Deadly Weakness (Gray Spear Society)

by Siegel, Alex

  "Please do."

  Aaron waved his arm. Smythe and Odelia immediately jumped up and hurried over. They held each other nervously and remained standing. Aaron stared at them sternly for a moment. The feeling of anticipation was too sweet.

  "It's good news," he said finally.

  Odelia squeaked like a little girl and threw her arms around Smythe. They kissed passionately.

  "Calm down," Aaron said. "You're adults. Sit."

  Smythe took a chair and Odelia sat on his lap. He put his arms around her waist.

  "This is how it's going to work," Aaron said in a firm tone. "You'll get two days a month to visit each other. Alternating cities. Visits may be delayed or cancelled if they interfere with a mission. Your duties always come first."

  They nodded.

  "The legate won't approve," Aaron said. "Don't be surprised if there is hell to pay down the road."

  "Yes, sir," they responded.

  "Another thing. Odelia, you're going to see my headquarters. You're going to meet my people. Smythe will see yours. That's a huge security issue. The locations of the headquarters are the most closely guarded secrets in the Society. Xavier is a perfect example of what happens when we get sloppy. This arrangement isn't just risky for the people at this table. It endangers our teams. Yule and I are putting a huge amount of trust in both of you."

  "Thank you, sir," Smythe said.

  "Yes," Odelia said. "Thank you. I won't disappoint you, sir. I'll protect your team's secrets with my life."

  "And when you're in Chicago, you work for me. If I need your help, I'll expect you to obey my orders as if they had come directly from Yule. Smythe, when you're in Los Angeles, Yule is your commander. Just because you're visiting your girlfriend doesn't mean you're on vacation. Spears don't get vacations. If he gives you an assignment, I'll expect you to perform at a level that makes me proud."

  "Yes, sir," they said.

  "Now get out of here. Odelia, finish packing. You're going home in half an hour. Smythe, put on your heavy work clothes. We have a lot of things to do after the guests are gone."

  "What about the twins?" Smythe said. "With Norbert babysitting Hanley, they're alone."

  Aaron furrowed his brow. Sometimes, he grew annoyed at having two team members who needed so much care and supervision.

  "Change of plan. Ride down to Chicago on the shuttle with Odelia. You'll look after the twins until the rest of us are finished up here. Damn, I wish Marina were still here. I'm running out of available legionnaires."

  "Where are the twins, sir? You never told us."

  "The new headquarters," Aaron said.

  "Really?" Smythe raised his eyebrows. "All this time?"

  "Yes. Go!" Aaron shooed him away.

  Smythe and Odelia rushed off, still holding hands.

  Aaron turned to Yule and smiled. "That felt really good."

  "The best moment of the entire weekend." Yule patted his arm. "Thank you, for everything. You and I are going to become good friends."

  * * *

  Xavier walked into a restaurant. There was a bar on one side and booths with red vinyl seats on the other. Three televisions hung from the ceiling, and they were showing a hockey game. The restaurant had just opened, so there were no other patrons. Nobody would bother him. A waitress stood near the door, and a bartender was behind the bar. The lighting was poor, which was just what he wanted.

  "Sit anywhere, honey," the waitress said.

  Her pudgy body was packed into a tight polyester shirt and blue jeans. She looked like a sausage wearing clothes.

  Xavier nodded and took a booth in the back corner, where he could see anybody coming. He automatically noted the other exits. A swinging door led to a kitchen in the back. There was a restroom which probably had a window. The front of the restaurant had two large windows that he could jump through if necessary, but he would use the door if possible.

  He opened up the menu. He hadn't had a proper meal in almost twenty-four hours and was very hungry. His eye immediately settled on a triple hamburger with the usual sides. He flagged the waitress and gave her his order.

  While he was waiting for his food, he watched the doors. The hockey game was loud and made it hard for him to hear approaching threats. Coming here had been a risk, but he needed to eat.

  The television switched to a news reporter, and behind him was a picture of Xavier and his beautiful mustache. The reporter went on about a double rape and a quadruple murder.

  Xavier frowned. He had expected Ethel to use the police at some point but not quite this soon. The Gray Spear Society usually tried to solve its own problems covertly before engaging outsiders. Apparently, Ethel was already growing too impatient for her own good. Xavier had wanted to limit the scope of the conflict, but now he had no choice. Any civilian casualties would be entirely her fault.

  He calmly went into the bathroom and jammed the door with a knife. There wasn't a window as he had hoped. He drew a second sharp knife, smeared the blade with soap, and began to shave off his mustache. It was an emotionally painful process. He had spent so long getting it exactly right. Now he would look like every other idiot on the street.

  He had shaved just one side when he heard a distant siren approaching. He paused. The waitress had probably seen the news report and had called the cops. Xavier shrugged and continued to shave.

  A short time later he heard loud voices in the restaurant. The police were here.

  Somebody tried the bathroom door handle and then pounded on the door. A man yelled, "Come out with your hands up!"

  "Hold on," Xavier said quietly. "Almost done."

  He scraped off the last bit of hair. His upper lip was now clean for the first time in many years. He didn't look like himself.

  He put away his good knife and drew a gun with a suppressor.

  The cop pounded on the door again. "Come out now, or we'll break down the door!"

  "Coming," Xavier said.

  He produced a shadow. The illusion looked exactly like the real Xavier, including the shaved upper lip. The shadow held the same gun as him, but the fake one was harmless. Xavier could move his shadow around like a puppet and make it speak in his voice. It would continue to exist until Xavier stopped paying attention to it.

  He yanked out the knife he had used to jam the door. With his left hand he pulled open the door. His shadow walked out first.

  He heard thumping noises as the police tried to arrest something that had no substance. Xavier stepped out an instant later. He shot two cops in the head while they were still distracted by the shadow. The waitress screamed. Xavier killed her and the bartender.

  He ran into the kitchen. A startled cook was there, and Xavier put a bullet between his eyes.

  The hamburger patties were still cooking, but Xavier didn't mind rare meat. He served them onto a plate. He also grabbed a whole tomato, pickles, bread, and a block of Swiss cheese. It looked like enough food to fill his belly.

  He walked out the back door and into the winter air.

  * * *

  Hanley watched the five prisoners carefully. They wore orange jumpsuits that looked particularly bright in direct sunlight. Thick shackles bound them at the wrists, ankles, and around the waist. They squinted and were obviously unused to being outdoors. They had spent the last four weeks sealed in private concrete cells without even exercise privileges.

  Three of the prisoners were women. Normally, ADX Florence only housed men, but Hanley had made a special request because he had wanted the best security available. It didn't really matter what sex a prisoner was. They never met each other in their solitary confinement.

  Hanley and Norbert were standing before the prisoners in the yard. Ten anxious and heavily armed guards watched from a short distance back. In this place, visitors never saw prisoners as a group and never outside. A meeting like this one was extremely unusual. From the guard's perspective, everything about it was wrong and dangerous.

  "We need more privacy," Norbert said.
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  Hanley shrugged. "I've done what I can."

  "You know what will happen to those guards if they overhear us. Is that what you want?"

  "No." Hanley's shoulders sagged. He walked over to the guards. "Gentlemen, we need more space, please. We'll be discussing classified information."

  The captain of the guards glared at him. "You have plenty of space. Too much space."

  "I'll take full responsibility. OK? Nothing is going to happen."

  The guards didn't move.

  "Do you want me to get the warden out here?" Hanley said.

  Grudgingly, the guards walked back five paces.

  Hanley went back to Norbert. "Is that enough?"

  "I guess so," Norbert replied. He stepped close to the prisoners, which drew anxious looks from the guards. "First, the legate sends her apologies on behalf of the Gray Spear Society and herself. We didn't know you were still alive. The legate is very sorry you had to suffer for so long."

  One of the male prisoners responded, "When did you find out?"

  He was big and very strong. Hanley guessed he was a legionnaire.

  "Just two days ago," Norbert said.

  "What happened to us? We were attacked without warning by an unknown enemy. Our defenses were overwhelmed. I watched my commander die. All we know is this guy is somehow responsible." The man nodded towards Hanley.

  "I'll let him explain."

  Hanley came forward. He felt terribly guilty about what had happened, and he was reluctant to talk. All five prisoners were glaring at him.

  "I'm the chief of the FBI Special Missions Unit. We attacked you because we thought you were terrorists. The information came from your own commander in Houston, Xavier. He also gave us the location of your headquarters. He betrayed you."

  Their expressions changed from anger to shock.

  "It's true," Norbert said. "Miami was hit almost as hard as you for the same reason. Xavier was trying to destroy the Society."

  "Is he dead?" the legionnaire said.

  "No, but we're hunting him down as we speak. He won't escape justice. You can be very sure of that. However, until he's caught, the legate needs you to wait here. The situation is complicated enough. As soon as Xavier is dead, you'll be released. In the meantime, Hanley will do what he can to make your stay more comfortable."

  "Yes," Hanley said. "I've already talked to the warden. You'll get as many privileges as the rules allow. If it were up to me, you'd be released right now. I was manipulated by Xavier, and the Unit lost some good men. I'm as angry as you are."

  That statement seemed to soothe the prisoners a little.

  "What about San Francisco?" the legionnaire said. "Northern California is unprotected."

  "The neighboring cells will cover for you until you're operational again," Norbert said. "The legate will give you whatever resources you require to rebuild. She already assigned a new commander to you."

  "Who?"

  "Marina. She has eleven years of experience as a legionnaire, and she was trained by the legate when the legate was still the commander of Chicago. She's a brilliant martial artist, a master ninja, and one of the best knife fighters in the world. She's a consummate spy, and of course, she also has a gift. Finally, she's a close friend of mine. I give you my guarantee she'll be everything you expect in a commander and more."

  Hanley hadn't known Marina was such an impressive woman. He was intrigued now. If he ever met her again, he would ask about her background.

  The prisoners relaxed even more.

  "And I have more good news," Norbert said. "The legate is giving you another legionnaire to replenish your ranks. He's just a raw recruit but a very promising one."

  Hanley had a bad feeling. "Are you talking about me?"

  Norbert nodded. "The legate feels it's the least you can do. Your blood and sweat will help rebuild what you nearly destroyed. Marina will train you, and I'm sure she'll do a proper job of it."

  The legionnaire gave Hanley a wry smile. "And I'll help train you, too. I look forward to teaching you how to fight." The smile turned nasty.

  Hanley felt like somebody had punched him in the head.

  "In summary," Norbert said, "The San Francisco cell will be restored. Your lives will be restored. Right now the entire division is focused on killing Xavier. Marina is coordinating the search. As soon as that's resolved, she and the legate will turn their full attention to your needs."

  The prisoners nodded and appeared satisfied.

  Not just prisoners, Hanley thought. My team. My new best friends. Suddenly, his membership in the Society seemed a lot more real.

  * * *

  The squeaking of brakes was one of the most depressing sounds Smythe had ever heard. It meant his weekend with Odelia was over.

  He had ridden the shuttle bus with her down to Chicago. They had sat together and had held hands in silence most of the trip. They couldn't say much about their future together because it was out of their control. Aaron and Yule would make the important decisions for them. The two lovers could only hope for the best.

  The bus stopped on top of the parking garage at O'Hare Airport. Smythe and Odelia waited until everybody else had got off. Slowly and reluctantly, they followed.

  The air outside was a bit warmer than it had been in Wisconsin. It was still cold though, and Smythe had to zip up his coat all the way. In his haste to leave the camp, he had forgotten to put on his ski cap and his ears were already stinging.

  He hugged Odelia tightly. With their coats on, the physical contact was less than he wanted, but it still felt good to have her in his arms. Tears dripped onto her shoulder.

  Yule stood a short distance away. He wore special sunglasses that did a fair job of covering his eyes and hiding the odd shape of his face. They wouldn't stand up to close scrutiny though.

  "Come on, Odelia," he said. "I don't want to miss our plane."

  Odelia nodded and sniffled.

  "This isn't the end," he added. "It's just the beginning. My prediction is you two are going to have many adventures together in the coming years."

  Smythe gave her a final hug and a big kiss. "Call me when you land in Los Angeles," he whispered.

  "OK."

  Yule put his arm around her shoulders and guided her away. Smythe watched her walk off until she vanished from sight.

  He sighed.

  He turned and faced the Rosemont Tower Hotel. The building was just visible from his position. The new headquarters was located on top in a secret bunker that spanned the entire floor. There was so much concrete, steel, titanium, and high density ceramic plate suspended high in the air that the supporting columns had to be ten feet thick. It would be one of the strongest structures in Chicago when the construction was done. Smythe had seen some of the invoices on Aaron's desk, and the costs were staggering.

  Smythe wasn't looking forward to taking care of the twins for an extended period. They were very sweet and polite girls, but they had more peculiar habits than an entire ward in an insane asylum. The slightest change in their daily rituals made them freak out. It was Norbert's job to remember all the weird little rules they lived by.

  Oh, well, Smythe thought. Sometimes being a Spear isn't a glamorous job. At least I don't have to sleep with them like Norbert.

  He started jogging.

  It took him half an hour to reach the hotel. By the time he arrived, he was perspiring lightly despite the frigid air. It felt good to get exercise after several days of relative idleness. He had spent as much time as possible in bed with Odelia.

  He looked up at the copper tinted windows of the tower. He took out his phone and called Bethany. "I'm here," he said. "How do I get up to you?"

  "Go around to the back, sir," she said. "There is a ramp down into the basement. Find a big service elevator in the middle and use the standard code. Hold all four buttons down for exactly three seconds."

  Smythe followed the instructions, and about twenty minutes later he entered the new headquarters. It was still
just a huge empty box made of thousands of tons of heavily reinforced concrete. The interior surfaces were lined with special tiles that acted as a final layer of super-strong armor. He could hardly believe the twins and Norbert had actually lived here for two weeks.

  A king sized mattress was lying on the floor, surrounded by stacks of clothes. The twins' clothes were all the same: white shirts and pleated, red skirts. It wasn't clear which were dirty or clean. There was a big green garbage bin, and the air smelled of old food.

  The twins' ergonomic workstations had been brought here along with a large number of computers. The girls were nestled in their reclined chairs made of soft webbing. Their big eyes stared up at grids of oversized monitors. Exotic keyboards and mice were on trays that could be locked in any position.

  Smythe walked over to Bethany. He could tell it was her because she was wearing a diamond necklace. That was the only way he knew to tell the two girls apart.

  "Hello?" Smythe said.

  She continued to type on her keyboard, oblivious to his presence. He pushed on her shoulder firmly. She twitched, and finally, she looked at him.

  "Hello, sir," she said.

  "I'm here. What am I suppose to do?"

  "Norbert made a list."

  She gave Smythe a stack of papers. He flipped through the stack and realized it was the girls' complete daily routine. It went on for five pages and broke down the day into minute intervals. The time and duration of every meal was described, including snacks. Twelve minutes were set aside for "fresh air" on the roof. It even told him when the twins were supposed to use the bathroom and how long they should take. This is insane, he thought.

  Bethany turned her attention back to her computer. All the screens were full of flowing information.

  "What are you doing?" Smythe said.

  "Searching for Xavier. I'm using natural language processing to scan news reports, police reports, blogs, forums, tweets, texts, feeds, and every other source of textual data."

  He nodded and walked around to Leanna's side of the mirrored workstation arrangement. "What about you? Leanna! I'm talking to you. What are you working on?"

  "Surveillance cameras," she said in her soft voice. "I put together special face recognition software, and I'm running it on every video stream I can access."