by Alex Siegel
"What about Brittany Waters?"
"The women's dormitory section is over here." She circled a cluster of buildings with her finger.
"How do I find her?" Aaron said.
"I'm trying to explain. We have some very small cameras with radio transmitters. If you hide them near the dormitories, we can observe from the safety of our surveillance van. Within a day we'll know if your girl is there."
"Are you coming in with me?"
"No." Joseph shook his head. "We'll create a distraction on the other side of the compound so the guards will be elsewhere."
"I see. In other words, I'm taking all the risks."
"It's less of a risk than going in without a distraction. We're doing you a favor. You want to rescue the girl, don't you?"
Aaron took a deep breath. The argument was sound even if he didn't like the conclusions. "I assume this operation will happen at night."
"That's right." Joseph nodded. "We'll loan you some top grade night vision gear. Meet us at this spot at 11 PM sharp. Take the aerial photos with you. Memorize the location of every building, so you can move in the darkness without getting lost. We'll see you tonight."
He and Galina turned and walked off into the thick woods. Aaron was left to wonder how soon he would regret his decision to ally with them. He wasn't even sure why he had agreed to do it at all. The only obvious answer was a woman with fiery red hair who fascinated him.
Chapter Two
The night was perfect for covert operations. A blanket of clouds covered the moon. The air was warm and humid, but a steady breeze cooled Aaron's sweaty skin. Despite the darkness, he could see clearly with the night vision goggles Joseph had given him. The cult compound appeared bright green to Aaron's eyes, every detail in crisp focus.
In fact, the goggles produced such a brilliant image that Aaron was suspicious. Only elite military forces were entitled to such sophisticated gear. Joseph had handed over the goggles with seeming indifference to the fact they probably had cost thousands of dollars, if one could purchase them at all.
Aaron crept forward to the fence and snipped it with a pair of wire cutters. He made a hole just big enough to crawl through. He dashed to the nearest building and hid behind a dumpster. The stench of rotting garbage made him wince. Several guards waving around flashlights patrolled the grounds, and the beams looked like green lasers to Aaron. None were close to his hiding spot.
He took a walkie-talkie from his pocket and whispered, "I'm inside."
Galina's voice answered, "We're ready to set off the fireworks."
"Not yet. Hold for my signal."
He waited for a gap in the patrols, then jogged across open ground to a group of three long buildings arranged side-by-side. Supposedly, this section was the women's dormitory, but all of the windows were frosted and dark, so he had no way to confirm that fact. The walls of the buildings were made of heavy wooden planks nailed together and slathered with green paint. He imagined that the interiors were drafty and freezing in the winter.
His heart was beating fast, but from excitement instead of fear. Since leaving the police force a year ago, his life had been a perpetual slog from one dull job to the next. This operation was the first intense action he had seen in several months. The thrill made him feel alive.
Now came the first real challenge. Galina had provided six tiny surveillance cameras that could transmit video over half a mile. The problem was that they needed a power source, such as an electrical wire or socket. Batteries wouldn't last long enough.
There was nothing suitable at ground level that Aaron could find. Overhead wires ran from rooftop to rooftop, but climbing might make noise and wake the sleeping occupants of the buildings. He had to be very careful.
He used a windowsill to get half-way to the roof and pulled himself the rest of the way with just his arms. Wood creaked under his weight. He hoped the sound would be mistaken for the wind if anybody had heard it.
The wires on the roof were exactly what he needed. He slid forward on his belly to distribute his weight as evenly as possible until he reached the nearest one. He took a small kit of electrical tools from his pocket, put on rubber gloves, and carefully spliced into the live wire.
His walkie-talkie made a soft clicking noise.
He whispered into it, "I'm working. No fireworks yet."
"Standing by," Galina replied in a puzzled tone.
It took a while, but Aaron planted all six surveillance cameras on the roof and wired them properly. He covered every direction and would get good pictures of anybody coming or going. Best of all, he had performed the job in almost perfect silence, which made him smile with pride. Even though he was a little out of practice, he still had a talent for this kind of work.
After dropping off the roof with a soft thud, he whispered into the walkie-talkie, "The cameras are in place."
"All of them?" Galina said.
"Powered and transmitting."
"Good job." She sounded surprised.
"Thanks. There are too many patrols between here and that building you want me to investigate. I'll need that distraction now. Let's see those fireworks."
After a few seconds he saw bright flashes of light and heard many small explosions, as if a war were taking place just outside the fence. The racket was almost continuous. All of the guards immediately converged in that direction. Their robes were cut short and belted snuggly to allow complete freedom of movement. Extra girth around the chest suggested they wore a vest underneath.
Aaron waited patiently until the path to his next objective was clear. He began to jog in that direction. This job is going great, he thought. I just have to take some pictures, and then I'm out of here.
A surprising source of light in the forest caught his attention. A glowing ball hovered above the tree tops with no obvious means of support. It rippled like moonlight reflected from a lake even though the moon was hidden. Bursts in the center of the ball looked like miniature lightning strikes. The effect faded away to nothing.
Strange.
Aaron's night vision goggles flashed intense green, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut. He took off the goggles and discovered huge floodlights were turning on across the entire compound. People were screaming orders in all directions. The darkness that had protected him was gone. He was standing in the open, completely exposed.
He immediately began looking for any kind of cover. About thirty yards away there was a rusty, dented pickup truck, which had dark shadows underneath. He sprinted towards it. He hadn't even gone half-way before somebody yelled at him. He glanced back and saw guards pointing in his direction, which meant hiding was no longer possible. Fortunately, the pickup truck offered another option.
The door was unlocked, a lucky break. He leapt into the cab, locked himself inside, and stuck his head under the dashboard. Now I just have to hotwire this thing fast. The truck had very simple wiring—another lucky break—and he still had his electrical toolkit. Even so, he needed thirty long, sweaty seconds to short-circuit the ignition. The guards were pounding on the windows by the time he started the engine. He stomped on the pedal, spun the tires, and shot off, leaving a cloud of dust behind.
Aaron needed an escape route. The front gate at the northern end of the compound was built from thick bars of steel, welded together, so busting through it wasn't an option. If he tried ramming the perimeter fence, he might get stuck or crash into a tree. His best chance was a small gate at the southern end, which he had noticed while memorizing the aerial photos of the compound. Beyond that gate was a narrow dirt road. He hoped it would take him back to civilization.
He turned hard and drove south at full speed, confident in his plan. The bright floodlights helped him navigate.
There was some kind of violent commotion in the center of the compound. He glanced in that direction.
A huge man dressed in black and gray was battling several guards at once. Three opponents were on the ground, but at least a dozen more surrounded him and reinforcements were on
the way. The guy had no chance of escape. He was like a lone moose caught by a pack of hungry wolves.
That's Joseph! Aaron realized. What the hell? He's supposed to be with Galina!
Aaron aimed the pickup truck straight at the fight and stomped the accelerator to the floor. He leaned on the horn to make sure his intentions were absolutely clear. Cult members scattered out of the way, their bare calves moving quickly under the lights.
Aaron waved his arm, and Joseph nodded in acknowledgement, obviously recognizing him. Joseph bravely stood his ground as Aaron approached at full speed. Aaron hit the brakes at the last second, causing the truck to spin on the loose dirt. Joseph vaulted into the bed of the truck even before the wheels stopped turning. Aaron drove off.
He visualized the layout of the compound as he weaved between buildings. He couldn't afford a single wrong turn. People were rushing back and forth, sometimes right in his path.
At last, he reached the southern gate. Two guards tried to bar his way, but when it became clear he wouldn't stop, their courage broke and they jumped aside. The pickup truck barreled through the gate with a satisfying crash.
"Yes!" he yelled.
He was on a rough dirt road that led into a forest as dark as ink. Instead of turning on the headlights, he flipped down his night vision goggles, and night became monochromatic green day. Rocks and fallen branches on the road forced him to slow from suicidal speed to merely reckless.
Somebody knocked on the back window. He stole a quick glance and saw Joseph sitting there. Almost forgot about him, Aaron thought.
He stopped the truck just long enough for Joseph to enter the cab.
"I guess I owe you. Thanks."
"I can't leave a teammate behind," Aaron said as he drove off, "not even one who lied to me. You told me you would stay with Galina."
"Change of plans."
Aaron waited for a more elaborate answer, but Joseph kept quiet.
"I bet the plans never changed," Aaron said. "You always intended to go into the compound."
"Oh?" Joseph said.
"Yeah. I was a decoy. A distraction. I was supposed to get caught instead of you. I bet there was nothing in that building you told me to investigate."
Joseph looked at Aaron for a moment. "You're a real smart guy. We figured as long as you were going in, we might as well use it to our advantage. We didn't cheat you. We gave you the intelligence and night vision goggles we promised."
"Who are you?" Aaron said. "Who do you work for?"
"Don't ask that question. Trust me. You don't want to hear the answer. It would change your entire life, or end it."
Aaron clenched his jaw in anger. Under the circumstances, he felt Joseph owed him some kind of explanation, at least a partial one.
Joseph took out his oversized gray phone and made a call. The device looked armor plated. Aaron was surprised he could get a signal so far from any town.
"It's me," Joseph said into the phone. "Aaron rescued me. Yes, I know. I know! Don't rub it in. I'll meet you at the secondary rendezvous point.... Huh? You really think that's a good idea? OK, but it's your call, not mine." He closed the phone.
"That was Galina?" Aaron said.
Joseph nodded.
Bright lights illuminated the forest behind them, indicating the cult was in hot pursuit. Maybe Aaron could outrun them. He did have a good head start, but the truck's engine was making an odd rattling noise.
"Pull off the road," Joseph said. "Hide in the forest, and let them go past."
"I don't take orders from you."
Joseph shrugged.
Pride and resentment made Aaron keep driving, even though he knew Joseph's suggestion was a good one. It took a few minutes for Aaron's emotions to cool enough for him to accept that fact. He turned off and parked behind a thick stand of bushes. Mere seconds later, a group of six cars roared along the road without slowing down.
"Now we walk." Joseph stepped out of the truck.
"From here?" Aaron said. "We're miles from civilization."
"The woods are safer than the road right now. What's the problem? We both have night vision gear. My phone has a navigation system so we can't get lost. Let's go."
Joseph marched into the forest, and Aaron jogged to catch up. For such a big man, Joseph moved with surprising grace.
"You don't seem bothered by all this," Aaron said.
"I've been in plenty of tight spots before. This is no big deal."
Joseph picked up his pace, and staying with him demanded all of Aaron's attention and energy. Travelling through a dense forest in the dark was tough, even with night vision goggles.
When they finally stepped out of the forest, Aaron was so physically exhausted he could barely lift his legs. Joseph had also slowed down noticeably during the long hike, which had lasted a couple of hours.
They arrived at a huge lot behind a truck stop. A row of 18-wheelers had parked for the night, and the place was very quiet. Aaron checked his watch and saw 3:16 AM. Too damn late, or too early, he thought. Either way, I need sleep.
Joseph waved his arms several times. A blue sedan turned on its headlights and glided over to him. Galina was driving, and Aaron thought she looked like an angel arriving in a chariot.
"Stow your gear in the trunk," she said. "All of it."
Aaron stripped off everything except his clothes and shoes, then took the back seat. It felt wonderful to sit down. Joseph sat in front.
Galina drove out of the truck stop and onto a country road. "Hungry?" she asked. "We're going to an all-night diner."
"No, thanks," Aaron said. "Could you take me back to my car instead?"
"Sorry, but the free meal is mandatory. So is the appointment."
"Appointment with who?"
"Our boss. She wants to talk to you. I strongly recommend that you be polite and respectful. She dislikes bad manners."
Aaron perked up a little. He might finally get some answers.
Galina turned to Joseph and said, "What the hell happened to you?"
"When the lights came on, I was caught in a bad spot," he said. "Too many guys, coming at me too fast. They were everywhere."
"Knowing you, I bet you decided to fight when you should've run instead. And Aaron, a civilian, had to save you from your own pride." She shook her head.
Joseph's face reddened. He looked out the window.
"You always have to be the tough guy," she said in a sharp tone. "Are you so afraid of appearing weak?"
He snarled. "I could've fought my way out, eventually. I just needed a little more time."
"What if they had started shooting?"
"Then I would've started shooting too."
"You know the rules of engagement. No deadly force until..." She glanced back at Aaron. "...until it's authorized. You fucked up."
Joseph pounded the door with his fist hard enough to shake the whole car. His knuckles left a deep imprint on the upholstery.
"Did you at least get the evidence we need?" Galina said.
"I left it behind," he said in a low voice. "I was too busy fighting."
She rolled her eyes. "Icing on tonight's shit cake. Our commander is going to have some choice words when she hears our report. The operation wasn't that hard. There is no excuse for screwing it up so badly."
He slouched down and sulked in silence.
Aaron smiled. From his point of view, the operation had gone very well. He had planted the cameras and had made a clean getaway. In fact, he was the hero of the night.
Galina drove to a restaurant called the "Better than Home Diner," which had a brick exterior and a green, shingled roof. Everybody went inside. There was a long, white counter with padded stools, and booths ran along the wall on the right. Too many white fluorescent lights made Aaron squint. Framed posters of advertising slogans from the 1950's and 60's hung on the walls. The odor of burnt grease and cigarettes was everywhere.
There was only one customer, a middle-aged black woman sitting in the booth in the co
rner. She wore a sharp gray business suit. Her dark skin created the impression she was sheathed in shadows. Galina and Joseph went directly to her.
"This is Aaron," Galina said. "Aaron, our boss."
Aaron shook the black woman's hand, and her strong grip surprised him. Her graying hair was tightly curled and cut short. Even though she was sitting down, he could tell she was very lean and fit, like a marathon runner.
She studied him intently with a pair of very strange eyes. The color was so dark it was hard to tell they were brown. Her enlarged pupils weren't just black, they were like black holes with infinite depth. He felt like he could see all the way to the far side of the universe, the cold, dead side.
"Glad to meet you," she said in a warm voice. "If you don't mind, I'd like a few minutes alone with my people. I need to debrief them."
"Of course," Aaron said.
He walked to the far side of the diner. He couldn't hear any words, but body language told a story by itself. Joseph sat beside his boss with his face down and his hands at his side, not moving an inch. He didn't look up even when he answered her questions, which appeared odd because compared to his great bulk, she seemed as small as a child. Galina was a little more animated, but still deferential with every gesture. When the boss opened her mouth to speak, the other two immediately closed theirs and listened. There was no doubt about who was in command, and Aaron even detected a hint of fear.
The boss waved him over. "Please join us," she called out.
Aaron took the last available spot in the booth next to Galina, which he didn't mind at all. "You wanted to talk to me?"
"Yes." The boss had a manila folder full of papers in front of her, but she didn't open it yet. "I'd like to hear your report. What happened tonight, exactly, from your perspective?"
He didn't know why he should report to her, but her tone made it clear she expected compliance. He was swimming in unknown and treacherous waters now. He decided to go with the tide instead of fighting it. There was no reason to hold back information.
As a cop, he had learned how to make a proper report, and he delivered his in a professional manner. The trick was to include all the important details and none of the unimportant ones. His audience listened attentively.