The Mandate of Heaven

by Mike Smith

  “A little. Why?”

  Moving towards the window, Alex tweaked the closed blind slightly, so he could peer between the gaps. “Well,” he voiced out loud. “In that case you’ve got nothing to worry about. As I can see at least two dozen heavily armed agents outside, belonging to Public Security, Revenue & Customs, Tactical Assault and Joint Special Operations teams.”

  “What!?”

  “But as you can explain all of this, I’m sure that you’ve got everything well in hand.”

  “They’ll kill me.”

  “Now Sergeant-Major, don’t be so melodramatic. They’ll just ask you a couple of questions, interrogate you some more, torture you a bit further and then they’ll kill you.”

  “What am I going to do? My wife, my children…”

  “You’ve got neither, but—”

  “But? But what?”

  “I suppose I could offer you an exchange. Your assistance in exchange for your life. Well?”

  “I’m thinking about it.”

  “Well, think quicker, as I can pretty much guarantee that this is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime offer, namely your life.”

  “Fine. Whatever. I agree, now what?”

  “You’ve another way out of here?”

  “Yes, there’s a back door. Follow me.”

  “Come along, dear,” Alex drawled, catching Jessica by the arm as he passed her by. “We can come back and you can continue your shopping another time.”

  “But this is a genuine original M1911A,” she cried out, holding the pistol in the palm of her hand. “It was used by all the great generals during their time; Wayne, Eastwood, Schwarzenegger. It’s a classic,” she moaned, obviously reluctant to part with it.

  “Are you sure she’s High-Lord Hadley’s daughter?” Sanderson asked suspiciously.

  “I’m sure,” Alex rolled his eyes. “I think her older brother was a bad influence on her. That, or she is just a complete hoyden and Lord Hadley has been letting her run wild.”

  The sound of a massive crash reverberated around the small shop, interrupting whatever else Alex was going to say, causing the doorframe to rattle ominously.

  “Do you mind if we discuss my upbringing, or lack thereof, at another time,” Jessica snapped. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Follow me,” Sanderson licked his lips nervously, his eyes darting to the door, before turning and fleeing into the back of the shop. Alex and Jessica followed close behind, but not before she unobtrusively slipped the pistol into the folds of her cloak.

  *****

  They exited through the back of the shop into a dark, damp, alleyway. Massive brick walls towered above them on either side, their only way forward via a narrow corridor. Sanderson immediately turned round and, producing a key from his pocket, started to lock the door behind them.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Alex snapped. “Being burgled should be the least of your worries right now, especially as you’ve got a dozen police crawling all over your place, at this very moment.”

  “Sorry, force of habit,” Sanderson shrugged, shoving the key back into his pocket.

  Jessica meanwhile looked around, trying to find an alternative escape route. However, the clouds had now completely blocked out the starlight. Worse, it seemed that with the steady advance of night a thick fog had blown in, curling like smoke around everything until the weak, watery light, from the sole wall light barely cut through the gloom at all. Suddenly a gust of wind picked up, blowing long strands of her hair in all directions. It seemed as if a storm was fast approaching.

  “Where now?” Jessica demanded. “I can’t see more than a few feet—”

  The low hum and flash of Alex’s fusion pistol illuminated the alleyway for a brief instant, before, with a flash of sparks, their only light was immediately extinguished.

  “Correction,” Jessica sighed out loud. “Now I can’t see a thing.”

  “Good,” Alex whispered, so close beside her that it made her jump. “Then neither can anybody else, for I doubt that they would send two dozen heavily armed troopers through the front door and leave the back completely unguarded. Stay here with Sanderson and I’ll take care of any stragglers.” With that, the sound of his voice, and physical presence, seemed to disappear into the night.

  “I hate it when he does that,” Jessica commented to Sanderson.

  “You’ll get used to it,” he grunted reaching into the pocket of his threadbare jacket. When he withdrew his hand it was grasping a thick cigar, which he promptly bit into, spitting out the butt onto the pavement. Jessica watched open mouthed in disbelief, as he proceeded to light a match against the side of the alleyway, cupping his hands around the flame to shelter it from the wind, before he proceeded to light the cigar, taking a large puff.

  “You sure that’s a good idea?” she asked doubtfully.

  “It’s a great idea,” he replied. “I only give odds of five-to-one against us getting out of here alive.”

  A sudden flash of light appeared further down the corridor. In the swirling mists that surrounded them it appeared transient, a momentary interruption in time, before it was swallowed by the gloom and reality returned to normal. If you had blinked, you might have missed it, but the brief cry of pain that followed was not so easily dismissed.

  “Three-to-one against,” Sanderson remarked, blowing smoke rings into the night sky. It was difficult to see where the smoke ring ended and the fog began.

  “Well, aren’t you going to help him?” she demanded indignantly.

  “I’m already helping him,” Sanderson replied nonchalantly. Upon noting her disbelieving expression, he added, “I’m looking out for you, so the Colonel doesn’t need to worry. You know, to let him focus on the job at hand.”

  “I can see why Alex insisted that we need you,” Jessica added sarcastically. “I feel safer already.”

  “I’m the brains behind the operation, not the brawn. I leave the running, shouting and shooting to the younger generation. I’ll have you know I’ve saved the Colonel’s life a dozen times over, via my advice, sage words of wisdom and prior warnings.”

  “And has he ever actually listened to any of them?”

  Sanderson looked momentarily panicked, before recovering quickly, “Absolutely.” Still he wouldn’t meet her gaze, instead focusing on the glowing embers from his cigar, grinding them underfoot into the damp concrete. “I met your elder brother once, long ago,” he suddenly blurted out.

  “You did?” she replied surprised, but considering his age she guessed that it was definitely possible.

  “He was visiting High Lord Stanton’s eldest daughter; they were betrothed to marry you know, before—” he trailed off, suddenly realising that perhaps this wasn’t the best topic to bring up.

  “Before he died you mean?” she finished the sentence for him. “Yes, I remember.”

  “Well, it was during one of these visits when he approached me. He clapped me on the shoulder, I noticed he did that fairly frequently, and said in that booming voice of his, Private Wilbert Sanderson one day you’ll go far.”

  “Wilbert?” Jessica asked, her mouth lifting up at the corners.

  “Yes,” Sanderson replied proudly. “He even remembered my name.”

  “I bet that he never forgot it either,” Jessica quipped trying to keep a straight face, but thankful as the conversation took her mind off worrying about Alex, alone out there in the night, battling who knows what demons, only some of them real.

  “Everybody liked him,” Sanderson continued, oblivious to her own internal monologue. “He had charisma in spades, never heard nobody say a bad word ‘bout him. He was also a real joker; the other boys and I would follow him around just to see what he would do next. Actually reminds me a lot of Alex.”

  “You’ve got to be joking,” Jessica disagreed, “the two are nothing alike.”

  “Well not now,” Sanderson quickly agreed. “But before. Alex, he used to have a wicked sense of humour, always playi
ng some prank on somebody or another, usually me.”

  “Maybe,” she conceded, remembering a couple of occasions with Alex. “But he’s got the personality of a rock.”

  “See how you would feel after being locked away for so long. Not a single word spoken, living out every day in pitch darkness. It’s a wonder that the man is still sane, and yet he got you to accompany him here, didn’t he?”

  “You wouldn’t believe the lengths I had to go to achieve that,” Jessica muttered, without thinking.

  “So you deny that he has any charm, but still, you followed him here.”

  She really had no response to that.

  *****

  As the seconds became minutes, the silence became unbearable.

  Unable to see anything in the thick mist, Jessica’s mind started to play tricks on her, as she tried to look for order within the chaos. She continued to picture Alex out there, the darkness and mist swirling around him, closing in on all sides, constricting him, like a monstrous snake, curling round and around, tighter and tighter. As if summoned by her thoughts alone, the fog started to merge, spiralling and contorting until she could clearly see the outline of the snake. Its eyes glowed a deep red, peering out of the mist at her, they seemed to look into her, glowing, hypnotising her as they drew ever closer. The body of the monster continued to wrap itself around her, until she was surrounded on all sides, tightening, until she could barely breathe.

  Eyes wide with terror, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps, she instinctively reached for something to defend herself with. Her hands tightening around the pistol that she’d slipped into her cloak only a few minutes before, but seemingly a lifetime ago. Withdrawing the weapon, Jessica was comforted by the weight of it in her hand. She levelled it at the eyes of the beast, the only part that she could clearly see of it as her fingers tightened around the trigger—

  Suddenly she felt the pistol wrenched from her grasp.

  Swinging round she looked in shock at Sanderson who now held it firmly in his hands. Compared to her it looked like a small toy in his massive hand. “Why?” she demanded angrily.

  “I don’t think the Colonel would be too happy if you shot him, especially now. As it looks like he’s cleared us a path,” he said.

  Confused, Jessica turned back in the direction of the snake, but it had vanished. All that remained was the red light. As it came closer it coalesced into the form of Alex, with his fusion pistol in his hand, beating steadily in time with his heart. She blinked, remembering the vision, but it was gone. She looked down at her hands, which only moments before had been firmly holding the weapon that had so nearly ended Alex’s life, but now her hands were far from steady, as she could see them visibly trembling.

  “Is everything okay?” Alex asked, looking from one to the other, with obvious concern.

  “Yes, everything is fine,” she replied tersely, wordlessly accepting the pistol back from Sanderson.

  “Okay,” Alex drew out the word. “Then our exit route is now clear. I suggest that we depart before they realise that we’re not hiding somewhere inside and come looking for us.”

  “We’re leaving?” Jessica asked, surprised.

  “No,” Alex shook his head. “Now that we’ve found the brains of the operation, it’s time to go and pick up the brawn. Sanderson, where can we find Corporal Templeton, Private Baracoa and Captain Murdoch?”

  “Right now? Most likely engaging in all acts of vile debauchery, including gambling, drinking, and whoring. Come to think of it, probably doing all three at once.”

  “Good. Let’s go and join them. I’m desperately in need of a drink anyway, anything except accursed wine.”

  “You can’t take Lady Hadley there,” Sanderson sounded completely aghast.

  “Sure we can,” Alex shrugged. “I expect her brother probably took her to far worse places.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Nobody partied longer and harder than Easy Company, 1st Battalion, 104th Space Marine Regiment. Literally. It just wasn’t physically possible, as there are only thirty-two hours in a single day.

  —From the journal of Lord Alexander Greystone,

  Upon stepping inside the dark, smoke filled room, Jessica blinked and then blinked again. It took some time to realise that it wasn’t her eyesight that was the problem, but the lights. For they kept flashing on and off, in some sort of hallucinogenic effect that played havoc with her senses, turning everything into some sort of crude, stop-start, animation effect. From what she could make out in the sporadic light the room was packed, with a dozen tables spread out haphazardly in front of some sort of raised dais. She could make out a few poles, with darkened shapes wrapped indiscriminately around them; it was hard to make out the shapes in the dark, then with a flash of exposed flesh—

  She looked away quickly, her cheeks glowing, unable to comprehend what she’d just seen. Sure, she’d heard about such places, and on an intellectual level knew that they must exist, but to come face-to-face, for some reason her gaze immediately fell on Alex. For when she had come to an abrupt halt upon entering, he had done likewise, stopping beside her. Like her he was scrutinising the room, but his gaze didn’t linger for a second on the platform. She wondered why that pleased her so inordinately.

  Catching her inquisitive look, he stepped closer, whispering into her ear, so as not to be overheard. “Stay close to me at all times and there will be no problems. You’ll be perfectly safe under my protection, as nobody here would dare challenge me.”

  “Why not here?” Jessica replied puzzled. “Everywhere else we have travelled to, people have wanted to kill you.”

  “Here they’ve got better things to do than go around picking fights with those that challenge the Gods themselves. I’ve picked up a bit of a reputation around these parts. Half are in awe of me, the other half—” Alex shrugged. “They just think I’m completely crazy and want nothing to do with me.”

  “So how do we go about finding these men that you’re looking for?”

  “Just follow the loudest arguing, the fiercest fighting or the largest crowd of onlookers, observing the first two taking place.”

  Jessica glanced around, but aside from some quiet, intense, whispered conversations around the tables, and more than one glance in their direction, there seemed precious little of the traits that Alex described taking place.

  “And if all else fails,” Alex continued on, unperturbed. “Just follow the path left by the empty beer bottles.” Spinning round, he stalked across the room, the crowd melting away in front of him, as if a bubble formed around him, repelling anybody that came too close.

  Considering all the mishaps that had occurred over the past few weeks, ever since Alex had materialised in her bedroom, Jessica hurried after him to stay close. For while both of them were a magnet for trouble, she’d come to observe that when together the effect seemed to negate itself. Unfortunately, she was so astonished by this revelation she failed to notice that in the meantime he had stopped, and promptly collided into the back of him.

  “And hallelujah, what did I tell you, it works every time,” Alex smirked. “I would like to introduce you to what is left of Easy Company; stronger, braver or more noble warriors you’ll never find.”

  Jessica stepped around from behind him to observe the table that Alex had stopped at. For seated around it, surrounded by empty beer bottles were three men, their heads slumped down on the table, totally oblivious to the world around them.

  Unconscious.

  “Feeling safer already,” she sighed, resignedly.

  “They might not look like it, but these are elite, battle hardened troops, ready to respond to the call of duty at only a moment’s notice.”

  “Really?” she replied, looking unconvinced.

  “Of course,” he said, affronted. “Men, on your feet,” he called out loudly.

  Nobody moved.

  “Attention!” he shouted a little louder.

  Something that suspiciously sounded like a snor
e came from one of the slumped bodies.

  “Ready to respond at a moment’s notice, really?” Jessica snorted.

  “High-Lord Stanton is outside, with a battalion of his finest,” Alex announced loudly.

  The effect was immediate and instantaneous, for the three of them suddenly shot to their feet, as if their chairs were on fire.

  “What?”

  “Where!”

  “How many?”

  “Good job men,” Alex nodded in approval. “The fun is now over, time to get back to work.”

  A chorus of groans emanated from the three men, with a lot of muttering and more than one curse in Alex’s direction.

  “Ready to respond to the call of battle at a moment’s notice,” Alex smirked at Jessica.

  “As long as there isn’t a stiff breeze to knock them back over,” she commented, observing their pale faces and how they seemed to sway alarmingly.

  “Just give them a few minutes, and they’ll find their fighting form,” Alex replied. “While they’re doing that, I’m going to get a drink. I’ll leave it up to you to do the introductions, after all they already know who I am. Anyway, I’d kill for a scotch right about now.”

  With that Alex wandered off in the direction of the bar. Leaving her to face three confused men, with expressions ranging from befuddlement to outright fury.

  *****

  Jessica was still only halfway through greeting the men, having finally managed to extricate herself from Corporal Templeton, who upon being introduced, had attached himself to her side like a barnacle. Therefore, she had barely finished exchanging pleasantries with Captain Murdoch and Private Baracoa, when they were interrupted by the arrival of a very anxious looking Sanderson. Since being very worried seemed to be his default state of being, she wasn’t overly concerned.

  “Where’s the Colonel?” he asked.

  “Alex? He said something about needing a drink, then wandered off in that direction,” she indicated in the approximate direction of the bar.

  “We’ve got to find him and quick, we need to get out of here. Right now.”