Senator Johnston took slow, measured breaths despite his pounding heart. “Firing weapons of mass destruction against Los Angeles without our explicit permissions means you’ll be all but declaring war against the United States. I encourage you to study Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. Declaring war against the United States means declaring war against NATO, and for that matter, I’m pretty sure the Indians, Russians, and Chinese aren’t going to be okay with some alien military bombarding our planet from on high, or most countries really. You ready to declare war against the strongest countries on Earth, my alien friend? Because that’s what you’re talking about doing.”
“You’ll thank us when it’s over,” Corey replied. “Even if you don’t, it doesn’t matter, because we’ll have saved you.”
“Oh, you believe that crap?” Senator Johnston asked. “You need to spend a lot more time on Earth because you obviously don’t understand humans.”
“Think about this: you’re in a panic because of a single Vax, one that can potentially call others. If you were smart, you’d evacuate everyone but Brownstone and let us to destroy them both.”
Senator Johnston scoffed. “You can’t honestly believe we would agree to that.”
Corey sighed. “You should consider that there’s a good possibility the only reason the other Vax is coming is that Brownstone is on Earth. If he’s gone, and the Vax are destroyed, there’s a good chance they’ll never return.”
“And if you’re wrong, we’ll have lost our best weapon against them other than dropping piles of nuclear weapons on ourselves or letting helpful aliens obliterate major metropolitan areas.” Senator Johnston stood and shook his head. “You do what you feel is right, Shepherd. And we’ll do what we feel is right. Don’t cry when we respond in kind.”
“I’ve given you our warning. That’s all I can do. Every human you leave in that area who dies is your responsibility now.”
“Interesting perspective. We’ll have to agree to disagree. Now, goodnight. I have a few things to take care of.” Senator Johnston ended the call and stuck his phone in the pocket of his suit jacket.
You arrogant sons of bitches underestimated Brownstone. Now you’re underestimating the United States, and you’re going to be sorry about that.
Senator Johnston threw open his door and marched down the hall to the base commander’s office. The light was still on, so he knocked.
“Come in,” the general ordered.
Senator Johnston pushed open the door and stepped into the room, plastering his best politician smile on his face. “It turns out, General, that we’ll have to implement Operation Gulliver, after all.”
17
I’ve got a few loose ends I should tie up, James thought. Just in case. Plus, I’ve got to show my respect. It never hurts to have someone above looking out for you.
James eyed the coat in the closet. He’d awoken and taken a shower before Shay stirred. For all his bitching about the bed, it ended up being surprisingly comfortable once he bothered to go to sleep.
“I’m gonna go do something,” James explained. “You stay here. It shouldn’t take long unless the military decides to be stupid.”
Shay yawned and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “Are you going to go cause trouble? You should probably save that shit for the Vax. I know we’ve got a few days still, but half the city’s already empty. I doubt you can find a decent warm-up.”
James grinned. “Trouble? Nah, far from it. I’m going to church.”
“To church?” Shay’s confused expression suggested she couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious. “You’re going to go to church right now?”
“Yeah. I missed last Sunday, and like you said, we’ve got some time.” James considered for a moment, then grabbed only his holster and gun. An entire tactical vest and accompanying gear might be overkill for the minor pieces of shit he might run into on the streets. He was half-surprised the government had let him keep it all in his room. “I didn’t think it was a big deal, but now with all shit happening, it feels like it will be, so I want to go to church.”
“I can understand that,” Shay replied, her tone placating. “Or at least I can understand why you would believe that, but it’s probably already been evacuated. Is it really that important to go an empty building?”
James shrugged. “It is to me. I want my head screwed on right before I cut off the Purifier’s.”
Shay laughed. “Who knows, it might be the end of the world. Church makes sense. You sure they’ll let you leave? Johnston was acting like he didn’t want you wandering away too far. He might have made you think you had a choice, but he was implying that you didn’t, and he might not think an early-morning prayer session is a good enough reason for you to leave the base.”
James finished putting on his holster. “Fuck that. The Vax might come an hour from now, or he might not come for a week, and I’ve got some thinking to do. The last thing anyone on this base wants right now is to piss me off.”
“Okay. You do whatever you need to. Try not to get in any fights with demons on the way.” Shay snickered. “Or if you do, make sure they’re over quickly. We still need you for the main bout.”
“No promises. You know me. I don’t go looking for shit, but if it comes to me, I take care of it.”
“That you do, James. That you do.” Shay laid back down. “Okay, I’m going back to sleep. I’m still worn out from last night, and if the Apocalypse hasn’t already started, it’s too damned early to get up for less than five million dollars.” She offered him a playful grin. “If I’m going to get blown up, sleeping after our fun last night would be a nice way to go out.”
James headed down the sidewalk toward the base’s front gate, his hands in his pockets. Two Air Force Security Forces personnel manned the small guard post next to the gate, bored looks on their faces as they glumly stared out the window. Given everything going on, he was impressed with their blasé attitude.
Huh. Is it really so different from me most of the time? We have to deal with the shit in front of us. Everyone can get used to anything, given enough time.
James glanced over his shoulder. Much of the base was deserted, with most of the remaining personnel inside helping with whatever schemes and plans Senator Johnston and his government friends had concocted. A single truck turning onto the street in the far distance was one of the few signs of life James had spotted after leaving the mostly-empty barracks.
All non-essential personnel and families had already been evacuated, but a half-dozen drones flew low and circled the base. At least one of the little flying spies had been following him the last couple of minutes.
James didn’t give a shit. He wasn’t sneaking out, he was leaving in broad daylight. The government wanted his help, and he was happy to give it, but that didn’t mean he would ask for permission for everything he did. They didn’t own him.
One of the SFs frowned and looked at James as he approached, but the airman kept his rifle slung over his shoulder. “We’re on lockdown, sir. Our orders are to not let anyone off the base without explicit permission from above.”
“You know who I am, right?” James asked. No matter how many times he assumed his reputation preceded him, sometimes that wasn’t the case.
The SFs exchanged glances.
“Mr. Brownstone, we know who you are,” the first SF agreed. “We have respect for you and your work, but we’ve got our orders. Please don’t make a scene, sir.”
James shook his head, keeping the frustration he felt out of his voice. “And I have somewhere I need to be. You don’t want to try to keep me here. We’re supposed to be on the same team and shit, but it’ll end badly if I have to force my way out. Fuck, you should probably call someone and tell them to give me a ride. It’ll be easier to get back then.” He turned and waved at the drone following him before gesturing toward the gate.
Just give them different orders, assholes.
The SF opened his mouth, then closed it. He raised his h
and to his ear receiver. His brow wrinkled, and he looked at the other guard. They nodded to one another.
“Problem?” James asked. He wasn’t in a hurry, but he didn’t want to stand around all day waiting for the Air Force to get their fucking act together. He would like to visit his church before some Vax asshole blew it up.
“Our orders have changed.” The SF cleared his throat. “I’ve been ordered to escort you to the motor pool, Mr. Brownstone.”
“Let’s get going, then.”
James closed the door of the small Air Force truck and stepped outside. The airman inside remained at the wheel, casting confused glances at the Catholic church in the distance. James had given him directions, but he hadn’t explained exactly where he was going.
Yeah, I decided I needed to go to church in the middle of the day. Deal with it.
James made his way down the stone path leading to the church. The doors stood open, and he narrowed his eyes. It would be naïve to expect that no one would loot during a mass evacuation, but there were certain desecrations he wouldn’t tolerate. He would need to get any looters outside first, so he didn’t contribute to the disrespect of the Ultimate Big Man.
The fire left James as he stepped through the entrance hall into the sanctuary. Near the front, Father McCartney knelt in front of the cross, his hands clasped in prayer.
“I didn’t expect anyone to be here,” James announced. “Especially you. I just thought I should come to pay my respects.”
Father McCartney didn’t react for several seconds. He finally stood and crossed himself before turning around. “The National Guard will be coming to pick me up in a few hours. I gave them a rather impassioned speech about spending a few more hours in the church I’ve served most of my life before its possible destruction.”
James nodded. “And the kids?”
“They have all been evacuated to Sacramento, along with the orphanage staff and a few volunteers from the parish who are helping to look after them. Fortunately, your generous donations have allowed me to build up an emergency fund, which is helpful in this…emergency.” The priest smiled, looking at the altar. “It’s good to know that in dark times, people haven’t forsaken the lessons of our Lord. Even if I have no church to come back to, I’ll reflect on this experience, knowing that when they were tested, the men and women of the parish did the right thing.”
James took a deep breath and slowly let it out. The government might have their secrets and their laws, but God’s laws were greater.
“You’ll be able to come back to this place,” James rumbled. “I’m gonna make sure of that. That’s why I’m still around.”
Father McCartney nodded slightly, his gaze locked on the other man. He didn’t say anything for a long, quiet moment before finally asking, “It’s not a lost artifact, is it?”
James shook his head. “It’s my fault. My people. They’re evil, Father. They live to kill and destroy. Even if I run, they’ll follow, and they’ll kill everyone in their way, so I have to stand and fight. It’s the only way. I have to end this sh…” He sucked in a breath. He needed to remember where he was. “I have to end this.”
“No one is completely evil. They’ve just been denied the light of the Lord and fallen into darkness.”
James couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t think this is a situation where a few brave missionaries would help, Father. I wish we could talk to them, but the only language they know is violence. The alien who is coming has already killed a lot of people on Oriceran.”
Father McCartney offered James a wan smile. “The Church doesn’t call for pacifism. It calls for Just War. Remember that even Saint Michael the Archangel had to fight when he and the loyal angels defeated Lucifer and those who would turn against the Lord.”
His expression turned grave. “You’re right. Sometimes force is the only language evil understands. I will pray for you, James. I will pray for us all, but I also know you, and I know if wicked men, alien or otherwise, would harm the innocent, you will stand against them, and you will show them the power of a man who has kept his faith. If any mortal can save this city, you can.” He smiled and knelt in front of the altar. “Now let us pray.”
18
Trey continued down the highway in his F-350, sparing an occasional glance at Zoe. He had been counting on no one trying to stop anyone from entering the city. Several abandoned cars lay on the opposite side of the median, and it had been hours since he had shared the road toward LA with another vehicle. The traffic in the opposite direction remained heavy, but it was moving at a decent rate. He’d seen a lot worse in his life.
Must be a lot of people taking planes or portals out of town. Don’t know if that’s smarter or dumber, but at least they ain’t dumbasses enough to drive back toward town. Like me.
“Shit,” Trey muttered.
A military roadblock complete with an armored eight-wheel Stryker vehicle with a heavy machine gun barred his passage. A half-dozen soldiers with rifles at the ready stood behind stripped barricades covered in reflectors.
When they say martial law and mandatory evacuation, they mean it.
Zoe raised a concerned eyebrow.
Trey looked at Zoe. “I’ve got this. Don’t worry.”
Zoe smiled. “You’re sure you don’t want me to cast another tracking spell in case she’s moved?”
Trey shook his head. “Nah. Once you did that first one and let me know she was in the general area of her neighborhood, I knew she was at her house. We just got to get there is all, and that’ll require more chatting than ass-kicking.”
Trey rolled down his window and a soldier approached the car, rifle in hand. “Good morning.” He offered the man a charming smile and flipped the mental switch to Smooth Trey.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to turn around,” the soldier explained. He nodded up the road. “Just drive over the median and head back. The mandatory evacuation order remains in place.”
“You see, here’s the problem,” Trey responded. “My grandmother is still in town. She got missed during one of the sweeps, and I need to pull her out because she’s not gonna leave without a relative grabbing her. She’s a stubborn old goat.”
“I’m sure your grandmother is fine, sir.” The soldier pointed up the road. “So please turn around.” A few of the other soldiers frowned.
“Let me lay it out for you, brother.” Trey pointed with his thumb at Zoe. “This fine woman right here? She’s a witch.”
Zoe offered them a wave and a soft smile.
“Um, okay, sir.” The soldier frowned, his gaze flicking to the heavy gun of the armored vehicle. “That doesn’t change anything. You still need to turn around.”
Damn. He thinks Zoe’s gonna turn him into a frog or some shit. I could use that, but I don’t think that’s the way to go. Nah, this guy doesn’t look comfortable, especially when I mentioned my grandmother.
“You’re not understanding me,” Trey explained. “She’s a witch, and she’s tracked my grandmother to a specific place in the city with magic. I need to get in there and pick my nana up.” He gave the soldier a wide grin. “By the way, I’m Trey Garfield with the Brownstone Agency. I can handle myself in there if I run into any trouble.”
The soldier looked hesitant. “Sir, this isn’t about protecting you from a few stray criminals. It’s about the artifact. Trust me, I don’t even want to be here right now. They’re saying it could do anything from blow up a building to blow up the entire city.”
Trey nodded. “I feel you, brother. But that’s the thing, you see what I’m saying? If I turn around and leave, knowing, thanks to magic, that my nana is in that city, and she ends up dead because of some big magical bomb? Well, now, I wouldn’t get a good night’s sleep for the rest of my life. So why don’t you let me through? I’m not planning to stay. I’m going right to where she is and grabbing her, and then we’re getting the hell out of here. No death wish here for my girlfriend and me. I promise.”
The soldier
sighed. “Wait here a moment.” He turned and jogged over to the front passenger side of the Stryker. The door opened, and he began talking and gesticulating to the officer inside.
Come on. You know you want to let me do this. I don’t want to have to run a military blockade to save my nana.
Zoe rested her hands in her lap. “I’ll support whatever you intend to do, but what is your plan should they refuse?”
“We’ll drive up a few miles and then drive off the side of the highway or something. Good thing this bad boy has four-wheel drive.” Trey patted the dashboard. “We’ll get there somehow.”
The soldier nodded to the officer and turned around. He waved and yelled something to a few other soldiers, but Trey couldn’t make it out.
Trey frowned. “Ain’t sure if a quick conversation is a good thing or bad thing, but they don’t look like they’re gonna ventilate us.”
“Always a good thing.”
“Shit, yeah.”
The soldier didn’t return to Trey’s truck. He and the other men grabbed the barricades and moved them out of the way. The armored vehicle pulled forward to provide more space.
Trey waited for the soldiers to clear out and gesture him through their new opening. He slowly accelerated and waved.
“Thanks, y’all. I appreciate it.”
Trey hopped out of his truck in front of his grandmother’s house. Charlyce had been right. Numbers had been painted in white on the front window to indicate the people expected: one, the number found alive: zero, and the number found dead: zero.
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