by Alex Siegel
Sharp Teeth and Bloody Claws
Alex Siegel
Sharp Teeth and Bloody Claws
All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2013 Alex Siegel
ISBN: 978-1-304-74360-2
Revision 12/24/2013
For information about this book and others in the same series, please visit:
http://www.grayspearsociety.com/
The Gray Spear Society series is a long-running saga. It is recommended that the books be read in a specific order. The current list is:
1. Apocalypse Cult
2. Carnival of Mayhem
3. Psychological Damage
4. Involuntary Control
5. Deadly Weakness
6. The Price of Disrespect
7. Tricks and Traps
8. Politics of Blood
9. Grim Reflections
10. Eyes of the World
11. Antisocial Media
12. Sharp Teeth and Bloody Claws
13. Teller of Lies (COMING SOON!)
Chapter One
An unexpected light woke Dr. Andrew Midler from a deep sleep. He blinked groggily and looked around. He lived in a small cabin with walls made of raw wood. There was no heat, so he slept under thick, woolen blankets. The cabin had just one room which contained all his possessions, and he could see everything from his bed.
The light was coming from a lamp on his desk. A strange man dressed in a camouflage hunting outfit was sitting on the chair. The clothes used a random pattern of green, brown, and black splotches. He was wearing a hood, but Andrew saw glints of polished metal and circuitry underneath. The stranger seemed to be wearing a high-tech tiara.
He was pointing a large gun at Andrew's face.
Andrew gulped. "Who are you?"
The stranger smiled. "My friends call me 'Rat-man' or just 'Rat' for short. I came here because you are in possession of a certain report. It's stolen property, and my employer would like it back." His gun didn't waver.
Andrew knew at once what Rat was talking about. The report described the environmental impact of the Moss Landing Desalinization Plant Project. In particular, it warned about the warming of the nearby ocean and the catastrophic effect on the local ecology.
"Your employer is committing an atrocity."
"A very profitable one," Rat glanced at the surface of the desk. "Ah! Here it is. Nice of you to leave it out for me." He picked up a thick stack of papers with a spiral binding.
"You got what you came for. Now leave."
Rat chuckled. "I don't think so."
He abruptly moved his gun and shot through the blankets at Andrew's legs. Rat fired several rounds, and all of them hit flesh. Andrew cried out in pain.
"Why did you do that?"
"So you can't run away," Rat said.
Andrew heard an odd scratching noise. The door of the cabin was open, and the sound was coming from outside. Suddenly, a wave of rats flooded into the room. Countless small, brown bodies covered the floor, and each of them had a tiny, metal cap on its skull.
The rats swarmed onto Andrew's bed, and he yelped in fear. He tried to get out of bed, but his injured legs betrayed him, and he collapsed onto the hard floorboards. The rats attacked immediately.
"God in Heaven!" Andrew yelled. "Save me!"
Tiny teeth chewed on his skin. He tried to pull the animals off, but for every one he tossed away, five replaced it. The weight of their bodies was like a heavy, warm, wriggling blanket. They were biting hard and deep into his bare skin. He could feel his life blood trickling away from countless small wounds. His flesh was being gnawed off.
"Or avenge me...," Andrew added in a weaker voice.
Rat laughed. "Very dramatic."
Andrew collapsed. As darkness closed in, the last thing he saw was a rat perched on his nose.
* * *
Liam drove his small, blue sedan through the town of Pacifica, California. About forty thousand people lived in homes which were predominantly single-story and made of wood. A great variety of trees lined the narrow, curvy roads, but the only species he recognized specifically was palm trees. There were no stop lights in town, and many intersections didn't even have stop signs.
He was driving away from the Pacific Ocean, and he could still smell a little salt spray in the air. A brisk breeze was carrying cool, moist air from the west. Tall, green hills surrounded the town on the other three sides. Pacifica was nestled in the valley between Sweeney Ridge and Montara Mountain, and hiking trails crisscrossed the steep slopes.
Liam smiled as he made his way through the quiet streets. There wasn't much activity in Pacifica at any time of day. The people who lived here worked in San Francisco or other parts of the Bay Area. Just a small cluster of public buildings was located near the highway. It was a peculiar location for the headquarters of the San Francisco cell of the Gray Spear Society, but it was a peculiar organization.
Liam passed a small, wooden sign for "Perpetual Energy Technology." He turned onto a private driveway which was freshly paved and smooth. After a short drive, he arrived at the headquarters building.
The green walls were made of solid, poured concrete, and they were about fifteen feet tall. Tall windows were only eight inches wide, too narrow for a person to squeeze through. Surveillance cameras were mounted on the corners of the roof, but he knew they were just the obvious signs of security. There were many more cameras and sensors hidden on the property, making it impossible to approach undetected. Metal doors warned visitors to stay away because of "hazardous materials."
A giant, white tent made of thick plastic stood behind the building. Liam drove into the tent and parked in one of the few available spots. The tent served as a private parking garage, and it was filled to capacity. The collection of vehicles included everything from sports cars to minivans to full-size delivery trucks. There was even an authentic police car and an ambulance.
He stepped out of his car, but he left the keys on the seat and the door unlocked. Members of the Gray Spear Society didn't like to hunt for car keys in an emergency.
He took a deep breath of the cool sea air. The climate here reminded him of his childhood home on the west coast of Ireland. A breeze rustled the leaves, and he heard the buzz of insects in the dense bushes. It was the middle of May, and the weather had grown warmer in the last few weeks, but in this area, it was never really hot.
Liam walked all the way around to the front of the headquarters building. There were other doors, but they were just exits, and trying to open them from the outside was a sure way to get killed.
The front entrance was made of heavily tinted glass. It was bullet-proof, but this fact wasn't obvious from the outside. He pulled it open and walked into a white chamber with bright, overhead lights. The interior walls were solid concrete.
A window allowed Liam to look into the dimly lit security booth. Imelda was sitting behind the glass at the moment. She was a Mexican woman with long, black hair which was tightly braided. Her body was too skinny and bony for his taste, and he felt she could use a little more meat on her hips, but he had never told her that. He had no complaints about the cheerful smile that adorned her pleasant face. She was wearing a white T-shirt with an odd stain on the front. She was the plumber, electrician, and carpenter for the team, and she always looked a bit rough.
"Good morning!" Liam said.
Imelda nodded. "Thank God it's morning. My shift is almost over."
Every member of the team took turns in the security booth to provide 24-hour coverage. The dark circles under her eyes made it clear she was coming off the night shift.
"Any excitement
during the night?"
She shook her head. "No, but I think you have some excitement coming your way. Marina was asking for you."
"Oh?" He was suddenly on edge. "What does she want?"
"I have no idea. Go find out."
A door in the back of the entry chamber buzzed. Liam ran over and yanked it with both hands. The steel plate probably weighed a thousand pounds, but it was perfectly balanced and opened easily.
He walked into the main part of headquarters. The central room was about a hundred feet square, and it was split down the middle. A short stairway connected the front half to the back half which was three feet higher.
He looked around for Marina. The hackers on the team, Min Ho and Jia, were already working at their computers on the left. Even though a mission wasn't in progress, they looked very busy. In Liam's opinion, they loved their computers a little too much.
Corrie, the team's scientist, was in the experimental cage in the middle of the room. The big, steel cage contained high-voltage apparatus and hazardous chemicals, but she seemed oblivious to the danger. She was puttering with some device that had a lot of wires sticking out.
Liam spotted Marina and the rest of the legionnaires in the kitchen area towards the back of the room. He jogged over to join them. She smiled as he approached.
The commander of the team was a moderately tall woman with strawberry blonde hair. Her lightly freckled skin made her look girlish, but she was actually in her late thirties. Her eyes were an unusual green which made Liam think of precious stones. Perhaps her oddest feature was her long, black, sharply tipped fingernails. She was wearing the formal, gray robes of her office.
Liam had spent most of his life training to be a prize fighter. Before joining the Society, he had practically lived in the gym and the ring. He was accustomed to running with a tough crowd, and physical confrontation didn't bother him. Until he had met Marina, he had never been afraid of a woman.
She scared the shit out of him. He knew from first-hand experience that her body could move with the speed and flexibility of a bullwhip. She employed combat techniques that were impossible for an ordinary human of either sex. Every time they had sparred, she had reduced him to a humiliated puddle of sweat.
Liam could've handled that much, but her fighting skills were just the beginning. Her black fingernails were razor sharp and could dispense deadly venom. She had killed a ridiculous number of people during her career. When she smiled, he caught a glimpse of the insane monster lurking within. She talked about death as if it were a close, personal friend.
"You're finally here," Marina said.
He checked his watch. "Am I late for something? Do we have a meeting?"
"No, but we were waiting for you. You, Ipo, and Katie have an assignment this morning. It should be quick and easy. You'll be back by lunch."
Liam sat at the kitchen table with the other members of his team. A breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and fresh fruit salad was laid out. He grabbed a plate from a stack and began to serve himself. It wasn't a traditional Irish breakfast of sausage and pudding, but it still looked delicious.
"Now that Liam has arrived," Ipo said, "can you finally tell us what we're supposed to do, ma'am?"
Liam looked over at his fellow legionnaire. Ipo was a mountain of a man with the chest and arms of a sumo wrestler, but he wasn't fat. Liam had never met anybody who was more physically intimidating. Ipo was a native Hawaiian, and his skin color and facial features were characteristically Polynesian. His short, black hair was tied back in a little knot. He always had a stern expression, as if he were contemplating his next deadly move in battle.
Like Marina, Ipo had a strange "gift." He could make himself much lighter or heavier without changing his appearance. This ability allowed him to perform some very unnatural maneuvers such as leaping over his opponent and then dropping like a boulder. In addition, he was a world-class martial artist.
"Sure," Marina said. "The subject of today's assignment is a man named Angilo Freeland. Two months ago, he killed three San Jose cops during a botched drug bust and escaped. Until now, he has eluded capture. Min Ho just tracked him down to a small house in one of the uglier patches of Oakland."
"What do you want us to do to him?"
"Just capture him and leave him tied up in a nice, tidy package. I'm going to give Mr. Freeland to the San Jose chief of police as a token of good will. I need more friends in the south end of the Bay."
"I understand, ma'am," Ipo said.
"Is he dangerous?" Katie said.
Liam looked at her. The only female legionnaire on the team was a little younger and shorter than Marina. Katie had dark brown hair with light brown highlights, and her skin was a light olive color. Blue eyes were her most attractive feature in a face that was otherwise unremarkable. Her soft, curvy body showed she still needed more physical training, but Liam didn't want her to get too buff. He liked natural curves on a woman.
"As dangerous as any ordinary thug," Marina said casually. "I want Katie and Liam to handle this assignment. It will be good experience for our two rookies. Ipo, go with them, but stay outside the house. Just be available in case they need help."
"Yes, ma'am," Ipo said.
"What about me?" Hanley said.
The last legionnaire on the team was a man of average height. His dark hair was curled tightly against his scalp. He had a lean, agile body which always seemed ready to spring into violent action. Narrow, brown eyes peered out from a face locked in a fierce expression.
"Stay here," Marina said. "This simple assignment doesn't require four legionnaires. We'll do some training together, just you and me."
Hanley grimaced. "Yes, ma'am."
Liam felt a little sorry for his teammate. Training with Marina was always just one small step away from actual combat. She didn't stop until her victim collapsed from exhaustion.
Her gray robes were made of soft, plush material. Embroidered hems and a layered hood created an air of somber formality. She reached into her pocket, took out a piece of paper, and handed it to Ipo.
"Here are the details," she said. "Finish breakfast and get going."
"Yes, ma'am," he said.
Everybody quickly finished eating. After the plates had been cleared, Ipo took Liam and Katie to the weapons locker in the southeast corner of headquarters.
"Load up," Ipo said. "This guy could be more trouble than we expect."
Liam always marveled at the shelves full of weapons and body armor. The team had everything from tiny, single-shot derringers to rocket-propelled grenades. The Gray Spear Society didn't believe there was such a thing as carrying too many guns.
He was already wearing casual, loose-fitting clothes suitable for hiding weapons. He had a .45 caliber Glock 30 in a holster under his shirt, but one gun didn't seem like quite enough. He strapped a knife to his wrist and a revolver to his ankle. He was glad this assignment didn't involve killing anybody. He had spent many hours in the gun range, but he had never shot a human being. He didn't know if he could.
Finally, everybody grabbed gray Kevlar vests. They would put on the body armor right before entering the house.
"Let's roll," Ipo said.
* * *
Ipo parked the car across the street from a small, brown house. The trees and bushes in front had probably once been beautiful, but now they were mostly dead. Tough weeds had grown in the spaces in between. A "For Sale" sign was pitted with rust and partially tipped over. Wood shingles covered the outer walls of the house.
"The target must be hiding inside," Ipo said. "I'll go around the back to make sure he doesn't escape that way. I want you two to enter through the front quietly. Don't be afraid to use your guns. Marina wants him captured alive, but it's much more important for all of us to come home in one piece. This isn't a real mission. It's not worth our lives."
Liam nodded.
"Got it," Katie said from the back seat.
Ipo got out of the car. After checking carefully in all directio
ns, he ran across the street and through a side yard to the back of the house. He bounced with each quick step and was using his gift to make himself lighter. The subtle effect reminded Liam that members of the Society weren't quite human.
"We're up," Liam said nervously.
"Relax," Katie said. "This shouldn't be a big deal."
"You've done this kind of stuff before?"
"I was a Special Investigations Officer in the Air Force. I arrested lots of people. The most important thing is to be calm, careful, and alert. Always be in control of the situation." She paused. "For a guy who has a reputation as a kickass fighter, you seem a little shaky."
"Fighting people in the ring is safe. There are rules and referees. Out here, anything goes, and I don't know what to expect."
"How did you get into fighting to begin with?"
"I grew up in a tough neighborhood in Galway, Ireland," Liam said. "The local gym was safer than the streets, so I spent a lot of time there. Everybody quickly saw that I had talent. I started with boxing and then went into mixed martial arts. The girls loved my muscles. The bullies left me alone. I got paid. It was a good life, and eventually, it became my career."
"I can't argue with that. Let's go in." Katie stepped out of the car.
Liam also got out. The air on this side of the Bay was noticeably warmer and hazier. A cloudless sky offered no relief from the bright sun.
He studied the house and tried to decide the best way to enter. Going in through the front door seemed risky, but the alternative was climbing in through a window, and that was hard to do quietly.
Katie seemed to have a plan, so he just followed her across the street. She went around to the side of the house where shadows offered some cover. She peeked in through a window.
"There he is," she whispered.
Liam craned his neck to look. A man was sitting in a chair and was watching a loud television show. He was facing away, and Liam could only see the back of a head covered with thick, brown hair.
This isn't so hard, Liam thought.
Katie crept around to the front door of the house. She tried the handle, but it refused to budge. After checking for witnesses, she pulled out a set of lock picks.