“Can I help you?” the man asked.
“I’m looking for my brother,” Alex said. “He was supposed to meet us for a simulation.”
“Your brother?” the man asked. “Listen, it’s Christmas. We were just…”
“Subject obtained,” MJ said.
“… about to sit down to breakfast,” the man continued.
“Wife is strapped in,” Margaret said.
“Roger that,” Leena said.
“Hoisting,” Vince said.
“Oh great,” Alex moved passed the man into the house. “What are we having?”
The man turned as she walked passed.
“Ham,” The man moved to stay between her and his hostages.
“We’re having a big meal at our house too,” Alex said. “I’d love some coffee. Mattie, want some coffee for the road?”
“Why don’t I make a pot?” the man started toward the kitchen.
She followed just behind him.
“He’s moving for a weapon,” Raz said. “The person from the basement is now waiting behind the door.”
“Wife is out of the house,” Vince said.
“Lowering,” Leena said.
Alex gestured Matthew toward the basement door. Alex’s right hand went to the Glock 9mm at her sacrum. She ran the details of the layout of Colin’s kitchen and where this man might have stashed the weapon.
“SWAT says they have a shot on the person in the basement,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Window in side door.”
“Bullet proof glass,” Colin said in her ear bud.
“Relayed,” Sergeant Dusty said in her ear bud.
“On my order,” Joseph said in her ear bud.
“Relayed,” Sergeant Dusty said in her ear bud.
“Where’s your friend going?” the man asked.
“Bathroom,” Alex said. “We’ve been on the road for a while.”
“North Dakota?” the man said. He pressed open the swinging kitchen door.
“Hey, how did you know?” Alex glanced at Matthew. He nodded.
“In position,” Matthew said when the man was in the kitchen.
“Go,” Joseph said.
There was a pop and the sound of shattered wood. Matthew opened the basement door. A man’s body fell forward. Matthew checked for a pulse and shook his head.
Alex stepped to the side of the swinging kitchen door. Pressing herself against the wall, she opened the door with her boot.
“Hey, is someone else in the house?” Alex asked.
The door exploded with a shotgun blast.
“Hello asshole,” Colin said from inside the kitchen.
Alex ran into the kitchen. Before she could get in there, Colin had the man by the collar. His other fist was pounding the man’s face.
“Colin!” Alex yelled. “Stop!”
Colin grabbed the man’s shotgun and threw it at her. Alex stepped aside and raised her Glock 9mm. The shotgun landed and went off.
“What’s the weapon for?” Matthew nodded at Alex’s handgun.
“Him,” Alex pointed the handgun at Colin. “You need to stop. That is a direct order.”
Colin stopped punching the man. He didn’t let go of the man.
“Colin,” Alex said.
“I want to so bad,” Colin said.
Matthew moved to the other side of Colin.
“You continue and there’s going to be an inquiry,” Alex said. “Roll the tape, Col. How’s that going to play?”
“Why should I care?” Colin asked.
“Because Julie and Paddie are waiting for you outside,” Alex said. “This is your usual self destructive crap to destroy how well your life is going.”
“But he…”
Matthew threw a palm punch at the back of Colin’s head. Colin weaved and dropped the man. The man slid along a cabinet to the ground. Colin fell to his knees.
“SWAT is coming in,” Sergeant Dusty said.
Alex and Matthew raised their hands over their heads. The Denver Police SWAT team swarmed into the house.
“Your work?” the Denver Police SWAT officer asked Alex.
“Mine,” Colin said.
“Your house?” the Denver Police SWAT officer asked.
“Yes sir,” Colin said.
“Too bad he fell down the stairs,” the Denver Police SWAT officer said. “We’ve got this. The reporters are on their way.”
“We have seven minutes before Peterson releases the air space,” Royce. “Get out now or be on the television news.”
Alex kneeled down to Colin.
“Come on, little brother,” Alex said. “Your family needs you.”
Grabbing his arm, she and Matthew helped him stand. She nodded to the Denver police and they walked out of Colin’s house.
“Daddy!” Paddie screamed from Joseph’s arms. Paddie fought until Joseph set him down. Colin kneeled down and Paddie ran into his arms. Holding his son tight, Colin stood.
“Sir, your wife is waiting for you over here,” MJ said.
“Shall we go see Mommy?” Colin asked.
“Sure,” Paddie said.
“Did you get a new diaper?” Colin asked.
“Daddy!” Paddie said. “Big boys don’t wear diapers during the day! That’s just silly.”
Struck by joy and the normalness of his child, tears began to seep from Colin’s eyes. He hugged Paddie tight.
“Can we see Mommy now?” Paddie asked. “Katy said she’d be okay. She’d have to rest for a while and I’d get to stay with Katy.”
“Katy did, huh?” Colin asked. “When you called her?”
“I didn’t call Katy,” Paddie said. “I had to be naptime quiet so the man wouldn’t find us. I can’t be naptime quiet and talk to Katy at the same time. Daddy is so silly!”
“How…?” Colin started and looked at Alex. She shrugged and waved him toward the ambulance. Nodding, he and Paddie jogged to the ambulance.
“Time to go,” Raz touched her arm.
With a nod, she followed Matthew toward an armored SUV packed with the team.
“Where to?” Trece asked from the driver’s seat.
“Buckley,” Alex said.
“The Fey Team only sees family when we’re clean, fed, and available for them,” Joseph repeated one of the Fey team rules.
“Yes sir,” Trece said.
Sitting between Raz’s legs, Alex settled in for the ride. Trece drove down the street and then turned right on Quebec. He drove to Sixth Avenue and pulled into the parking space of his and White Boy’s Bachelor Pad. Sergeant Dusty was waiting for them at the door.
“We wanted to get home fast,” Trece said. “Zack ferried them to Buckley for clothes. Royce is cooking.”
“By your leave, we’ll clean up here and get to your house before Santa arrives,” Joseph said.
The team was silent and all eyes were on her.
“That’s an order,” Alex said and the team cheered.
FFF
Friday night
December 25 – 7:53 p.m. MST
Denver, CO
Alex touched John’s shoulder and he winked. Getting up from the couch, she wandered through the lingering party in the living room, through the kitchen to the milk porch. On the milk porch, she stepped around a ferocious game of Pictionary being played by the teenaged kids. She grabbed her heavy winter jacket, stepped into her winter boots, and went to the back of the house next door.
She needed some time to think. Usually, she escaped the hubbub by going into her secure office in the basement. Tonight, there was a Christmas tree, stacks of presents, and a collection of chatting Bailey’s Irish Cream happy mothers just outside her office.
Christmas had been a huge success.
And she still needed some time to herself.
She went up the back stairs and through the security. The house was quiet, clean, calm, and still had its technological advantages. Her father planned to give the house to his two homeless children, Samantha and Colin, for them to sha
re or sell. But the family wasn’t giving gifts until tomorrow morning. She had the house to herself. She turned up the thermostat to get the boiler going. Going through the first floor, she found an abandoned old armchair near a lace-covered window on the side of the house.
She looked up when Jesse came into the room. Not having anything to say, she smiled.
“Hiding?” Jesse asked.
Alex nodded.
“From?”
“Everything,” Alex said. “Larry’s death, everyone’s delight that we’re home in one piece, the ridiculous puzzle of what Eniac actually wants, and…”
“Ridiculous puzzle?” Jesse picked the only topic that would keep Alex from her sadness.
She smiled to acknowledge what he was doing. He held out his hand and she set her hand in his. Closing her eyes, she felt the tingly feeling of their touch. Her eyes filled with unspent tears.
“Losing Larry was hard,” Jesse said.
“Climbing over his body. His frozen look of surprise,” Alex shook her head at her own sorrow. “I promised him I would…”
“Save him from every pain and trouble?” Jesse smiled. “He was your first child?”
“I thought you were,” Alex smiled and he laughed. “How many people have to die before I figure out what’s going on?”
“Yes, everything is about you,” Jesse said. Making his voice big and booming, he added, “You are the Master of the Universe.”
“I love it when you do that,” Alex said.
He gave her a cocky smile.
“What if it is about me?” Alex asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Larry made his team memorize this statement : ‘If you see the Fey, tell her I never lived, loved, or had a chance to be my best self until I met her. I’m eternally in her debt. Tell Helene that I love her.’” Alex drifted off in thought for a moment. Then she shrugged. “Raz, Margaret, myself, and even Max went through it for a code or other meaning. Nothing.”
“Larry never had the knack for that kind of thing,” Jesse said.
“Very true,” Alex said. “It’s just hard to imagine he left this message and…”
Alex shrugged.
“He said that you were the only one who stood in this guy’s way,” Jesse said. “Any idea who this guy is?”
“Eniac,” Alex said. “I think he’s the answer we’ve been looking for.”
“You mean, he’s the mastermind behind the assault, the one who hired Eleazar, and well… is behind everything?” Jesse asked.
“It sounds pretty crazy to me too.”
Jesse watched the movement of thoughts on her face.
“How can I help if you don’t tell me?” he asked.
Alex’s eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head.
“How can it be weirder than talking to a ghost?” Jesse asked.
“Personally, I prefer the term ‘spirit,’” Alex smiled. He laughed. “How about I tell you a story?”
“Tell away,” Jesse said.
“You may have heard it before,” Alex said.
“Okay,” Jesse said.
“Once upon a time, there were seven men who ran the world,” Alex said. “Everyone else runs around executing their plans without any knowledge of being in these men’s control.”
“I thought it was ten,” Jesse said.
“Seven or ten, no one’s quite sure,” Alex said. “In order to rule the world, you must do it in absolute secret. No one, even in this digital age, will know that you rule the world. You cannot have an assistant…”
“Or an assistant to have a sex scandal with,” Jesse said. “Or a computer.”
“No moving of large sums of money,” Alex said. “Which means no lawyers.”
“Sounds a little like the Greek gods,” Jesse said. “You know ruling from Mount Olympus. How many of them were there?”
“Fourteen, depending on how you count or who’s doing the counting,” Alex said.
“Seven is half fourteen,” Jesse said.
“Good point.” Alex fell silent. Her story hung in the air. The furnace kicked on and the radiators began to tap. They sat for a few minutes before Jesse jerked.
“Holy Crap, Alex!” Jesse said. “You think he’s trying to control the world.”
“He’ll have to fight the lizard people for it,” Alex said.
Jesse waited. Alex sighed.
“It’s the only thing that makes any sense,” Alex said. “If all went well, he’d have control of our missiles. The Admiral said they found the virus in Russia’s missile control too. He’s effectively shut down the international intelligence network. It’s just…”
“Too crazy to say out loud,” Jesse said.
“Exactly,” Alex said. “The question is why would anyone want to control the world? Money? There are a lot of easier ways to get money. Power? Shit, if he’s so smart he’d know that federal judges have all the power in this country. Plus, what does any of this have to do with me?”
“I’ve been wondering what Eniac doesn’t know about you,” Jesse said.
“Me too,” Alex said.
They heard someone come in the back of the house. Her dog, Maggie, and Bill ran to her. Fionn strolled in. Just eighteen, he wore a bright, intelligent smile that made him look younger than he was. He was tall and thin and moved with the cocky ease of someone who’d spent most of his life outside.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Fionn said in his thick Scottish accent. He licked his lips and his eyes flicked back and forth. “Is your ghost friend here?”
“I prefer the term ‘spirit,’” Alex said.
“You would now, wouldn’t you?” Nodding, Fionn put his hands on his hips. He gave her a big smiled. “So is he here?”
“Who?” Alex asked.
“Your spirit friend,” Fionn said.
“Jesse? Are you here?” Alex asked.
“That’s a very good question, Alex,” Jesse said. “Define here. I’m not literally here as I have no matter. I know that I exist because I can act upon the world. Thus I am here.”
“What did he say?” Fionn gave her a suspicious look.
“He has an existential treatise on what it means to be here,” Alex said.
“Being here or nothingness,” Fionn said. “An interesting twist on Sartre’s work. I’m sure it will be a best seller.”
Alex smiled.
“I was sent to get you,” Fionn said. “Before you ask, I’ve been caring for this lovely home while its mysterious inhabitants have scattered to the wind.”
“Mysterious inhabitants?” Alex asked.
“My term for spies,” Fionn said.
“Spies?”
“My da is MI6,” Fionn said. “Or didn’t you know.”
“Really?” Alex gave her best surprised look.
“Right. And children are the dumb fuckers,” Fionn said. “Well, you better come. Da and Ma came in with Will and Uncle Jimmy. There’s an argument over where they’ll sleep.”
“Who’s involved?” Alex asked.
“Your mother…” Fionn laughed when Alex launched out of her chair. They were in the kitchen when Fionn said, “Everyone’s wondering what this monster might not know about you. Ma’s brother, Jimmy, said it’s the number of people you’ve killed. Caused quite a row. I…”
Alex zipped up her jacket and put her gloves on.
“Have you killed a lot of people?” Fionn asked.
Alex dropped her chin in a slight nod. Shocked, Fionn stopped walking.
“Everyone says you’re against killing,” Fionn said.
“I am.”
“But…”
“Killing is easy,” Alex said. “Any moron with a handgun and a grudge can do it. Death is fast and killing is simple. Killing is nothing to be proud of. Ever.”
“Then why have you killed so many people?”
“Because, at times, I’ve had absolutely no other option,” Alex turned to the young man. “It’s not something I talk about. You’ll never see m
e counting kills like some dwarf in a fantasy movie. Killing a person is not brave or honorable.”
“Why? Most tales of bravery and honor are about death.”
“To me, it takes more courage and honor to face your enemy and attempt to see their humanity than to treat them like paper targets. Come on, Maggie, Bill.”
The dogs scampered toward the door and Alex continued out of the house.
F
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Friday late night
December 25 – 11:17 p.m. MST
Denver, CO
“This was inspired.” John held his arm out and Alex snuggled next to him.
They were lying in the plush attic master suite above the silent and empty house next to their home. Alex and John had graciously given their bedroom to Tom and Rita. John had planned for a romantic night next to the Christmas tree in their sitting area but Hector James and Hermes had fallen asleep there. Much to his surprise, Alex shrugged her shoulders and invited him to come for a walk.
She led him next door and up the stairs to a private master suite. Champagne sat resting on ice. Their favorite bath salts and lavender waited by the tub. Candles were set around for romantic lighting. The bed was made with fresh linen and comforters from their bedroom. She’d even snuck some of Cian’s hors d’oeuvres for the family gift swapping the next day.
They’d started kissing on the stairs. They were stroking and pressing by the time they got to the door. They stripped off their clothing at the door and jumped into bed. Champagne and hors d’oeuvres would wait. The tub would wait. Their Christmas celebration began with deep connection and love.
“I’ve been all over this house,” John said. “I’ve never seen this room. How did you find it?”
“I knew it had to be here,” Alex said. “The Mister and Mammy have a room like this all over the world. He needs the bath and a good bed for his back; she likes luxury. If they were living here, this room had to exist.”
“What do his wives say?” John asked.
“What can they say?” Alex asked. “They knew what they were getting into. Mostly they enjoy their children and the power of being ‘married’ to a powerful man. You remember Clarissa, Raz’s girlfriend in Paris? She’s his Parisian wife now.”
“Didn’t she just have a baby?” John asked.
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