by Alex Siegel
Marina thought about the children she would never have. Members of the Society were not permitted to have kids because they were too distracting. Looking at Olivia's perfect, little face made that sacrifice painful to Marina even though she would've made a terrible mother.
A crowd was starting to gather, and she spotted two policemen coming over.
Aaron tugged on her arm. "You're getting popular. Let's go."
He and Marina walked away quickly.
She was still dripping wet, and a cool breeze was chilling her skin. She led the way back to the car where she had spare clothes in the trunk. She was always prepared for trouble.
"What happened between you and that kid?" Aaron said. "It seems like you had a moment."
"Did you see her?" Marina said. "She was so damn cute! And those black and white eyes..."
"I think it was more than that."
"I don't know. What did you think of your first earthquake?"
"The experience was more intense than I expected," he said. "I'm not eager to repeat it."
"Same here." She picked up her pace. "It seems like trouble follows us wherever we go. Let's run. I'm cold! I want to find a hotel, take a hot shower, and get in bed with you."
They ran back to the car.
* * *
Aaron and Marina walked up to a small, wooden house in the mountains. The style was very plain, almost minimalistic. Somebody had just nailed together a bunch of boards and posts to build a home on the side of a hill. The windows were small and few in number.
The view more than compensated for the lack of architectural flair. Tall hills covered with trees surrounded the house. Birds chirped among the leaves. She could look across a deep valley to a mountain on the far side, and the bright morning sunlight didn't quite reach the bottom. This part of the Santa Cruz Mountains seemed to get a little extra rain, and a thick field of green grass covered the land. A patch of tiny, yellow flowers added color to the landscape.
"Beautiful," Aaron said. "I wouldn't mind living up here."
"We'd both be bored out of our minds," Marina said, "but it's nice to visit."
She knocked on the front door. After a moment, it opened, and a man looked out. His face was wrinkled, leathery, and deeply tanned. Short, white hair looked like frost on his scalp. He was wearing a threadbare, yellow bathrobe with holes in the elbows.
"Jim Strachan?" Marina said.
"That's me." The man nodded. "How can I help you?"
"We're from the California Department of Justice. We're investigating the deaths of those two German tourists. According to our information, you were the one who found the bodies."
"Yes," Jim said, "but why is the Department of Justice interested? They were eaten. This is a problem for Animal Control."
"Just answer our questions, please. Describe what you saw."
He sipped from a coffee mug in his hand. "It was pretty gruesome. Most of the meat and organs were gone. Blood had soaked into the dirt." He shuddered. "I'll never forget it."
"Do you have any theories?" Marina said.
"I think it was a family of mountain lions."
"You're sure it wasn't a smaller animal?"
Jim shook his head. "I've been a park ranger for thirty years, and I know every kind of animal that lives in these mountains. The only possible man-eaters up here are lions, and even those are pretty tame. They almost never attack humans. This is the first time I've ever seen anything like this. I don't understand how it happened. Maybe the tourists were drunk or passed out, and they couldn't protect themselves."
"I want to stick with the smaller animal theory."
"That makes even less sense. It would've taken hundreds, maybe even thousands of critters to eat that much meat. Rodents don't swarm like that. They're not army ants."
"What about lemmings?" Marina said.
"They don't live in California, and they aren't carnivores."
"What rodents are carnivorous?"
"The only native one I know about is the Grasshopper Mouse," Jim said, "but it eats insects. Rats will eat anything, I suppose, but most of the rats around here live in laboratories. I'm telling you, it had to be a family of hungry mountain lions attacking a couple of passed out Germans."
She frowned and turned to Aaron.
"Did you see anything else?" he said. "Tire tracks? Footprints?"
"No." Jim shook his head. "But I didn't really look. I kind of ran away."
Marina was frustrated. The park ranger was demonstrating a behavior typical of amateur investigators. He had leaped to a hasty conclusion and was stubbornly sticking with it. Expert detectives were always looking for new evidence to confirm or discredit theories. Aaron was a good example. He was famous for his willingness to throw out all of his assumptions based on a single fragment of evidence.
"That's all of our questions," Marina said. "Thanks for your time."
"No problem," Jim said. "I took the day off anyway. I was pretty shaken after what I saw."
Marina and Aaron walked away from the house.
"What's next?" he said.
"It's time to go home," she said. "You were right yesterday. My legionnaires should be doing all this legwork instead of sitting on their asses in headquarters. Being bored in headquarters is my job."
He nodded. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Chapter Four
Marina parked the car in the white tent behind headquarters. She had been gone just one day, but it seemed longer. A simple date had turned into an adventure and a half.
At least she had done it all with Aaron. The two of them stepped out of the car and walked around to the trunk. They pulled out some luggage and duffle bags containing basic mission supplies. Legionnaires went through life expecting trouble, and for commanders, that policy was doubly true.
Marina and Aaron carried the luggage around to the front of the Perpetual Energy Technology building. The company still existed, at least on paper, and it owned the building and the land underneath. All the appropriate paperwork was on file with all the appropriate government agencies. The cover story was being meticulously maintained.
"For a temporary headquarters," Aaron said, "this one is pretty good."
"I like it," Marina said. "We haven't even started looking for a permanent one. We're still getting settled here. How is life in your new headquarters?"
"When I came up with the idea of living in a secret floor on top of a hotel, I thought it was very innovative. In retrospect, I think it was too innovative. The hotel staff is already asking a lot of annoying questions, and we just moved in. It's going to take some clever lies to allay their suspicions. It's OK. My problem. My fault. I'll fix it."
She smiled at him. "I'm sure you will, dear."
They went into the entry chamber.
Ipo was in the security booth at the moment, and he nodded politely. "Ma'am, sir, welcome home. Min Ho told us your date was more of a business trip than you expected."
He was wearing his formal gray robes which were plush and loose-fitting. The hair on his very broad, brown chest was exposed.
"Indeed," Marina said.
"Were you down in Santa Cruz during the earthquake? Did you feel it?"
"I more than felt it. I had to risk my life to save a little girl because of it. She was almost swept out to sea."
Ipo raised his eyebrows. "You lead quite a life, ma'am."
He pressed a button, and a back door buzzed. The commanders went through.
Marina looked around to see where everybody was. Liam and Katie were working together in the back right corner, and he was obviously trying to teach her a kicking technique. Hanley was using a bench press, and his face was beet red. Min Ho and Jia were at their computers as usual. Corrie was sitting on the couch, reading. Imelda was in the machine shop area on the north side of headquarters, and she was drilling holes into a metal sheet.
"There you are, ma'am!" Min Ho said. "I was about to call you."
Marina hurried over to him. The hacke
r was dressed in a white, button-up shirt with red accents along the hem. His black jeans were a bit too tight to be comfortable. He always liked to look his best, but sometimes, his style choices were more silly than fashionable.
"What?" Marina said.
"They just found another body in the mountains. It was eaten like the others. This time it was a local woman who was jogging alone. She died a mile from her house."
She had a sick feeling. "We have to put a stop to this."
"Yes, ma'am."
She faced the back of the room. "Hanley! Katie! Get over here!"
Hanley and Katie stopped what they were doing and ran over. Liam joined them but hung back. Jia came around and also listened to the conversation.
Marina explained the situation in detail. As she talked, her legionnaires became more and more anxious.
She finished by saying, "I want Hanley and Katie to check out the latest victim. Examine the body. Visit the crime scene. See if you can find any new clues. Go as agents working for the California Department of Justice. That story worked well for Aaron and me."
"Yes, ma'am," Hanley and Katie responded in unison.
They hurried towards the costume closet.
Marina faced Min Ho and Jia. "Prepare fresh identities for them. Then I want both of you doing research. We have three attacks and four victims now, and that's enough to establish a pattern. Try to find common factors that might help us predict who the next victim might be."
"Yes, ma'am," Min Ho and Jia said.
They went back to their computer workstations.
Marina nodded with satisfaction. The wheels of justice were fully in motion.
Liam was still standing there with a somewhat lost expression. He was wearing a white karate uniform with a gray belt, but it wasn't sweaty. Many prize fights had left him with a slightly bent nose and a scar over his left eye.
"What about me, ma'am?" he said.
"I don't have a job for you right now," Marina said. "Just stand by."
She didn't want to say it out loud, but she had no job for him because his abilities were limited. He was really just a fighter. He didn't have the acute observational skills needed to pursue a difficult murder investigation. She would use him later when violent action became necessary.
"Oh." Liam faced Aaron. "In that case, I'd like to fight you again, sir. You caught me off guard last time. Now that I'm prepared, I'll do much better."
Aaron shrugged. "Sure. I could use the exercise. I just need to change."
Marina pointed at a closet door. "Spare uniforms are in there."
He went into the closet.
"Do you have any suggestions for how I can win, ma'am?" Liam asked Marina.
She furrowed her brow. "You won't win, so give up that dream right now. Aaron is on an entirely different level than you."
"I fought some very tough guys in the ring."
"They were humans. Aaron just looks human. I suggest you use your best stuff, and when he humiliates you, learn from the experience."
"Yes, ma'am." Liam frowned.
Aaron came out of the closet wearing the same kind of white uniform and gray belt as Liam. The two combatants walked over to the blue mats in the northwest corner.
Aaron began a quick routine of stretching and calisthenics to warm up his muscles. In the meantime, Liam stood and meditated with his eyes closed. He was clearly taking this fight seriously, and he knew mental preparation was as important as physical, but it didn't matter. Aaron would make this fight last exactly as long as he wanted it to last. Marina expected he already knew what his winning move would be.
"OK," Aaron said. "Let's begin. Come at me."
Liam launched into a series of flying kicks and punches that would've made the highlight reel in a Hollywood martial arts movie. His technique was as polished as it could be for a normal human, which was why Marina had recruited him. He had an abundance of physical talent.
He was also a decent human being. He worked hard and never complained about the training. He followed orders like a good soldier. He had intellectual limitations, but if she utilized him properly, they wouldn't affect missions too much.
Aaron blocked Liam's attacks as if the whole sequence had been rehearsed ahead of time. This subtle ability was what made Aaron so deadly in a real fight. His brain operated a couple of gears faster than everybody else's. He saw how the game would end when his opponent was still contemplating the opening move.
"You need to start fighting like a legionnaire instead of a regular person," Aaron said. "Get away from conventional techniques."
He used a low, sweeping kick to force Liam to jump into the air. Aaron rolled underneath Liam, grabbed his belt from behind, and threw him to the floor. Liam stayed on the blue mat with his eyes bulging as he struggled to inhale.
Aaron stood up. "It's about coming up with new tricks instead of always relying on what you know."
Liam also stood and straightened his uniform. "Could you teach me that trick, sir?"
"Teach you that specific technique? I've never used it before, and I may never use it again. That's my point. We're creative in the moment."
Aaron came at Liam with a flurry of attacks. At a superficial level, Aaron's moves weren't much better than Liam's, but Aaron put them together in a totally different way. He blended styles, covering the gamut from Tae Kwon Do kicks to Judo throws to Muay Thai boxing. He chose angles of attack that would've dislocated the hips of an ordinary man. Every choice was unconventional but effective.
Liam flailed awkwardly like he was drunk. He obviously had no clue about how to deal with a freak like Aaron.
"You've gotten even better, dear," Marina said.
"Thanks," Aaron said. "I try to make progress every day, and being a commander has brought me closer to God."
He threw an elbow into Liam's midsection at a moment when Liam was off balance and unable to protect himself. He crumpled to the floor and remained in a fetal position.
Aaron pointed at Marina. "You're next, darling."
She walked eagerly to her bedroom. Her karate uniform was in her dresser, and she quickly put it on. Sparring with Aaron was nearly as fun as having sex with him.
By the time she came out, Hanley and Katie had emerged from the costume closet. He was wearing a brown business suit made of cheap, thin cloth. Her suit was tan, and the material was a bit nicer but still not expensive. She had a red shirt underneath her vest.
"We're ready to go, ma'am," Hanley said.
"Good," Marina nodded. "Min Ho should have new identification for you shortly."
She faced Aaron, and he winked in a flirty manner. Without warning, she ran at him and launched her body into a high kick aimed at his face. He dodged and tried to grab her leg, but she had expected that response and was already twisting around. Her kick became a punch in midair. She almost connected with his chin, but he jerked out of the way, and she only managed to ruffle his hair. He wrapped a big arm around her midsection, grabbed her out of the air, and threw her to the ground. She knew how to take a hard fall, and the impact left her winded but unharmed.
She hopped to her feet. "Just like the old days."
They began to spar in earnest. Even though they hadn't seen each other for months, they still remembered each other's moves by heart. The lovers went back and forth as if they were performing a ritual dance. They exchanged blows which had exactly enough force to sting but not leave a bruise.
Marina soon realized Aaron could win at any time. His combination of strength, size, technique, and creativity was too much for her to handle. She twisted her body into unnatural positions and whipped her legs around with lightning speed, but he always managed to fight her off. He didn't win though. He was clearly enjoying the experience, and so was she. Even though people were watching, she became aroused. She abruptly stepped back.
She was breathing hard, and it wasn't just from the exercise. "That was intense."
"Very." He nodded. "Next time, let's do it in private."<
br />
"Agreed."
Marina noticed her three legionnaires had stunned expressions. Katie actually looked a little scared.
"Shouldn't you be leaving?" Marina said.
"Yes, ma'am," Hanley and Katie said.
They hurried off.
* * *
After getting new identification from Min Ho, Hanley and Katie walked out of headquarters. The sun was bright, and the sky was clear, but the air was still pleasantly cool. Hanley smiled despite the grim nature of the assignment. It was hard not to feel positive when the weather was so perfect.
"I can't believe what I just saw," Katie said. "It was like watching a couple of crazy demons going at each other. I've seen less violent gang fights."
Hanley was looking forward to spending the day with her. She was smart, dedicated, very pleasant, and a great teammate. Her strengths more than compensated for her lack of combat prowess.
"Yes. It was somewhere between sex and attempted homicide, but you could really tell how much they love each other."
"A strange kind of romance," Katie said.
"It's what I'd expect for Society commanders."
They arrived at the white tent in back where all the cars were parked. After a quick discussion, they chose a blue sedan which had a somewhat official appearance. The doors were unlocked, and the keys were already on the seat.
Hanley and Katie were carrying gray duffle bags which contained standard supplies for a mission. Marina had trained her legionnaires to always prepare for all kinds of trouble. The bags were placed into the trunk of the car. Hanley sat in the driver's seat, and Katie took the other side.
Once they were on the road, she said, "You met Aaron before?"
"Back in Chicago," he said. "In a way, he saved my life. He asked the legate to spare me even though I was working with Xavier."
"Why did Aaron do that?"
"So he could use me to take Xavier down. I guess I made a good impression because the legate recruited me in the end. Lucky for me."
"I've never met the legate," Katie said.
Hanley still had vivid memories of the legate's eyes. Her oversized pupils were like windows to a cold, black place where life was instantly snuffed out. An aura of shadows clung to her dark brown skin.