Eyes of the World (Gray Spear Society Book 10)

by Alex Siegel

  "We're a committee of two," Aaron said.

  "Two people who love each other and will always find a way to work out their differences. Male and female wisdom wedded together. It's perfect." Charles smiled. "God is a really smart Guy."

  "If He's so smart, why am I having bowel control issues? This is the craziest thing that ever happened to me! I have two hours to come up with a complete battle plan for the whole damn Society!"

  "Wait," Marina said. "I came in late to this movie. What is this war about? Who are we fighting?"

  Aaron summarized the situation for her. As he spoke, she became more and more anxious. They were in deep shit, and the stakes couldn't be higher.

  After he concluded, the warm light from God faded. The clouds closed in, and the temperature fell rapidly. A cold wind kicked up.

  Aaron, Marina, and Charles hurried downstairs. They went to Aaron's office, and he sat behind his massive, gray desk. Marina could tell from his sullen expression that he was thinking hard. She and Charles didn't disturb him.

  She was still having trouble with the magnitude of what had just happened. All her assumptions about her place in the world had just been tossed in the garbage. She was actually married to Aaron now. They would never be separated again, and together, they would rule the entire Society. Forever. Wesley hadn't used that word by accident.

  A man walked into the office. He was tall, thin, and very geeky. His skin was the pasty white of somebody who avoided sunlight. A mop of brown hair sat on top of his head. His oversized glasses looked ridiculous.

  "Hi!" He smiled. "I'm Perry. I don't think we've met."

  Marina shook his hand. "I'm Marina."

  "Oh!" His eyes widened. "The Marina?"

  She bowed her head. "In the flesh. You should address me as 'ma'am.' I'm now the Lady of the Society."

  "The what, ma'am?"

  Charles explained the situation to Perry. His eager friendliness evaporated and was replaced by nervousness.

  "You disturbed us for a reason?" Marina said.

  "Yes, ma'am," Perry said. "I've been working on the Red Eye radio. I wanted to deliver my report to the, uh, Lord of the Society."

  Aaron glared at him. "Go on."

  "I found the cipher chip and analyzed the microcode. The radio uses algorithms I've never seen before. It certainly isn't standard military hardware. I'm afraid the math is way beyond me, sir. I can't hack these radios on my own. I need help from the twins."

  "They're very busy."

  "I know," Perry said, "but two minutes of their time might be enough. I just need them to solve some equations."

  Aaron sighed. "I suppose two minutes is acceptable."

  Everybody made their way out to the aperture assembly area. Marina now understood what the twins were doing and why it was so important. The aperture would allow them to perform a miracle on a universal scale. It would take them to the place where God lived.

  The twins were working on the aperture using high-tech tools. Wesley stood nearby and seemed to be whispering words of encouragement. His protection team was waiting in the corner.

  "Bethany," Perry said, "I need a moment of your time. There is a file called Red Eye on my computer. It contains ciphers used by a secure radio. Can you please solve the equations?"

  Bethany looked at him with her translucent black eyeballs. She was identical to her sister except she wore a diamond necklace with a giant pendant. It was the Eye of Satinia, an heirloom from the Satinian royal family. The girls had been born as princesses. What they were now didn't have a name.

  "The equations have no solution in this universe," Bethany said. "An enemy of God devised them."

  "The Army is using forbidden technology?" Perry said.

  "Yes. It's very dangerous."

  Aaron raised his eyebrows. "I guess that makes this a real mission, and the Army is our enemy. It's a little late in the game, but it's nice to know we were on the right track all along. Now we can fight without holding anything back. Still, it doesn't solve the essential problem. Our opposition has a means of communication that we can't intercept or hack. That's a huge advantage for them and a huge problem for us."

  Perry was staring at the floor.

  "What are you thinking?"

  "Breaking the code isn't strictly necessary, sir," Perry said. "If we could plant secondary modulators..."

  Aaron raised one eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

  "Basically, bugs in the radios. They would transmit in the clear on a second channel. We could listen to the enemy's communication without them knowing."

  "That sounds great, but how do we get the bugs in the radios?"

  "Easy," Perry said. "We send out a couple of guys dressed like Army technicians. They drive from unit to unit and 'adjust' the radios. All they need is the right credentials."

  Aaron nodded. "Brilliant. I'll send out Smythe. He was in the Army. He can talk the talk."

  "And Hanley," Marina said. "He was a Navy Seal once. They'll be a good team."

  "It's a plan. Perry, go off and do whatever you need to do to prepare."

  "Yes, sir." Perry ran off.

  Marina took out her phone. "I just realized. We should call Ethel and tell her the news."

  She and Aaron moved away from the crowd. She called Ethel and held up her phone so he could overhear the conversation.

  "Hello, Marina," Ethel said. "Are you in Chicago now?"

  "Yes, ma'am," Marina said. "Er, I mean, yes. I'm with Aaron, and we have good news. We're married."

  "What?"

  "Wesley performed the ceremony while we stood in the Lord's divine light. It was a beautiful moment."

  Ethel was silent for a time. "That's... extremely surprising."

  "That's not all," Marina said. "You work for us now. We're the Lord and Lady of the Society."

  "I'm unfamiliar with those titles."

  "It means all the legates report to us."

  "Wesley did this?" Ethel said in a tone of disbelief.

  "With God's blessing."

  There was another long silence. "I suppose I should be happy for you. Congratulations on your promotion and marriage. I'm certainly glad God chose you two. I wouldn't want to answer to anybody else." She took a breath. "This is fine. I just need a little time to digest the information. I'm an old woman and big changes upset me. It's been quite a day for all of us. Break the news to the other legates gently. They might not take it too well."

  "Where are you now?" Marina said.

  "Driving through the back country of Virginia on the way to Linville... ma'am. It's not a pleasant ride. If we hit another pothole, I might suffer permanent neck damage. But we'll get there."

  "Good luck. Stay in touch. Bye." Marina closed her phone.

  She looked over at the aperture. It was a beautifully constructed device, as much art as science. Clearly, the twins would pass through the large opening in the center.

  It was surrounded by lesser devices. There was a thing that looked like a coffin standing on end. It was made of polished, silvery metal and had a control panel. A cluster of industrial robots stood off to the side. This was a serious operation.

  "I have a stupid question," Marina said. "Why are the twins still here?"

  Aaron furrowed his brow. "Where else would they be? This fortress was built to protect them. I recently upgraded all the defensive systems at great expense. All the legionnaires are here."

  "It just seems like they should be somewhere else, a safe place the enemy doesn't know about. We can have our little war here, but the twins don't need to be in harm's way. Unless I'm missing something."

  He stared at her with his brooding eyes. She loved how the shadows made him appear dark and mysterious.

  He abruptly walked over to the twins and announced, "You're moving tonight. Start packing. I'm sending you and the aperture to Chinatown."

  Bethany faced him. Her robotic features didn't seem capable of expressing emotion, but somehow she managed to convey alarm. "That's impossible, sir
! All of our equipment is here."

  "And by tomorrow morning, it will be there."

  "Packing and unpacking will take all night, sir! Some of the devices are very heavy and fragile."

  "You'll have as much manpower as you need," Aaron said. "I have a lot of big, beefy legionnaires in this hotel who will haul elephants if I order them to. I understand this move is very inconvenient, and it will slow down the project, but it's necessary. After you're gone, I'll have a lot more strategic flexibility. I can use this hotel as a giant decoy. We can go on offense without worrying so much about protecting our base."

  Bethany didn't appear enthusiastic.

  "Move! Start packing!"

  She and her sister hurried off.

  Wesley raised his perfect, little eyebrows. "I'm confused. What's in Chinatown?"

  "When we were hunting down Xavier," Aaron said, "I purchased a large building in Chinatown. I convinced him our headquarters was there. After he was killed, I kept the building and refurbished it. At first, it was going to be my backup headquarters, but now I'm planning to make it my primary headquarters. The basement will be the ideal place for the twins to work. It's big, safe, and well hidden."

  "A second stronghold?"

  "Yes."

  Wesley's eyes widened. "That's what I was missing! This is the great secret that God kept even from me. Of course! The twins must go there immediately."

  "I'm glad you agree," Aaron said uneasily.

  "They will need guardians, a special group of legionnaires, the best available."

  "I suppose."

  "I'll choose them." Wesley had a fierce expression. "When the aperture is activated, the right people must be present. I'll go to Chinatown, too. Yes, this will work!" He clenched his fist triumphantly.

  "Hold on! I thought I was in charge."

  Wesley stared at him.

  "Fine." Aaron shrugged. "We'll call that Group A. Marina will be the commander, and I'll stay here to run the war. Is that all right with you, dear?" he asked Marina. "Are you willing to go to Chinatown and be responsible for the twins' safety?"

  "Sure," she said. "What condition is the building in?"

  "It has water, power, and everything else. I'll send Nancy along as your guide. The only major deficiency is a lack of defensive weapons, but that shouldn't matter. The enemy will have their hands full fighting me. They won't even think to look for you. You'll have peace and quiet until the project is done."

  "Sounds a little boring. You're going to have all the fun."

  "I hope that's the case," he said. "Now I just have to figure out how to move a large quantity of people and equipment from here to Chinatown without the enemy noticing. We'll need trucks and a distraction..."

  Marina could tell from his expression that a plan was coming together in his big head. She was eager to hear it. This was why the Lord had chosen him.

  "Actually," Aaron said, "we'll need three groups. Group A will be the Chinatown team. That's you, Wesley, the twins, the scientists, and the 'special' legionnaires. Basically, anybody we can't afford to lose. Group B will be the Rosemont Tower Hotel defense team which I will command. We will protect this building with every weapon we can muster. Nancy designed this place to hold off an army. We'll see if she did a good job."

  "What's the point of that?" Marina said.

  "To give the enemy a meaningless objective. The longer I can stretch out the war, the better it is for you. This plan is all about creating confusion and buying time until the aperture is ready. Group C will be the guerilla fighters. They'll go out and harass the enemy with ambushes and sabotage."

  "That's the group I want to run. Sounds like fun."

  "No." He shook his head. "Group A is a thousand times more important. All our eggs are in that basket. I would really like the Lady of the Society to be in charge."

  She pouted. "You're right."

  He gave her a hug. "But maybe you can have a little fun. We have to ambush a supply convoy tonight. We need more weapons and ammunition. It should be a nice, bloody fight. Do you want to lead that team?"

  "Yes." She nodded. "Thanks."

  "Anything for my darling bride."

  She smiled at him. He kissed her on the lips.

  "That leaves the question of who will command group C," Aaron said. "I suppose it should be one of the legates."

  "The South American legate," Wesley said. "Leonardo."

  Aaron raised his eyebrows. "You're sure?"

  The boy nodded. "Yes. It's his destiny. Let's go tell him!" He scampered off.

  Aaron frowned. Picking the commander was supposed to be his job, but Wesley had made a reasonable choice. Leonardo's aggressive personality was ideal for a guerilla fighter.

  Aaron, Marina, Charles, and the protection team followed Wesley through the large hotel. Eventually, they reached the room where Leonardo was staying. It was one of the nice suites on the twentieth floor. Aaron knocked firmly.

  Débora opened the door. The legate's bodyguard had switched to formal gray robes. Knives and guns were on a leather belt around her waist. Her luxurious brown hair was tightly braided. Her swollen throat was distracting.

  "Yes?" she whispered.

  "We need to see the legate," Aaron said.

  "Come in, please."

  "Why are you whispering?"

  "When I speak normally," she whispered, "ears bleed."

  The crowd entered the hotel room. The suite was as large as an apartment with the bed in a separate room. The furniture was upholstered with black and blue striped fabric. Plush, golden carpet covered the floor. Three big-screen televisions were placed around the suite. A heavily tinted window provided a beautiful view to the east. Aaron could see the Cook County Forest Preserve in the distance.

  Leonardo was watching a soccer match on television. He was holding a drink which had a dark brown color. He had trimmed his goatee and had switched clothes. Now he wore a yellow silk shirt with a thin, gold chain around his neck. He looked ready to go to a nightclub instead of war. Aaron smelled cologne.

  Leonardo stood up. His eyes widened when he saw Wesley in the room.

  Aaron smiled. "We have good news. You're getting an important assignment."

  "I am?" Leonardo furrowed his brow. "By whose authority? I give assignments. I don't receive them!"

  "Things have changed."

  "Bow to the Lord and Lady of the Society," Wesley said in his musical voice. "Show your respect."

  Leonardo looked at the boy. "The what?"

  "Your new bosses."

  "According to who?"

  "The Voice of Truth and the Lord Almighty," Wesley said. "Good enough? Ask God. He'll tell you."

  Leonardo had a distant expression. After a moment, his brown face lost a shade of color. He knelt on one knee and lowered his head.

  "Mis disculpas, Señor y Señora. How may I serve you?"

  "We need a commander to lead a guerilla force into battle," Aaron said. "Are you our man?"

  Leonardo looked up. "I was born with a knife between my teeth."

  "That must've annoyed your mother." Aaron smiled. "Your assignment is to cause as much havoc as possible. Make our adversaries chase their own shadows until they drop from exhaustion."

  Leonardo nodded. "I won't disappoint you, sir, but we need more weapons."

  "They're in short supply. You'll have to scavenge the bodies of those you kill."

  "Not a problem."

  Aaron patted Leonardo on the shoulder. "We'll assign legionnaires to you at the meeting this evening. We'll see you there."

  Aaron, Marina, and the rest of their party left the room.

  * * *

  General Walker stretched his neck. Tension was making it stiff. It had been a rough afternoon.

  He looked down on the rows of console operators in the underground command bunker. They weren't scrambling to solve ten problems at once anymore. Some semblance of order had finally been restored. Red Eye radios were in the hands of all the unit commanders, and the ope
ration could proceed, more or less.

  The Gray Spear Society's electronic warfare campaign had been brutally effective. Half his forces wouldn't show up until tomorrow, and some units might not make it at all. The ones already in Chicago were generally out of position and short on supplies. Some soldiers had resorted to buying ammunition from local gun shops.

  The high-tech systems had taken the worst hit. There wasn't a single reconnaissance drone still in the air, and the spy satellites were unresponsive. Military computer networks were down all over the continent. Walker was relying on human eyeballs and verbal reports for all battlefield intelligence. He felt like he had gone back in time to the Civil War.

  An officer dropped another report on his desk. He picked it up and flipped through the pages. The numbers he saw weren't encouraging.

  Walker turned to Erika. She was still in her glass enclosure, of course. If she left it, her pheromones would bring the operation to an immediate halt. All the men in the room would pay attention to her instead of their jobs. The women would become slobbering idiots.

  She was reading a book, and her male slaves were performing the functions of furniture. Two had turned their bodies into a chair for her to sit on. The third supported her feet. The fourth was holding the book in one hand and a lamp in the other. The positions looked uncomfortable. The slaves' muscles were shaking in an effort to remain still.

  "We have to make a decision," Walker said. "Do we attack tonight or wait until tomorrow?"

  Erika looked up from her book. "What are the final numbers?"

  "It looks like we can get around 7500 troops in position for a midnight assault. They will be supported by ten tanks, twenty helicopters, and a good number of armored fighting vehicles."

  "That's a lot less than we planned." She frowned.

  He shrugged. "It's what we got. If we wait a day, we'll get a lot closer to the original expectations."

  "Which would give the Gray Spear Society an extra day to surprise us again." She shook her head. "Time is on their side. Eventually, they'll follow the blood trail back to here." She looked at the solid steel walls of the bunker.

  "I think we're safe enough. We've been extremely careful."