The Heretic - 01

by Joseph Nassise

  With Cade following behind him, Duncan jogged over to the phone and picked up the receiver.

  It came free in his hand, the severed end of the cord hanging free.

  “Damn!†he said, throwing it aside.

  He turned away from the phone and moved over to the station itself. Rubbing his sleeve against a window, Duncan cleared a section of dirt and grime as best he could, then peered inside. He could just make out several empty sets of shelves, a smashed refrigerator case, and a cashier’s station.

  Behind the counter, faded and torn but still tacked firmly to the wall, was a large map.

  The front door was unlocked, long since having fallen victim to a few well-placed kicks.

  Duncan climbed over the counter to look at the map.

  In the dim light coming in from outside, he could see that it was a large scale map of northern New York, so at least they were still in the same state.

  But if the big red “You Are Here†symbol was correct, the deserted gas station he now stood in was more than fifty miles away from where they started.

  It was going to be a long walk back.

  * * *

  As the search for Duncan and Cade continued, Riley and Olsen turned their attention to trying to determine the significance of the information they’d been entrusted with. They borrowed several squads of men from Major Barnes and began checking out the most likely possibilities. Maps and GPS coordinates were cross-checked. Teams were dispatched to the nearest public libraries, searching their catalogs for books with a catalog number that might match. Train stations, bus stations, airports, health clubs, all were searched for a locker with the proper number and combination. State driver’s license records were clandestinely searched, hoping for a match.

  Several hours after the search got under way, they had their answer.

  Fifteen miles from Stone’s residence, a locker bearing the designation B27 was located. The remaining numbers proved to be the combination that opened it. Inside, the search team found a sealed packet of files. The information was collected and brought back to the Broadmoor commandery, where it was turned over to Sergeant Riley.

  He and Olsen wasted no time in going through it. It contained daily logs and activity reports from the Custodes Veritatis going back several months, in which Commander Stone made more than one reference to his belief that there was a mole within his unit. He’d been unable to pinpoint a source, though, and had been left only with circumstantial evidence and no real suspect to tie to it. Included with the packet was another file, this time centering on a man named Simon Logan, a self-proclaimed mystic, who had expressed a sudden interest in the mystical Spear of Longinus. The evidence Stone had collected was slim, and several years out-of-date, but one particular detail caught their attention. In the margins of one of his reports, Stone had drawn the number nine surrounded by a snake eating its own tail. Beneath it, he’d written “Council of Nine?â€

  At last, the Enemy had a name.

  * * *

  Late that evening their missing comrades finally made contact from the pay phone in the lobby of a Days Inn some 75 miles away. A car was sent for them, and Echo’s command team was reunited just as the sun was clearing the horizon.

  Each group filled the other in on what had happened in their absence; Cade and Duncan describing their battle with the sorcerers and their subsequent escape to the Beyond, Riley and Olsen outlining the assistance they’d received in the search for Cade and the file they’d located at the bus station.

  It was readily apparent to all of them that the Preceptor knew more than he’d revealed. After weighing his options, Cade decided it was time to pay the man a visit.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Preceptor Michaels had just finished his morning cup of coffee when the door to his office burst open and his personal aide, Donaldson, was tossed inside to land in a heap on the carpet in front of his desk.

  Behind him, the Heretic stalked into the room, the anger evident on his face. With him was the Preceptor’s former security chief, Sean Duncan. Through the open doorway Michaels could see Cade’s two other sergeants, Riley and Olsen, taking up guard positions outside the door.

  “You lied to me,†Cade said flatly.

  “And a good morning to you too, Commander,†Michaels replied, outwardly maintain-ing his casual air while his mind worked to figure out the angles. Donaldson, a thin man with a narrow face, scrambled to his feet, still protesting the intrusion and doing his best to explain to the Preceptor how he had tried to keep the men out of the office. Michaels waved his hand, indicating to the frantic man that everything was all right. “Fine, fine, Donaldson, yes, thank you for your help. Now please excuse us while the Commander and I have a chat.â€

  Cade waited until the other man had left the room before speaking again. This time his voice took on a decidedly menacing air. “You put my people in unnecessary danger for political expediency. Tell me why I shouldn’t just put a bullet through your skull to keep it from happening again.â€

  Michaels stood, facing the Echo Team leader squarely. “I did no such thing, Commander. And if you ever threaten me again, I’ll have you locked up faster than you can blink.â€

  Duncan spoke up. “You need to listen to him, sir.†While he said it respectfully, it was clearly not a request.

  The Preceptor looked at him briefly, then turned his attention back to the Heretic. “If you’ll curb that notorious temper of yours, I’m quite certain we can get to the bottom of whatever is bothering you.†To quell some of the tension in the room, he came out from behind his desk and moved over to the wheeled breakfast cart standing in one corner. He poured himself a cup of coffee and offered the same to the other two men.

  Cade snorted. “I don’t have time for social niceties and other bullshit. Get to the point.â€

  Michaels let some steel creep into his own tone. “I’m getting to the point, Commander.†He took a sip of his coffee, added more sugar. Still standing, he asked, “Just why do you believe I lied to you?â€

  The anger was still clear in Cade’s voice. “You set us up without telling us the details.†Cade mimicked the Preceptor’s voice, “I need a combat team on this one; an investigative unit just won’t do.†His voice rose. “Of course you did. More specifically, you needed my combat team; who else would be crazy enough to take on the Adversary without help? You sent us in blind, and it’s pure luck that all of my men are still standing at this point.â€

  The Preceptor had visibly paled. “The Adversary? What are you talking about?â€

  “Don’t play coy with me, Michaels. You’ve known all along whom that damned Necromancer was working for. Just as you’ve known what they were after. Did you think the existence of the Custodes Veritatis was a minor issue, nothing of any real importance to us? Did you truly believe we wouldn’t find out about it?â€

  But Michaels wasn’t playing coy. “You are correct. I chose not to disclose the existence of the Guardians to you. I see now that I should have, but as they say, hindsight is twenty-twenty. We operate on a need-to-know basis for very obvious reasons.†The Preceptor attempted a smile, hoping to ease the mistrust that had developed between them.

  “You of all people should understand the need for operational security. But what does all this have to do with your Adversary?â€

  Cade’s anger was partially an act, designed to get the Preceptor to make a mistake and reveal himself if he was a traitor. Appearing to look somewhat mollified, Cade gave out another tidbit as bait. “The sorcerers we’ve encountered have far more power than any currently active group we know of. They didn’t just pick that knowledge up off the street; it takes years of practice and a direct connection to the demonic. In this case, their connection was the Adversary. The
sorcerer leading the assault against the Broadmoor commandery had its particular stench all over him.â€

  “That makes no sense, Commander. Based on your report this group doesn’t number more than a handful of individuals. That’s like jabbing a hornet’s nest with a sharp stick.â€

  Ignoring the Preceptor’s question for the moment, Cade asked one of his own.

  “Operational security’s a poor excuse if you knew the real targets of these attacks were the Guardians themselves.â€

  “But we didn’t know that. We still don’t. And my oath to the Order prevented me from disclosing their existence or information about the relics they are supposed to protect. Now, however, I would say that it is time for you and Nigel Stone, the Guardians’

  commanding officer, to meet.†The Preceptor reached for the phone.

  Cade delivered his knockout punch, waiting the other man closely as he did.

  “Stone’s dead.â€

  “What?†The phone dropped back into its cradle, and there was genuine shock on the Preceptor’s face.

  “Stone’s dead. We found his gutted body in a safe house in upstate New York more than fifteen hours ago. From what we could tell, he’d been tortured extensively.â€

  “Good Lord!†The Preceptor collapsed back into his chair, clearly unsettled by the news.

  Cade went on, ruthlessly. “If we’d known earlier, if you’d told us everything we needed to know, we might have been able to save him. He didn’t have to die!†He slammed his fist on the desk in frustration, then took a moment to regain control of his emotions. When he resumed speaking, his voice was level once again. “He was concerned about a leak in the Order. Did you know that?â€

  Still dazed by the news, the Preceptor nodded almost absently. “I’ve suspected it for some time, though I’ve been unable to pinpoint the source. Nigel was aware of my concerns. In fact, he was the one who convinced me of the problem.â€

  “Great. Just what we need, a mole. As if a group of necromancers allied with the Adversary wasn’t enough.â€

  The Preceptor shook off his sorrow and focused on the discussion. “What do we know about the sorcerers?â€

  Cade stalked away from the desk and began to pace. “Stone left some information indicating he thought it was a small group known as the Council of Nine. While I wouldn’t have put them at the top of the list on my own, everything we’ve uncovered so far ties neatly with the information Stone left for us. The group’s leader, Simon Logan, has been a fringe player for some years, but has never shown this level of ability before.â€

  “Another reason to believe they’re getting outside help,†said Duncan.

  “But for what? What do they want? Are they crazy enough to think they can take on the entire Order?â€

  Cade shook his head. “They’re not after the Order. They’re after the Spear of Longinus.†He outlined his conversation with the shade of Julius Spencer and used the visions he’d experienced in the Templeton cemetery as corroborating evidence. “If I’m going to be effective against our enemies, I’m going to have to know more about where and how the Spear is being stored,†he said to the Preceptor.

  Surprisingly, Michaels agreed. “I’ll do better than that, Commander. I’ll show it to you myself.â€

  * * *

  Like many of the other commanderies across the country, the one in Bristol extended below ground for several levels. It was there that much of the community’s actual work took place; monitoring world events, training Templars on the latest high-tech weaponry, and the like. Here, hidden from view, lay the true work of the Order. The underground levels contained classrooms, laboratories, gymnasium facilities, a shooting range, and even a full-scale replica of a two-bedroom house used for live-fire exercises was tucked away in a large cavern on the third level below the surface.

  Duncan and Cade were about to find out that below that level there was another, one that neither man had been aware of. It was the home of the Custodes Veritatis, the Guardians of Truth.

  As they walked, the Preceptor brought the two men up to date.

  “The Guardians have been in existence since just after World War II. Operating completely independently from the Order’s normal chain of command, they have been charged with one purpose - protecting the Order’s Holy Relics at all cost.

  “At any given time there are only fifty active members. They are selected as much for their ability to deal with the extra natural as they are for their physical capabilities. The majority of them also have extremely high reserves of personal faith. About 20 percent of them have been ordained.â€

  They went down several levels to where a long corridor stretched out before them. As they continued walking, Duncan asked, “Are they all stationed here?â€

  “No, though the majority are simply because this is where the Reliquary happens to be located at the moment. We move its location every few years, just to be on the safe side.

  “The commander of the unit is always a senior officer known for his loyalty to the Order and his devout belief in the Lord. He reports to the North American Preceptor exclusively.

  Stone had been in command for the last ten years and was probably one of the best, if not the best, ever to have held the post.â€

  A set of offices were on either side at the end of the hall; their interiors dark, their doors locked. Peering through a window, Cade noted a standard office setup, complete with a cal-endar showing that day’s date on the wall. All of them appeared perfectly normal, which Cade figured was precisely the intention. Hide in plain sight, he thought with respect to whoever had designed the place.

  Reaching the end of the corridor, the Preceptor removed a chain from around his neck.

  On it were a standard metallic key and an electronic pass card. He inserted the key in the lock of the last office on the left, opened the door, and motioned for Cade and Duncan to follow.

  Without turning on the lights, he moved across the empty room to another door on the far side of the office. He held the pass card up to a small black box mounted next to the door. There was a soft beep, and the door opened inward.

  Another corridor was revealed on the other side.

  At the end, a guard station stood before a vault-like security door. There were two guards on duty, and one of them exchanged the daily password with the Preceptor, despite knowing him on sight. The Preceptor was then asked to place his hand in a small sensor unit mounted on the wall next to the door. A moment passed as the security device compared the digital image it held of his palm print to his actual hand. When the test was completed a chime sounded. Michaels stepped up in front of the door, stated his name in a clear voice, then followed that with a long series of numbers.

  A few seconds after he finished speaking the door before him slid open without a sound.

  “This way, gentlemen,†he said.

  On the other side of the door was a command center. Computerized monitoring stations were arrayed in a semicircle facing a large observation window, which in turn looked out over a room the size of a football field. Three men manned the workstations, and Cade could see several others moving about the floor of the room just beyond, where scores of items were sealed in special protective cases.

  The Preceptor turned to them with a look of pride.

  “Welcome to the Reliquary,†he said.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  “This is incredible,†Duncan whispered, and Cade had to agree.

  It was incredible. On either side of them, vacuum-sealed chambers mounted on individual pedestals held artifacts both ancient and modern. From where he stood Cade could see Veronica’s Veil, Moses’ staff, a habit worn by Mother Teresa - the list went on. It was a veritable treasure h
ouse, even if only from a historical perspective. If just half of the things said about these items were true, then it was a collection that was absolutely priceless.

  And full of power.

  In the hands of the wrong people, people with the knowledge of how to harness that arcane power, many of these objects could cause widespread slaughter and destruction. It was no wonder the Order had locked them away for safekeeping.

  Cade wandered among the rows for several more minutes, fascinated by what he saw. At last he turned to the Preceptor, a question on his lips.

  “The Spear?â€

  The Preceptor smiled, anticipating the question.

  “This way. It has a room of its own.â€

  A side gallery was situated to the left of the main floor, and they found a watch captain on duty there. The captain had the Preceptor sign the logbook, then walked with him farther along the edge of the room until they came to a set of highly polished double doors. Here the Preceptor submitted to a retinal scan. When it was concluded, the system beeped once, and the doors opened.

  As the doors slid open, the interior lights automatically came on, revealing a small room with a long, narrow, steel-reinforced glass display case in the center. The Preceptor held out a hand, indicating that they should enter.

  Cade stepped forward. Inside the case, on a bed of white silk, was the head of a Roman lance. The blade itself was made of iron and was several inches in length, with a winged shape and an ornamental pin inserted down its center. Two additional wings had been added at the base and were tied to it with dark leather straps. The wood of the shaft looked new, and he assumed the original had long since been lost, but the blade had been remounted on a perfectly crafted length of polished oak some nine feet in length.

  Peripherally, Cade saw Duncan genuflect, then sink to one knee in homage to the Spear.

  Obviously his teammate was convinced of the Spear’s authenticity, that this was indeed the very weapon that had pierced the side of the Messiah, but Cade himself was not so certain. He didn’t have Duncan’s faith and therefore didn’t take the provenance of the weapon at face value. To test it further, he triggered his Sight.