit longer than expected.
The driver struggled to get the words out. "I raped a woman in Texas. I'm hiding from
the law. My taxi license is fake."
"Turn yourself in. Your baby needs a father who doesn't live in fear."
"I'll go to jail."
"For a while," Wesley said. "Your family will be waiting for you when you get out."
Shaking and pale, the driver rolled up his window. The cab made a U-turn and drove off.
Wesley continued walking down the road. He checked his watch and picked up the pace. He really needed to hurry now.
* * *
Tawni drove through the dark, quiet streets of the Crestwood industrial park. There were no cars on the road at this time of night, no civilians to get in the way. Street lamps created isolated pools of light.
She glanced at Norbert in the passenger seat. He wore black and gray armor over his entire body, leaving only his face partly exposed. Assorted weapons hung from a utility belt, and they were covered with cloth bags to prevent reflections. Straps held a serrated knife to his wrist. Night vision goggles were attached to a black combat helmet.
Smythe and Odelia were dressed and equipped similarly. They sat in the middle seat of the dark van. Black ribbons were wrapped around Odelia's long, white hair.
Tawni inhaled deeply and the scent of death made her grin. It was going to be a good night.
"You seem happy," Norbert said.
"This will be fun."
"Spoken like a true Spear. It's only been a few days, but you already seem like a different person than the one I met in the alley. I like the new you a lot more."
Tawni looked at him. "In case we don't survive, it was nice knowing you. I really mean that."
"Thanks. Same here."
"I'm sorry I was such a bitch at first."
"Don't worry about it," he said. "Do you know what the good thing about dying young is?"
"What?"
"You leave a pretty corpse behind."
Tawni smiled.
She checked the rear-view mirror. Smythe and Odelia were trying to cuddle despite their bulky equipment. She wanted a relationship like theirs. Tawni had had opportunities, but she had ruined every one. She wondered if she would ever get another chance at true love. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life as a lonely creature of death, but that was the direction she was headed.
The Quick Hammer Truck and Tractor factory was coming up on her left. It was a lot bigger in real life than in the satellite photo. There was enough room inside for every kind of hell imaginable.