by Alex Siegel
While the lasagna was heating in a microwave oven, Yvonne put ice in a towel and held it against Aaron's face. She had a very gentle touch.
"That feels great," he said. "Thanks."
She flashed a hesitant smile.
He turned to Ethel. "Frank and Caroline Waters were kidnapped by the cult. We need to rescue them."
"When there is a convenient opportunity to do so," Ethel said, "we will. Don't get distracted from the mission."
"Marina gave me the same answer."
"Good. And you need to start addressing me as ma'am. I'm your superior officer."
"Yes, ma'am," he said.
Yvonne served him the lasagna, and the aroma suggested he was in for a treat. The rich, cheesy flavor of the first bite confirmed his expectation. The noodles were tender without being soft, and there was just the right amount of tomato sauce.
"Delicious," he said. "Yvonne, did you make this?"
Yvonne nodded. "Thank you." She smiled a bit longer this time.
Ethel just stood and watched Aaron.
"Why can't we tell the police that the cult kidnapped the Waters, ma'am?" he said.
"Because God doesn't like outsiders handling His dirty laundry."
"I don't understand."
Ethel leaned forward. "You will."
"Marina said we're creatures of death."
"We're unnatural. Toxic. When normal people come into our world, they die."
He didn't believe her, but he wasn't going to argue with those dark eyes. He took another bite of lasagna.
"As long as you're going to watch me eat," he said, "it would be nice if you told me a little about yourself. I don't even know your last name, ma'am."
She furrowed her brow. "I've been a member of the Society for twenty-eight years."
"What were you before?"
"Before the Gray Spear Society? That was a long time ago." She sighed. "The Army trained me to be a combat medic. After I left the military, I spent several years in the Peace Corps. They sent me to Africa to work in medical clinics. I almost died of malaria a couple of times, so I decided to come home to Chicago, where mosquitoes die in the winter. I became a nurse in an emergency room."
"How did the Spears find you?" he asked.
"One day a man with gunshot wounds came in, and I saved his life. We talked. After he recovered, he offered me the best job ever."
"I bet you've seen some things."
"Finish your dinner," she said. "You have a long day tomorrow with an early start."
He finished the delicious pasta.
She showed him to the guest quarters. The large room had a full-sized bed, a dresser, and a free-standing wardrobe. There was a bathroom in the back, which already had clean towels. He dropped his heavy suitcase on the tile floor.
"Good night." She closed the door.
Chapter Seven
"Is everybody ready?" Victor whispered.
Aaron and Marina nodded, although in Aaron's case, it was grudgingly. He still disagreed strongly with the plan.
Like his colleagues, he wore full combat gear, including a Kevlar helmet and high grade body armor. He held a Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle with a suppressor and an oversized magazine. Eight extra magazines were on a belt strapped across his chest. Holsters on each hip held matching Beretta 9mm pistols. Smoke and tear gas canisters were stuffed into pockets on his vest. The gray and black camouflage scheme was the same as the other night though.
Victor had wanted even more firepower, so he had a combat shotgun on his back. With his huge frame and freakish muscles, he looked like a comic book character. Aaron couldn't help but feel a little intimidated.
"Are we really sure this is the best way?" he whispered.
"Just follow the plan," Victor replied. "Hit them hard, grab Simon, and get out."
Aaron, Victor, and Marina were quietly approaching the front gate of the cult compound. They wore night vision goggles. The sun would rise in a half-hour, and it was still dark.
They crept forward a few more yards and stopped behind some bushes.
Aaron peered between the leaves. He expected to see guards in front of the impressive steel gate, but there was nobody in sight. Stranger still, the gate hung open.
Cautiously, he stood up. "Where are they?"
"I don't know," Marina said, "but don't relax. Let's go in."
The three of them stayed low and quiet as they entered the compound. The lights were off everywhere and no guards patrolled the grounds. The only sound was the soft buzz of insects in the forest.
"We have to search the place," Victor said.
They went through the wooden buildings one at a time. They found just a few pieces of old furniture and some loose trash. The cult had moved out entirely. Finally, the team stopped near the temple in the center. Morning had come, and they didn't need their goggles anymore.
Aaron couldn't contain his relief. "I guess we won't commit mass murder today," he said. "Darn it."
"Don't be so pleased," Marina said coldly. "This mission just got harder, and the longer it takes, the more people will die."
"Why is that?"
"God's enemies always play dirty. We have to find these jokers fast."
Aaron didn't really believe "God's enemies" had any part in this, but he kept his doubts to himself. Perhaps he would change his mind when he had more evidence.
"Then we need to do some investigating," he said. "I have reliable sources in the city."
"I have contacts, too," Marina said. "We'll stick together since this is your first mission, and you need supervision. Victor?"
"I prefer to work alone," Victor said. "I know some places in town where I can get answers if I ask questions the right away." He cracked his scarred knuckles.
* * *
On the way back to the city, they stopped by a department store, where Marina bought Aaron more clothing. She wanted to make sure he had everything he might need for undercover work. By the time she was done piling up pants, shirts, and shoes, the bill totaled two thousand dollars, but she didn't blink. She paid for everything with a gold credit card that didn't have her real name on it.
"Is that card stolen?" he asked as they left the store together.
"No," she said. Both of them carried a shopping bag in each hand, and she was struggling with her share of the heavy load. "It's attached to one of my cover identities."
"Who pays it off?"
"The Society, of course. Business expenses."
"Do you have a limit?"
She shook her head. "No hard limit. We just have to keep a low profile. No extravagant purchases that might attract attention."
"What about expense reports?" he said. "Approval forms?"
"Ethel checks the bank statements. She'll tell you if she doesn't like what she sees."
He smiled. This was sounding like a good deal.
"Don't worry about money," she said. "Just spend what you need to spend. As long as you can justify it, you'll never have a problem."
"But where does the money come from?"
"That part is a bit mysterious. Maybe Ethel can tell you."
They were using a brown van as transportation for this mission. Aaron made sure nobody was looking when he opened the rear doors. Inside were all the illegal weapons they had taken to the cult encampment. He and Marina added the bags of new clothes to the pile.
"We should get this gear back to headquarters," he said. "What if a cop gets curious about what's in the van?"
"Let's do some legwork first. I want to have good news to report before I see Ethel again. You pick the first destination. Where are we going? What should we wear?"
"Lincoln Park, just north of downtown. Very casual."
She climbed into the van.
"You're changing here?"
She pointed to a gray suitcase. "I always bring plenty of undercover outfits, just in case." She closed the doors.
He waited outside the van, smiling at shoppers as they walked past. The sun was b
rutal, and the air was thick with humidity. He hated summers in Chicago much more than the winters. When it was cold, he could wear more or less clothing as needed to make himself comfortable, but heat like today was just miserable.
Marina came out of the van wearing blue jeans and a plain white shirt with short sleeves. The jeans did very nice things to her already shapely backside, and a snug belt enhanced the effect.
A few odd bulges showed where weapons were hidden. He was learning that legionnaires were always well armed, especially when on a mission. It was a policy he liked a lot. He had two guns concealed under his own clothes, and Marina had told him even that was insufficient.
He took his turn inside the van. Moving within the cramped and crowded space tested his flexibility. He put on a pair of blue slacks that he found among his new clothes. He was already wearing a green polo shirt, and he decided to keep it. He emerged back into the sunlight.
"What sort of place are we going to?" Marina said.
"A bookstore."
"To buy a book?"
"Not exactly." He shook his head.
* * *
Big John's Adult Books and Novelties was tucked away in an alley off of Lincoln Avenue. The sign was just visible from the sidewalk, easily missed if one didn't look in the right direction. Black paint covered all the windows.
"A sex shop?" Marina said.
Aaron's face grew warm. "No better place to find dirt."
They went inside the store. Most of the shelf space was given over to videos, not books, and they were categorized by topic. Chicago was a sophisticated city. The topics covered the whole spectrum of human sexuality and included a few that even he found disturbing. There were also plenty of "novelties," which generally required batteries, ample lubrication, or both. The air smelled faintly of bleach.
Aaron ignored the items on display, and he walked past the coin operated video booths. He led Marina through a door marked "EMPLOYEES ONLY" in the back. They climbed a flight of stairs.
There was an office on the second floor, and across from it, a tiny apartment. The door to the apartment was wide open. I'm lucky, Aaron thought. She's available right now. He entered the apartment without knocking. Inside he found a skinny woman in pink lingerie sitting on a king sized bed. Her long red hair was obviously a cheap wig. She immediately stood and closed the door behind him and Marina.
"Aaron!" the woman said with a smile. "It's been months! I thought maybe you forgot about Candy."
"I could never forget you."
"Who's the chick?" Candy looked at Marina. "Will this be a threesome? I'll have to charge extra."
"We're here on business," Aaron said quickly.
"So am I," Candy replied.
"Not that kind of business. I'm looking for information."
"You still a private dick?"
"That's right." He nodded.
"Well, questions cost money, too. I don't do nothin' for free."
Marina took a wad of cash from her pocket and peeled off two twenties. Candy used her finger to signal for more, so Marina doubled the payment, and this sum seemed to satisfy the prostitute.
"The Church of One Soul," Aaron said. "Ever hear of them?"
"No." Candy shook her head.
"Freaky guys in green robes with green tattoos on their faces."
"Oh, yeah! They give out pamphlets on street corners. I seen them around. Always talking about a guy named Simon."
"That's right." He smiled. "What else can you tell me?"
"Hmm." She squeezed her eyes shut, revealing an abundance of purple eye shadow. "They deal on the side. Better than begging for money, I guess." She winked.
"Drugs? What kind?"
"Horse."
Heroin, Aaron thought.
"Problem is," Candy added, "the local businessmen don't like no competition. Street corners are private property. But them green freaks are hard to push out."
"They fight back?"
"Old school. They come at night and take people away, nice and quiet. No dead bodies for the cops to find."
He glanced at Marina to see how she was reacting. Her expression was entirely calm and detached, as if this kind of thing was just another day at the office for her.
"Do you remember anything else?" he said to Candy. "It's important."
"Why?"
"If you want to take a turn asking questions, then give some money back."
She shook her head. "I don't remember nothin' else."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah. Come back any time." She thrust her large breasts at him. "The candy store is always open."
"I'll keep that in mind," Aaron said.
He and Marina walked out.
After they left the store, she said, "I have a problem with your behavior in there."
"What?" he said. "You don't like prostitutes?"
They were walking down the street in the oppressive heat of the day. Parking spaces were very hard to find around here, so getting back to the van would take a few minutes. Aaron thought about stopping for a cold drink at one of the many little stores on Lincoln Avenue.
"The whore was not the issue," Marina said, "and she was helpful. Now we know the cult uses drug sales to finance its operations. The problem is she knows your real name and has a personal relationship with you. You can't involve somebody like that in an investigation."
"I just asked a few questions."
"That's fine, as long as you use a false identity. Aaron Glade doesn't exist anymore. Your past life is gone."
"But I don't have a false identity," he said.
"Which is why I'll ignore this one infraction, but next time you won't have an excuse."
"That seems like a ridiculous position. My past life can't just go away. A man should be able to talk to his own parents."
"If you want to put their lives at risk," she said, "go ahead. Otherwise, stay the hell away from them."
They came to an ice cream shop that was too tempting to pass up. Aaron quickly went inside and ordered chocolate for himself, and Marina asked for strawberry sherbet. With ice cream cones in hand, they continued the long trek back to the van.
"I don't get why secrecy is so damn important," he said. "This paranoia is out of control."
"Didn't Ethel explain our mission to you?"
"Protect the Earth. Fight God's enemies."
"Yes," she said, "but God supports us out of necessity, not because we're part of His original design. We're actually an embarrassment to Him." She held up her hand. "Do you see these fingernails? I'm a monster."
"Oh." He furrowed his brow.
"We stay out of the light, like cockroaches. We disguise our activities. And after the mission ends, we hide in our secret lairs. 'Paranoia' is what God demands of us. When we're not working, we must not mingle with His beautiful children. We must not disrupt His elegant plan."
He nodded slowly. The Spears philosophy was extreme, but at least it was consistent.
"By the way," he said, "I don't think you're a monster."
"Thanks, but you just met me. Give it time."
Aaron took a deep breath. "Ethel thinks she receives messages from God."
"She does," Marina said flatly.
He stared at her. "You actually believe that? Is she some kind of prophet?"
"No, she's just a soldier with a lot of seniority. I've had more than a dozen encounters with the Big Guy. One of the perks of being a Spear is you occasionally meet your Boss. We're outside the natural world, so the usual rules don't apply. He can talk to us directly without it being such a big deal."
"Are you telling me I'll meet God?"
She nodded. "If Ethel is right about you, you'll meet Him many times."
They finally reached the brown van.
Marina climbed into the driver's seat. "My turn to pick a destination."
He sat in the passenger seat. "Where?"
"A church. We'll need nicer clothes."
* * *
Aaron and Marina stood
before the Church of the Healing Trinity. It occupied a retail space next to a karate studio in a strip mall. Inspirational sayings, such as "God Heals" and "Jesus Can Cure You," were painted in bold script on the plate glass windows. Given the context, they were less than convincing.
"They know me as a police detective named Withers," Marina said. "You'll be a cop, too. Pick a name."
"Uh, Stan Stone," Aaron said.
"Sounds like a trashy detective novel, but it will do."
She led him inside. Five closely spaced pews faced a small altar on a pedestal. No sermon was in progress, and some men were sleeping on the pews. Their sharp body odor made Aaron breathe through his mouth instead of his nose.
Marina knocked on the back wall near the altar. A moment later, a black man in purple religious vestments came through a door. He had sparse gray hair and glasses with thick black rims.
"Detective Withers," the preacher said, "even though you never bring me good news, your lovely face is always welcome. It's been a long while."
She smiled. "I missed your silver tongue. This is Sergeant Stone."
"Glad to meet you." The preacher shook Aaron's hand. "I'm Reverend Anthony. How can I help you?"
"We're investigating the Church of One Soul."
The reverend's cheery smile vanished. "I know about them."
"There are allegations they are distributing narcotics."
"I heard those rumors, too." He nodded. "Makes sense."
"What do you mean?" Marina said.
"Zealots always believe the ends justify the means. They commit heinous acts, even murder, and then argue it's all for the good. Makes me sick."
Aaron looked at her to check her reaction. The reverend's complaint might as easily apply to the Gray Spear Society.
She just nodded in a professional manner. "That may be true," she said, "but I'm here to investigate a crime. What can you tell me about the narcotics?"
"This 'church' has people all over the city wearing those ugly green robes. They never stop talking about Simon, as if he were the true Savior." The reverend pretended to spit at the floor. "It's the perfect cover for drug dealers. If you make a big enough donation, you get a special bonus with your pamphlet."