by Alex Siegel
"Warm up, you bastard," Sheryl muttered.
"Which way?" Norbert said.
She checked her phone. "North."
He drove off.
The streets were plowed, but there was still enough slush and ice to make driving an adventure. Norbert handled the difficult conditions with confidence, and she was glad he was behind the wheel instead of her. Sheryl was a tentative driver even when the weather was clear.
Frost on the windows caught the street lights and sparkled beautifully. The miserable cold made her unappreciative though.
"I hate this weather," Sheryl said. "It makes everything hard."
"Yes," Norbert said. "Hard for us and even harder for our enemies."
"You think God is doing this on purpose?"
"It's remarkable that one of the worst blizzards ever hits us now." He glanced at her.
"I just wish the project was done."
"Me, too." He paused. "How are things between you and Tawni?"
"Why?" She looked at him.
He was a very big and muscular man, but his soft, round face made him approachable. She liked his brown curls. She didn't know anybody who was more sincere and compassionate. The twins were lucky.
"It just seems like you're growing apart," Norbert said.
Sheryl lowered her head. "Tawni is always looking for the next adventure, and I'm not it anymore. She's bored with me. I don't know what to do about it."
"You still love her?"
"I'm addicted to her. When we're together, I feel more alive. She's so exciting."
"Even when she treats you badly?" he said.
"She never abuses me, if that's what you're implying. I wouldn't stand for it. She's just cold, like the weather." She sighed.
He frowned and focused on the road.
They followed Tawni's signal north to a development on the outskirts of the Chicago metropolitan area. The streets were narrow, barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other. There were no sidewalks. Huge lawns and majestic trees separated small houses. The neighborhood wasn't quite rural, but it was leaning in that direction.
Using the app in her phone, Sheryl identified the specific house where Tawni was located. It was a one-story home made of brown brick. Sheryl didn't see signs of a basement or an attic. White paint on the trim had cracked in spots. A maple tree out front was as big as the entire house.
Norbert parked the car on the street and turned off the headlights.
"What now?" Sheryl said.
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Waiting in the car doesn't seem very useful. What if Tawni needs our help?"
"I'm pretty sure she can take that guy."
"But you don't know that for a fact. He was strong enough to pick her up with one arm."
"True." She nodded.
"Therefore, we must go in. We'll quietly look around while she keeps him busy. It's a good opportunity to practice our ninja skills."
"I'm game." Sheryl wanted to see what Tawni was up to anyway.
Norbert and Sheryl left the cozy, warm car and entered the hateful winter night. It was darker here than in the city. The lights of Chicago were just a yellow gleam in the distance.
He took the lead. Somehow, he managed to walk silently in the deep, heavy snow. She tried to emulate his example, but she couldn't stop her footsteps from crunching softly.
They went around to the back of the small house. There were no fences to get in the way, and she could see into the neighbor's windows. Obviously, people trusted each other around here.
Norbert pointed at a back door. Sheryl gently tried the handle and found that it was locked.
"Pick it," he whispered.
Picking locks was a skill she had acquired during her career as a magician. She slipped her picks out of a hidden pocket in her pants and went to work. The darkness and extreme cold didn't help. She had to take her gloves off, and her fingers quickly grew numb. It also felt like the lock had some ice in it. Finally, she opened the door.
Norbert went in first. For such a big guy, he was astonishingly quiet. Sheryl knew that Aaron was even quieter. According to Aaron, the most skilled ninja of all was his girlfriend, Marina. She had supposedly mastered the art of "ninja invisibility," whatever that meant.
Sheryl followed Norbert into a cramped, little kitchen. She gently closed the door without making any noise.
The smell of spoiled food made her wrinkle her nose. Dirty dishes were stacked on every surface. So many dishes were in the sink that it was effectively useless. She peeked inside a dishwasher. It was empty, of course. Typical guy, she thought.
White garbage bags were piled in the corner. A gift basket made of straw was perched precariously on top. The basket was empty, but the label read, "Loving Sun Chocolate and Nuts."
Sheryl heard Tawni speaking softly in the next room.
"Hey, babe," she said. "Tell me your secret. How did you get those magnificent muscles?"
"Clean living and plenty of exercise," a man replied in a baritone voice. "You want something to drink?"
"No. I just want you."
Sheryl rolled her eyes.
Norbert slipped out of the kitchen. She followed cautiously and saw Tawni seated on a couch in a tiny living room. She was kissing the black man from the gym with a great deal of sloppy enthusiasm. He was facing away, so he didn't see Norbert and Sheryl. Tawni winked at Sheryl. Sheryl clenched her jaw.
She and Norbert went into a bedroom. It was poorly lit, but they couldn't turn on the light without giving themselves away. She almost tripped over a barbell. Exercise equipment was scattered all over the floor. The air stank of stale sweat and gym socks. The sheets on the bed were a rumpled mess.
Sheryl silently went through the drawers and closets. She was looking for anything unusual. She found pornographic magazines and a sex toy that looked like a vacuum pump. These things probably didn't count.
After a few minutes, she gave up. She went to Norbert and whispered, "Find any clues?"
He shook his head.
Tawni and her new lover had gone quiet in the living room. Sheryl didn't want to know what they were doing.
She and Norbert checked the bathroom next. It was disgusting. Clumps of hair plugged the drains in the sink and the shower. Mold was growing on the shower curtain. Sheryl glanced at the toilet and looked away immediately.
They focused their attention on the medicine cabinet. The man had lots of bottles of something called, "MaleGainRx."
"Penis pills," Norbert whispered.
Sheryl nodded. I hope he has a tiny one, she thought bitterly.
Otherwise, the medicine cabinet contained the usual assortment of ointments, sleeping pills, and cold medicine. She was getting tired of fruitlessly searching for clues. She wished she knew what she was looking for.
She checked the cabinet below the sink. In the darkness, she accidently knocked over a bottle of mouthwash.
"What was that?" the man in the other room said.
"Nothing," Tawni purred.
"I'd better check it out."
Norbert drew a .45 caliber semi-automatic from under his shirt. Sheryl took a much lighter Bersa Thunder 380 from a holster hidden in her oversized snow boots.
The man turned on the light in the bathroom and found himself staring down two gun barrels.
"Shit," he said.
"What's your name?" Norbert said calmly.
"Leroy."
"Go back to the other room, Leroy. Sit down. Make yourself comfortable."
"I have a girl here," Leroy said in a quavering voice.
"I know. She's with us."
Norbert and Sheryl followed Leroy back to the living room. He sat on the couch. Tawni stood by and watched him with a dispassionate expression.
"Is this a robbery?" Leroy said.
Norbert shook his head. "We just want you to answer some questions."
"You got the wrong guy. I don't know anything! I'm just a maintenance man in a hospital."
"Have you always had a b
ody like that?"
Leroy furrowed his brow. "No. It started a couple of weeks ago. All my fat turned into muscle. Is that why you're here? Are you doing a secret scientific experiment on me like in the movies? Is my body going to explode?"
"Calm down. We're just trying to figure out what happened to you. The same thing is happening to a lot of other people. You're not alone." Norbert put his gun away.
Leroy swallowed and relaxed a little. "I don't know what happened."
"Think. Did anything change in your life? Did you try something new? Maybe it was a small thing."
Leroy shook his head.
Tawni's winter jacket was lying on a chair. She reached inside the jacket and drew a sword from a concealed pouch. It was a wakizashi or Japanese short-sword. The length was only a foot and a half, small enough to fit easily under clothes. Black mist seeped from her hand and climbed up the blade. Seconds later, the weapon was encased in solid darkness.
Leroy stared at it with wide eyes.
"Leroy," she said, "I'm getting very tired of 'I don't knows.' I've been hearing that shit all day. You have to do better."
"Don't." Sheryl shook her head.
"Back off!" Tawni said. "I got this."
Sheryl looked to Norbert for support. He frowned but remained quiet.
Tawni picked up a solid, metal plate for a barbell from the floor. Exercise equipment was everywhere in the house. With a flick of her sword, she cut off a one-inch thickness of iron. It fell to the floor with a thud.
Leroy gasped. "What the fuck?"
"This sword is coated with God's wrath. It can cut anything." Tawni lopped off another chunk of iron as if it were warm butter.
"Who are you?"
Her eyes gleamed. "I'm the bitch that's going to kill whoever is responsible for this mess."
She tossed the plate into the air and made two quick cuts. Four hunks of metal hit the floor. He stared with his mouth open.
She walked towards him, and he backed away until he hit a wall. She held the edge of her sword near his neck.
"Two or three weeks ago, something happened to you," she growled, "or you did something. It turned you into this freak." She flicked his biceps with her finger. "Tell me."
He shook his head. "I don't know."
"You may think you're hungry now, but you'll get hungrier. A lot hungrier. You'll eat all the food until none is left. Then you'll eat animals, pets, anything you can grab. When you run out of those, long pig will be next." She licked her lips.
"What?"
"People meat."
His eyes widened. "I saw that on the news."
"That's right." She brought the black sword closer to his neck. "I should cut off your head now before you become another cannibal. In a way, I'd be doing you a favor. You'd go to Heaven without that stain on your soul."
He glanced at the blade and swallowed. "Please, no." His body swayed back and forth with nervous energy.
"Then talk, and if you say 'I don't know' one more time, it will be the end for you."
Sheryl gnawed her lip. She didn't know whether Tawni would actually kill him. He was an innocent civilian. According to the rules of the Society, she couldn't, but she liked to play by her own rules. If she did kill Leroy, she would have to answer to Aaron. Sheryl believed that Tawni was too smart to make that mistake.
"I went to a movie," Leroy whimpered. "I had a cheeseburger. I..."
"Stop," Tawni said. "Write it down."
Norbert took a notepad and a pen from his pocket and handed the items to Leroy. Tawni backed off a pace so Leroy could write without a sword against his neck.
"Write neatly," she said, "and include lots of details."
Sheryl was impressed. Without spilling a drop of blood, Tawni had gained his full cooperation.
"Oh," Sheryl said, "we need a blood sample. The kit is in the car. I'll be back."
She ran out the front door and through the snow to the car. The snow was so deep, it dragged on her feet. The car was unlocked. She grabbed a white, cardboard box from the back seat and returned to the house. The warm interior was a relief.
She opened the box. It contained two plastic collection tubes, a needle, an iodine pad, and other accessories. Smythe had given her a quick course in how to draw blood. She had practiced by drawing some from him.
Sheryl walked over to Leroy and said, "Hold still."
He looked at the needle with an alarmed expression. "You're going to poke me?"
"We need to test your blood. Maybe it will tell us what's wrong with you."
She went through the blood drawing procedure. She wasn't skilled, and she had to stab him three times before she penetrated a vein. Finally, the blood started flowing. She filled both collection tubes.
Norbert took out his phone. "Time to call the boss." He went into the bedroom and closed the door.
Sheryl looked at Tawni. Clouds of darkness swirled around Tawni's hands, and her sword was still as black as ink. She had a ferocious expression on her face. She was obviously hoping for an excuse to take Leroy's head. We're so different, Sheryl said. Why am I so attracted to her?
Norbert came out of the bedroom and announced, "The boss wants us to go home after we're done here. There is a meeting at seven in the morning."
Tawni nodded. "Finish writing," she told Leroy. "I want to go to bed."
* * *
Aaron looked at the group assembled around the table in the kitchen. His four legionnaires were present along with Perry, the twins, Ethel, and Boreas. It was such a big group there wasn't enough chairs for everybody. Boreas had to stand behind Ethel.
The remains of a simple breakfast were on the table. The scraps included scrambled eggs, toasted bagels, and bacon. The team had eaten quickly before the meeting.
"Before we talk about cannibals," Aaron said, "let's hear from the twins. I believe the legate has a question for them."
Ethel was wearing her robes of office. Golden threads were sown into the plush fabric. An elaborate silk hood was as black as her skin. She sat with perfect posture.
"Yes," she said. "Bethany, what is the purpose of the aperture?"
All eyes turned to Bethany. She was wearing her usual white shirt and red skirt, but her clothes were more rumpled than normal. Obviously, she had slept in them and hadn't bothered to change.
"When we were given the task of upgrading the universal firewall," she said using synthetic tones, hums, and clicks, "we were faced with three very difficult problems. The first was how to do the work. It's impossible to modify the universe from within. It's like trying to change the wheels on a bike while riding it. The results are inevitably disastrous. We needed to get out."
"Out of the universe?" Ethel said.
"Correct, ma'am. The normal way to escape is by dying. For technical reasons, that wouldn't work in this case. Our bodies and minds must remain intact for the project to be successful. The aperture is the solution. It will create a window that allows a person to safely leave this reality. My sister and I will pass through it."
"And where will you go?"
"To meet God, of course," Bethany said. "The real God, not a messenger or a projection. Then we will perform the upgrade."
"I see. Sounds impossible, but you obviously know what you're doing. What's the second problem?"
"The design of the new firewall. After a considerable amount of evaluation, we settled on a set of algorithms that provides optimal dynamic response. The new firewall will learn from its mistakes. It will grow stronger and smarter after every battle. It will act like a living thing. Eventually, God's enemies will be unable to break through at all. Jack is a prototype of that design."
Ethel nodded. "Sounds wonderful."
"The design has a weakness though. It needs a protected core to perform administrative tasks. Actually, it needs a redundant pair of cores. Leanna and I will be those cores."
Norbert leaned forward. "I don't understand."
"Our minds will control the new firewall," Bethany sai
d. "Our bodies will merge with it."
"For how long?"
"Until the end of time."
"You're not coming back?" he said in a tone of distress.
"Never."
There was silence in the room. Norbert looked like he might throw up. Tawni's coy smile got Aaron's attention.
"Thank you for that clear explanation," Ethel said. "Now I understand what all the fuss is about. What's the third problem?"
"We will discuss that at another time," Bethany said.
"You won't tell us?"
"Not now, ma'am. That information must be withheld."
"You're being very mysterious," Ethel said.
"We're under orders."
"Then I suppose you're free to go back to work. Dismissed."
Bethany and Leanna stood up and left the room. Their footsteps fell in perfect synchrony.
After a moment, Aaron looked at Perry and said, "Sounds like you'll be the lone hacker on the team pretty soon."
"I won't disappoint you, sir," Perry said.
"Good." Aaron smiled encouragingly.
Ethel stood up. "Before we move on, I have something to say." She gave everybody at the table a stern look. "This cannibal situation must be dealt with swiftly. It's an unacceptable distraction. All our efforts should be focused on supporting and protecting the twins. I came here to make sure that at least one person was doing that job at all times."
"We're pushing as hard as we can, ma'am," Aaron said.
"The twins are very close to the finish line. This is the worst possible moment for this team to be running off on risky assignments. I understand that we can't simply ignore the crisis. I just want to make it perfectly clear that I'm uncomfortable. I don't like this. I'll be a lot happier when we finish this investigation and stop splitting our resources. Push harder!" She sat down.
"Yes, ma'am." Aaron looked at Smythe. "Did you get a chance to analyze that blood sample?"
"I only had time for a few tests, sir," Smythe said. "The team came in late last night, and I needed a little sleep at least. These tests showed the subject has an infection, just like the tests before, but I couldn't identify the pathogen. I'll get back to work on it after this meeting."
He was also wearing his formal gray robes. His were made of plainer fabric and cut in a simpler style, but they still looked good on him.