by Siegel, Alex
"What about the Child? Do you see the Child?"
"No, sir," Menahem said, "but the light is poor. He could be in the boat. I'm alone here, sir. I can't attack by myself."
"Hold your position," Norbert yelled into the radio. "I want everyone to converge on the harbor. Hurry!"
He heard a distant gunshot. It sounded like a high power rifle.
"Menahem," Norbert said, "what happened?"
The radio only emitted a hiss.
"Damn! Jeremiah, Thaddeus, where are you? Kill those bastards before they get away!"
The cab squealed to a stop. "Get out," the cabby said.
Norbert looked at him in surprise.
"Get out of my fucking cab." The cabby threw the hundred dollar bill back.
Norbert didn't have time to argue, so he exited the cab and ran towards the harbor.
He heard more gunshots. They sounded like they came from semiautomatic pistols, the kind his men used.
Then he heard a loud, clattering noise, which echoed from the buildings. It was the mechanical rattle of a proper machine gun firing a sustained burst. It seemed the enemy had brought heavy weapons to this fight. Norbert pushed himself to run even faster.
"We see the Child!" Jeremiah called through the radio. "He's in the boat!"
The machine gun fired again.
Norbert grabbed his radio. "Jeremiah?"
Jeremiah didn't answer.
Norbert ran through a covered walkway and finally reached the harbor. He arrived just in time to see a speedboat pull away from the dock. It threw up a rooster tail of water as it accelerated away. He could only watch helplessly as it disappeared across the dark waters.
The Luciferian Child had escaped.
Norbert looked around for his men. He spotted a cluster of them lying on a grassy slope. Shadows made it hard to see the extent of their injuries, but it was obvious they were badly hurt. One man was missing a chunk of his skull.
Fortunately, Brother Jeremiah was still alive. "We never had a chance, sir," he gasped. "He had a M249."
Norbert grimaced. "Don't talk. Save your strength. We'll get you to a hospital." He heard sirens coming from several directions at once. "It sounds like help is already on the way. The police will take care of you."
He noticed a black van parked almost on the dock itself. This might be his only chance to examine it, so he ran over.
The back doors were open. The interior was perfectly clean and empty, and there were no seats except for the driver's. The enemy had obviously made sure no useful evidence was left behind. The van's windows were exceptionally thick. Bulletproof, Nobert thought.
He sighed with rage. He swore to God the next time the Brotherhood met the Child, they would be victorious. Then Satan would weep over the corpse of his offspring.
The police sirens were getting too close. Norbert ran off to avoid getting arrested.
* * *
Ethel was standing in the entry room of headquarters with Smythe, Edward, Kamal, and Nancy. The room had white walls and was brightly lit by fluorescent lights. Except for a single couch, there was no furniture or decoration. The space gave an intruder no place to hide.
The team looked very tired. Nancy's brown hair was even frizzier than usual, and her blue coveralls had odd stains. Kamal's pinstripe shirt had yellow discoloration under the armpits.
"I have to thank you guys for staying so late," Ethel said. "Now that Wesley is safely away, you can go home and get some sleep. I'll expect you back here at 9 AM though. We still have work to do."
She looked through a large window made of bullet-proof glass at Jack. He was sitting in the security control booth. Light gleamed from his broad forehead, and his blue eyes were red from exhaustion.
"You've had a very long shift in there," she said. "Will you be OK?"
He nodded. "Six more hours without sleep won't kill me." His voice came through overhead speakers.
"Nancy will take your seat when she comes back in the morning."
"Yes, ma'am." He frowned. "Hold on."
He fiddled with some knobs on his control console. As chief of security for the cell, his duties extended beyond just guarding the front door. He also monitored police scanners and local news channels. If anything exciting happened in Chicago, he heard about it first.
"The police are reporting big trouble at the harbor," he said. "Shots fired. Automatic weapons. Many units are converging on the location."
"Fuck!" Ethel said. "Edward, bring the legate here right away."
"Yes, ma'am." Edward ran off.
"Jack, anything else?"
"Not yet," Jack said. "I'll stay on top of it."
A moment later Edward returned with the legate and Atalanta.
"What's wrong?" the legate said.
Even though it was 3 AM and he was wearing a bathrobe, he appeared perfectly fresh. Ethel marveled at his ability to never show fatigue.
"Our people had a shootout at the harbor," she said.
"How is that possible?"
"I have to conclude the Brotherhood is watching us now," she said. "They must've followed the van from here to the harbor. There is no other way they could've intercepted Aaron so quickly."
"In other words you allowed this facility to be discovered by the enemy. Your failure to maintain proper security has put Wesley in jeopardy."
The legate had many admirable leadership qualities, but a few of his habits annoyed her. One was his tendency to assign blame immediately. She knew from experience there was no point in defending herself.
"I'm just theorizing, sir." She turned to Smythe. "Run down to the harbor and find out exactly what happened. Talk to the police. Use the emergency exit so the Brotherhood doesn't spot you. They might have us surrounded."
"Yes, ma'am." Smythe ran off.
Ethel addressed the other members of her team. "Sorry, but nobody is going home. It's not safe outside. We're locking down until further notice. Find a place to sleep here. Now leave us. The legate and I need to talk."
Edward, Kamal, and Nancy left. Atalanta remained standing in a corner where she had a good view of all the doors. Jack continued to listen to the police scanner in the security booth.
Ethel and the legate stared at each other for a moment.
"There is one good thing," she said. "We wanted to find the Brotherhood, and they saved us the trouble."
"Is that a joke?" he said.
"No, sir."
"Sir," Atalanta said, "let me teach the Brotherhood what happens when they mess with the Gray Spear Society. I'll do it now."
Ethel shook her head. "Wait until daylight. It's easier to find spies when the sun is shining."
"I don't take orders from you."
"Nonetheless, Ethel is right." The legate stared at Atalanta. "The enemy will be ready for a counterattack. Even though you hate to admit it, you're not immortal. I'm not confident you can wipe out the entire Brotherhood by yourself. We don't know how many there are. You'll wait until morning, and you'll take Smythe with you as backup. That's my decision. Ethel, how secure is this headquarters?"
"I upgraded the security system just a few years ago," Ethel said. "If anybody tries to force their way in, they'll get slaughtered."
"I'd like to review the details."
"Yes, sir. This is the only entrance. The other two exits can't be used for entry..."
* * *
Aaron looked out at the black waters of Lake Michigan. A canopy of stars met the horizon, and below that line, there was nothing but darkness. According to the instruments the boat was headed east. The bright lights of Chicago had faded to an orange glow in the distance.
He fingered an indentation in the body armor covering his chest. Without the layers of Kevlar and ceramic, he would be dead. He had intended to leave Chicago quietly, but obviously, that plan had failed.
At least his team was safely away. He was at the helm of a brown speedboat that was skimming across the smooth lake at fifty knots. According to the radar there w
ere no planes or other boats in the vicinity. Now he could go anywhere he wanted.
He looked back to see how everybody was doing. Yvonne was sitting on a bench in the rear of the boat with Wesley on her lap. Both of them wore orange life vests over gray, camouflage body armor. Marina stood near Aaron under a partial canopy that covered the cockpit. She was armed with a pair of .45 caliber HK USP Compact pistols, one on each hip.
"I still don't get it," she said. "How did the Brotherhood spot us? We were in the open for all of two minutes."
"That's bothering me, too," Aaron said. "It's like they were watching our front door. Good thing we were prepared."
He looked down at the M249 lying at his feet. The huge machine gun was built to mow down enemy troops. It had made all the difference during the brief but intense battle at the harbor.
"Maybe we should call Ethel and warn her," Marina said.
"No, the legate's orders were very clear. There will be no contact. Jack is always listening to the police channels anyway. I'm sure they already know what happened."
"I hope so." She sighed.
"Our friends can take care of themselves. The legate and Atalanta are there, as if Ethel weren't scary enough. The Brotherhood will get a nasty surprise if they keep poking that hornet's nest. We have to worry about us. The first order of business is answering the question we've been too busy to think about. Where are we going? My feeling is that we should find an isolated cabin in the wilderness and camp there."
"I have two problems with that idea." She raised her eyebrows. "First, there isn't a directory listing for abandoned cabins. Finding one might be harder than you expect. Second, I don't like isolation. If the Brotherhood finds us, it will be us against them, and there will be a lot more of them than us. We're city folk. We operate best in urban environments, so let's pick one of those. A crowd is the best place to hide."
"Fair enough, but which city? We can go anywhere. We might as well choose a fun destination."
She smiled. "Are we allowed to have fun?"
"Why not?" He shrugged. "The legate didn't say we couldn't. Let's ask Wesley where he wants to go. The poor kid deserves a treat after what he's been through."
Aaron activated the autopilot and set it to maintain the current heading. Then, he and Marina went to the back of the boat.
Yvonne was clutching Wesley like a big teddy bear. The boy didn't seem to mind.
"Hey, Wesley." Aaron smiled at him. "We're going on a vacation for the next couple of weeks, but we can't decide where to go. What do you want to do? A theme park, maybe? Do you like roller coasters? We can go anywhere you like, as long as we stay far away from Chicago."
"My parents already took me everywhere," Wesley said. "I've ridden on a thousand roller coasters."
"That's right. You've been travelling since you were born. This trip must seem normal to you."
He nodded.
"But that's good," Marina said. "You know the best places to have fun, so tell us one. I have no idea where to go. I never get vacations." She shrugged.
His pale blue eyes looked up at her. "Marina, do you need to go somewhere?"
"No. Of course not."
He pushed himself off of Yvonne's lap and took Marina's hands. "Please, don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying." She frowned. "Why would you think that?"
"Now you're getting angry. Where do you need to go? It must be very important to you. Please, tell me."
She glared at Wesley. Even Aaron could see she was seething, but he couldn't imagine why.
"I don't like this game," she said through her teeth.
"I'm just asking a question," Wesley said. "Where do you need to go?"
"Stop saying that, you little twerp! And stop looking at me with those freaky eyes! I'm getting a headache."
"I'll stop if you give me an answer."
She raised her hand and curled her fingers to make a claw. Her black fingernails gleamed with drops of venom.
Aaron grabbed her wrist before she could slash Wesley's face. "Hey! Calm down." Aaron pulled her into the cockpit. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"It's that kid." Marina clenched her fists. "He's really pissing me off. I'm old enough to be his mother. He needs to be more respectful. If I don't want to answer his idiotic question, then he should shut the fuck up!" She kicked a chair.
He put a hand on her shoulder. "You're losing control. There must be something you're not telling me."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I may not be God's special child, but even I can tell you're lying. Go back to Wesley, apologize, and answer his question."
"No." She crossed her arms.
"Stop pouting like a little girl. You're a grown woman and senior legionnaire of the Gray Spear Society. Act like it."
She sniffed.
He killed the boat's engine by taking the keys out of the ignition. The night suddenly became very quiet.
"What are you doing?" she said.
"You're not the only one who can be a pain in the ass. We're stuck here until you come clean."
"This is stupid."
"I agree," he said.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Marina stomped back to Wesley. "You want to know the truth?" she said. "I need to go home."
"To Chicago?" he asked.
She shook her head. "To where I grew up, St. Louis. My real home."
Aaron walked up behind her. "Is this about your parents?"
"The killer was never caught!" she yelled. "I've been waiting seventeen long years for a chance to get some justice."
"You never mentioned this before."
"I never had a vacation before!"
He blinked at her.
"I like that idea," Wesley said calmly. "Yes. Let's go to St. Louis."
Aaron turned on the boy. "No. The first and only priority of this mission is protecting you. Personal vendettas and solving double murders aren't part of the plan."
"Change the plan."
"No."
"Marina is in pain," Wesley said. "This is her chance to heal."
Aaron looked at Marina and his eyes widened in disbelief. She was actually crying. He had never seen her weep like this before, and the sight wrenched his heart.
"You don't get it," he said. "Marina doesn't intend to conduct a quiet, calm investigation. If we go to St. Louis, she will tear apart the city looking for the murderer. A lot of blood will be spilled. That's not a good situation for a young boy."
"I watched my mom and dad spill a lot of blood," Wesley said. "It's fine."
"Kids are supposed to be innocent."
"I know what evil looks like. I see the truth."
Aaron believed him. Clearly, the boy had led a screwed up life.
"If we don't go to St. Louis now," Wesley said, "Marina will be angry forever. Do you want that?"
"Don't put this on me. It's not my fault her parents got killed."
"It will be your fault if she never gets better."
Aaron looked out at the dark horizon. Waves gently lapped against the hull even though the lake was calm. A light breeze cooled his sweaty forehead.
He turned back. Wesley's hypnotic, blue eyes stared at Aaron with an unwavering gaze.
"Why are you so sure about this?" Aaron said.
Wesley shrugged. "It's just obvious."
"Taking Marina to St. Louis is crazy. The legate would never approve."
"We have to go. I know you'll keep me safe."
Aaron remembered the words of the legate. Compassion shall be his armor and truth shall be his blazing sword. He shall walk the golden path at all times.
Aaron rolled his eyes. "I can't believe it. This mission is fifteen minutes old, and already it's a train wreck. Do you always win every argument?"
"I win because I'm right." Wesley made the statement in a flat tone as if it were a scientific fact.
"OK." Aaron sighed with irritation. "We'll let Marina do what she needs to do
. But for the record, I don't like it."
Marina gave him a wet kiss on the lips. "Thank you." She hugged him.
"I guess our quiet vacation just ended."
Chapter Six
Brother Norbert opened the door of the empty office that had become his field headquarters. He was dead tired from running around and just wanted to rest for a few minutes. However, Father was waiting for him, so Norbert would have to soldier on. I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord.
"Explain," Father demanded. "What happened?"
Father had brought his two assistants, adding to the four monks Norbert had left behind. All the men watched Norbert intently.
"We spotted a van leaving the enemy's lair. I summoned all the resources I could, but most of the men were asleep or not in a position to respond. Only a handful of our brethren were able to reach the harbor in time. The battle went poorly for us and the Luciferian Child escaped."
Father sighed. As he slouched in his wheelchair, the lines in his face looked even deeper than usual.
"This is a disaster," he said. "Not only did we fail again at killing the Child, but we alerted the enemy. Now they know we're watching them. It would've been better if you had done nothing at all."
Norbert looked down. "I did what I thought was right, sir. If I disappointed you, then I'm sorry, but let's be fair. All of us are completely exhausted. Some of the men have been on duty for over twenty-four hours, and we've fought multiple battles in that time. It's not surprising our efforts fell short."
"I blame myself. I should've been here, or at least I should've left specific orders for this contingency. I'm getting negligent in my old age."
"No, sir!" Norbert shook his head. "Even if you had given the commands yourself, I believe the outcome would've been the same. We had less than a minute to marshal our forces. There was no time for planning."
"Regardless, we have to swallow our medicine and move forward. I'm expecting a counterattack at any moment."
"We haven't seen anybody come out."
"That means nothing," Father said. "The Devil is a master of disguise. His henchmen will slither out of their hole and try to ambush us."
Norbert nodded. "Then I suggest we disengage and withdraw to a safe distance until we can regroup. We've lost enough men today. We'll leave a few observers behind to keep an eye on things here."