“All of them?”
“Every member of this program you assembled.”
“I need a pretty good reason to follow orders from you.”
“Ask your president. He will tell you to do as I say. Like I said, I have business to take care of. I am trusting you to get them there safely.”
“What kind of business?”
“Don’t worry. I just need to make any ally. I won’t be killing tonight.”
“Fine, I will get them there.”
“I knew I left you alive for a reason,” Marie chuckled, walking out of the room.
“The rest of you have explaining to do and now.” Ray pointed to the team in front of him.
Greg took the lead, “Sir, she knows a lot more than she is telling you. Apparently, there is a group that she is dead-set on destroying. They are the ones responsible for the broiling war. The death of the first lady was the taking out of one of Ming’s agents. The President and the Prime Minister are, apparently, under the control of one man. However, the president has turned against his leader and had Marie take out Ming’s agent placed to control him. You will learn soon that Paloma Barez is dead. She was one of them, and Marie took her out to get her out of power. My guess is she is visiting the Prime Minister to try to turn him.”
Ray just stood there in shock.
“She said war is coming,” James added.
“And how do we know we are on the right side?” Ray questioned.
“We don’t,” Greg added. “She won’t hurt James or Jasmine. So, I guess we are safe as long as we are with them.”
“Oh, so your real name is Jasmine? Good to know, considering you will be tried for all the crimes you committed, while working for Ming.”
“I am pretty sure she is the least of our concerns, right now,” Greg interjected.
“You’re right. I need to make some calls if I am going to get everyone to Missouri in two days. You four will stay here until we leave, so I can keep an eye on you.”
They all nodded. Ray left the room, leaving the four of them standing there. Greg broke the silence, “I want to know what happened in that house.”
“I agree,” James added.
Chessy just sat down on the couch, silent.
“Ok, then I will tell you. A nice blood bath, courtesy of our Mom, followed by her demanding that Franchesca, over there, kill Paloma, which she refused, causing a bit of an argument, resulting in Mom killing Paloma. Paloma made this statement about Mom not having her ‘puppies’ as well-trained this time.”
“Her puppies?” James questioned.
“Yah, it set her off.”
“She’s hiding something,” Greg added concerned.
“I guess we will find out when we get to Missouri,” Chessy finally chimed in.
“Well, Mom must have a plan, so time to go with the flow.”
“Why do you call her mom?” Chessy questioned.
“Because she is my mom,” Jasmine replied, confused by the question.
“She has done nothing to earn your loyalty, let alone, be called Mom. She is a terrible mother.”
Jasmine was annoyed. “If you think I didn’t know she existed, you are wrong. The people who raised me, until Ming took me, told me about her. I may have only been four, but I remember them telling me how much she loved me and that she left me with them to protect me. Now, knowing what I know, hearing that from her own mouth, she did the right thing. She couldn’t have anticipated Ming would kidnap me. Maybe, my perspective is different, because I understand her and you don’t.”
“Let’s not start another argument. I think everyone just needs rest.” Greg knew he needed to keep everyone as calm as possible, until they knew more information.
James placed his hand on Chessy’s shoulder. Chessy nodded her head. James helped her up and walked her to the bedroom next door. Chessy was almost clinging to James as they entered the room. “Hey listen, I will tuck you in. Do you want a bedtime story?” James joked, hoping to make her smile.
She did. “I’ll pass on the bedtime story, but thank you.” James held her tightly, gently placing a kiss on her forehead. Chessy pulled back, looking into James’ bright green eyes, and smiled. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” James replied, stepping back out the door, closing it behind him. James next went to look for Greg. His snoring was evidence that Greg was already asleep. James chuckled a bit as he closed Greg’s door. Once he reached Jasmine’s room, however, she was not in there. Her open window gave James cause for concern. He went to it and looked out to see Jasmine had climbed up the fire escape and was sitting on the roof. James decided to follow, pulling himself out the window and climbing up to reach the roof.
Once there, Jasmine noticed him and laughed. “You know, stalking is a crime, I think.”
James pulled himself up and found a spot next to her on the roof. “What are you doing up here?”
“Just thinking.”
“Thinking about what?”
“My life has changed so much in a matter of twenty-four hours, and I am just adjusting. I now know my real mother, and I have a brother. I kinda always wanted a brother.”
“I know the feeling. But I am not sure I will ever understand her the way you say you do.”
“I just know what it’s like to have no control and want nothing more than to have it. To have to give up your child to protect them, I can’t imagine what that would be like. She has suffered, James. It’s in her eyes. I have seen it before, every time I look in the mirror. Everything becomes routine. You feel nothing. When you take a life, it is just what you do, and to be doing it at someone else’s command, with the threat of your own life or the lives of those you love in the mix, you go to survival mode. She’s a survivor, and so am I. I will fight with her; she fought for us.”
James was hit hard, hearing those words. “You are wise beyond your years. You know that?”
Jasmine laughed, wiping away the tear that came to her eye. “Please, I am not that much younger than you.” She gave him a playful push.
“Hey, be careful. I am pretty sure you will get in trouble with Mom if you push me off the roof.” Jasmine laughed as James realized he had just called her Mom. It was starting to sound ok to him. “I just wish she would ease up on Chessy.”
“You really care about her, don’t you?”
“Yes, and the fact that she picks on her just enrages me.”
“She is trying to protect you. She threated Chessy that, if she hurt you, she would have to deal with her. I guess, she is just overly protective and trying to scare Chessy away.”
“I guess, but she needs to chill.”
“I don’t think she has a chill button.”
“You are probably right. Are you staying out here, or are you coming back in?”
“I am staying out. I love to watch the stars.”
“You are going to get cold.”
“Nope,” Jasmine tapped the folded blanket sitting behind her.
“Well, you are more prepared than me. I am going in and going to bed.”
“Ok, night Bro.”
James smiled, reached out, and hugged Jasmine. “Night, sis.” James climbed back down and through the window. He made his way to his room. Opening the door, he was surprised to find Chessy sitting cross-legged on his bed.
“I came looking for you, but you weren’t here,” Chessy said, tears in her eyes.
James rushed to her side. “I am so sorry. I was talking to Jasmine. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Chessy sobbed.
“Stay here. You are not alone.” James pulled her close. Chessy curled up against him. “I have you. You are safe.” Not another word was said as Chessy slowly drifted to sleep in James’ arms.
Chapter
10
The night was much more eventful for Marie. Her mission, her goal, to recruit Franklin. He was the last piece of the pie. They needed Great Britain to unite with the United States against Sergei and his
forces. Moving through the night, she made her way to his residence. She knew her way in; she had done it before the night she gave him the first clue that his Soldat past would come back to haunt him. As usual, Franklin was working late in his office. Through the window and into the shadows, she went. Franklin sat calmly, his thin frame and gentle eyes fixated on his work. He didn’t even notice Marie entering the room. “Boo baby,” Marie called menacingly.
Franklin was startled. “Who’s there?”
“Just your friendly neighborhood killer.”
“I have done everything I have been told. There is no reason for Ming to have sent you, unless this is a clean-up from the Paloma murder. I know it was Ming who did it. It had all her trademarks.” Franklin’s voice was trembling as he was trying to sound tough.
“Oh relax, I am not going to hurt you.” Marie stepped out from the shadows. “Poor little Christopher still hasn’t grown a pair.”
“What did you call me?”
“You heard me, Christopher. I know who you really are. I know where you are from, and I am pretty sure you know who I am.”
The realization hit Franklin like a ton of bricks. “Marie,” he gasped. “You’re dead.”
“Well, obviously, I’m not, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Franklin was speechless, staring at Marie, taking in what he was seeing. The leather, the tattoos, and the scars staring back at him, a picture of the path she had gone down since they last saw each other as children.
“With Paloma dead, Sergei is going to put you in charge. I need to know you are with us. He has to be stopped.”
“Us?”
“Scott has joined me. We need you to bring the forces necessary to bring him down. War is coming. You have to pick a side. Spend the rest of your life as a puppet or cut the strings.”
“It was you! You killed Paloma.”
“Well duh. I did you a favor. Now, she isn’t running things. You are. Chris, you have to realize what is at stake. We can’t let him win.”
“Quit calling me that. It is not my name! I left Chris in that pit. I am Prime Minister of Great Britain, and I will be damned if you think I am going to be told what is best for my country by a mercenary. I will do what is best for my people.”
“How diplomatic of you. Is it the best interest of your people to be governed by a foreign power? He will spark the war and dominate. If you help him, you will always be his slave. Join us and fight back.”
Franklin walked away from Marie to his window. He gazed out at the beautiful London night. “War will bring ruin to all of us. You know, as well as I do, that even with our combined forces, the destruction will be catastrophic.”
“I have the children.”
The sound of those words caused Franklin to turn. “Those files were lost. The children will never be found.”
“I have them, and they will be ready to fight.”
Franklin half smiled. “What do you need from me?”
“Call Scott…Oh sorry, President Warren. He will fill you in.”
“I hope you know what you are doing.”
“I never disappoint,” Marie called as she climbed out the window and disappeared into the night. “How did she find them? This changes everything.” Franklin smiled, closing the window. “It’s our time, now.”
Chapter
11
Getting the remaining nine team members back to the US was no small task, but Ray was able to get it done. Coordinating flights and arranging vehicles, all at the government’s expense, frustrated Ray, since he had no idea why he was even taking them there. His frustration boiled over when they arrived, and all that sat before them was an open field. Jumping from the SUV, each of the team members, James and his group included, were confused.
“These are the correct coordinates, right?” James questioned Ray as Ray stormed past him.
“Yes!” he barked back. “What the hell is she doing?” Ray questioned, looking at James and Jasmine.
Both were just as bewildered as he was. Suddenly, the ground shook. Everyone looked around, trying to find the source. Jasmine’s eyes widened as she saw it. “Look,” she called, pointing to their left. A large metal door was rising from the ground. In awe, they all stood there, watching it swing open. There stood Marie in all her glory, red leather and boots to match.
“Welcome to my home,” Marie called to the group. “Please follow me.” Marie descended the stairs with everyone eagerly following. The view was impressive as they descended the metal stairs down into the bunker. Screens covered each wall. Once down the stairs, they were confronted by a large open area.
“It’s a training facility!” Jasmine exclaimed, seeing the walls covered in weapons and a training floor.
“This is just the first room. This is an all-inclusive resort.” Marie laughed. “You will find living quarters, medical facility, and an advanced weapons lab. Wait until you see the toys I have for you.”
All the team members were in awe.
Ray, however, had questions. “Who funded this? How did it come into your possession? How long has this been here? Why hasn’t anyone found it?”
“Hey, twenty questions, chill. I will explain if everyone will follow me to the medical facility.”
Down the corridor, Marie led the group into what appeared to be the main entrance to the medical facility. Thirteen chairs sat before them.
“If all of you would take a seat, except you, Ray, you get to stand. By the way, where is your buddy, John something?”
“I kept him stationed to keep some order, while you are taking my team off their posts,” Ray sneered back.
“Very good.” Marie chuckled, hitting the lights to reveal seven large photographs on the top of a large white board. James felt his heart drop immediately. He knew those pictures. They were the ones he saw in the files in Gold’s bunker.
Marie took center stage, holding a black dry erase marker in her hand. “Alright, you are probably wondering who those people are, so let me elaborate. Pictured before you are the original seven. There were three more, but we will get to that, members of Project Immortal.” Marie wrote each of their names under their pictures, including her own. “Samuel, Austin, David, Justin, Ethan, Michael, and well, me. We were the lab rats of Soldat Industries, an attempt to create a super soldier, capable of being able to heal as fast as we are injured. Trained from infancy to kill. The program only resulted in one success, me. The rest of the men before you… are dead.” Marie breathed a heavy sigh, glancing up at Michael’s picture. “However, that is not where this story ends. There was a second program, started four years prior to the decline of the program. Second generation models. The brain child of my creator, Dr. Carl Stanley. The idea proposed was that the formula he was using would only work potentially on a second generation of those exposed. What he failed to tell them was that he wasn’t giving any of these candidates the formula, but me. But he convinced them to go forward with those intentions. Those were never his. He had another plan in mind. To create a better human, not a killer. He used their money and their lab rats to do it. Using the sperm from five of the six male subjects, they facilitated a program to help those who couldn’t conceive, conceive a child. The resulting pregnancies were monitored as part of the program and the fetuses given ‘treatments’ to enhance them. Smarter, emotionally superior, quick, and compassionate. They would be better and more determined and committed than the normal person. Their capacity to learn would be exponentially superior. Stanley knew he needed to protect these children from the Fox, for he thought they were his key to Project Immortal. So he destroyed their records, and the program was considered a failure and scrapped. The destruction of Soldat Industries, courtesy of me, resulted in all the rest of the records being destroyed.”
A hand raised drew Marie’s attention, “Yes, not sure who you are.”
“Liam, ma’am. Who is the Fox?”
“Getting to that. The Fox is the code name for Sergei Ivanhof. He is the
reason we are on the brink of war. The death of the first lady was meant to look like the North Korean government did it. He was trying to start a war that would divide the world and let them tear each other apart, allowing him to seize control through any means necessary. He has an army he has been building for years, through allies and countries he controls. We will turn the tables on him and prevent the global destruction he is after.”
Another raised hand drew Marie to the other side of the room, “Name?”
“Nathan. What does this have to with us? Why are we here?”
Marie laughed. “Figures you would ask the dumb question, considering who your real father was.”
The collective shock shook the room.
“It’s us,” Chessy let out.
“I found the children, and I am looking at them. Why do you think none of you quit after being pushed beyond the limit a human can take? Why, no matter what your family life was like, you all excelled in school, athletics, and pretty much everything you ever tried? You are the Children of Soldat.” Marie quickly began writing each of their names under a picture on the board.
Samuel: Marcus, Dovia, Gregory
Austin: Franchesca, Mitchell, Elliot
Justin: Rose, Nathan, Timothy
David: Norma, Liam,
Ethan: Bradley, Ping, Olivia
Marie had to keep going, “Greg, how many times did it take you to pick your first lock? Or hot wire your first car?” Eyes all shifted to Greg, who was in shock that Marie knew about his crimes.
“How did you...” he started to respond.
“I know all about each of your childhoods. Liam, over there, all state football, am I correct?”
“Yes,” Liam replied proudly, his blue eyes gleaming.
“Dovia, graduated high school at sixteen, and you have how many engineering degrees?”
“Three,” Dovia replied with pride
“Ping, a professional ballroom dancer?”
Jasmine (Teumessian Trilogy Book 3) Page 4