by Siegel, Alex
Wesley walked up to them. His black and gray armor looked cute on his small body. Norbert, Yvonne, and Guthrum were guarding the boy in full battle gear. Norbert even had an automatic grenade launcher. Yvonne's weapon of choice was a sledgehammer which she could swing with supernatural strength.
"The aperture will open tomorrow night," Wesley said to Aaron. "Don't be late."
"I know," Aaron said. "You told me four times. Do I get to hear the big, crazy secret yet?"
"No." Wesley looked around. "This isn't the place or time."
Aaron sighed.
Bethany and Leanna joined the group. They were bundled up in heavy gray coats and snow boots.
"Are you scared?" Aaron said.
"We can't feel fear," Bethany replied in her synthetic voice.
"That's probably a good thing in this case. Make sure you get some rest tonight. You've been working very hard. I don't want you to drop from exhaustion right before the end."
"Yes, sir."
Aaron looked towards the trucks outside. "I think they're almost done. Marina, is your group ready to go?"
"Of course, dear," Marina said. "I told everybody exactly which vehicle to ride in. Most will go in the buses. I think you need to get some rest, too."
"I will." He kissed her.
The Army trucks were finally loaded and ready to go. All of the members of Marina's group took their assigned places, some in trucks and some in buses. Marina drove the truck at the head of the convoy because she wanted to lead from the front this time. Nancy would be her guide and rode in the passenger seat.
Wesley surprised Marina when he insisted on sitting between her and Nancy. Wesley's bodyguards sat in the back of the truck between the crates despite the cold weather. Marina didn't envy them, but at least the truck was covered.
One by one, the vehicles filed out of the parking lot. The convoy looked like a regular military procession and hopefully wouldn't attract attention. Chicago was full of such convoy's these days.
A vicious thunderclap made Marina look back. The storm was almost on top of the hotel, and it was a slice of Hell. Blue shafts of lightning rained down continuously. The US Army would have a very difficult time accomplishing anything in those conditions.
"Why did you ride up front?" Nancy said. "You'd be safer further back in the convoy."
She was wearing a gray coat, snow pants, and rubber boots. A ski hat and a scarf nearly covered her entire head, but a little frizzy hair poked out.
"Because Marina has something to tell me," Wesley said.
Marina raised her eyebrows. "You're right, as always. Olivia is in great danger. The San Francisco headquarters is under attack. How did you know?"
"Because certain things have to happen at certain times."
"We're talking about your girlfriend and your future wife. You could've warned me. I would've told my team to get out before the enemy arrived."
Nancy glanced at Wesley. "You have a girlfriend?" she said with astonishment.
"It's a secret." He winked. "I'm not in love with her now, but I will be in the future. She's a wonderful girl."
This kid leads the strangest life, Marina thought. "You didn't answer my question. If you knew, why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I wasn't supposed to. If the plan works and the aperture opens, Olivia will be OK. Yang will save her."
"But she's in California."
"That won't matter," Wesley said. "The aperture will change all the rules. Everything will be different."
"What if the plan doesn't work?"
"Then everybody will die, including Olivia. God will start from scratch."
Marina furrowed her brow and looked forward. Snow was coming down in sheets, and the thunderstorm was making a fearsome rattling noise. Her phone chirped indicating it had lost its signal, probably due to radio interference. She wasn't worried about being attacked on the way to Chinatown. Not even the hardiest warrior would dare to fight tonight. The Lord had arranged for a clean getaway, and she was deeply grateful.
Now she just had to hope she didn't get lost. She could barely see the road.
* * *
"Do you think Yang is worried about us?" Olivia said.
"I'm sure," Jia said. "If he could help us, he would, but he has problems of his own in Chicago."
Her gaze flicked from surveillance monitor to surveillance monitor as she tried to watch everything at once. Imelda, Corrie, and Min Ho were upgrading the car in the machine shop area of headquarters. They were working with hoists, chains, torches, drills, and big sheets of steel. Imelda was giving frantic instructions while building at the same time. Corrie and Min Ho weren't expert mechanics, but they could handle tools and were keeping up pretty well. Fear was a great motivator.
Most of the monitors showed the land and roads around headquarters. Cameras were hidden everywhere, and the enemy couldn't get close without being seen. Jia didn't have much to do besides cuddle with Olivia. The computer was in charge of the defenses.
Sudden activity made Jia sit up straight. A military convoy was rumbling down the main road of Pacifica towards headquarters. The enemy was driving black armored cars with thick panes of green tinted glass. Big, knobby tires looked capable of overcoming difficult terrain. The cars were made of flat metal plates welded together. They had an angular, aggressive look.
Jia winced.
The Spears had planted land mines under the road months ago. The first mine exploded, destroying the lead car. The interior filled with fire, and the windshield blew out. The mines had been designed to stop tanks, and armored cars offered little challenge.
The second car in line pushed the burning wreck out of the way. The convoy continued onwards until it hit a second mine, and another car was destroyed. That one was pushed out of the way like the first.
"These guys don't know how to take a hint," Jia said.
Her view automatically followed the action from camera to camera. The computer was switching for her like a movie director.
The pattern continued until the convoy reached the private driveway leading to headquarters. A total of four cars had been destroyed, but eight remained.
"What now?" Olivia said fearfully. "More mines?"
Jia shook her head. "No. Something even better."
Batteries of rockets popped up in the empty fields around headquarters. They fired at the cars from the side, and she could hear the explosions through the thick walls. She felt the shockwaves with her feet.
The battle ended after just a few seconds. The surveillance monitors showed twisted, burning wreckage outside. Clearly, nobody inside the cars had survived.
"Did we win?" Olivia said.
"I don't think so," Jia said, "but we bought ourselves a little time."
* * *
"Well?" Iris said.
Laurence listened to his radio headset for a moment. "Bad news, ma'am. It appears the armored cars were destroyed. Should we continue the assault?"
She sighed with disappointment even though she had half-expected that outcome. Attacking a stronghold of the Gray Spear Society was notoriously dangerous. The Pythagoreans told tales of epic battles and apocalyptic slaughter. Iris couldn't just destroy the place and kill everybody either. If Olivia wasn't in the building, Iris would have to get the girl's location by following the enemy.
Iris's gaze settled on a glass jar full of colorful, artisan marbles. The house contained many pretty but useless things, and she wondered about the people who normally lived in it. It had been a long time since she had settled down long enough to call a place home. Managing her far-flung criminal empire while avoiding the authorities demanded constant movement.
"No," Iris said at last. "Let's switch to a different line of attack. Move our forces to the hills above the target. They'll sweep down all at once and overwhelm the defenses."
"What about the sniper rifles?" Laurence said.
"Begin with a salvo of RPG's to knock out some of the guns. Use plenty of smoke as cover."
"I thought we wanted to take prisoners, ma'am."
"The grenades won't kill them all," she said.
He frowned and stared at his laptop computer.
"You don't like my plan?"
"I'm just not sure it will work," Laurence said. "This place seems very well defended."
"It doesn't matter. The Society won't stick around now that their secret base has been discovered. I should be able to get a good look at them as they flee. All I need is to see their eyes for a moment."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll give the orders, but the hills are very rugged, and it's dark. It could take an hour to get everybody in position. They have to move covertly."
Iris nodded. An hour was a long time, but there was nothing she could do about it.
"I'll go wait by the road." She left through the front door of the house.
Chapter Sixteen
Marina looked out the front window of the truck at the Chinatown building. It was just five stories tall, but it was as wide as a football field. The enormous mass of bricks and concrete stood beside a river channel. It looked strong enough to outlast the rest of Chicago. New windows and doors had been installed all around, and the pollution stains had been scrubbed off. She hadn't seen the building in a year, and the change was dramatic.
"You guys did a nice job of cleaning this place up," Marina said. "You would never know it was once a toxic waste site."
"Thanks," Nancy said. "It took a ton of money, but the results are worth it. Of course, the big upgrades are hidden. Every structural component was heavily reinforced."
"How do we get inside?"
"Through the garage." Nancy pointed across the road. "The secret entrance is on the bottom level."
Marina looked in that direction. A chain-link fence surrounded a half-completed parking garage. Two levels stood above ground, and more levels were obviously planned. A thick blanket of white snow covered everything. She didn't see any construction equipment, and she assumed the project had halted for the winter.
Marina drove over and parked in front of a gate. A chain and a padlock barred her way. After taking her last breath of warm air, she opened the door and stepped outside. A frigid blast made her face hurt.
She ran over to the gate, intending to pick the lock. A night watchman in a heavy green coat came out to meet her. A hood and a ski mask covered almost his entire head.
Marina smiled. "Hi. We need to get in."
She looked at the long convoy of trucks and buses behind her. The engines were running, and the tail pipes were producing clouds of white smoke. Headlights made falling snow sparkle.
"Who are you?" the watchman said suspiciously.
The sound of crunching snow caught her attention. Wesley was approaching with his bodyguards close behind. They looked cold.
"Why are you here?" Wesley asked.
"What do you mean, kid?" the watchman said. "I work here."
"In the dark? Alone? That's a terrible job."
"It pays the bills." The watchman gave Wesley a hard stare. "Why do you care?"
"Was this your dream?"
"No. Of course not, but a man has to work."
"What was your dream?" Wesley's glittering blue eyes stared back.
The watchman huddled down in his coat. "I wanted to paint paintings, but nobody would buy my art. I have a family to feed. I had to quit."
"You gave up too quickly. There is great art in you. Your patient wife will support you until your talent is recognized. Go home. Sleep. In the morning, begin the life you should've had."
"But..." The watchman glanced at the half-finished parking garage.
"Don't worry about this place. Its true guardians have arrived. Thank you for keeping it safe for us. Fame and success will be your reward. Go."
After a long hesitation, the watchman unlocked the gate and walked down the dark road. His job was done.
"Sometimes having you around is convenient," Marina said. "I could live without the drama though."
Everybody returned to the truck. Marina drove into the garage.
Nancy guided Marina through two underground levels to the lowest floor. The concrete columns were massive. Marina maneuvered the big truck carefully through tight turns and passages.
"Stop, ma'am," Nancy said.
Marina stopped at a blank wall. Nancy used the keypad on her phone to enter a combination. A big section of the wall rotated upwards, supported by hydraulic pistons. The section looked like it weighed many tons. Lights flickered to life in a secret tunnel.
"Cool," Marina said.
She drove forward, and her group followed close behind. The tunnel bent and dipped in random places.
"Why is it so curvy?"
"To prevent enemies from blasting straight through here," Nancy said. "We'll have weapons all over the place in a couple of months."
"Actually, I don't think you will," Marina said. "This headquarters will never be finished. We won't need it."
"Why, ma'am?"
"Because everything will be different after this."
Nancy frowned.
"Don't feel sad," Marina said. "This place is exactly what we need, when we need it. It's a miracle, and you were part of it. Be very proud of yourself."
Nancy smiled. "Thank you, ma'am."
The tunnel ended in an underground parking area with enough room for a hundred cars. Marina parked against a wall, and the rest of the convoy filled in behind her. Getting all the buses and trucks into the parking area would be tough.
She got out, and the feel of warm, fresh air against her cheeks made her sigh.
"The heat works," she said happily.
"Everything works," Nancy said. "The only thing we really lack is weapons."
Marina walked through a doorway and entered what was supposed to become the new headquarters. It was still just a big, empty box with bare pipes and ductwork. Metallic tiles covered all the surfaces and gleamed in iridescent colors. They were some kind of internal armor.
"This is the basement of the main building?"
"Yes, ma'am," Nancy said.
Marina walked through the echoing space. The overhead lights made her squint after driving through darkness.
"A little Spartan," she said, "but it will do nicely. I certainly feel safe down here."
The rest of her group was flowing in behind her. Marina wished Aaron had come. Being separated on their wedding night wasn't the least bit fair, but as usual, duty came before love. Hopefully, they could start enjoying their time together after the current crisis was over.
"It's too late to unpack," she said to her group. "We'll do that in the morning after we get some sleep. But we do need to break out the sheets, blankets, and pillows. I'm afraid the hard floor will be our mattress tonight. At least it's warm and dry."
"Wait!" Wesley yelled. "I have something important to say first. Everybody get close to me so you can hear."
Marina had never seen him happier. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet with eagerness. The large group gathered around him with wary expressions.
"I can finally tell you the big secret. When the aperture opens, all of you will have an opportunity to go through it. I chose you specifically for that honor. Everybody here has the potential for lasting greatness. Those who pass through will become the new Society."
The crowd looked at each other in confusion.
Marina stared at Wesley. "The aperture is for the twins. Why would we want to use it?"
"Because it will give you immortality," he said. "Nothing will ever hurt you. You won't need rest or sustenance. Even an exploding star will be nothing to you. You'll become as permanent and timeless as gravity. And you'll have amazing powers, too. You'll be able to fly from galaxy to galaxy in the blink of an eye. Nothing will stand in your way. You'll be strong enough to protect all life in the universe."
"Don't you mean Earth?" Marina said cautiously.
"No. The twins are true geniuses. They came up with a solution for every planet, not
just ours. You'll fan out across the stars. There will be only one Society, and it will last for an eternity, always ready to fight. No legionnaire will ever need to die again. This is the great secret." Wesley smiled broadly. "Isn't it wonderful?"
She was still trying to understand him. The new legionnaires would police the universe forever as an immortal band of demigods. It wasn't just a new Society. It was a new reality.
Smythe cleared his throat. "What's the catch?"
Marina smiled at his handsome face and lovely blue eyes. During her time in San Francisco, she had missed his warm presence. He had more compassion than anybody else she knew. He was a healer, not at killer at heart.
"The catch is you will serve Aaron and Marina," Wesley said sternly. "Their wishes will be your commandments. If they tell you to watch an interesting pool of slime for a million years, that's what you'll do. If they tell you to pound a mountain into dust with your bare hands, you will pound. They may order you to be a prostitute, a beggar, or a slave. It doesn't matter. Your lives will be in their hands. If you have fun at all, it will be with the kind permission of the Lord and the Lady. The price of eternal life is eternal, unwavering duty."
Smythe frowned.
Marina still couldn't imagine being responsible for the whole universe. Just protecting the Earth seemed hard enough. At least she would share the job with Aaron.
"Think about it," Wesley said. "It's obviously an important decision. You don't have to go through the aperture if you don't want."
"What happens if we don't?" Smythe said.
"You'll be out of the Society. You'll become normal people with normal lives. Your gifts will be taken away. For some of you, that's a fate worse than death. I don't expect a lot of you to choose that option, but I still want everybody to take it seriously. I should say one other thing. Eternal life is not guaranteed. Aaron and Marina can destroy you. If you disappoint them, that's what will happen."
Marina raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Won't we eventually run out of legionnaires?" she said.
"You two will also have the ability to make new ones out of mortals. God is expecting some turnover. Absolute power corrupts, after all. There has to be a way to deal with legionnaires who forget their purpose. There has to be fear."