by Alex Siegel
"We might at some point," Marina said, "but that will be my decision. For now, we'll investigate on our own."
"But this is very serious!"
"The Gray Spear Society was created to solve very serious problems. Why do you think we have such extraordinary abilities?"
"The police could help us," Corrie said. "The government has lots of resources."
Marina gave her a stern look. "Yes, but if an enemy of God is behind this, we must deal with it ourselves. We must destroy the cause and eliminate any evidence. Nobody outside the Society is allowed to know about our war. That is our mission."
"Have you actually seen an 'enemy of God'?"
"Yes. I've seen horrors that would give you nightmares for a week. I'm not going to argue with you. These are the rules we live by, and the punishment for violating them is death. Got it?"
Corrie frowned. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good." Marina faced the rest of her team. "Let's eat a quick dinner. Afterwards, we'll have a meeting and come up with a plan. I want everybody to make some suggestions. We'll need all the good ideas we can get."
She looked at the map of the Bay Area again and saw red everywhere. Deep down inside, she was afraid.
* * *
Marina and her team were sitting in the "living room." It was a section of headquarters with soft, plump couches and a television, but there were no walls. Chairs had been added to give everybody a place to sit. The kitchen was just to the south, and empty pizza boxes were lying open on the counters. Marina could still smell the pepperoni.
"Our first task is discovering the cause of the phenomenon," she said. "It could be something in the food or the water. Maybe an infectious disease is affecting people's minds, or radiation from space. We must consider every possibility. God's enemies are very sneaky. Min Ho, how long has this been going on?"
Min Ho straightened. "I'm not sure, ma'am, but according to my research, it got a lot worse in the last month."
"That's a clue. I want you to do more analysis. Try to find exactly where and when it started."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Jia," Marina said, "perform computer searches. Look for something in the environment that changed in the last month. I know that's not very specific, but do your best."
Jia nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"Corrie," Marina said, "we'll be collecting samples. Your job will be to analyze them. Call Smythe if you need expert guidance."
"I'll do my best, ma'am," Corrie said.
"Does anybody have any other suggestions?"
Marina looked at her three legionnaires.
"I think we should interview people who are obviously affected," Hanley said. "We'll ask them if anything changed in their lives recently. We want subjects who have no history of abusive behavior until this month."
"That's a good idea," Marina said, "but it could take a long time. We may need to talk to a lot of people before we discover a pattern. The answer won't be obvious."
"What choice do we have, ma'am?"
She made a sour face. "I'd like to be more systematic and efficient. Time isn't on our side. Let's keep thinking."
"Let's dress as police," Ipo said. "We'll tap the police dispatch system and respond to domestic violence calls. We can interview offenders on the spot and check out their homes. Maybe we'll find a clue."
"I like it." Marina nodded. "Katie, do you have a suggestion?"
Katie rubbed her head and stared at the floor. "I'm trying to figure out how to interview a lot of people at once. Maybe if we conducted a survey..."
"A survey?"
"Yes, ma'am. We could distribute a questionnaire and collect the responses. That would be quicker than doing one interview at a time."
"True," Marina said, "but who would we distribute it to? And how?"
"That's the part I can't figure out." Katie shrugged.
Marina rubbed her black fingernails to help mobilize the venom in her fingers. It was a nervous habit.
She suddenly had an idea. "Alan Darrow's law firm."
"Huh?" Katie said.
"He has five hundred new divorce clients this month! That's the perfect group to talk to. And we'll have Darrow's legal staff perform the survey for us."
"Why would they do that?"
Marina grinned. "Because we'll expose him as an unethical hustler if he doesn't cooperate. It would ruin his business. He won't have a choice."
"But ma'am," Ipo said, "we're not supposed to involve outsiders in our investigations."
"They'll just be shuffling paperwork. His staff won't know the purpose of the survey or interpret the results. We'll put together the questionnaire tonight, and I'll talk to him first thing in the morning." She was proud of herself for thinking of the idea.
"You will, ma'am?" He raised his eyebrows. "But you were out all day today."
"So?"
He glowered. "We've already had this conversation. In my opinion, it's not appropriate for the commander to go out on every assignment. It shows lack of faith in her legionnaires for one thing. I think we can handle this simple chore on our own."
Marina clenched her jaw. She didn't appreciate his tone, but his argument was impossible to refute. She had spent the entire day in the field. It was time to let her people do their jobs.
"OK," she muttered. "You and Hanley will visit the lawyer. I'll stay here with Katie, and we'll do some training together."
Katie's eyes widened in alarm.
"Thank you, ma'am," Ipo said.
"Just don't get into a fight with Hanley," Marina added sternly. "I know you don't like him right now, but give him a chance to prove himself. Be professional."
"Of course, ma'am."
* * *
Hanley glanced at Ipo and tried not to feel intimidated. Ipo was huge and made of solid muscle. He was also an unbelievably skilled fighter. Yesterday's sparring match between Ipo and Marina had demonstrated the difference between normal humans and fully trained legionnaires. Hanley still couldn't believe some of the moves he had seen. Marina's body seemed to have the speed and flexibility of a bullwhip.
The two men were walking on the sidewalk towards the Transamerica building. They had the blue suits of FBI agents and corresponding identification. The plan was to stick to the same cover story as yesterday. The morning air was cool, and Hanley wished he had worn something a little warmer. He was carrying a heavy briefcase.
"I'll do the talking," Ipo said.
"Sure," Hanley said. "You've used the FBI as a cover before?"
"Many times. We often pretend to be federal agents or cops. Of course, we don't follow the same rules as them, but we do follow rules. The most important is to not tell the truth. If you're arrested, keep your mouth shut. Marina will get you out of jail, even if she has to bust you out. That's her job."
Hanley nodded. "I got it."
They entered the Transamerica Pyramid lobby. It had diffuse, white lighting and yellow walls. Marble tiles covered the floor.
The security guards became very cooperative once they saw Ipo's FBI badge. He and Hanley took an elevator up to the thirtieth floor.
They stepped out of the elevator and into a hallway with green carpet. A sign on a door read, "Law Office of Darrow & Associates." They went into the office.
The reception area had wooden floors and dark wood paneling on the walls. Track lighting created artistic pools of light. A portrait of Alan Darrow hung on the wall behind the receptionist.
Ipo went straight to her. "We need to talk to Mr. Darrow immediately." He flashed his FBI badge.
She was a pretty woman with long, blonde hair. She was wearing a black jacket over a white shirt.
"Yes, sir!" She chirped nervously.
She escorted Ipo and Hanley through the large office. There was lots of nice furniture with leather upholstery. The conference rooms had frosted glass doors. Art on the walls was inoffensive while still retaining some aesthetic value. Legal texts filled long bookshelves, but Hanley knew they were just for show. Lawyers u
sed computers to look up information these days just like everybody else.
"How many people work here?" Ipo said.
"About four hundred," the receptionist replied.
"Big firm, and Mr. Darrow owns it?"
She nodded. "Not all of it, but he's the managing partner. Is he in trouble?"
"We'll see."
Hanley was feeling guilty pleasure. As an FBI agent, he had dealt with hostile lawyers many times, and the experience had always been unpleasant. There had been too many rules and procedures to follow. This time would be different. He only answered to Marina, and her opinion about legal niceties was very clear. As long as he got the job done, she would be satisfied.
Ipo and Hanley met Darrow in a conference room.
"What the hell is this?" Darrow said. "I explained everything yesterday. I thought the FBI was done with me. And who was that female agent? I'll have her badge for punching me. That was assault!"
Ipo closed the door. "Sit down," he said in a rumbling voice.
Everybody sat at the wooden table. The conference room had big windows on two sides which provided great views of San Francisco. A life-size figure made of carved wood stood in the corner, and it looked like an ancient Chinese soldier. A rectangular fixture on the ceiling filled the room with bright light.
Hanley opened his briefcase on the table. It was packed full of questionnaires printed on white paper.
"You and your staff are going to help us with an investigation," Ipo said. "You'll distribute this survey to all your newest clients. We want the responses back by tomorrow, so don't bother mailing them. Your staff will have to deliver the questionnaires by hand and collect the results." He pushed a sample questionnaire across the table.
Darrow examined it. "What do you do for a living? Have you eaten any unusual foods lately? Did you see a strange light?" He looked up from the paper. "What kinds of questions are these?"
"Important ones. That's all you need to know, and don't read the responses. Just give the forms back to us after they're filled out."
Darrow crumpled up the paper and threw it into a garbage can. "I won't do it."
"Then we'll tell the world the truth about you and Dr. Carefree," Ipo said. "You'll be ruined."
"Threats like that could get you into trouble. I haven't committed a crime. You can't harass me."
Ipo stood and walked over to the carving of the soldier. Ipo contemplated it for a long moment. Then he used his elbow to break off the statue's head at the neck. His strength and perfect technique impressed Hanley.
"Mr. Darrow," Ipo rumbled, "that attitude will not serve you well. The critical nature of our mission justifies the most extreme measures. I recommend you be a hero instead of a slime ball and do what we ask."
Darrow looked at the statue's decapitated head on the floor. "What mission?"
"You're not authorized for that information. All you need to know is that this survey could save many lives, and your cooperation is mandatory. Are you really prepared to fight the FBI over a few questionnaires?"
Darrow studied the briefcase full of forms. Hanley could almost see the calculations being performed in his head.
"I'll do this one thing," Darrow said finally. "Then we're done. I'm not your errand boy."
"We'll be back tomorrow to collect the results," Ipo said.
He opened the door and walked out.
Hanley ran to catch up with the big man. "That was nicely handled," Hanley murmured. "Threatening but not over the top. Enigmatic but unambiguous."
"Thanks." Ipo cracked a smile. "Let's get out of here. Lawyers make my skin crawl."
* * *
"Kick me again!" Marina ordered.
Katie threw another kick, but she was so tired, she almost fell over. Her foot didn't even reach Marina's midsection. Katie's white karate uniform sagged from sweat, and her face was flushed.
"That was pathetic," Marina said.
"I need a break, ma'am," Katie whined.
"God's enemies don't give breaks, and neither do I. If you're still standing, you can fight. Reach down deep. Hit me like your life depends on it. Get angry!"
Katie tried to kick again, and this time, she lost her balance. She fell onto the blue foam mat and remained flat on her back, dripping sweat.
Marina rolled her eyes. "We have a lot of work to do." She didn't know what else to say, so she just walked off.
She went over to Corrie. The scientist was standing in front of a blue and white machine the size of a clothes dryer. It had mysterious buttons and colorful lights. Wires came out in odd places on the front and sides. Vent fans produced a whispering noise in several spots. Corrie was studying a printed manual.
"What's this?" Marina said.
"A mass spectrometer, ma'am," Corrie said. "It's for analyzing samples. The problem is that I barely have any idea how it works. This thing is ten times more complicated than I expected, and of course, we had to get the deluxe model." She grimaced. "I'm not qualified for this job. I'm not a forensics expert or a biochemist."
Marina patted her on the shoulder. "You're smart. You'll learn quickly. Joining the Society isn't easy for anybody. Be glad you're not a legionnaire." Marina nodded towards Katie.
Katie still hadn't moved a muscle. The poor woman was just staring at the ceiling as if she were dead.
"Is she OK?" Corrie asked in a tone of deep concern.
"She'll live," Marina said. "It's good for her."
"Why do you have to be so hard on her, ma'am?"
"She has to get strong in a hurry if she wants to survive. Being a legionnaire is a very dangerous job. I've lost my share of friends and colleagues over the years." Marina sighed sadly.
She decided to take mercy on Katie and let her rest. Marina went to her bedroom to change.
The bedroom had previously been the conference room in the south-west corner of headquarters. The original furniture was gone, and now it was just an empty space. New bedroom furniture would arrive shortly. The glass walls were painted gray to provide privacy, and Marina could smell the fresh paint.
Some of her clothes were lying in piles on the carpeted floor. She stripped off her karate uniform which was just slightly damp with sweat. Katie hadn't made Marina work very hard. She put on jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. She strapped knives to her ankles and wrists and made sure the weapons were well concealed under her clothes. She also hid a .45 caliber pistol under her shirt. She wasn't fully dressed until she was properly armed.
She left her bedroom. Min Ho and Jia were working at their computers. Marina decided to check on Imelda.
Marina exited the building through a back door. Bright sunshine made her blink and shade her eyes. It was another beautiful, clear day in the Bay Area, and she was starting to feel spoiled by the perfect weather. A few wisps of fog were rolling in from the ocean.
Workers were setting up a giant, white tent behind the building. It had originally been an outdoor wedding tent, but now it would serve as a parking garage for the team. They needed a place to store vehicles out of public view.
Marina walked into the tent and looked around. It was big enough for twenty or thirty cars. Some poles in the middle were an annoyance, but nothing could be done about them.
Imelda was telling the workers where to place tent stakes and how to tie the thick, nylon ropes. She clearly had a specific idea of how she wanted the tent installed. She was wearing blue coveralls, work boots, and heavy gloves.
"Everything all right out here?" Marina said.
Imelda turned abruptly. "You snuck up on me, ma'am. Yes, we're doing fine. The paving crew will come later to fix and widen the driveway."
Marina smiled. "And as soon as we have time, we can go car shopping. We're going to make some car dealers very happy." She lowered her voice to make sure the workers wouldn't overhear. "How is the security system coming along?"
"I've been so busy with everything else, I haven't really started on that."
"It's important. Don't let it drop do
wn the list."
"Yes, ma'am," Imelda said. "I'll start installing cameras tomorrow."
Marina's phone rang. She checked the caller ID and saw Ipo's code number.
She answered, "Hello?"
"We're done at the law firm, ma'am," Ipo responded in his deep voice. "Darrow was reluctantly cooperative. What's our next assignment?"
"I suppose the best thing would be to conduct some interviews. Call Min Ho and have him find the names of good candidates. You want people who were arrested for domestic violence but who have no past history of it. Try to figure out what changed them."
"Yes, ma'am."
"I'm stuck here," Marina said, "and Katie won't be able to join you. She's still recovering from her training. You and Hanley are on your own."
"Not a problem. I hope you didn't beat up Katie too badly."
"She's fine. I know how to train legionnaires. Bye." She hung up.
Chapter Eleven
Peter Hastings walked through the sterile, white hallway of his office building. He stepped lightly on the black carpet, making very little noise. He didn't like to attract attention.
He passed through one of the large rooms filled with cubicles. Everything was clean, well lit, and ergonomically correct. Engineers worked here, and nearly all of them were focused on the computers on their desks. They were dressed very casually and most wore T-shirts. A few engineers were standing and chatting idly in the corridors, a behavior that Peter found distasteful. Males outnumbered females ten to one. They hardly glanced at Peter, which was ironic but fine by him.
He entered another white hallway and walked by a few private offices with black doors. Managers occupied these offices. Most of the doors were open, and Peter saw men and women working at desks. They were dressed slightly better than the engineers, but nobody wore a tie. This was Silicon Valley after all. Overdressing for work was a rookie mistake.
Peter walked into another large room full of cubicles where the sales and marketing departments were located. The "sales droids" as he called them wore nice shirts and slacks. The male/female ratio was evenly balanced, and the presence of so many women unnerved him. He thought of women as a mysterious, alien species, forever out of reach. Computers were much more accessible.