by R. D. Brady
Laney laughed. “True. But not to just check on someone. And I’d like to point out that those previous cases were all life and death, and therefore, no laws were really broken.”
“That’s your answer then.”
Laney frowned. “I’m not following.”
“Use the law. Honu Keiki is a closed group. But even closed groups are subject to the law. Look at Scientology.”
Laney tried to see where he was going with this. Scientology was classified as a religion, although many people regarded it as a cult. Its beliefs were developed by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, who focused on the spiritual rather than the physical nature of an individual. While in theory, the principles sounded good, Scientology had been plagued by accusations of abuse, extortion, blackmail, brainwashing, embezzlement, and the list went on. The book Going Clear and the associated documentary exposed the unattractive underbelly of the group. But how any of that related to her being able to see Aaliyah she wasn’t getting.
“I still don’t—” She went still. “Are you referring to Miscavige’s wife?”
“Exactly.”
Following the death of Hubbard in 1986, a member named David Miscavige took over. In 2005, David Miscavige’s wife went missing, and in 2013, actress Leah Remini filed a missing persons report. The LAPD managed to track her down. The cult had to produce her."
“Will that work? If Kai files a missing persons report?”
“He’ll have to do it in Hawaii, but I’m sure you can persuade the officers to allow you to investigate it.”
Laney smiled. “You’re brilliant, Matt.”
“I do have my moments. So, when are you leaving?”
“As soon as I can get a plane up and running.”
CHAPTER 33
Arranging everything she needed took a few hours. Laney wanted to make sure there were police she could trust; the last time she’d received the help of police officers, the officers had been in Honu Keiki’s pocket. But she’d gotten some recommendations from people Matt trusted, so hopefully she’d have better luck this time. She’d also spoken with Kai. He’d been thrilled with the plan and at the idea of going back to Malama.
Now Laney just had to have one more conversation before she left.
She rolled down her window at the gate to the school.
“Hi, Nate.”
“Hey, Laney. How’s it going?”
“Good. Have you seen Jen?”
Nate pointed to the right of the school, where Laney could just make out a crowd.
“What’s happening?”
“Soccer game.”
“Great. Thanks.”
She parked and made her way over to the field. Jen stood along the near sideline, cheering on the kids, and Henry stood on the far side. Opposing team captains.
Rolly sprinted down the field, dribbling between defenders like they weren’t even there. He passed to Zach, who dribbled only a few feet before passing it back. And then there was just Danny and the goalie standing between Rolly and a goal.
Laney swallowed. Come on, Danny.
But Danny stood still, just watching Rolly approach, his head tilted to the side like Rolly was an interesting specimen he was trying to figure out.
Move, Danny. Move.
Rolly was only ten feet away when Danny burst forward. He timed his move perfectly: just as the ball left Rolly’s foot, Danny intercepted it and kicked it halfway down the field to Lou.
Rolly stared at Danny in disbelief. “How—But—I—”
Danny just grinned.
Yoni blew the whistle, and Jen’s team leapt in the air. Laney laughed. It was just good old-fashioned fun, and watching the kids enjoy themselves was better than any drug.
“Okay everyone,” Henry yelled, “there’s pizza and desert in the cafeteria!”
The teenagers broke off into groups and headed inside. Lou walked up to Rolly and Danny twirling the ball. Zach joined them, and the four made their way inside together.
Henry caught sight of Laney and jogged over. “Hey. We could have used you earlier.”
Laney grinned. “I wish I had come earlier. Did you see Danny?”
Henry’s grin was huge. “Yup. Even if he wasn’t on my team, he was awesome.”
Jen joined them. “Hey. I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“Well, I wanted to let you guys know I’m heading out of town.”
Henry frowned. “Why?”
She explained Matt’s idea about Aaliyah and the missing persons report.
“When are you leaving?” Henry asked after a glance at Jen.
“In an hour. It’s just going to be me and Kai at this point.” She turned to Jen. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to come too.”
Laney had told her last night about the phone conversation with Aaliyah, and more importantly, what she’d found out on Vanessa Rutledge. Laney had asked her what she wanted to do, but all Jen had said was she needed some time.
Jen met Laney’s gaze. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to come. But I wanted to let you know, in case you wanted to speak with her.”
Henry stepped closer to Jen. “It may be your only chance.”
“She hasn’t wanted anything to do with me for twenty years,” Jen said quietly.
“No. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t owed answers,” Henry said.
“I… I just don’t know.”
“Well, I don’t mean to rush you,” Laney said, “but we’ll be taking off in an hour.”
“Well…” Jen hesitated. “I’ll think about it. But don’t wait for me, okay?” She turned and headed inside.
Henry watched her go. “This is really hard for her.”
“I know. She keeps everything bottled up. And she’s strong. But this? “ Laney shook her head. “I don’t know how you wrap your head around something like this.”
“I’ll talk to her. I think she should go. She needs to close this door.” He went after Jen.
Laney watched her strong brother head after the woman he loved. Life might have closed a door for Jen when her mother left, but it had certainly opened another incredible one when it gave her Henry.
Blowing out a breath, Laney headed back to her car. She needed to get moving. She had to pick up Kai and head out. And for once, it wasn’t life and death. She was just heading for a tropical island to check on a friend.
What could possibly go wrong?
CHAPTER 34
The airport was quiet as Jake pulled to a stop next to the plane. Kai leaned forward from the back. “We’re taking that?”
Ahead of them stood the Chandler Lear jet. Laney smiled, remembering her own reaction the first time she’d flown in a private jet. “Yup.”
Kai grinned.
As they got out of the car, Laney said, “Why don’t you go check it out? I’ll be in in a minute.”
Kai needed no further urging. He headed for the plane, a spring in his step.
Laney looked around but saw no sign of Jen.
“Are you going to wait?” Jake asked.
Laney shrugged. “I don’t know. I know it’s a big decision. And I know she also doesn’t want to leave Lou right now. But I wish she’d come. I think she’ll regret it if she doesn’t.”
“What are the chances that Jen’s mom is in Honu Keiki?”
“Well, I certainly don’t think it’s a coincidence. We keep coming across more and more of these ‘coincidences,’ and the more we do, the more I think there’s a plan underneath it all.”
Jake looked out over the horizon before turning back to Laney. “So, you’re off to a Hawaiian island without me. I’m going to be petty and hope it rains.”
Laney laughed. “Don’t worry—I promise to have no fun whatsoever.”
Jake pulled her in for a hug. Laney hugged him back. There was no passion in it like before, but there was the comfort of a good friend, and the change made her feel a pang of loss. As she pulled away, a thin line of electricity ran over her skin.
She t
urned to see Henry and Jen pulling up. Jen stepped out of the car, and Laney walked over and hugged her. “I’m glad you’re coming.”
“Me too. I think.”
“You ready for this?” Laney asked.
Jen nodded. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 35
When they were settled in the cabin, Laney contacted the pilot and let them know they were ready to go. Then she turned to Kai. “Kai, this is Jen Witt, a good friend and a Chandler operative.”
Jen raised an eyebrow at the last part of Laney’s description. But Laney just shrugged. Explaining that Jen was a nephilim who helped Laney in the fight against the Fallen just seemed a little too much for a casual introduction.
Kai extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Kai here lived on Malama until recently,” Laney explained.
“Really?” Jen asked.
Kai nodded. “Malama Island is without a doubt the most beautiful spot in the world.” There was a wistfulness in his tone that was impossible to miss.
Laney kept her face expressionless. “When we arrive, we’ll most likely have to deal with Vanessa, her being the head of security. What can you tell us about her?”
Jen tensed and leaned forward.
“She is…” Kai paused. “A hard woman. She’s strong, focused, devoted to the priestess.”
“Is there any chance she would willingly share information on Aaliyah?” Laney asked.
Kai shook his head. “Not without an order from the priestess.”
“What’s she like? Outside her position?” Jen asked.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen her outside of her position. They are one and the same. She is always the head of the Guard.”
“Does she have any family? Husband, children?” Laney asked.
“No. She’s had two children, but in accordance with our customs, she does not raise them.”
Jen paled. “Two?”
Kai didn’t appear to notice Jen’s reaction. “Yes.” He frowned. “She actually did leave the island for a few years. I’m not sure why. When she returned, her child was not with her.”
Laney wanted to reach out for Jen, but she also wanted to keep Kai talking, and she worried he’d be more careful with his answers if he knew why Jen was interested. Not that she thought he was trying to keep anything from Jen, but from what Laney could tell, he was a kind man. He would want to spare Jen the pain.
“And the other child? She doesn’t raise her?” Jen asked.
Kai shook his head. “No. And I think the child is better off for it. She is a remarkable young lady.”
“You know her?” Laney knew about the Honu Keiki tradition of having the children raised by someone other than the biological parents, but for some reason, she had thought it was done in secret—that no one knew what child went with what family. But now that she thought about it, she supposed that would be impossible with such a small community.
Kai smiled. “Oh, yes. Noriko is wonderful. Aaliyah has raised her.”
Laney sat back, stunned. Noriko—the young woman who had saved Lou. The woman who Lou thought could speak with Cleo.
Jen must have been thinking much the same thing, because her mouth hung open as she stared at Kai.
He looked between the two of them. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no,” Laney said quickly. “Noriko—we’ve heard of her is all.”
“Aaliyah is very proud of her. I’m not surprised she’s spoken of her.”
Laney let him think that was how they knew of her, but her mind was spinning. Vanessa had two daughters. So Jen wasn’t just going to meet her biological mother. She was going to meet her sister as well.
CHAPTER 36
The flight to Hawaii was long but uneventful. They all fell asleep, and before Laney knew it they were in Maui, speaking with the chief of police. Kai swore out his missing persons report, and two hours after they landed they were in a police chopper heading for Malama Island.
Laney enjoyed the incredible landscape as they passed. The ten square miles of Makanalua Peninsula sat beneath the world’s highest sea cliffs. The peninsula had once been the site of a leprosy colony that was created in the mid nineteenth century. The last victims had survived until the 1940s, when a treatment was discovered, removing the contagious nature of the disease.
As Laney stared at the barren land, she imagined how isolated the people here must have felt. Leprosy was in essence a bacterial infection that resulted in open sores and nerve damage in the legs and arms. The earliest records of the disease went back to 600 BC, and cases were seen across the globe. The afflicted were ostracized from friends and family due to the high contagion rate. But by the year 2000, leprosy touched less than one in ten thousand people and was easily controlled.
Soon they were once again flying out over the beautiful blue ocean.
“There,” Kai said, looking out the window. Ahead, a large island stood alone. Dark black volcanic rock could be seen at the edge near the sea, but beyond that it was a lush picture of green: palm trees, tall grasses, colorful flowers.
“It’s beautiful,” Jen said.
Kai nodded, pride and longing on his face. “Yes. It is.”
The chopper flew closer, and Laney leaned over to Jen. “Do you realize we’re actually landing in the chopper? That’s new for us.”
Jen gave a soft laugh. “Well if you want, we can leap from it when we’re about fifty feet up.”
“Tempting. But I suppose we should play it conservative.”
“You’re no fun.”
As they approached, the pilot looked back at Laney. “You want to hail them?”
“Will do.” Laney reached for the radio. “Attention Honu Keiki, this is Agent Delaney McPhearson with the SIA. We request landing to search for a missing person.”
A reply was returned only a moment later. “Negative, Agent. Permission is not granted.”
“Well, the ‘request’ was really me being polite. We will be landing, and we will be conducting a search. McPhearson out.” She put the radio back.
“So, we’re not trying to make friends, I see,” Jen said dryly.
“What? I was being nice. They’re the ones not interested in friends.” She turned to Kai. “What kind of response will we receive when we land?”
“I’m not sure. No one has ever arrived without permission before.”
Laney sighed. “Oh, goody, we’re breaking new ground. Well, when we arrive, let Jen and I handle it. You stay in the chopper until we signal you. All right?”
Kai nodded.
“Here we go,” the pilot announced.
Kai had already explained that there was an open field to the west of the residential areas. That’s where they planned on landing. Laney said a small prayer as they headed in.
The chopper flew above homes and what looked like a step pyramid that would not have been out of place in Egypt. People looked up in surprise, but Laney saw no alarm in their faces, only curiosity. Yet as they set down in the field, a dozen individuals in dark uniforms burst from the trees, guns aimed at the chopper.
“Laney,” Jen said.
“I see them.” She turned to Kai. “Stay here.” To the pilot she said, “If this gets dicey, get yourself and Kai out of here. If they don’t shoot us, we’ll see you in three hours.”
The pilot nodded at the unfriendly group approaching the landing area. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, but keep your radio on.”
“Let’s go.” Jen pushed open the door. Laney was out right behind her.
Vanessa strode across the field, her dark eyes flashing. “You have violated the grounds of Honu Keiki—”
Laney cut her off. “We’re here on official government business. If you don’t step back, you’ll all be under arrest.”
Vanessa smirked. “And how do you plan on arresting us all?”
Laney kept her gaze on Vanessa as lightning bolts struck the ground on either side of the group. “I have my
ways.”
Vanessa stared her down before waving at her guards. “Put your weapons away. The agents are allowed here.”
Slowly, and looking awfully confused, the guards lowered their weapons.
Laney smiled. “Gee, thanks Vanessa. How kind of you.” To Jen she whispered, “What do you think?”
Jen’s eyes were fixed on the guards. “I think I can take anyone who twitches toward their weapon.”
“Kai,” Laney called, keeping her back to the chopper. Kai stepped out and walked around. His appearance caused another stir among the guards.
Vanessa’s face turned red. “This man has been exiled from our land for violations against the community! How dare you bring him here?”
Laney ignored her. “You all right?” she asked Kai.
He nodded, but his eyes were glued to one of the guards, who stared back with wide eyes.
“Kai? Who is that?” Laney asked softly.
“That’s my son. Oasu.”
I wasn’t expecting that.
Laney walked straight up to Kai’s son. “You. I think it would be best if a guard accompanied us. You’ve been drafted.”
“Um, I—” Oasu’s gaze shifted between Vanessa and his father.
“Absolutely not,” Vanessa said.
Laney ignored her. “Which way to the temple?”
Vanessa spluttered, but Laney didn’t give a damn that the woman was looking powerless in front of her squad.
“Uh, this way,” Oasu said.
“Kai, why don’t you lead up front with Oasu? After all, you two know this place better than we do.”
Kai quickly stepped up next to his son, and they began to walk. Laney and Jen fell in step behind them. Vanessa stayed where she was, and Laney could feel the holes being burned into her back.
Jen leaned in toward Laney. “Guarding their backs in case Vanessa attempts to attack?”
“Something like that.” Laney looked over her shoulder, but Vanessa remained where she was. Although if looks could kill…
“Are you okay?” Laney asked.
“I don’t know. When I saw her, I recognized her. But when she began to speak…” Jen shrugged. “I guess I’m beginning to see how lucky I really am.”