She turned her head around so that she could look at him with what she hoped were puppy dog eyes. "You aren't angry with me then?"
"No. I'm disappointed that things did not go the way we planned, but I'm not angry with you." He looked at his designer watch. "I've got to pick up Dorothy. Will you be alright until we get back?"
She wanted to shout, "Hallelujah! Please leave!" Instead she did as Megan prompted and said, "Yes, of course. I will go to my quarters." But this was a bit of a problem, wasn't it? She needed to get to the clone center as soon as possible, and here she was stuck in a restaurant.
"Fine then," he said as he pulled on his sport coat. "I have to admit that I feel much better after seeing you. Nicole is still MIA, you know. I'm fairly certain that she is dead; however, we haven't been able to pick up any trace of her. And that seems odd. At any rate, I'm glad you're back. I've missed you." He leaned over and gave her another peck on the cheek and then went out the door, locking it behind him and initiating the alarm.
Megan said, "Don't talk to me. There are bugs and cameras. I'll direct you. Do you see the restroom sign on the back wall? Yes, there. Get up and walk to it….Good. Now instead of going into the bathroom, there is a button on the bottom of the picture to your right. Yes, you are looking at it…place the index finger of your right hand on the button and press. Good."
What had appeared to be a locked door marked "Employees Only" opened automatically. Megan continued, "Step through the door and turn around. It's an elevator. Good." The door closed. "Now just stand still. When it opens, step out and turn to your right."
Nicole wondered how far down they were going. It was certainly more than the one flight that had led them up to Rosie's.
Megan explained, "You are going deep underground into the clone center."
Nicole heard Sam say, "You didn't tell me that Rosie's was connected to the clone center!"
And then she heard Megan say, "Well you never asked." In her mind's eye, Nicole could see Sam's frustration and she smiled in spite of herself.
The elevator stopped and the door opened. Nicole stepped out into a brightly lit hallway with white walls and an almost white floor. She turned to her right as directed and very nearly stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed what looked somewhat like a nurses station about fifty feet ahead of her with a man sitting behind it.
"It's ok," Megan said. "They're used to me coming and going. Ignore him."
With fear threatening to choke her, that was easier said than done; but she had to remember that in their eyes, she was not a stranger.
She made it past the station and Megan said, "Good. Now keep walking till you come to a hall on your left." As Nicole turned, coming toward her was a woman in a white lab coat.
"I see her. Don't say anything, just nod and keep walking." As they passed, Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, I told you nobody pays me any attention there. Ok, see the door on your left coming up? Stop at it. Yes, good. Now place your left palm on the pad beside the door. Good."
The door opened and Nicole stepped in and closed it behind her. "We are still not free to speak. So if you have a question, just blink fast three times."
Nicole looked around at the small cubicle that couldn't have been more than an eight by ten foot space. It held a single bed, a tiny shower, a pedestal sink, a toilet and a cupboard that passed for a closet. There were no personal items on display, and her thought was that it appeared to be just a step up from a prison cell.
"Welcome to my home…well what was my home," Megan said. "For the sake of any observers, we'll make this look as normal as possible. Wash your face in the sink, then go to the closet and take out a clean pair of jeans and T-shirt, then change."
Nicole did as directed until it came time to change, then she blinked three times.
Megan answered, "If you're wondering about Sam, he's got his back to you."
Nicole quickly changed.
"Ok, now in the bottom of the closet on the right is a small hole under the t-shirts. Put your hand in it and you'll feel a soft cloth. Pull it out and quickly put it in your pocket. Good. Ok, here we go."
Nicole stepped back out into the hall. She was heading for the control room, and Megan directed her to go back the way she had come. She explained, "On this side of the elevator are the living quarters. Most have two living in them, but Peter allowed me the privilege of my own apartment."
Once Nicole was on the other side of the elevator, she passed many doors and wondered what was going on behind them. It seemed as if Megan could read her mind.
"In the room on your right is a school where the clones are educated in reading, writing and rithmetic…well sort of. On the left up here is a gym of sorts. They exercise and are trained in physical strength and endurance. Turn right. On the left is the cafeteria, and on the right is a mind training center. They are basically fed lies there that stir up their emotions and give them cause to want to kill. Most of it has to do with Christians. They are brainwashing them so that they will be ready to kill on the Day of Purification. We're almost there. Oh the room on the right up here is the armory. They are taught to use weapons of all sorts. Ok. Take a left….good. Now we are going to go past the first door which is the control room. It controls every computer system in this place, including the clones, so we'll be coming back here. But first…oh Sam is going to tell you something. Keep walking."
Sam said, "Megan is going to direct you to a door where Gus will be waiting. Let him in and the two of you will go together into the computer room. Blink twice if you copy."
Blink, blink.
"Good girl. You're doing great," Sam encouraged.
Megan said, "Turn left. Ok, there is a flight of stairs through the door on your left. Put the palm of your left hand on the pad…good. Now go up the stairs. Gus will be waiting when you open the door at the top."
They watched and listened as Nicole began to climb and to huff and puff.
"I could tease you about being a little out of shape," Megan laughed.
Nicole stopped and stood still.
Then Megan added, "But that wouldn't be nice. Actually, you're almost there."
Nicole went back to putting one foot in front of the other. How many flights underground was this place? And how many miles of underground space did it occupy?
She rounded the last set of steps and saw a door. As she reached it, she leaned against it a moment before cautiously and quietly unlatching it and pushing it open a few inches. Gus pulled it open enough for his big frame to fit inside, and he entered the stairwell, then put a stopper in the door before he closed it to keep it from locking so that others could get in.
Sam said, "Gus, that angel is back with you. Only he's not dressed in a tux this time, he's dressed in overalls. I guess it's time to go to work."
Nicole didn't see the angel, but she was taking Sam's word for it.
Then Megan let out a squeal of delight that made Gus and Nicole grab their ears in pain. "I see him too! I've never seen an angel before!" she exclaimed.
Going down was quicker than the going up, and soon they were ready to enter the hall. Thank God that the computer room was not too far from the stairwell. Nicole opened the door and looked into the hall. Empty.
They entered the first hall and Sam told Gus to wait until Nicole got the computer room door open before he joined her. Just as she reached the door, six clones dressed in their khaki colored clothes came around the bend from the direction of the armory. She walked past the door and past the clones. They ignored her but were heading right toward Gus.
She was about to warn him when Sam said, "Stay put Gus. Six clones heading your way. But don't worry, the angel just stepped in front of you. He's probably hiding you."
Megan added, "They are most likely going to the shower after their weaponry workout."
They all sighed with relief as the clones rounded the corner and were out of sight. As Nicole made her way back to the control room door, Sam said what she was thi
nking.
"They look just like people who are all wearing the same uniform. I'm a little disappointed. After talking about Darth Vader, I guess I was expecting Storm Troopers."
Then Megan said, "Ok, this one is a bit trickier. The cameras are reviewed in this room every seven minutes, so we need to coordinate the timing you enter with the end of a viewing cycle, which should be in about thirty seconds. Nicole, this palm pad won't let you in. Pull the cloth out of your pocket. Open it up carefully."
Nicole saw a hand print on the inner part of the cloth.
"It's lambskin leather and is like a glove with Dorothy's hand print on it. Put it on your left hand and make sure that your fingers match the prints. Ok, now place it over the pad."
Nicole heard Sam say, "Ingenious! And they thought you were stupid?"
"You're not done yet. You need to punch in the code on the key pad as well. Waiting….Three, two, one. Ok punch in 747372."
Nicole punched the numbers as Megan said them and the door opened. Sam told Gus to move in and he moved so fast that Nicole had barely entered when he joined her and shut the door behind them.
She handed the stick drive with the virus to Gus as he moved to the computer. Megan said, "You don't have much time. Only seven minutes before you'll be spotted."
Nicole folded the hand print and put it back inside her pocket. "Jesus, help us!"
Sam's voice held excitement in it as he said, "You guys aren't going to believe this! The numbers on the entrance code spells out Sisera!"
Gus was already punching letters and numbers on the keyboard. "Sisera is not the access code for the computer."
"Try Day of Sisera, or The Day of Sisera," Sam prompted.
The screen blinked and said "Welcome."
"We're in," Gus said.
Nicole was standing just behind him so that Sam could see what was going on.
"It was DayofSisera," Gus said. They watched as he located the Day of Release. "It's tomorrow!"
Sam said, "I see it. And Purification?"
"Day after tomorrow!" Gus confirmed. He took the stick drive out of his pocket and inserted it into the computer.
Sam said, "Find the sound wave frequency first."
"Affirmative. Just getting set up for quick access," Gus explained. He was silent for what seemed a long time but was only a minute as Nicole, Sam and Megan watched him punching keys while the screen flashed pages of script that Nicole didn't understand.
"Ok. Frequency changed. Now for remotes…." They watched as once again, Gus punched the keypad faster than she could follow. "I've got it. Wait! It won't allow a download from my drive without a password."
"I thought you were supposed to use the virus on the clone programming," Nicole said.
Gus answered, "We have two viruses. One for the remotes and one for the clones. This is for the remotes." He was keying in passwords as he spoke. "I'm clueless on this. Suggestions."
Megan asked, "Have you tried, 'Awake, awake o sleeper?'"
"That's it! I'm in!" Gus took a deep breath and reminded Nicole that she needed to breathe too. "Initiating virus…."
Nicole jumped as she heard footsteps approaching the door. "Hurry Gus!" she whispered. Whoever it was didn't stop but kept moving until it was silent again.
"Download complete," Gus said as he ejected the stick drive and inserted another. He was back at punching keys as he looked for the file with the clone programming. "I'm sure I'll need another password, so be thinking," he ordered as he searched.
"File found. Password?" Gus asked.
"Judgment Day," Sam said.
"Keep them coming," Gus said.
"Battle array," Megan suggested. "Revenge. Uh…. Rise up, rise up ye mighty men."
"I'm in," Gus announced. "Initiating virus…"
Nicole's heart stopped and she and Gus both looked at the door. Someone was there, keying in the numbers on the pad. Gus stood to his feet shielding Nicole and the computer screen. The next instant the door opened and Daemon entered; a very surprised look on his face.
"What's going on here?" He asked as he quickly recovered.
Nicole stepped out from behind Gus so that Sam and Megan could see what was happening.
Daemon's eyes grew big and then squinted in disbelief. "Megan! What are you doing? Have you betrayed me then? Or are you not Megan at all, but rather that idiot, Nicole?"
He stepped towards the wall, and Megan said, "Stop him from pushing that button!"
Gus rushed at Daemon and tackled him before he could sound the alarm. The two men began wrestling on the floor.
Megan said, "There's only one more minute before the camera picks you up." Nicole looked at the progress of the virus download. It was only half done.
Daemon was a good fighter, but Gus was bigger and was on top. She watched as Gus gave him a final huge walloping fist in the face with his right hand and a severe blow to his stomach with his left.
Gus stood up and looked down at Daemon. Out cold. He walked to the computer and saw that it was three-fourths of the way done. He stretched like he was trying to push the pain of the fight out of his body, and then the two of them froze in place as the door opened again. They slowly turned and saw that Dorothy was standing in the doorway with a gun pointed at them.
"What are you doing you little street urchin? Both of you, move away from the computer. NOW!" she bellowed when they refused to obey. She moved a little closer to them, and still they didn't move. She pointed the gun at Gus' heart. "I will give you mercy. You have until I count to three to move away from the computer."
Nicole looked into her hardened, steel blue eyes, and knew that at least one of them was going to die that day.
"Let it be me Lord. She's not ready to meet You," she silently prayed and then exclaimed, "Wait! What am I saying?"
Time seemed to slow as Dorothy's mouth opened and she counted, "Oooonnnnnnnnne."
There was something vaguely familiar about this, and she remembered another instance when time had slowed. Nicole looked at Gus. He was looking at the desk chair that was on rollers. Nicole suddenly knew what she was to do.
She drew her Sword out of its sheath and shouted out, "There's an angel with us here, and we are on the Lord's business!"
A taunting smile appeared on Dorothy's lips as she continued counting in slow motion. "Ttttttwwwwwooooo."
Nicole continued as well. "In Jesus' name I bind the spirit of Death, Destruction and Darkness in this room and I loose the Spirit of Life and Light."
A laugh was erupting from Dorothy's mouth as she declared, "Thhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeee!"
Nicole prayed, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, Father, on earth as it is in heaven."
Time returned to its normal speed and Dorothy tried to pull the trigger, but her finger would not move. Her smile faded and then she suddenly screamed out in pain, dropped the gun and fell to the floor covering her eyes and begging for the Light to be turned down.
Gus picked up the gun as three clone guards with guns came running through the door. As soon as they entered the room they stopped, dropped their guns and closed their eyes as if they were asleep.
Nicole and Gus both looked at the computer screen. "Download complete" was staring back at them. They looked at the clone guards. Nicole asked, "Is that because their programming is terminated or because of the angel and God's presence in this room?"
Daemon was beginning to stir.
Sam said, "I don't know, but get out of there now. Your mission has been accomplished."
There were loud gunshots and shouts, and then screams began reaching their ears.
Sam shouted, "Like I said, get out NOW!"
Gus grabbed Nicole and they side stepped Dorothy who was still kneeling on the floor with her arms shielding her face, crying out in pain. He looked out the door and saw that two groups of clones, both with guns were facing each other in show down style. Gus watched as they shot each other down in cold blood. Before he had a chance to step out into the hall, he he
ard others marching towards them from the direction of the armory. He pulled himself back inside as more gunshots rang through the hall. He closed the door.
"We can't go out there."
"We have to. We can't stay in here forever," Nicole said.
Megan agreed. "You have to get out of there. They have been trained and programmed to kill, and it looks like they are doing all they know to do. They will have no mercy."
Nicole urged, "Look again, it's quieter now."
Megan advised, "Be careful. You are close to the armory, and I'm guessing that all of the clones will be heading your direction for weapons."
Gus opened the door just as a barrage of clones came from the direction of the baths and seemed to be heading toward the armory. About that same time, another set who had already been to the armory, came around the corner at the opposite end of the hall, raised their guns and began shooting those heading toward them.
Gus quickly closed the door and initiated the lock from inside. But it was too late. He knew he had been seen and it would be only a matter of minutes, maybe only seconds before the combat outside the door ended and their attention would be turned toward this room.
They could feel as much as hear the footfall of the army that was reverberating through the floor and walls. A clone army who had been bred and trained to kill and had nothing holding them back from fulfilling that purpose. They were out of control, on the loose and killing anything in their path, even their comrades. Death and Destruction were having a hay day.
"Well I guess we know the ramifications of shutting down their programming now," Nicole said. "Sam, are you there?"
"He's here, Nicole," said Megan. "He's just busy. He's ordering the militia to surround the building and taking care of that kind of business."
There was a pounding and chopping on the door. Gus asked, "How long do you think it'll take for the clones to break into this room?"
Before Megan could answer, an alarm began sounding, warning that the room was in danger of infiltration. Not knowing what else to do, Nicole again raised her Sword and cried out, "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts."
The Soul Redeemer: From Victim to Victory Page 38