by Siegel, Alex
Lisa put down the bag of weapons with a loud clank. "What happened with Mr. Li?"
"He died," Sara said somberly. "They already took the body away."
"Oh. I'm very sorry." Lisa looked sympathetically at Mei.
Virgil gave Lisa a meaningful stare, and she realized something was going on. Then she remembered Mammon's threat. The timing was too much of a coincidence. She realized the demon had taken Mr. Li's soul, but Mei didn't know.
Deep rage welled up inside Lisa. Mr. Li didn't deserve to die or go to Hell. Mammon had committed a profound injustice. She silently swore she would find a way to get back at the demon, but she had to admit the likelihood of that ever happening was very low.
"We have a problem," Lisa said. "I think the military is here. I almost caught some guys sneaking out of our headquarters, and I saw a drone. They could be everywhere."
The team looked at her with expressions of alarm. She gave the binoculars to Virgil. He gently disengaged from Mei and went to the window. He peered through the binoculars.
"See anything?" Lisa said.
"Hold on... yes. Some guys in a van. More in the grass on the other side of the parking lot."
"What about the drone?"
Virgil tilted his binoculars upwards. He sighed. "We have a very big problem."
"There is one piece of good news," Sara said. "We don't have to wait for them to call us back in the morning and arrange a meeting."
"That's true. One way or another, we'll have that meeting tonight."
* * *
Captain Dirk Kyle was sitting in his command vehicle watching live surveillance video on a laptop. He was looking into an apartment above Li and Li's. All four subjects were inside along with a young Chinese woman. She had already been identified as Mei Li. She had never been arrested, but she was suspected of hacking and forging documentation. It was possible she was the source of the electronic attacks against the Special Unit.
The larger male subject with brown hair was standing at the window. He was looking directly at the surveillance drone using a pair of binoculars. The drone was supposed to be effectively invisible at night. If he could see it, then he had outstanding eyesight.
Kyle dithered about whether to call Colonel Knox. The commander was asleep and didn't want to be woken up unless something important happened. Kyle wasn't sure if this development qualified.
His ambivalence extended to the project itself. He didn't like the way the alien portal was being studied. Hasty experiments were leading to unnecessary deaths. The wrong kind of people were involved in something which had incalculable importance. Harlow was a particular source of unease in Kyle. The scientist had a reputation as a slime ball.
Kyle decided to wait a bit longer and see what transpired. He had three squads of operatives on hand to deal with any problems. A signals intelligence squad and surveillance technicians were also participating in the operation. He had a secure line to headquarters, and they could call the Pentagon in an emergency. There was no need to wake up Knox yet.
Chapter Nine
Virgil could barely see the drone hovering in the air like a giant black hummingbird. The technology was intimidating.
He had returned to Earth just a few short months ago and was still getting used to modern times. Back in his day, small flying robots had been the stuff of science fiction stories. Surveillance had primarily involved human eyeballs. He wasn't sure how to deal with high-tech drones.
Virgil lowered his binoculars and turned around. The rest of his team was looking at him, waiting for guidance. He had never officially been elected leader of the First Circle Club, but he had naturally assumed that role. He had the most field experience.
Mei still had tears on her cheeks, but now her face showed anxiety instead of grief. She was Virgil's biggest problem right now. The others had bodies made for combat. Heaven and Hell had prepared them for any kind of adversity, but Mei was an ordinary, fragile human. She would die if shot, and she would succumb if captured and interrogated. He couldn't allow that to happen.
"We're going to split into two groups," Virgil declared. "Lisa, Sara, and Mei will take the car and flee. Get Mei away from here. Once she is secure, Lisa and Sara will rejoin me and Alfred."
Lisa appeared offended. "What are you two going to do?"
"Stay here and keep the military busy and distracted. We'll cover your escape. We might even capture one of them."
"Sounds like fun. I want to stay. Send Alfred with Sara and Mei."
Virgil shook his head. "No. The military won't just let you go. You'll have to shake off any pursuit. Alfred and Sara aren't qualified for that job."
"But...."
"Lisa," he said in a serious voice. "Mei is important to me. I'm entrusting her life to your hands. Don't shirk this responsibility, please."
She stared back at him. Finally, she nodded. "OK, but how will we find each other afterwards? I'm not sure if using our phones is safe."
Everybody looked at Mei.
She sniffled and wiped her nose. "You're right. The phones aren't safe. The military might be locked onto our signals right now. I knew trying to hack them was a mistake. That's probably how they found us."
Virgil took his phone out of his pocket and stared at it. In the short time he had spent on Earth, he had come to depend on that magical piece of technology. Now it was being used against him.
He put the phone onto a table and left it there. Everybody else did the same.
"We'll do it the old-fashioned way," Virgil said. "We'll rendezvous at another location at noon tomorrow. That will give everybody enough time to do their jobs. How about Aladdin's Castle, where the Rocket to Heaven is located? We all know where that is, and it's safely away from the city."
The team nodded.
Lisa unzipped the duffle bag on the floor. "Let's get ready to rumble."
She began to hand out weapons. Her thoughtfulness impressed Virgil, and he eagerly took whatever she gave him. He was soon packing an M16, a Micro Uzi, two fragmentation grenades, and two flash-bang grenades. He also put on a Kevlar vest. His body could take a bullet, but it never hurt to have a little extra protection.
Lisa equipped herself in a similar manner. She strapped a pair of Chinese hook swords to her back as a personal flourish.
Sara and Alfred just took one handgun and one knife apiece. Both of them much preferred words to bullets. Virgil had demanded they practice in the shooting range a few times, but neither Sara nor Alfred had shown any enthusiasm for the training. Virgil couldn't really blame them because they were representatives of Heaven after all. Carrying any weapon was a major concession.
The weight of all the hardware excited Virgil. He had a human soul, but his physical body was more demonic. He instinctually wanted to cause suffering and death, and the prospect of battle thrilled him.
"Did you bring the bag of cash and gold?" he said.
Lisa looked at the duffle bag. "Oh, crap. I didn't think about it."
"You'll need money for your road trip."
"I could go back to headquarters."
"No," Mei said. "I have some money we were saving for emergencies."
She went into Mr. Li's bedroom, and Virgil followed out of curiosity. He glanced at the bed which still showed the impression from the body. It had been taken to the morgue and would stay there until funeral arrangements were made. Virgil realized that might not happen for a while.
He felt a fresh wave of sadness and anger. Mammon had acted out of pure, malicious spite. Virgil realized if he didn't complete the mission soon and another soul snuck into Heaven, Mammon might kill again.
Mei reached underneath an antique red armoire. She popped a hidden latch, and a secret drawer dropped down. It was packed with hundred dollar bills.
"What kind of emergency were you worried about?" Virgil said.
"Ever since my dad left China," she said, "he's been afraid people might come after him. I guess he left under... adverse circumstances. Oh, dad!"
<
br /> She broke down and started crying again. He went over and held her against his chest until she calmed down.
"Time to go," he murmured.
She nodded. She pulled a tissue from a box on the nightstand and blew her nose. Then she grabbed as much cash as she could stuff in her pockets and pushed the secret drawer back up. They returned to the main room.
"What's your plan for getting out of here?" Virgil asked Lisa.
She furrowed her brow. "I guess we'll take the team car to start with."
"You'll be pursued."
"I know a few tricks for getting rid of tails. I was on the other side of that game plenty of times when I was a cop. Once we're clear, we'll switch vehicles."
"OK." Virgil nodded. "Take I-55 west. Alfred and I will make sure nobody follows you out of the gate. Give us fifteen minutes to prepare."
"What are you going to do?" Lisa said.
"I'm not sure yet, but it will involve guns. Come on, Alfred. Let's move!"
Virgil and Alfred left the apartment. They jogged down the steps and left the building through a back door.
They emerged into an alley. Virgil avoided the temptation to look up and try to find the drone. He didn't doubt it was still in the sky.
"Now what?" Alfred said.
"The only way to get to I-55 is the long onramp east of Chinatown. We'll setup a roadblock there."
"Just the two of us?"
Virgil nodded. "When we see the bad guys coming, we'll shoot out their tires or something."
"This isn't a very sophisticated plan."
"Our job is to cause trouble. Nothing sophisticated about that."
* * *
"Captain Kyle," one of the operatives said through the radio, "two have separated from the others."
"Stay with them," Kyle replied through his headset.
His laptop was showing four different views at the moment, two from the aerial drones and two from cameras mounted on the helmets of his men. He could see the two male subjects tromping through the grass along the side of the highway onramp. It was a peculiar place for them to walk.
The younger, bigger man was heavily armed. He was carrying outdated weapons, but they could still kill. The other subject had just a gun in his hand.
They're up to something, Kyle thought.
He considered calling Colonel Knox but decided it still wasn't the right time. Kyle would wait until something actually happened.
* * *
Lisa checked her watch. "It's time."
Mei sighed. "Let me lock up the store. I don't know when I'll be back... if ever."
Lisa and Sara helped Mei turn off the lights and lock the doors. They left through the front. The final step was locking the security gate.
The three women walked somberly through Chinatown towards the parking lot where the team had rented a spot.
"I'm very sorry about your dad," Lisa said softly.
Mei sniffled. "He wasn't that old."
"Sometimes it happens when we don't expect it."
"It wasn't his time. I just know it."
Lisa exchanged knowing glances with Sara.
After a few minutes, they came to the blue Nissan Altima the team had purchased shortly after arriving on Earth. The car had proved to be reliable transportation, but it would be tested tonight.
"Here we go," Lisa said. "I'm going to drive fast, and I'm not stopping for anything until I decide it's safe."
"What if the police chase us?" Sara said.
"I'm not stopping for anything. Get in." Lisa took out her key and unlocked the doors.
Everybody sat in the car. Both Mei and Sara tried to sit in the back until Lisa insisted Sara ride shotgun.
"You may have to grab the wheel while I shoot," Lisa said.
Sara frowned. "You can't be serious."
"I'm dead serious."
When everybody was settled, Lisa drove off. Chinatown was very quiet, and only stop lights slowed her down.
* * *
"Pursue them," Captain Kyle said, "but keep a safe distance. We need to know where they're going."
He grabbed his phone and called Colonel Knox. The time had finally come.
Knox answered after a few rings. "Yes?" he said in a sleepy voice.
"Captain Kyle, sir. The two female subjects are driving off. They have a Chinese woman named Mei Li with them. She could be the hacker."
"Are you following them?"
"Yes, sir," Kyle said, "but the subjects are driving the same car they used before. We took the precaution of planting a long-range homing beacon under the fender. We won't lose them."
"Excellent thinking," Knox said.
"Thank you, sir. I should mention all of them left their phones behind. We can't track them that way anymore."
"That's annoying. Where are the male subjects?"
Kyle looked at the video feeds displayed on his laptop. "Standing by the highway onramp with weapons drawn." His eyes widened. "Oh, damn it! They're planning to shoot my men! It's an ambush. What should I do, sir?"
Knox paused. "Send your men another way. You'll have to rely on the beacon."
Kyle quickly relayed the order through his tactical radio.
"They know you're watching them?" Knox said.
"I think they saw a drone earlier."
Knox sighed loudly. "And they're armed."
"Yes."
"I was hoping to approach them quietly and cautiously, but it seems a confrontation is inevitable. What was in the basement?"
"It looked like they had made it into an office," Kyle said. "There were paper, pencils, furniture, and that sort of thing. Materials for collecting evidence, too, such as baggies and tweezers."
"Odd. Any advanced technology?"
"No. Not even a computer. But there were some footlockers we couldn't see inside of."
Knox paused. "I think we're done with this spy game. Follow the female subjects and find out where they're going. In the meantime, capture the male subjects."
"Very good, sir," Kyle said.
"I guess I won't get any more sleep tonight. I'll be at the house awaiting further word. Bye."
The call ended. Kyle dropped his phone into the breast pocket of his fatigues.
He watched the screen on his laptop. The two males were still standing by the onramp, prepared to spring an ambush that would never happen.
* * *
Virgil watched his blue Nissan shoot past on its way to the highway. Lisa and Sara were sitting in front, and Mei was in the back. All the women appeared safe.
"Get ready," Virgil said.
"You really want me to shoot any car that's behind them?" Alfred said.
"If that's what it takes."
Alfred made an unhappy noise.
Both men watched the road. At this odd hour of the morning, there was no traffic which made the job a lot easier.
Finally, a red sedan approached. Virgil wasn't sure if it was hostile, but he couldn't take any chances. He ran out into the road and fired his M16 into the air. The sedan screeched to a stop.
With his rifle aimed at the windshield, Virgil approached cautiously. The driver turned out to be a Chinese man wearing a green janitor's uniform.
Virgil relaxed and lowered his rifle. "Go on!" he yelled.
The sedan immediately drove off.
He jogged back to Alfred.
"I don't see any bad guys," Alfred said. "I don't think any of this was necessary."
Virgil looked up at the night sky. "No, the plan worked perfectly, but they saw us standing here with guns. That's why they didn't pursue."
"You may be right. Either way, our friends escaped and nobody got hurt, which is a very good thing. What's next?"
Virgil faced the dark, quiet buildings of Chinatown. "I want to capture one of them, but first we have to evade their surveillance. That could be a little tricky."
He still had the binoculars hanging around his neck. He used them to scan his surroundings. He spotted a dark shape peeking aroun
d a garbage can a block away. The spy was very still.
"We can use the river like we talked about earlier," Alfred said.
Virgil realized he was right. A channel of the Chicago River ran along the northwest side of Chinatown. Once he and Alfred were underwater, the military would have no way of tracking them. They could pop out anywhere undetected.
"Good idea," Virgil said. "Follow me."
They took off at a full sprint towards the channel. They headed up to Cermak Road and turned left.
As he ran, Virgil observed the Chinese decorations on the buildings again. In a single day, they had appeared all over Chinatown. The quality of the decorations was uniformly excellent.
He became suspicious. "Stick with me," he told Alfred.
Virgil used a drain pipe to climb up to the roof of a building. Alfred followed with the agility of a monkey. Virgil ran over to a spherical decoration made of yellow paper.
"What are you doing?" Alfred said.
Virgil started tearing up the paper, and he quickly found what he was looking for. A surveillance camera the size of a nickel was attached to a thin wire which ran across the roof. He showed the camera to Alfred.
"They've been watching us since we got home," Alfred said grimly.
Virgil nodded. "We have to get out of Chinatown before we do anything else. The whole neighborhood is wired."
The sound of a car made him look over the edge of the roof. A black minivan was a block away and approaching slowly.
Virgil took off again, but he travelled on the rooftops now. He leapt across alleys fearlessly, glancing back occasionally to make sure Alfred was keeping up. The psychologist looked like an old man, but there was no weakness in his movements.
Virgil ran off the last rooftop and jumped to the ground. The water channel was directly ahead with trees growing on the shore. He sprinted in that direction.
He looked back. A green Humvee had joined the black minivan, and both vehicles were coming at him at high speed. The military clearly knew something was up and had stopped trying to hide.
"They want to capture us!" Virgil yelled.
"What are we going to do?" Alfred replied.
"Stick with the plan. We can use this to our advantage."