by R. D. Brady
Maldonado appeared in the doorway. “The council is reconvening.”
Drake grinned down at her. “Time to get back in there, champ.”
“I hate you.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “Nope, you just wish you did.”
Chapter 50
An hour into the resumption of the meeting, Laney was ready to start beating her head against the table. One of the men from the DIA was speaking.
“I think we should table this discussion until next week. Once we’ve done some research, we can have a clearer picture of what our next steps should be.”
“Next week?” Laney said. “Do you know how much damage Elisabeta will do in that time? That Sudan tape is only a taste of what she is capable of.”
The faces around the table all showed various shades of skepticism, if not outright derision. And Laney realized if she hadn’t had the benefit of her extensive educational background, the knowledge of her uncle and mother, as well as all her experiences, she’d probably be just as skeptical. She really did not know how to get across to them just how quickly they needed to fall in line.
“Look, I realize this is a lot. But if you could just keep your minds open to the idea that humanity’s history is a little more involved than you realize, it would save us a lot of time and lives.”
Already one of the men down the table was shaking his head. He was the four-term senator from Oklahoma, Brad Cockburn. “I cannot listen to this nonsense any longer. It’s blasphemy. Anyone who has read their Bible as I have knows God would never allow such a thing. As for everything else, it is very clear that the Earth is only ten thousand years old.”
Laney stared at the man, wishing he was joking but knowing he was absolutely serious. His anti-science bias was well known, as was his strict interpretation of the Bible.
And Laney had no response for the man. After all, what did you say to a man who viewed science with the same reliability as horoscopes or tea leaves?
Reyes stood up at the head of the table. “I’m going to play the video again. Perhaps it will help address some of our issues.”
The second viewing of the video was no less brutal than the first viewing, but honestly, Laney had seen worse. Elisabeta really did seem to love that hand through the chest thing. Reyes had it played four times, slowing it down for the last two so they could see exactly what Elisabeta was doing.
After the fourth viewing, Reyes had turned to the table. “Now the question is, what do we do about her?”
That had been an hour ago, and the only thing the people at the table had managed to accomplish was the formation of a dull headache behind her eyes.
“Look, I’m a lay-my-cards-on-the-table kind of guy,” said Bart Shremp, senator from Minnesota and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Laney tried not to roll her eyes. She found that when people said something along those lines, it was just an excuse to be rude as hell.
Shremp pushed the file in front of him toward the center of the table. The file had been given to every individual at the table. It contained a background on Samyaza, fallen angels, Nephilim, and the ring bearer. It had been a shock to see it all laid out in black and white like that. But Laney could also see how fantastical it would appear as well.
Shremp continued. “And I just don’t buy any of this. I mean, fallen angels? A magical ring? Come on. This isn’t some Hollywood movie. This is real life, and there needs to be a real explanation for what we’re seeing. A new drug that enhances speed, strength, and other attributes. We know the Chinese have been working on something along those lines, and God knows the Russian are always trying to get a physical edge. Have we explored all those possibilities?”
“Explored and ruled out,” Reyes said.
“Still, I don’t think ‘angels’ is the answer we want to go public with.”
This was a complete waste of time. If they didn’t acknowledge the threat for what it was, they were never going to be able to combat it. She’d heard variations of Shremp’s argument over the last hour. Obviously none of these people were going to accept what was happening. Laney had tried to offer her views, but she’d been talked over. Shremp was just the last straw amongst a group of really annoying straws.
She stood up. “Well, thanks for the invite, gentlemen, but I think I’ve heard enough.”
“Where are you going?” Cliff Kinney from the NSA demanded.
“Back to Baltimore, where I can be of some use.” She looked around the table. “You are letting your doubts interfere with what you have seen. In fact, one of you even has a Nephilim on your staff, and I’m guessing you are fully aware of their capabilities.”
Laney was careful to look around the table at everyone, so as not to single out Maldonado. “You are sitting here arguing because you are scared. But we don’t have time for that. You just saw Elisabeta put her first through a man’s chest, and yet we are going back to the argument about whether or not people like her exist. News flash: They do. I do. So if you want to sit here and play ‘are they or aren’t they?’ I’m out.”
Shremp’s face reddened as his eyes narrowed. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
“I’m the ring bearer. I am the one chosen to hold back the tide against the Fallen. So you guys can either fall in line or get out of my way.”
“You have no authority to act—”
Laney laughed. “Do you realize what I have been doing for the last few years? You people are just learning about the Fallen, but you’ve known about them longer, haven’t you? I’m betting there are files hidden away in government offices, aren’t there?” She stared right at the director of the CIA, who met her gaze without blinking. “You have chosen to keep yourselves in the dark. Fine. But people are going to die while you debate.”
She turned for the door.
“Dr. McPhearson,” Reyes called.
She turned slowly back to the table.
“I am sure it took you some time to adjust to learning that these people existed. You didn’t just accept—”
“I learned when they killed one of my best friends and then attacked me in my home. I didn’t have the luxury of denying what was right in front of me.” She looked around the room. “You think you are safe down here in your little war room. And perhaps you are, but the people in Israel weren’t safe. The people in Australia weren’t safe.” Images of Kati, Maddox, and Zach wafted through her mind. “And there are countless others who weren’t safe. And if you won’t take the steps necessary, I will.”
Laney headed for the door.
“And what if we tell you that you are not allowed? We can stop you, Dr. McPhearson,” Shremp yelled.
Laney didn’t stop walking as the lights in the room blinked, the monitors winking on and off. The double doors blew open with a huge gust of wind that curved around Laney and into the sides of the room. “You can try.”
Chapter 51
Laney strode down the hallway toward the elevators. The two guards by the door stared at her and back into the room, not sure what they were supposed to do.
Drake was leaning against the wall outside the conference room, looking completely unconcerned, his feet crossed over one another. He raised an eyebrow as she approached. “So I take it we are no longer trying the diplomatic approach?”
“No, we are not.”
Drake cracked his knuckles. “Think they’ll let us out of the building?”
Laney stabbed the elevator button. “Not sure.”
Running feet sounded behind them. Laney whirled around, her power on a short leash, ready to bowl down anyone who was going to try to stop them.
Fielding and Maldonado came to a sliding halt, their hands up.
“And what do you two want?” Drake asked, keeping his gaze on the Nephilim.
“The task force asked that you come back to the conference room,” Maldonado said.
Drake snorted. “Tell them they can stuff their requests up their collective—”
Fielding cut in. “Elisabeta made her move.”
Laney went still. “Where?”
“Calevitnia. She invaded the country. It is under her control now.”
“She took over a country?” Drake asked. “That was fast.”
Laney frowned, trying to place the name. “Calevitnia. It’s a Russian satellite, right?”
Fielding nodded. “Yes. It achieved independence in 1991.”
Drake frowned. “Why would she want some piddly little eastern European country?”
But Laney was afraid she already knew. “Loose nukes.”
Fielding nodded.
Loose nukes, or unsecured Russian nuclear warheads, were a politically sensitive and world-concerning problem. Prior to 1991, there were 27,000 nuclear warheads in the former Soviet Union and enough plutonium and uranium to make three times that amount. After the fall, the security of those weapons and elements was a serious concern, in both Russia and the former Soviet states.
The Soviet states that broke away that had nuclear weapons within their borders returned their weapons, although they maintained their stockpiles of uranium and plutonium. There’d been over 100 reported cases of nuclear smuggling incidents since 1993. But there had always been suspicions that some of the governments had kept their nuclear weapons intact.
“Calevitnia has nuclear weapons, doesn’t it?”
Fielding nodded. “According to our reports, they have twelve silos.”
Laney closed her eyes. Oh God.
Drake put a hand on Laney’s shoulder. “But that’s not everything is it, Captain?”
He shook his head. “No. She sent a message.”
“A message? To who?”
“The governments of the world.” Fielding paused. “And it involves you.”
Laney struggled not to groan. Of course it does.
Chapter 52
As Laney walked back into the control room, the first thing she saw was Elisabeta framed in the center of the screens. She sat on a red velvet chair between two ornate white columns. The chair contrasted nicely with her white suit; her dark hair was pulled back into a chignon. There was even a china cup and saucer on the antique table next to her. She looked the picture of cultured sophistication. A smile was on her face, and for once it reached her eyes.
Laney approached the conference table but did not sit. Drake stood at her side. “When and where was this posted?”
Shremp pointed a finger at Drake. “He is not permitted in here. Guards, get—”
“He stays.” Laney’s voice brokered no argument, and Shremp wisely shut up. Drake gave him a little wave.
“An hour ago, and on YouTube, believe it or not,” Fielding said.
Laney believed it. There was no longer a need to gather a press corps together to release news. The Internet had a myriad of sites that were highly monitored. And Elisabeta and Delaney were hot topics right now. Laney was surprised it took an hour for it to go viral.
“Is it still on the site?”
“No, but it’s been copied and posted on at least another two dozen sites we know of. The cat’s out of the bag.”
Laney sighed. “Right. Well, let’s see what the cat has to say.”
The captain gestured to an analyst. Elisabeta’s image sprang to life.
Elisabeta inclined her head. “Most of you should know who I am. But for those of you who don’t, my name in this lifetime is Elisabeta Roccorio. I am part of the Roccorio family of Italy, a long and illustrious line of financially beneficial positions and titles. I have been lauded for my philanthropic endeavors across the globe.
“But none of that is important, because you see, that person, Elisabeta, is merely one identity in a myriad of lifetimes. For my true name, my true role in this world, is Samyaza, the leader of the Fallen.”
Laney’s jaw fell open. She never expected Elisabeta to come out and own her identity like that. A chill fell over her, knowing that that reveal had nothing to do with feeding Elisabeta’s ego. No, there was some larger strategy at play, and Laney had an inkling that she might know what it was. She prayed she was wrong.
“For those of you who have forgotten your history, you humans were once a bunch of sheep, walking around without a focus, without a goal. We Fallen provided you with that goal and the means to achieve it. We made you better.”
Laney curled her fists. You mean you tapped into our violent impulses and hate.
Elisabeta spread her arms wide. “All you have now, all your great accomplishments, are due to the intervention of my people, the people I led to you at great personal cost. You have seen the clips of what my people can do. But that is just a taste of our abilities—speed, strength, healing almost instantaneously from what would be mortal wounds for a human. To my brothers and sisters that are hidden in the shadows, I call on you to join us and take your rightful place above the humans. To you humans, no longer will we pretend you are our equals. You are ants underneath our shoes.”
She leaned forward slightly. “We are gods amongst you.” She stared right into the camera, her tone cold. “And it is time for you to pay your tribute.”
“I demand that the governments of the world turn over control of their treasuries, weapons, and armies to me. I have in my possession twelve nuclear weapons. If you do not acquiesce to my demands, I will annihilate one critical city every day until they are met. And I will let my troops run free, showing you exactly how powerless you are.
“You have twenty-four hours to comply.”
Elisabeta paused with a smile. “Of course, the pain and devastation can be avoided. You simply have to hand over your resources to me. Oh, and there is one more thing I will require.”
Drake took Laney’s hand.
“I want Delaney McPhearson at my feet. Provide her to me, and I will grant you an additional twenty-four hours to get your affairs in order.”
She smiled one more time, and the screen went black.
Chapter 53
Laney stared at the screen, stunned. She’d known Elisabeta would make a move, but not on this level. This . . . This was insane. The world would never hand over all of its control to her.
“She will do it,” Drake said quietly next to her. “She will destroy as much as she can with the weapons at her disposal, and when the world is reeling from the devastation, she will step in and take it all anyway.”
Laney looked at Fielding, who had stepped up next to her. “What is the task force’s response?”
“The United States does not negotiate with terrorists.”
Laney turned to look over the men at the table. “She will do what she says.”
The chairman of the joint chiefs narrowed his eyes. “We have the might of United States military behind us as well as the might of all the worlds’ governments. She will not be able to stand against all of us. We will strike her down before she has a chance to strike at us.”
“And if that doesn’t work?” Laney asked.
“She’s enhanced, not indestructible,” Reyes said. “We will bomb each of the nuclear sites. Bury the weapons under a mountain of earth. They will never be able to be used.”
“She will count on you doing that. She will have planned for it,” Laney said.
Shremp scoffed. “You give her too much credit.”
“You don’t give her enough. You need to think this through. She will—”
Reyes cut her off. “You were invited back as a courtesy. You know the threat against you. We are placing you under government protection.”
“I decline.”
“Fine,” Shremp spit out. “It’s your head you risk.”
Laney turned and walked out, careful to keep her steps confident, because she knew the senator was wrong.
It wasn’t just her head she risked.
It was everyone’s.
Drake strode next to her down the hall. He said nothing, and Laney didn’t either. The entire elevator ride up to the surface was silent as well. Nor did either speak as they stepped outside into
the bright sunlight. She blinked at the light as her mind turned over every possible option, looking for a way to prevent Samyaza from unleashing her plan of destruction. But she could not come up with one. All she could do was buy them more time.
She glanced over at Drake, who had stopped walking, his jaw set. “You’re awfully quiet.” He glared at her. She reared back. “What did I do?”
“It’s not what you’ve done. It’s what you’re planning on doing.”
“I haven’t told you what I’m—”
“You are planning on sacrificing your life to buy the rest of the world more time to come up with a plan that will not work.” He clamped his mouth shut, speaking through gritted teeth. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
She opened her mouth, then looked away.
“God damn it. Why do you do this? Why do you always have to be the one who sacrifices everything?”
“Who else is there?” she yelled back. “Who else has a shot at giving the world even the slimmest of chances of surviving this? She will enslave them all, at least the ones who survive, the ones who don’t die immediately or through the effects of the radiation.”
“The government will bomb the missile silos. The weapons will be useless.”
Laney laughed, but there was no joy in it. “Please. She is always ten steps ahead. Do you honestly think she hasn’t thought of that? She hasn’t planned for that? She knows exactly how they will respond to her threat.”
“But that doesn’t mean you have to throw yourself on the altar to be willingly sacrificed.”
“People will die! Thousands of people!”
“People die every day! Volunteering to be one of them is not a plan. It is what she wants!”
“So what the hell am I supposed to do? Let people die so that I don’t?”
“Yes,” Drake said, his voice rising. “You are the general. You are the one leading the fight against her. Yes, you damn well should sacrifice other people in the battles so you can win the war. Because if you are not here, if you are not the last one standing when the final fight comes, humanity has no chance!”