Truth Behind the Mask

by Lesley Davis

  “Let me get this over with and then you and I can move on together.” She stood on tiptoe and Pagan immediately leaned down so she could accept the kiss Erith had to offer.

  “Be careful,” Pagan said, reluctantly letting Erith’s hand go.

  “I will. Trust me.” Erith entered the building.

  Pagan looked about furtively, then leapt up onto the fire escape that ran the length of the tall building. Silently, she worked her way up the steps until she reached a familiar window. She could hear through the comlink connection Erith quietly singing under her breath to calm her nerves as she made her way to the apartment. Pagan settled on the small balcony outside Erith’s old bedroom and listened to Erith’s voice in her ear. She jumped when Erith knocked on the apartment door, and cursed herself for being so uncharacteristically nervous. She knew all of them were anxiously waiting for Baylor to open the door. Pagan felt some comfort in knowing that Melina and Rogue were monitoring everything that was happening. No one was alone in this.

  The sound of the door opening and Baylor’s voice were loud in Pagan’s ear, almost as if she were standing right beside Erith. She flinched at the noise.

  “What do you want, girl?” Baylor said.

  “I just need to pick up my gear and…see how you are.” Erith’s voice changed as she followed him back into the apartment.

  “Came and got your bike already, I noticed.”

  “I needed it for work, and you were…elsewhere,” Erith replied carefully, purposely not mentioning the word jail, but it hung in the room with its silent accusation.

  “Guess your job went up in flames with Ammassari. Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say. They didn’t do anything for you at that place. They just stuck you in an office shuffling paper. You’re just like your mother. You don’t have the smarts to get anywhere.”

  From what Erith had told Pagan, this was an old argument that had played out for years. It was a wearing-down tactic, an endless twist of the same old bloody knife. Pagan knew Joe Baylor wielded it well.

  “I might just surprise you one day, Dad.”

  “You might at that.”

  Pagan couldn’t help but wonder what Baylor had seen on Erith’s face to change his tone, albeit slightly.

  “Look at you, here now. I never figured you’d have the guts to come back again.”

  “How’s Mom?” Erith changed the subject bluntly, expertly guiding his words away from herself.

  “Coming home soon. They said she needed treatment of some sort. The doctors said she broke her face when she hit the floor this time.”

  “Was that before or after you beat her down?”

  The growl of anger ripped through Pagan’s head, and she was instantly at the window levering it open. She heard a chair scraping with some force across the floor.

  “Don’t you take that tone with me, girl. Remember who I am.”

  “I do, Dad, and that’s why I’m here.” Erith’s voice contained just the barest hint of a quiver.

  Pagan’s heart broke for her. She raised the window a fraction more.

  “She’s smart enough to stay out of striking range, Pagan. Hold your position,” Rogue’s voice sounded in her ear.

  “I know,” Pagan whispered. “But he’s like a loaded gun. I’m just waiting for him to go off.” She knew that Erith couldn’t hear what she was saying to those back at the lighthouse. Melina controlled the comlinks with military precision.

  “Courage, Pagan,” Melina said. “Believe in her. She’s not as stupid as her father seems to think. She can’t be. She got out.”

  “Acknowledged,” Pagan replied and stepped away from the window, but still left it open a crack.

  “Dad, I’ve never asked you about your work that brought us here to Chastilian. I’ve never asked what you are involved in. I’ve always done what you told me to do and got what you wanted.” She paused at his derisive snort of laughter. “Except for this last time, that is. But I’m frightened for you.”

  There was a long silence.

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m worried you’re involved in something darker than you realize, and I’m frightened you won’t be able to get out.”

  “You’re frightened for me, girl?” He barked out a gruff laugh. “You should be more afraid about the kind that you left here with. Word is Sentinels eat children.”

  Erith laughed. “Then it’s a good thing I’m not a child, isn’t it?”

  Silence fell again. Pagan shifted nervously against the cold wall.

  “You safe, Erith?” her father asked brusquely.

  “Yes, Dad, I am.”

  “Good. Keep it that way. If you’re as smart as you think you are, then you’ll be best off where you are. There’s something rotten in the vaults of this city; time’s just ticking away on it.”

  “Dad, you could just go. You could go anywhere in the world. Just disappear. You’ve constantly moved us all my life. What’s another night flight with suitcases stuffed?”

  “And leave without your mother? Never. She needs me. And I like my job. It suits me.”

  “No kidding,” Rogue said dryly in Pagan’s ear. “A bully with a maniac for a boss. It’s a match made in heaven.”

  “Dad, maybe you and Mom could start anew somewhere, start over.”

  “You’re such a dreamer, little girl. You get that from your mother too.”

  Pagan heard a noise. “What was that?” she asked

  “Something outside the apartment,” Melina answered. There was a pounding on the front door to accompany her reply.

  “As for your lack of sense in barreling right in where you shouldn’t get involved,” Baylor audibly sighed, “that you get from me. You shouldn’t have come back here, Erith, not today. You’re not welcome here anymore. Not since you left with that masked freak.”

  Pagan heard heavy footsteps heading toward the front door.

  “Baylor.” A high-pitched male voice sounded through the apartment. “The boss wants you in for the festivities tonight. He had to send me for you. We couldn’t reach you on your phone. You forget to pay the bill or something?”

  Pagan heard footsteps grind to a halt.

  “Who’s your girlfriend?” the man asked.

  “My daughter. She was just leaving.”

  “No…no,” came the reply. “She can come with us. We need new cheerleaders for the squad. The others are getting worn out.”

  “She’s not joining the women you goons screw around with.” Baylor’s voice was harsh and, amazingly, held a touch of fear.

  “Are you saying she’s too good for the likes of us?”

  “She’s got smarts. She deserves better.”

  “Oh, I’m better, believe me.”

  “Get your hands off me,” Erith said angrily.

  Pagan heard Erith gasp in pain

  “You’ll make a nice addition. I know just the outfit for you too. Why hide behind the black and skulls? We’ll show you blood-red soon enough. And when Phoenix hits the August Dawn Bank tonight with the full gang behind him, you’ll see the whole city on fire.”

  “Let her go,” Baylor said.

  Pagan heard a recognizable click of a gun being cocked. She was instantly inside Erith’s bedroom and pressed tight against the wall there.

  “This is not going the way we planned,” Melina moaned.

  “You don’t give the orders here, little man, the Phoenix does. And look who has the gun here. Shall I hold it on you, or pull the trigger on your little girl?”

  “Don’t hurt her,” Baylor growled.

  “Then she comes with us. How cool is this? She gets to watch her daddy be part of the party tonight, and then when we come back victorious, we can party on her ass all night long!”

  Pagan heard Erith’s intake of breath. “Don’t do anything stupid,” Erith said into the room, but Pagan knew exactly who she was directing the words to. “Dad, he has a gun pointed at my head. Let’s just go with him, please? I don’t want to get killed here. And
I’d like to see where you work. You’ve kept it secret from me for too long. I’m a big girl now. I can handle it. It will be okay. Just do as he says and I’ll be fine.”

  Pagan risked a swift look out from behind Erith’s door and saw her being dragged out of the apartment. The door slammed shut on them.

  Pagan dimly felt the pain as she banged her head against the wall in anger at her impotence.

  “A bring your daughter to work day!” the young man could be heard to squeal over Erith’s comlink. “How wonderful. You can show her where we work, Phoenix can show her what he does, and then I’ll get my share of her later.”

  Already back out on the fire escape, Pagan looked down at the railing she held tightly in her hand and was not surprised to see it had bent considerably under her grip. Melina’s voice sounded in her ear.

  “Rogue is on her way to you in the van. You can suit up, Pagan, and follow where they lead.” Melina let out a sigh that seemed to echo through the comlink. “This is it, Pagan. He’s not taking any more family away from us. It’s time to settle the score with the Phoenix family once and for all.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  There was something incongruous about the big black van that was waiting for Pagan when she raced down from the fire escape. Pagan wrenched open the back door and flung herself in.

  “He’s driving a sporty red sedan, license plate…” Melina’s voice sounded through the van as they were linked to the lighthouse. “Oh, for goodness sake,” she muttered, “license plate FE N1X.”

  Rogue growled from her seat. She was in her Sentinel garb, mask firmly in place. The blacked-out windows hid her identity and everything else that was stored in the vehicle. Pagan began to shed her clothing and get her own uniform on.

  “What did you do to your head, Pagan?” Rogue looked back and saw Pagan’s injury.

  “Banged it off the wall,” Pagan replied, hastily tugging on her pants and leaning to look into a mirror at the abrasion on her forehead. “It’s nothing. It will heal.” She pulled on her jacket. “Rogue, he has Erith.”

  “I know, sweetheart, and we’ll get her back, I promise.”

  “Erith’s tracer is working like a charm. The red sedan is pulling out on Crafter Street,” Melina said. “There are three passengers. Baylor is driving. Erith is in the backseat with Laughing Boy.”

  “This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.”

  “Pagan, just finish getting changed. We’re following right behind.” Rogue pressed on through the traffic. “Mel, if we’re heading to the Stadium you need to warn the police we have a hostage situation.”

  “I’ve just gotten off the line with Sergeant Cauley. He’s already en route. They’ve gotten a tactical team on their way too. I think your father called in some huge Sentinel favors.”

  “Warn them to hold back until we know what is happening there. Phoenix is obviously expecting Baylor to arrive. If we jeopardize that, we risk exposing ourselves.”

  “I just want Erith away from these people,” Pagan said angrily.

  “Pagan, we’ll get her back. I think she’s perfectly aware of what she’s doing. I think she’s going to lead us right to where the Phoenix is. We won’t be running in blind. She’s going to have them lead us inside and straight to him,” Melina said.

  “We know where he is. He’s in the stadium,” Pagan said. She slipped on her mask and began to check through her belt for her gear.

  “There’s a lot of ground to cover both in and around that stadium. I need for us to know exactly where we’re going before any Sentinels are deployed. I’ve alerted the rest of the Sentinels. If we need help they’re ready to assist,” Melina said.

  Rogue watched the road ahead. “We’re going to have quite the team going up against Phoenix’s gang if we’re joining with the local police force and a tactical team too.”

  “No arguing about territory or who has the bigger weapon,” Melina said dryly.

  “I just want Erith back,” Pagan whispered.

  “We will get her back, and Mr. Trigger Happy with her will get his ass pounded. I promise you,” Rogue said. “No one messes with my family.”

  “So where is it we’re going exactly?” Erith’s voice suddenly sounded over the comlink.

  “It will be a surprise when you get there.”

  “Do you have to press that gun quite so hard into my ribs, because if Dad here hits a pothole, I am not looking forward to the scar that bullet would leave.” There was a small pause. “Thank you.”

  Pagan let out a sigh of relief knowing that Erith was reasonably safe.

  “So, Dad, does Mom know exactly what you’re involved in?” Erith asked.

  “No, I figured what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.”

  “No, that was all your job, wasn’t it?”

  “You, shut up! And you, just drive!” a whiney voiced ordered, and silence reigned inside the car for the rest of the long journey.

  *

  Pagan watched helplessly as Erith was taken through the grounds to the empty stadium, and she waited for word from the Sighted. She listened to Melina over the comlink.

  “Erith’s like a little beacon, lighting up all the tunnels for us. I’m able to piggyback her signal, and it’s blasting through their surveillance down there. I’ll have a rudimentary map of where she is in moments.” Melina’s tone changed as she directed her next comments to Erith. “Red Fox, I know you can hear me. You are surrounded by those who love you. We can see exactly where you are and will follow you soon. You’re blazing the way for everyone to enter, just as I know you planned. I’m so grateful to you. You’ve helped us more than you’ll ever realize.”

  “She’ll be okay, Pagan,” Rogue said. “We’ll get her out of there the moment the signal is given.”

  Pagan looked out the van window at the steadily darkening sky. Soon it would be time for them to spring into action. She could see the police cordoning off the streets surrounding the stadium. The heavily geared police tactical team were executing their own plan and moving forward toward the main gates. Pagan listened intently as Erith’s comlink broadcast what was happening with her as the weaselly man received a call on his cell phone.

  “Phoenix is livid! He says you’ve brought the police right to his door!” There was a sound of shuffling. “Why would the police be following us here? No one is supposed to know where we are. Baylor, you and your girl stay here until I know what’s going on. I’ll be right back.” The sound of a door closing sounded loud over the communicators.

  “Dad, I’m not safe here and you know it. He’s barely able to keep his hands off me.”

  “Maybe that’s what you need,” Baylor said. “Make you a real woman then.”

  “I am a real woman. I just prefer not to have some sleazeball guy mess around with me.”

  “I can’t believe I raised a—”

  “Don’t say it,” Erith interrupted angrily. “Because as much as I’d hate myself for it, I would have to smack you right in the mouth for the bigot that you are.”

  Baylor was silent for a moment. “You’d hit your father?”

  “I’d say it was a long time coming,” Erith replied. “Where does that door lead? If the police are really coming, we’re going to need to get out somehow.”

  Pagan listened intently while Baylor explained what went where under the ground. Pagan could hear Melina chuckle over the comlink.

  “Pagan, you picked a smart one.”

  “The Osborne girls seemed fated to,” Pagan replied. Rogue just grinned, not once taking her eyes from the electronic map she was poring over in her hands. The palm computer was blinking out coordinates and schematics for the tunnels hidden below the football stadium, courtesy of Melina.

  “We have a detailed plan before us,” Rogue told Pagan. “Our Sighted is now able to scan the whole area for us thanks to every step Erith took. Our Sighted is brilliant!”

  “I merely use what you teach me every day, Sentinel,” Melina replied. “I’m usi
ng the comlink signal to map out the stadium’s underground levels. I’m supplying the tactical team and police with the same information you are receiving so no one will go in blind.”

  “When can we go in?” Rogue asked.

  “The tactical team are entering in five minutes and counting,” Melina said. “Take your positions outside the Stadium. I’m going to black out everything within a ten-mile radius, both above ground and below it. Under the cover of darkness we can sweep in and find where Phoenix has chosen to hide out, and get him.”

  “I have our route planned. We’re going after Erith.”

  “Be watchful,” Melina said softly. “Good hunting, Rogue. Pagan, go rescue your lady and guide her back to us.”

  “That’s my number one priority, Mel,” Pagan said.

  “Lights out in two minutes, and the cameras in the stadium are under our control now, not theirs, so you’ll be going in unannounced,” Melina said.

  Pagan and Rogue alighted from the van in the waning evening’s glow. Pagan and Rogue ran to take their positions at the stadium wall. A mass tide of bodies surged toward the Stadium. Above them, a few Sentinels were illuminated against the setting sun, standing high upon the towers, waiting. A few more came in on their motorcycles, equally silent. Rogue clutched at Pagan’s arm as she checked her watch.

  “Get ready.”

  The lights went out over Chastilian, silently plunging the city into darkness, the only light the vestiges from a swiftly disappearing sun.

  Rogue nodded at Pagan as the stadium doors were slammed open by the lead tactical team. “Let the games begin!”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Pagan stayed close behind Rogue as she raced across the field behind the tactical team. She spotted Casper and Earl as they all ran toward the tunnel and into the underground lair. The four Sentinels easily blended in among the members of the elite squad that silently entered the stadium.

  “Pagan, I have coordinates for you,” Melina said. Pagan immediately headed off in that direction after Erith, Rogue not far behind her.