by David Khara
The Israeli agent slowed down and lifted the visor of his motorcycle helmet. He smirked as he read the dozen or so signs posted on the swath of land that separated the base from the state highway. The US military was always overdoing it with the warnings: “Danger,” “Alpha Division, Minefield,” “Drive Slowly, Unsafe Area,” and on and on.
Someone who wasn’t familiar with Marine Corps bases might have seen some irony in the fact that just a single person was guarding the front entrance. Most people didn’t know that the friendly guard was simply a human face welcoming visitors and politely sending nosey passersby on their way. Cameras all along the fence and on the guardhouse roof were doing the real work of surveillance. Their images were directly transferred to a security post that was fully prepared to respond to a dangerous intrusion. Eytan knew from experience that the actual perimeter was way beyond this checkpoint, several miles back in some cases. It was this surveillance would allow Eytan to send his invitation.
Eytan arrived at the security gate. Before guard could even ask Eytan about the nature of his business, the agent had pulled out his Glock and pumped the booth full of lead. The protective glass shattered, and the security guard threw himself to the floor. The agent put down his kickstand, dropped his empty magazine, and replaced it with another. He walked closer to the guard, who had already placed his hands behind his head, and gave the surveillance camera a coy smile.
“I have a message for General Bennington and I needed your full attention. What’s your name?”
“Steve.”
“Do you have a good memory, Steve?”
“Yes,” the man stammered.
“Wonderful. I would like you to tell dear Benny that Eytan Morgenstern—that’s me—will be waiting for him at the following coordinates.”
Eytan gave him the longitude and latitude of their meeting point and had him repeat it three times.
“Oh my, you do have an excellent memory. Please let him know that my peace talk proposal is only good for an hour.”
“Whatever you want, sir.”
“Thanks, Steve. Have an excellent rest of the day. It was a pleasure doing business with you.”
Eytan congratulated himself as he hopped back on his cycle. Jackie wouldn’t be chastising him for his lack of manners.
He turned on the ignition just as he heard engines roaring in the distance. It was the security team.
Ten minutes later, Eytan reached the clearing where he had arranged to meet Bennington and his Marines. He parked on the grass and took his earpiece out of his jacket so he could get in touch with Eli. They needed to go over the last details of their operation. Before he could make the call, though, his cell phone started ringing. He planned to ignore it, but he changed his mind when he saw the caller’s name on the screen.
“Well, well, Jenkins, my boy. Got any news for me?”
“I’m afraid our dear Jenkins cannot come to the phone right now. Reception is very poor at the bottom of the Thames.”
Eytan recognized the sugary voice and English accent. It belonged to a man whom he knew only by nickname. It was the man who controlled the Consortium.
“Cypher. Or should I call you Jonathan Cavendish, president of H-Plus Dynamics?”
“Wrong again, Mr. Morg. Poor Cavendish is no longer with us either. It’s true that I’m listed at the top of my company’s masthead, but Fergus Hennessy is a pseudonym. I get a kick out of little jokes like that.”
Eytan thought about it for a few seconds.
Fergus Hennessy. Hennessy Fergus. Sy-Fer...
“That is a little joke, isn’t it. Not a great one. A little one. Glad it gives you a kick.”
“Some humor never hurt,” Cypher replied. He sounded annoyed. “I won’t keep you too long. I understand you have an important meeting with General Bennington.”
“I’m assuming you’re the one I should be thanking for getting me into this mess.”
“You give me too much credit. Let’s just say I alerted the Marines and the White House. You know how dogs behave whenever you throw them a bone.”
“After Elena’s death, you promised to get your revenge by exposing me. I see you’ve followed through on that promise.”
“I’m hurt by your insinuation. Do you really think, Mr. Morg, that I’m a man who bases his decisions on anger?”
The plan within the plan, Eytan thought.
“By sending the military after you,” Cypher continued, “and getting your friends involved, I’ve forced you to...”
“...do your dirty work.”
“Exactly.”
“I saw that coming,” Eytan said.
“You saw it coming? Then please inform me of my intentions. I’m curious to see if your mind is still just as sharp.”
“You no longer need Bennington, or H-Plus Dynamics, or money from the Pentagon. You’ve already been compensated for your research and development of the prosthetics. You have the prototypes and the plans. You were counting on me to clean up after you.”
“Spot on, Mr. Morg. Bennington chose the front men for our program. He then prepared them for our prosthetics by sending them into well-orchestrated battles. Unfortunately, he knows too much and needs to disappear. Our business with the military will continue, but on completely legal terms. You see, Mr. Morg, you will further my ambitions and serve as my best agent.”
Eytan laughed.
Cypher’s voice had lost its sugary quality. It was becoming harsher and more threatening. “You lost the match before it even began. To be honest, you lost it the day Bleiberg turned you into what you are.”
“You’re not the first person to think he had me beat. And I’m still here, more determined than ever. What’ll happen if I expose your little scheme to General Bennington? If I tell him about the surprise software inside the processors? And what’ll happen, Cypher, when I’ve demolished your organization?”
“Absolutely nothing will happen on Bennington’s front. He’s a very stubborn man. He won’t give you the time of day. As for the Consortium, it has existed for centuries, and it will live on much longer than you. Our group is more important than you’d ever believe. It exists for one simple reason: to oversee human destiny by guiding its evolution. In the massive chaos that’s our world, this is no easy task. The human race needs direction. Otherwise, only the Law of More will prevail: more powerful, more affluent, more intelligent, more cynical, but never more human. You and I both know a lot about that.”
“Your organization paid Bleiberg to genetically manipulate children. You caused epidemics. You encouraged human mutilation. You played with lives. How can you seriously consider yourselves paragons of wisdom?”
“We’re realists!” Cypher replied. He sounded angry. “We’re not cruel and greedy. And we don’t seek to dominate the world. We just take advantage of man’s little quirks to achieve our objectives; we don’t create them. You may think we’re schemers, but you’re wrong. We’re planners.”
“Plans. That’s not what people need.”
“And what is it that people need?”
Eytan looked at the phone in disgust, then ended the call by throwing the device in the grass. He observed the landscape in front of him and quietly muttered.
“Dreams.”
Chapter 44
On this late-autumn afternoon, the field stretched as far as the eye could see to the north and the west. The air, devoid of the slightest breeze, gave the Midwestern scenery a sense of calm before the storm. To the southeast, a forest of trees rose above a lake whose smooth surface shimmered in the mellow light of the setting sun. A flock of brown birds raced in the sky, forking off suddenly and swooping to the ground like crazed arrows.
Standing beside his motorcycle in the middle of the prairie, Eytan soaked in the beauty of his surroundings. The occasion called for a cigar, but he was fresh out of his favorite guilty pleasure and had to settle for a cigarette.
He heard Eli’s voice in his earpiece. “We’re positioned safely within the for
est.”
“I’m in position too, but not undercover.”
“I know. I’ve got you in my rifle sight.”
“Be careful where you aim.”
“I should have clocked you on the spot for having come up with such a dangerous plan. I believe Jacqueline agrees with me.”
“Do you have a better solution?”
“No.”
“Then stop complaining. Is our little toy working properly?” the giant inquired.
“Avi is activating it as we speak, with Jeremy’s help. He says it looks like a big microwave.”
“Technically, he’s right, it is a big microwave.”
“That’s what Avi’s been trying to tell him for the past five minutes.”
Eytan scanned the road for signs of his guests’ arrival. The sound of an engine caught his attention. It was a sound he knew all too well.
“Chopper’s approaching,” he warned. “The land convoy won’t be far behind. Make sure you’re hidden. We can’t let them see you.”
“Okay, here we go. Good luck.”
“We’ll need it.”
The helicopter’s thumping was getting louder. Eytan closed his eyes and silently counted the blades’ rotations to determine how far he was from the aircraft. Stefan Starlin had taught him this trick during his MI6 training. When he opened his eyes again, the helicopter was within sight and flying at a low altitude.
“Eli, they’ve sent an undercover Huey. Are your skills still sharp?”
“UH-Y1, standard model. Two men in the cockpit, one shooter at the side door. He’s got a 7.62 mm.”
“Perfect. You get an A plus!”
“Thanks! They’re taking you seriously, but not enough to use some fancy-pants type of aircraft. This model doesn’t have the latest on-the-ground detection technology.”
“Well, we won’t complain about that. The Marines’ most advanced equipment is in the Middle East. Since Bennington is leading a secret operation, he can’t use the more sophisticated gear without justifying it and attracting unwanted attention.”
“They’re coming. I suggest we cease communications until you give the green light. I’m making sure everyone’s undercover. You’d better come back alive.”
Eytan didn’t say what he was thinking: at this point, it was out of his hands.
The Huey hovered above the Kidon agent and then swept over the lake, disrupting the birds. The blades of the chopper sent them flying in all directions.
The aerial survey was lasting too long for Eytan’s liking. If one of the men onboard picked up the slightest movement on the ground, the Marines would rain bullets down on his friends, giving them no chance of survival. The metal hummingbird stationed itself above the treetops. Eytan instinctively reached behind his back to take out the weapon wedged inside his belt. From this distance, about a thousand feet away, a bullet wouldn’t do major damage to the aircraft but could reach the pilot and thus compromise the vehicle’s stability, as well as the shooter’s aim.
The giant calculated the angle he’d need to maximize the bullet’s impact. He released the safety on his weapon and tightened his grip. The Huey took flight again, positioning itself closer, one hundred feet away. The machine gun was pointed in his direction.
Eytan slipped his hand along the bottom of his jacket and into his pants pocket. Then he turned his attention to the road to the west. Three SUVs and a light brown Humvee soon appeared.
The vehicles headed into the field and sped toward Eytan. When they were about forty feet from their target, they formed a circle around him.
Four men in black jumped out of each SUV, assault weapons in hand. Exiting the Humvee were two men whom Eytan quickly identified as the pair Jackie and he had fought in the alley during the High Line incident. They took their positions beside the passenger door of the vehicle. A man in his fifties emerged. He had buzz cut, bulging pecs, and a broad build, and he was wearing green cargo pants that perfectly matched the Israeli’s jacket.
He walked up to Eytan and eyed him from head to toe.
“General.” Eytan greeted him with a salute that was too stiff to be sincere.
“Morgenstern,” Bennington replied calmly. “I knew you’d show up, but I was expecting a confrontation, especially after your exploits in Baltimore. I watch the news like everyone else. A fire engulfing the very building where our supplier is headquartered? That couldn’t have been a coincidence. You don’t tread lightly, and I like that. But a man as determined as you, a man who executed an explosion of that scale wouldn’t be turning himself in so easily. So I’m sure you have something up your sleeve.”
“You’re right. Surrendering isn’t my thing. I’ve come to negotiate.”
“Negotiate? Other than your body, what do you have to offer?” The general was leering.
“Sorry, sir, but you’re not my type. I actually have some valuable information concerning the prosthetics that you’ve equipped your men with. It’s a little surprise concocted by H-Plus Dynamics, and I’m sure it will upset you. I’ve got the proof, and I’m prepared to hand it over.”
Bennington was clearly intrigued. He rubbed a finger over his lips.
“And what are you demanding in return?”
“That you forget about me, and you also forget about Jacqueline and Jeremy Corbin.”
“And where exactly is the lovely couple?”
“Far away.”
“I see. And this proof you speak of is obviously being kept safe?”
“Obviously.”
“Of course. So, if I understand correctly, you’re telling me that our friends at H-Plus Dynamics have given us unreliable equipment, and you’d like to use this information as a bargaining chip.”
“That sums it up nicely.”
“Okay, but tell me this. Now that you’ve alerted me to the problem, I’m perfectly free to lead my own investigation and have our experts figure out what’s what. That considerably diminishes my interest in your offer.”
“I forgot to mention that I also have proof that the men in your unit were deliberately mutilated so that you could make them part of your little Robocop program. I wonder how they’ll react when they find out what you did to them.”
“And who do you think they’ll believe? The man who saved them and gave them back their lives or the one who’s considered a threat to the nation’s security?”
Bennington paused to gauge the weight of his words. “Progress requires sacrifice. There’s never growth without pain. My unit represents a decisive step toward the emergence of a new kind of soldier, a new order of fighting men and women.”
“So you’re admitting your involvement,” the giant pressed, exhaling a cloud of cigarette smoke.
The general squinted. Eytan knew he was sizing him up.
“I don’t believe you have any proof. All you have is a hunch. Yes, I knew about it. I even selected them myself.” Bennington smiled coldly. “The higher-ups at the Pentagon would have never okayed my program if I hadn’t provided subjects with the required attributes. I chose my men according to criteria specified by H-Plus. Then I did what had to be done. It was my duty.”
“A soldier’s duty is to be loyal to those who fight alongside him. You’re just one name on a long list of whack jobs,” Eytan spit out before throwing his cigarette butt on the ground.
“You have no right to judge. My loyalty is to my country. I’m providing a means by which the lives of our young men and women can be spared.”
“Blah, blah, blah. I’ve heard sickos like you spout that garbage a million times over. Sacrifice a few to save the rest. It’s bullshit. I admit I don’t care about your creepy little shenanigans or your ass-backwards morality. You can chop up your young men and women all you want. Every general has blood on his hands. I’ll ask you one more time. Think about your answer very carefully. Do you accept my proposition, yes or no?”
“You’re surrounded. Some very heavy weapons are aimed at you at this very moment, and you think it’s a good i
dea to use that tone on me? Your friends will be eliminated, just like all the other annoying snoops who tried to stop this project. As for you, Morgenstern, my scientists are going to dissect you like a bug and analyze every inch of your body. I’m going to enjoy watching them do it.”
“Do you know much about electronics?” Eytan asked, ignoring the general’s threats.
“What?” Bennington replied. For the first time, he looked confused.
“Of course not. You’re like the sorcerer’s apprentice. You play with powers that you know nothing about. Now!”
“Now what?” the general said, clearly frustrated.
The Israeli agent didn’t answer. He took a step closer to the general, who was forced to back up.
“Take him out!” Bennington ordered.
The soldiers advanced cautiously, their eyes glued to the sights of their weapons. They closed in on Eytan. He froze and then turned his hands upward, as though he were pleading with the heavens. This seemed to confuse Bennington even more.
At the same moment, the grass in the field went flat. Swept off their feet by an invisible force, the men, all of them equipped with prosthetics, fell to the ground and squirmed like earthworms. They cried out in agony and failed in their attempts to get on their feet again. Even the general was brought to his knees. The helicopter blades stopped rotating. The engine went dead, and the chopper crashed.
Eytan wobbled. His vision was fuzzy. He struggled to remain standing and continue walking. Wiping away a trickle of blood dripping from his nose, he bent over the general, took him by the chin, and forced the officer to look him in the eye.
“It’s hard to imagine the effects of an electromagnetic pulse on the ground if you’ve never experienced one,” Eytan said, panting. He removed his earpiece. The device no longer functioned, just as the rest of the electronic equipment within range of the microwave generator provided by Frank no longer worked. “To answer your question, now I’m going to eliminate your precious command unit,” he said as he took out his weapon. “Then I’ll take care of you.”