Paradise Hacked (First Circle Club Book 2)

by Siegel, Alex

  "I'm blind in both eyes," Lisa said.

  "I'll do it," Virgil said. "Hold still, both of you."

  He used the knife to remove a piece of Lisa's stomach. Then he inserted the black, sticky lump into Alfred's remaining good eye. The reaction wasn't quite as intense the second time, but Alfred had known what was coming.

  "Barachiel," Virgil said, "it's done."

  "Yes," Barachiel said. "It was hard to watch. The blending of supernatural essences seemed sinful, but I don't think the Celestial Contract forbids it. The possibility has never come up before."

  "Do you have any more suggestions?"

  "No. I must be alone now."

  "Bye," Virgil said.

  Barachiel faded away.

  The team took a moment to recuperate and heal. Virgil gave Mei another hug. He noticed she avoided looking at his face.

  Finally, he faced his teammates. "Kyle can take us to his headquarters or this passage which may not exist. Which should we visit first?"

  "We have to visit both," Alfred said, "so whichever is closer."

  Lisa nodded. "But our top priority is finding Sara."

  "Agreed," Virgil said. "As far as I'm concerned, that's even more important than the mission."

  "What about me?" Mei said.

  He was still holding the woman he loved, but her presence was an unwelcome complication. Chinatown wasn't safe for her. He didn't like the idea of abandoning her at a hotel with nothing but the clothes on her back and some cash.

  "You tell me," he said. "It's your life. Do you want to go into hiding or stick with the team? I don't know which would be safer. The military knows who you are, and they're looking for you. It will only take one small mistake to get caught. It almost happened last night."

  Mei stared at the ground. "First my father dies," she said softly, "and now I'm a fugitive. I don't deserve this."

  "You're right, and I wish I could make it all better. We'll fix what we can."

  "I guess I'll stay with you." She sighed. "At least I'll be with friends if I die."

  Virgil kissed her. "Just follow my orders, and you'll be fine. I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."

  Lisa gave him a look with the unspoken message that he hadn't done a great job so far.

  "Let's go back to the car," he said quickly.

  Virgil led his team through the amusement park. They arrived at a blue Cadillac in the lot in front of the park. Captain Kyle was sitting on the hood.

  "Where did you get the car?" Lisa said.

  "We stole it from a valet stand," Virgil said.

  "Despicable," Alfred muttered.

  Lisa pointed at a tan minivan on the far side of the lot. "I stole that one, too. I already swapped out the license plates, so it's relatively safe to drive. We can use it for a few days if necessary."

  "Then let's take yours," Virgil said. "It's roomier besides. Bring it around so I can transfer my weapons."

  Lisa jogged away.

  Virgil turned to Kyle. "I'm pleased to see you're still here, captain." Virgil smiled.

  "I have to admit I considered running," Kyle said, "but you're nothing like what I expected. Maybe my unit is on the wrong side of this fight. I honestly don't know. I have a lot of questions. I decided to stick with you a little longer and see if I can get some answers." He looked at Mei. "You're Mei Li. I saw a report about you. You're a hacker."

  Mei blushed. "You make it sound bad. I solve problems for people. Those solutions usually involve technology."

  "And you get paid?"

  "I have to live, don't I?"

  "There are honest and legal ways to accomplish the same thing," Kyle said.

  Lisa arrived in the minivan. She opened the back door, and Virgil opened the trunk of the Cadillac. After checking for witnesses, he moved a Micro Uzi and two fragmentation grenades into the minivan.

  "That's all you got left?" Lisa said in a tone of dismay.

  "I had to leave a few items behind along the way," Virgil said. "I have a gun under my jacket, and so does Alfred. What are you packing?"

  "Just a knife and two pistols."

  "Hmm. We're lightly equipped. How are we doing for money?"

  "I still have pockets full of hundred dollar bills," Mei said.

  "That's helpful," Virgil said. "Let's go."

  Chapter Fourteen

  Barachiel was in the Eighth Level of Heaven. The place was just a black sky full of bright, twinkling stars. There was no gravity or air. Empty space surrounded the angel except for when a joyous soul drifted past.

  Barachiel was staring at a sphere of the purest water. The angel was using it to search the Earth for Sara. Images flashed in the water, one after another, thousands of times per second. It was a brute force solution, but for some reason, Barachiel's normal vision of Earth was clouded.

  Barachiel noticed a face reflected in the surface of the water. It was a simple abstraction at first, but then it resolved to one which was familiar.

  "Uriel," Barachiel said, "what a surprise."

  "A pleasant one, I pray," Uriel said.

  Barachiel turned to face one of the most mysterious angels in Heaven. Uriel had an odd appearance. Its skin was the color of the sky just before dawn. Its eyes glowed brilliant white. Shimmering sheets of cool, blue flame served as hair and wings. It wore a simple but elegant black gown.

  Uriel went by many names, including "Angel of Repentance," "Angel of Sunday," "Flame of God," "Archangel of Salvation," "Watcher," and even "Face of God." If Barachiel could feel fear, it would fear Uriel.

  "Yes," Barachiel said, "but still a surprise. I haven't seen you in centuries."

  "I've been observing and contemplating in solitude, but I've recently decided to take a more active role in the affairs of the world. You seem very troubled, faithful guardian of God's children. May I be of some assistance?"

  "Yes, please! I've lost one of my sheep: Sara Bass. She was a medical examiner in life. I sent her back to Earth a few months ago."

  "Ah!" Uriel said. "Your special project. What do they call themselves? The First Circle Club? Not a very inspiring name considering the unique importance of their work."

  "I should be able to find Sara easily, but for some reason, I can't. This is just the latest of a string of inexplicable occurrences. There might even be a passage to Heaven I don't know about. Something very odd is happening."

  Uriel put a hand on Barachiel's shoulder. "I understand your distress, but do not allow these strange times to overwhelm you. Let faith be your shield, for no one knows the future, not even the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

  "Yes, but none of this is specified in the Celestial Contract," Barachiel said.

  "A mere rulebook full of arbitrary amendments and provisions. It fails to capture the spirit and divine majesty of Creation. It does not fully express the Lord's intentions."

  Barachiel furrowed its brow. "These are peculiar words for an angel. I'm confused."

  "Be at peace." Uriel's eyes glowed brighter. "Abandon your search. Have confidence that Sara will reappear at the proper time and place. She is an extraordinary woman, much like her friends."

  Uriel smiled and faded away. Its mouth and eyes were the last things to vanish.

  Barachiel looked at the sphere of water again but couldn't remember what it was for. Barachiel shrugged and flew off, confused but at peace.

  The water shattered into a million tiny droplets.

  * * *

  Beautiful location for a passage to Heaven, Virgil thought.

  He, Lisa, Alfred, Mei, and Captain Kyle were walking through a meadow in the woods. Winter had withered the plants and had stripped the leaves from the trees, but the setting was still enchanting. The world was shades of green and brown. It was easy to forget how close the city was.

  "You're sure this is the place?" Virgil said.

  Kyle nodded. "But I've never been here during the day. We performed the experiments at night."

  Virgil searche
d for evidence. He found areas where the grass was trampled, and many footprints marked the soft dirt. Bits of garbage such as tape, tissues, and candy wrappers were caught in the weeds.

  "Lots of people were certainly here," he said. "How does the portal work? How do you open it?"

  "I'm surprised you don't know," Kyle said.

  "We know about other portals, just not this one."

  "There was a funny dance and a strange chant. I didn't recognize the language."

  "Can you show me?" Virgil said.

  "I won't do a good job."

  "Please."

  Kyle walked to the middle of the clearing. He performed a dance which involved complicated shuffles and turns. Nothing happened.

  "That's the best I can do," he said.

  "Thanks anyway," Virgil said.

  He sniffed the air and detected the scent of Heaven, but it was very faint. Why didn't Barachiel know about this place? he wondered.

  "Not many clues here," Lisa said. "Should we move on?"

  "I suppose. The military headquarters is our next stop. Speaking of which, you never told us the name of the project, Kyle."

  Kyle pressed his lips together.

  "You can trust us," Alfred said.

  Kyle's shoulders sagged. "I suppose knowing a name can't do much harm. It's called the Crusader Special Unit. The headquarters is in a house nearby."

  "A regular house?"

  "A big one. We told the neighbors we are a movie crew shooting a horror film inside the house. That explained all the cars and lights at night."

  "Clever," Virgil said. "Hang on. They know we took you prisoner, which means they know you might lead us back to them. A smart commander would prepare for that contingency."

  "We have a habit of getting ambushed," Lisa said in a sour tone.

  "A habit we need to break."

  "We don't have much choice," Alfred said. "I'm sure it will be fine once we get the conversation going."

  "And you have to be unarmed," Kyle said. "That was the deal."

  * * *

  Kyle pointed. "That big one near the end of the block with the wide porch."

  Virgil studied the target. The house was huge. It had expensive copper gutters and stone frames around the windows. There was no sign of activity. The long, curving driveway was empty.

  "Is anybody home?" he said.

  "Should be," Kyle said. "Headquarters is staffed twenty-four hours a day."

  As per their agreement earlier, nobody was armed, not even with a knife. All the weapons had been stowed in the minivan. Kyle had permitted the team to just wear Kevlar vests.

  Virgil turned to Mei who had tagged along. "Go back to the car and wait for us."

  "You'll be OK?" she said fearfully.

  "Sure. We're just going to have a nice, friendly conversation with them."

  "What do I do if, uh...?"

  "Don't worry about that," Virgil said. "Have faith in us, OK?"

  She nodded. He gave her a soft kiss. She hugged him and walked away.

  Virgil faced the house again. "OK, folks, how do you want to play this?"

  "Walk up and knock on the door," Kyle said. "You just want to talk, right?"

  "We want to talk safely. That's a subtle but important distinction."

  "Speaking of safety, I probably want to let you folks go on without me. If the other operatives see me with you, they'll think I betrayed my unit."

  "That's pretty much what you did," Virgil said.

  "But I don't need to rub their faces in it. Why don't I keep an eye on Mei for you?"

  The idea of a handsome stranger spending time with Virgil's girlfriend didn't appeal to him, but it was probably better than her being alone and completely vulnerable.

  "Just friendly companionship," Virgil said. "Nothing more."

  "Sir, I am a man of honor. Good luck."

  Kyle trotted off towards the minivan parked well down the street.

  Virgil looked at Alfred and Lisa. "We need a plan."

  "Didn't we already agree on one?" Alfred said. "We go over there and talk to them."

  "That seems foolhardy. If they see us, they might just start shooting."

  "You lack confidence in the good nature of your fellow man."

  "That's because I've seen many with a very bad nature," Virgil said.

  "Well, you can do what you want, but I'm not going to sneak around like a thief."

  Virgil looked at Lisa. She rolled her eyes in frustration.

  "Give us a ten minute head start at least," he said, "so we can check the place out and see if it looks safe."

  "Fine," Alfred said. "Ten minutes."

  "Let's go," Virgil said.

  He and Lisa began to jog towards the house. They quickly left the street to find a stealthier approach. It was the middle of a sunny day, so cover was crucial. The spacious front yards had trees and bushes, but it wasn't enough.

  The backyards turned out to be a better option. A lack of fences allowed Virgil and Lisa to run freely. Some of the majestic trees had to be a hundred years old.

  The two of them sprinted from hiding spot to hiding spot. They moved so fast, they managed to startle a squirrel. Virgil was nimble, but he had to admit Lisa was more so. She skimmed over the grass with silent footsteps. She turned and twisted with the fluidity of water.

  They stopped when they could see the back of the target house. Thick white posts framed a screened back porch. Half a basketball court was in the corner of the huge backyard. The branches of an oak tree extended over the roof.

  "See anything?" Virgil whispered.

  Lisa shook her head. "Very quiet."

  "Yeah. That worries me."

  They crept closer. He could peek through several of the windows, but the interior of the house appeared empty. He didn't even see furniture.

  "Let's find a sneaky way in," Virgil said. "Just to be on the safe side."

  Lisa pointed at a second-floor balcony. "There. We'll drop down from a tree branch."

  "Yes."

  They crawled over to the oak tree with their bellies dragging across the grass. Lisa was the first to reach the tree. She wrapped her arms and legs around the thick trunk and began to shimmy up. She was just holding onto the bark.

  Virgil followed her.

  * * *

  Alfred sighed. He wasn't sure if ten minutes had passed, but it didn't matter. He was going.

  He started jogging straight towards the house. Unlike his teammates, he didn't seek any kind of cover. He had nothing to hide.

  Virgil's and Lisa's relentless paranoia troubled Alfred. He didn't understand how anybody would want to live with constant fear and distrust. Life was much more pleasant when one started with a positive attitude. He wasn't just being naïve. In life, he had provided psychological services to hardened criminals. He had seen all forms of evil during his long career. In his experience, a little kindness and understanding could soften even the blackest hearts.

  Alfred used his new ability to locate his teammates. In his eyes, they looked like patches of darkness behind the house. They were a few dozen feet off the ground.

  Are they climbing a tree? Alfred wondered. How ridiculous.

  He walked straight up to the front door and knocked. While he waited for an answer, he looked around. The house was silent, and no cars were parked on the driveway. The grass had been mowed recently though which he took as a good sign.

  Alfred knocked harder.

  * * *

  "Alfred is in front of the house," Lisa whispered. "He's early."

  "I noticed," Virgil replied unhappily.

  He saw Alfred as a patch of shimmering white light. The effect was beautiful but a little spooky. It made Virgil think of ghosts.

  He and Lisa were working their way along a sturdy branch above the house. She dropped off first, falling about thirty feet and landing softly on the balcony. After Virgil got into position, he did the same. Wood creaked beneath his feet on impact.

  They looked through
a French door into a master bedroom. The room was bare except for some loose garbage which included packing tape and Styrofoam peanuts.

  "They're gone?" Virgil whispered.

  Lisa shrugged. "They knew we might come. Maybe they didn't want to have their asses kicked again."

  "That's not how Special Forces guys think. When they lose a fight, they just come back harder and nastier the next time."

  "Maybe," Lisa said. "Let's break in."

  "Quietly. The enemy might be lurking nearby."

  He tried the door handle, but it was locked. He took off his coat, wrapped it around his fist, and punched the glass. The cloth muffled the impact so it only made a soft crunch. He reached through the hole and opened the door from the inside.

  * * *

  Alfred decided nobody was going to answer the door. Perhaps the house was empty. He had to get inside somehow and search for clues. He wiggled the handle, but it didn't budge.

  He backed up several steps, ran forward, and slammed his shoulder against the door. He bounced off. I lacked commitment, he thought. He tried again, putting all his strength into it. He burst through the door into the house.

  A claymore mine exploded, blowing him backwards. Hot shrapnel ripped through his body.

  * * *

  "What was that?" Lisa said.

  An explosion had shaken the house, knocking dust from the ceiling.

  "Alfred!" Virgil said.

  He ran around a corner and almost smacked into two soldiers in a hallway. They were fully armed and ready for a fight. They opened fire immediately.

  Quick reactions saved Virgil from the worst of it. He dived beneath the streams of bullets and caught only a few rounds in his back where his vest provided some protection. He barreled through the legs of one soldier, breaking both of the man's knees. Virgil rolled to his feet, stole a knife from the first man, and stabbed the other in the gap between his neck and his body armor.

  Virgil spotted a staircase and ran down it, taking three steps at a time. He found Alfred by the front door. Virgil gasped in horror.

  Hundreds of small but nasty wounds had shredded Alfred. White, sticky blood was everywhere. The damage was far more than he could heal from.

  Burn marks and broken floor boards showed Virgil where the bomb had exploded. The blast pattern made him think a claymore had been wired to the door. Nasty way to greet guests, he thought.