by Alex Siegel
"Yeah." Aaron sighed. The memory of Marina's beautiful face flashed into his mind, and his pain eased.
"Will you tell me what's wrong now?"
Aaron leaned very close to Pete. "Something strange happened," Aaron whispered. "I want your opinion, but it will sound a little crazy when I tell you."
"Just tell me. I'll decide if it's crazy."
"Do you believe in miracles?"
"I think God helps us," Pete said. "It's in the Bible."
"No, this is different..."
A hand on his shoulder made Aaron stop in mid-sentence. He turned to find that Marina was standing just inches away.
"May I join you gentlemen?" she asked. "Your conversation sounds fascinating."
Aaron hopped off his stool in surprise. He had never seen her in street clothes, and she was stunning. A silky red dress clung to every part of her fine body. Matching red pumps made her long legs seem even longer and more shapely. Ruby earrings were the perfect finishing touch.
His delight at seeing her again was tempered with suspicion. Why was she here?
"Sure!" Pete said in an overly enthusiastic tone. "Take my seat, honey. I'll stand."
"What are you doing here?" Aaron asked.
"Just keeping an eye on you," Marina said.
"That's not necessary."
"Really?" She raised her eyebrows. "It seems I barely got here in time."
Pete looked back and forth between them. "Aaron, you know this woman?" He sounded impressed.
Aaron took a deep breath as he tried to figure out what to do. He couldn't openly talk to Pete with Marina hanging over his shoulder, and it was obvious she wouldn't leave.
"Sorry, Pete," Aaron said. "I just remembered I have to be somewhere else. It's great to see you. We'll get together again soon." He threw twenty dollars onto the bar and left.
He was angry as he stepped into bright sunlight outside the tavern. He hated being followed or spied upon, even by a woman as gorgeous as Marina. Not only were these mystery people invading his life, but they were being obnoxious about it. He stomped off.
Rapid footsteps made him glance backwards.
Marina caught up to him. "I'm sorry," she said. "That was awkward."
"I was having a private conversation with my friend."
"About us."
"I have to talk to somebody!" he said.
"You're lucky I stopped you. Any more, and I would've had to kill him."
"Come on." He looked at her. "I know you're a tough broad, but you wouldn't...."
There was no amusement in her eyes. "Secrecy is the highest priority of my organization," she said. "We protect it by any means necessary. If you have to talk to somebody, talk to me."
"You?"
"You can trust me."
"Ha!" He stopped walking and stared at her. "You lied to me from the beginning. You used me. I don't even know your last name. Trust you? That's hilarious."
He started walking again. A homeless man asked for money, and Aaron pushed him out of the way.
Marina followed Aaron closely.
"What are you doing?" he said.
"Ethel doesn't trust you. She ordered me to stay with you."
"For how long?"
"Until she tells me to stop."
He picked up his pace, and so did she.
He couldn't avoid the irony of the situation. He was stuck with the woman of his fantasies, but he wished she would go away instead.
"Why did Ethel send you instead of Victor?" Aaron said. "He would be more intimidating."
"Ethel was being kind. She knows you're attracted to me."
"It's that obvious?"
Marina nodded. "You kept staring at me, like a hungry dog staring at a meaty bone."
"Hmm. Sorry."
They were walking east towards Lake Michigan. Soon he would run into the crowds shopping on Michigan Avenue. The height of tourist season had arrived, and parts of downtown were awash in sweaty families wearing brightly colored clothing. He turned south towards the financial district to avoid the crowds.
Aaron couldn't let Marina follow behind all day like a lost puppy. He let her catch up and join him.
"I don't like the secrecy," she said. "If it were my choice, I'd tell you everything." There was a long pause. "My full name is Marina Pavlova. That's the truth."
He noticed for the first time that she had a slight Russian accent. Perhaps she was revealing a little bit of the real Marina at last.
"Why do you have to be so secretive?" he said. "Do you have something to hide?"
"Secrecy is intrinsic to our overall mission, and yes, we have plenty to hide."
"You sound like criminals, or a cult, like the Church of One Soul."
She pressed her lips together, then said, "We're neither, but the comparison is not unfair."
"Great. I really want to join your crew now." He shook his head.
"How can I explain?" She looked up at the sky. "Do you remember what it was like your first day as a police officer? You had trouble sleeping the night before because you were so excited. Putting on that uniform was like dressing in ceremonial robes. You felt important, part of something bigger than yourself. You were ready to make a difference. You wanted to be the best cop ever because it mattered."
"I remember." Those days seemed like part of a previous life.
"I have that feeling every day, all the time." She spread her arms wide. "What we do matters to millions of people, even though they don't know it. Sometimes the assignments are difficult and even painful, but they are always worth it. Can you imagine what that is like? The intense satisfaction? I know what I'm going to do with the rest of my life."
Her enthusiasm made his own life seem completely empty and pointless. It was an ugly emotion that he couldn't shake off.
"So," he said, "you're like secret police with some kind of connection to God."
She remained silent.
"Hello?"
"I'm sorry." She grimaced. "Me and my big mouth. You'd think I'd learn after all these years. Now we both have a problem because you know too much. I really do apologize."
"Why? Because you'll have to kill me if I don't join your organization?"
She looked down. "Ethel will make that decision."
They were passing through the district where the wealthy came to decorate their homes. Boutique furniture stores, art galleries, and design studios lined both sides of the street. Aaron glimpsed a few price tags, and the numbers were startling. He couldn't believe people paid so much for weird furniture and art that looked like the scribbles of a three year-old kid. The rich were idiots.
"Ethel asked me questions about my religion," he said. "About God and miracles."
Marina nodded.
"Do you believe in God?"
"Of course," she said.
"Why?" He looked at her freckled face.
"He gave me this."
She held up her right hand to show off her black fingernails. They were sharpened to a needle point. There was a dull shininess at the tip, like they were slightly wet.
"I don't understand," he said.
"Do you really want me to explain? You may already know too much. This is very risky territory."
He looked into her green eyes. He wanted to know everything about her, no matter the risks. "Sure. Tell me."
She smiled a little. "God gave me these fingernails as a reward two years ago. The color is natural, not nail polish."
"How is that a reward?" He furrowed his brow.
"I'll show you. We need to sit down someplace where nobody will bother us."
It took a while, but they found a bench in a small park by the river. A single tree provided welcome shade from the summer sun. A barge filled with sand and gravel floated past on the green-brown water.
"Now lean against me," she said. "Relax. You'll feel a little prick."
He slouched down and rested his head on her narrow shoulder. He was anxious about what she would do to him, but curiosity c
ompelled him to cooperate.
She touched her needle-sharp fingernail to his neck, and he felt a painful tickle. Seconds later a wave of tiredness passed through his body, and he fought to keep his eyelids open. His arms and legs became dead weights. He tried to speak but managed only an incoherent mumble.
"Shh," she said softly. "I gave you just a tiny dose of venom. It will pass quickly and harmlessly."
Venom? he thought.
He couldn't move, but there were worse predicaments than a beautiful woman holding him close on a clear summer day by the river. The venom didn't seem to have unpleasant side-effects aside from paralysis and sleepiness. It wasn't so bad.
"A bigger dose will cause unconsciousness," Marina said. "I can also kill. This is the gift God gave me."
The venom's effect was already fading, and Aaron managed to sit up straight. Carefully pronouncing each word, he said, "What happens if you prick yourself?"
"I'm immune."
He was very bewildered, and not just from the venom. He had seen two impossible things today, first Ethel's reflexes and now Marina's fingernails. Was he going insane?
A tourist boat floated past on the river. Two geese that were fishing in the water honked at the boat, and then they flew off.
"You keep talking," Aaron said, "and showing me things. For a secret agent or whatever you are, you're doing a bad job of keeping your mouth shut."
"You're right." She frowned.
"And your little, red dress is something special. It's too sexy by far. Do you know what I'm starting to think? You really like me. You're trying to force me to join your organization by spilling too many secrets."
She walked down to the edge of the water and leaned on an iron fence.
His legs were still wobbly, but he managed to stand up without falling over. Slowly, he went over and stood beside her.
"This is bad," she said softly. "I'm acting like a teenage girl instead of a professional."
"We're both adults, and we're allowed to be attracted to each other. What's the problem?"
She grabbed his wrist and squeezed hard. "You don't have any idea. This situation just got dangerously complicated. I'm not allowed to like you in that way." She rubbed her temples.
"Why? You have a boyfriend? Is it Victor?"
"Him?" Her eyes widened. "No! God, no. He's a creep. It's just that romantic relationships are a problem in my business. They make it hard to be objective. Be quiet while I think about this."
He enjoyed her presence in silence for a few minutes. Despite the heat, it was a nice day to be out for a walk in the city. A steady breeze kept the air fresh and clean.
Marina's cell phone rang, and she answered it immediately. Like the rest of her team, her phone was big, thick, and gray. "I'm here... I understand... I'll talk to him." She closed the phone.
"What's up?" Aaron said.
"The evidence we collected was tested, and the results were conclusively positive."
"What does that mean?"
"We need a lot more information about the Church of One Soul," she said, "and the most convenient source is Brittany Waters. Where is she?"
"At her parent's house, but the poor girl is traumatized. She's been home for less than a day. I can't imagine her parents would let you talk to her."
"They might let you see her. They trust you."
"But I'm not part of your secret society," he said.
"Aaron, we need your help." She looked at him intently. "I know this is coming at you fast, but it's extremely important."
"What is the real threat? What can this cult do?"
"They are an abomination unto God, unfit for His world."
He gave her a skeptical look. "Huh?"
"Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? Destroyed by brimstone and fire. Chicago could get the same treatment if we don't fix this problem quickly."
Chapter Five
Aaron and Marina stood at the front door of the Waters residence.
Marina had insisted they change clothes on the way. They had stopped at a department store where she had purchased new outfits for both of them. Aaron now wore a blue business suit made of polyester, which trapped his sweat and made him itch. She wore a long blue skirt and blouse with a deliberate coffee stain. A steel pin held her hair in a tight knot.
"What's my name?" Marina asked.
"Gretchen Stableford," Aaron said.
"And who do I work for?"
"FBI."
She nodded. "Don't slip and use my real name, ever. Go ahead and knock."
He knocked on the door.
A short while later Frank Waters answered. "Mr. Glade? What are you doing here? We're eating dinner."
"Sorry to interrupt your meal," Aaron said. "This is Ms. Stableford from the FBI. We would like a few minutes with Brittany, please."
Frank looked at Marina curiously. "Why?"
"The Church of One Soul might be violating federal laws," she said in a crisp, professional tone without any hint of her Russian accent. "We're hoping your daughter might have information about the church's activities."
"I don't know. Brittany... isn't well." He shook his head. "Come back later." He began to close the door.
She quickly blocked the door with her foot. "I understand your concern, Mr. Waters. I'm sure her experience was horrific. We'll try to be as quick and gentle as possible."
He frowned.
"If you make me get a subpoena, I'll have to take her downtown for a real interrogation," she said. "I might have a few questions for you, too, while I'm at it. None of us wants that, right?"
He reluctantly led them inside the house. The interior was small, and hundreds of knick-knacks on shelves made the space even tighter. The yellow walls had odd stains in places, perhaps the result of water damage or smoke. The group went down a hall to a door with a padlock on the outside.
"She keeps trying to run away," Frank explained apologetically. "We had no choice." He opened the lock with a key.
When he pushed open the door, the odor of urine made Aaron wrinkle his nose in disgust. Brittany sat on a bed in the center of an otherwise barren room. The windows were broken, and there were security bars on the outside like a prison cell. Brittany wore only a white, sleeveless nightgown.
"We're still trying to get a doctor to come help us," Frank said. "She wrecked her own furniture. When you rescued her, did you notice her arms?"
Aaron walked into the room. Many scars marked both of Brittany's forearms, some old and pink, and some so fresh they were still red. The scars were perfectly parallel, like the ties on railroad tracks.
"She was wearing long sleeves before," Aaron said. "Brittany, who cut you?"
"I did it for Simon," she said proudly. "These scars are badges of love."
He sighed. Poor girl.
Marina knelt in front of Brittany and said in soothing tones, "Hi, Brittany. My name is Gretchen. May I ask you a few questions?"
"May you go fuck yourself?" Brittany said.
"A pretty girl like you shouldn't use language like that. I just want to know more about Simon. He sounds like a wonderful man."
"He's not just a man. He's the Messiah!"
"Why do you say that?"
Brittany switched into a sing-song pattern of speech. "On five occasions Simon was visited by the angel Sraosha. The first time he learned the true nature of the Earth. The second time he learned the true nature of the heavens. The third time he learned the true nature of plants and animals. The fourth time he learned the true nature of love. The fifth time he learned the true nature of man. He created the Church of One Soul so that we may partake of his wisdom and deliver it to the world."
"Please, tell me more," Marina said.
"Simon's great lesson is that individuality leads to weakness, discord, and decay. Unity is strength. All of us must have the same goals, like the fingers on my hand." She raised her hand and closed it into a tight fist. "We will achieve nirvana only when all selfish thinking is eliminated."
"W
ho is we?"
"All of humanity. Every man, woman, and child on Earth. We must become a perfect social organism, like the ants or the bees."
Marina leaned forward slightly. "You want to be an ant?"
"They never question or complain," Brittany said. "They do not need money. They have no politics. To an ant, the purest joy is serving the colony." She looked up as if experiencing bliss.
"But a colony needs a queen."
Brittany nodded. "It is fortunate that Simon is the greatest leader the world has ever seen. He will guide all of us, including you."
"Why would we follow him?"
"He has devised a glorious plan to prove that he is the wisest man on Earth. This plan is proceeding as we speak, and even if corrupt governments conspire to thwart him, he will triumph."
"Interesting." Marina furrowed her brow. "What is this plan?"
"I'm too young to receive such profound wisdom. Only the innermost circle of his most loyal disciples is permitted that honor."
"Hmm. You mentioned an angel."
"Sraosha," Brittany said excitedly. "May she light my path with her divine flame of justice!"
"Have you actually met this angel?"
"Only Simon has the strength to stand before Sraosha. My eyes would burn, and my weak, feminine flesh would melt."
"Oh, I'm sure that's not true," Marina said.
The certainty in her voice caught Aaron's attention. Did she know something?
"It's true!" Brittany said. "Simon told us. He would not deceive us."
"Of course. When, exactly, did he meet Sraosha?"
Brittany smiled a little. "The angel comes on the summer solstice every two years. The last visitation was a year ago. These facts are in the writings of Simon." She looked at Marina eagerly. "Do you believe me?"
"I have a very open mind," Marina said.
"My parents don't. They never listen to me."
"Don't be too hard on them. I'm sure they're nice people."
Brittany sneered. "They're stupid, fucking assholes."
Frank grunted angrily and left the room. Marina closed the door behind him.
"Where is Simon now?" she asked.
"He might be at the sanctuary," Brittany said.
"Is that what you call the large compound in the woods?"
"Yes, where this evil man kidnapped me." Brittany pointed at Aaron.