“Based on all these facts, I would say that the organization is highly protective of its own men. They would be ruthless and cruel if one of there is own was threatened, and they would go to extreme lengths and violence to protect their people. Not only that, since it’s about rebirth and procreation, they would constantly be expanding, increasing their numbers. And of course, it might refer to a protector – like Wadjet – watching over them all and ensuring their security,” Danny said.
“Do you think you can do a detailed analysis and send me a report?” Alex asked. “See if you can find out if anyone has seen any symbol like this?”
“Alright,” he said. “I will ask my colleagues and see if they know anyone associated with the symbol. Now, I would suggest you be careful, Alex. I don’t know much, but from what little you told me, I am worried about you.”
“I will,” Alex said absentmindedly.
“Look, I have to go now, but why don’t you drop by for lunch someday?” Danny said, getting up. “Or dinner? I would love to have you there, and I know Hillary would like to see you.”
“Hmm,” Alex said, not really listening.
Danny looked at him for a minute and then sighed.
“Be careful, Alex,” he said, stepping out of the door. “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
Thirteen
The Housewarming Gift
“Go over this report,” Alex said, throwing the files toward Evans as the two of them marched down the street. “This is Danny’s interpretation of what the tattoo means – learn it.”
“How is this going to help us find about the organization?” Evans asked.
“Know thy enemy,” Alex said as Evans struggled to match his long strides. “Symbolism is important. Often, it tells you a lot about your enemies. This will tell you exactly what their organization stands for, what they believe in. The better you understand your enemy, the better you can act against them. And when it comes to understanding, it’s not just physical – knowing the numbers or their connections is great. But understanding the psychological reasoning behind their actions will really help you move forward.”
“Alright, and why are we marching down the street?” he asked.
“Because I am hungry,” Alex said. “And the place down here makes the best tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich in the world.”
With that, he ducked into a small shop, empty except for an old Asian woman standing behind the desk.
“Hi,” Alex said, making his way to a table. “One tomato soup, and one grilled cheese, and one tea.”
“Nothing for me,” Evans said as the woman looked at him questioningly.
“Sit,” Alex said, gesturing to the seat in front of him. “The food here is great, but that’s not all. This place is always empty, so it’s wonderful for secret discussions. Now listen, and listen closely, Crow knows something. Something he is not telling us. I am sure he has reasons to believe that this organization is a lot more dangerous than you and I think, and I think he might have evidence to prove it. Now, he won’t tell us anything, and I am certain it is rather important. I tried pushing him, but it didn’t work, which means that the information he has is so sensitive that he can’t trust even me with it. This means that this organization is linked to something massive – something that is out of our league. Crow is desperate for results, and he is crapping his pants right now. The people above him are even more desperate, which means we need to find this organization now. I am going to give you a list of names –.”
“But –,” Evan interrupted.
“Shush,” Alex said, cutting him off. “Approach these people, but not as a Detective. In front of each name is their address. Go to them in plain clothes, tell no one you are an agent, and pass them a picture of the tattoo and say the words ‘little bird.’ That’s it. Don’t tell anyone about this. Don’t even hint about this to anyone, yea? Keep this between us, and once you are done, burn the list.”
“I don’t understand; who are these people?” Evans asked.
“You said you wanted to learn, eh?” Alex asked.
Evans gave a short nod, and Alex leaned over and whispered, “Well, your first lesson, do as you are told. When it is time, I will tell you everything. Now, for God’s sake, just hurry. Get out there and do as I asked; I will explain everything later, I promise.”
Evans stared at Alex for a minute, and Alex wondered if he was going to defy his orders. A lot of his partners didn’t like it when he did things like this and didn’t offer them an explanation. Especially when the things he was asking them to do were illegal.
“Fine,” Evans said, getting up. “Enjoy your grilled cheese.”
“Good man,” Alex said, relaxing in his chair.
Now, it was just a waiting game.
__
Alex parked the car in the handicap zone, caring little about what would happen if he was caught. The way he saw it, there was no parking around his building. Since Alex lived here, he felt he got first dibs on all the parking here. Plus, he didn’t have the energy to go around looking for a spot and then walk all the way to his building. He made his way up the flight of stairs – the elevator had been broken ever since he moved into the building. Halfway up the stairs, he started to cough and feel out of breath. Maybe all this smoking was actually starting to affect his health. The doctor had warned him that he was treading dangerously close to developing a chronic disease, but Alex was past the point where he cared about his own self. He wasn’t afraid of dying anymore, not after what happened with Gina.
He reached his floor, and heaving a sigh, he put the key in the lock and turned it. The door swung open, and Alex was greeted with a terrible sight. The entire apartment was a complete and utter mess. The drawers had been pulled out and thrown on the floor, all his cushions and pillows completely slashed and torn, and a trail of blood leading him into his bedroom.
He followed it, his hand holding onto the gun under his coat. His senses alert, he made his way into his bedroom and then froze. A rat lay in his bed, the head cut off and its blood all over his sheets. On the wall, the Eye of Ra and the cobra were drawn in blood. The message was clear. If Alex threatened them in any way, that would be his fate.
At that moment, his phone started to ring, and with a trembling hand, he reached down to take it out.
“Agent Payne here,” he said, still gazing at the sign.
“Alex,” a voice said, shaking badly. “It’s Alyssa. Come home, please. Come home, now.”
Fourteen
Broken Hearts and Broken Minds
“I can’t believe this,” Alyssa said. “I mean, I met him just yesterday. He recognized me, and he hugged me. He even recognized little Johnny and Paul. He was bright and laughing and talking about our childhood. And now, he is just gone.”
Alex looked at his father, staring into the distance with a lost expression on his face.
“He doesn’t remember anything?” Alex asked his sister.
“When he woke up in the morning, he usually didn’t even remember Mom,” Alyssa said. “But his memory would always return to him. Even if he didn’t remember any of us, he always remembered her. And today, he doesn’t even know who she is. It’s been hours like this, and I really don’t think he is coming back this time, Alex.”
“How’s mom?” Alex asked.
“How do you think?” she said. “Those two loved each other like crazy. Can you imagine what she is going through? I love Paul, he is a good husband, but compared to the love mom and dad for each other, the one I have for Paul seems so insignificant.”
Alex knew exactly what she meant. Both his parents have always been crazy in love with each other. They had met each other when she was a teacher at a local school, and he was in the air force as a fighter pilot. He saw her one day while doing a tour of the local schools. He had fallen in love with her at first sight, and so had she, but she had played hard to get. Of course, things are never that easy. As his father had pursued his mother, he met a
fatal accident during one of the plane testings, and as a result, had been seriously injured. When Alex’s mother had found out, she searched hospital after hospital for days on end until she had found him, after which she nursed him back to health. They had been together ever since, and neither could last longer than few hours without seeing the other.
In fact, his father would drive all the way back home during lunch break so he could meet her before going all the way back. Alex sighed, knowing how hard this was on her. The man she loved with all her being didn’t remember her anymore.
“I am going to go and check on Johnny,” Alyssa said. “He still wakes up every couple of hours.”
With that, she walked away to check on her baby, and Alex made his way to his mother’s room.
“Mom?” he asked, knocking. He opened the door and walked in to find his mother sitting alone on the bed, tears in her eyes and a picture in her hands.
“He told me he would love me forever,” she said, looking up at Alex. “We don’t realize it, but forever is a long time. A really long time – an almost impossible amount.”
Alex sat down next to her, looking at the picture she was holding. It was from their wedding day, and his mother stood there, a huge grin on her face in her white dress. His father looked extremely handsome standing next to her, dressed in his air force uniform.
“He still loves you,” Alex said. “He just doesn’t remember it.”
“I know,” she said, clutching the picture to her chest. “I know. I just wish I could have said goodbye. I don’t think he is coming back this time, Alex.”
“I am sorry,” Alex said. “Do you want me to come live with you? I can help you with dad and –.”
“You are a good boy, Alex,” she said softly. “And I know you understand my pain the best of all. I am just sad that my son had to go through all that at such a young age. At least I got fifty years with your father. You barely got a few years with her.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Alex said.
His mom put her hand on his cheek, consoling him silently.
“I will be fine,” she said. “He might not remember it, but I remember the vows he and I made. I told him I would be there with him, no matter what. If I need your help, I will tell you. But you have your own life and your work. Don’t worry; I will handle this. My love for him will see me through.”
With that, she got up and wiped her tears before setting down the picture near her bed. Then she turned around and walked out of the room. Alex sighed, and he was craving a drink.
He walked out of the room and toward his dad, who was still looking out of the window.
“Hey, Dad,” he said softly.
The man that looked back at him wasn’t his father. Physically he was, but mentally, he was gone. The eyes that looked back at him were vacant, no recognition, no love inside them.
“Who are you?” he croaked, and Alex gave a small smile.
“I am your son,” he said. “I am Alex.”
The panicked look in his father’s eyes was more than enough to shake him.
“I don’t know you,” his father gasped. “I don’t remember you. I am trying. I am trying to remember but –.”
“It’s okay,” Alex said softly. “Don’t worry about it. Would you like some tea?”
His father nodded, and Alex got up from his chair. Reminding his father of anything wouldn’t help; he knew that now. The look he had seen in his eyes, the desperation of trying to remember but drawing a blank. He was surrounded by people he didn’t know, people who claimed to know him, but he didn’t remember anything. That helplessness, that distress, that anxiety; it was all too much for Alex to see.
“Did you see him?” Alyssa asked as he made his way into the kitchen. “I tried to convince Mom to send him to a special home, but –.”
“No,” Alex said softly. “Let him stay. She loves him, and if we take him away from her, it will just cause her even more misery. Don’t do that to her. Don’t take him away from her.”
“Yea, well,” she said. “I don’t think she will let us take him away either. She would fight tooth and nail if anyone even tried.”
Alex’s phone started to ring, and he sighed, answering it.
“Agent Payne,” he said. As the voice answered from the other side, he began to listen closely.
“Yea,” he said softly. “I can meet you. Send me the address.”
With that, he shut the phone and slipped it back into his pocket.
“Duty calls?” Alyssa asked.
“Something like that,” he said thoughtfully. “Look after Mom, yea? I will come whenever I have time between cases. Let me know if it gets too tiring, and I will take over. I am here, Alyssa; you can rely on me.”
“And you will swoop in to save me?” Alyssa whispered. “Like all those years ago?”
Alex looked her in the eye, the memory flashing before his eyes.
“Yes,” he said. “Like all those years ago.”
Fifteen
Blood and Death
The city was abuzz as Alex walked down the dark streets. Even at this time of the night, there were cars shooting by him, and the sidewalk was littered with people. Many of them were coming out of clubs drunk and holding onto each other to prevent themselves from falling. They got into taxis, laughing and dancing to the music only they could hear. Some of them were throwing up on the sides of the streets. Others were passed out in the corner. Alex knew he could have driven to his destination, but he had too much going on in his life right now, and he really could use some fresh air.
So, he had decided to go for a walk instead, taking in the night air and allowing himself time to think and sort his thoughts. As he continued walking, turning into dark alleys, the sights around him changed. From posh girls coming out of the club, he now saw skanky women dressed in cheap dresses. He saw men piss drunk and barely able to stand as they vomited in the corner. He saw people gambling, losing, and then being thrown out of the shady establishments.
“Hey, handsome,” a voice called out to him. “Fancy a good time?”
Alex looked at the blond girl, dressed in a glittery dress and high heels. Her mascara was smeared, and her lipstick ruined. Her eyes were bloodshot, and Alex wondered what drugs she was on.
He took out a few dollars and handed it to her, and she smiled at him.
“Well, that will buy you an hour,” she said softly.
“Get yourself some food,” Alex said before walking away from her. He had no intention of sleeping with her, and he doubted she would use the money for food. She would probably just get more drugs, and Alex sighed to himself at the thought.
He turned another corner, entering a quiet alleyway surrounded by tall, desolate buildings. He stopped there, lighting a cigarette and letting out a low whistle.
A low whistle echoed in reply, and a man stepped out from the shadows.
“Little bird,” Alex said softly. “What do you have for me.”
“I know something about what you are looking for,” the man said. “I looked at the tattoo, and I knew a few men who have it. They belong to a certain group, but not much is known about it.”
Alex put his hand in his pocket, withdrawing a huge wad of money and passing it to him. Not many people knew about it, but Alex had good connections in the criminal world. Not just the local gangs and thieves, but he had a network of spies who were here from other countries. Normally, they would be hunted and killed. But some of them were known by the FBI and used to get information. As long as the spies never revealed anything of importance to their enemies – or nothing that the FBI wanted to be kept secret, anyway – they were allowed to live, provided they give information in return.
“Alright,” he said. “Listen. It’s not some ordinary gang. It’s a whole damn mafia involved in shady dealings that I don’t know about. They are very exclusive. All the members are carefully vetted before they get in, and everyone is loyal to their boss. They go out of their way to make sure
no one finds out about their identity. There are whispers of their existence, but no one knows anything.”
“That’s a huge sum of money I gave you,” Alex said. “And your information is useless.”
“Alright, fine,” he said. “I know more. They are –.”
Suddenly, a loud shot rang out, and Alex watched in shock as a spot of blood appeared on the man’s clothes. The blood continued to spread through his shirt, and a second later, the man collapsed.
For one crucial minute, Alex was unable to move, completely frozen. And then he grabbed his walkie-talkie, barking out the orders.
“Close off all avenues near Gilmore street,” he said. “Someone has shot our informant. Surround the place, and don’t let anyone escape!”
He turned back to look at the dead body in front of him and ran toward him. He kneeled down and saw that man was gasping, his eyes barely open. He was trying to say something, and Alex leaned down to hear him.
“Armageddon,” he gasped out. “Armageddon –.”
With that last word, he died. His last breath left him, his vacant eyes staring at the starless sky above.
“Damn it!” Alex shouted. “Damn it all!”
He closed the poor man’s eyes and sighed, completely exhausted from the day’s event. He felt angry and frustrated. No matter how hard he tried, this group kept slipping through his fingers.
“Armageddon,” he whispered to him. “I am coming after you. And I won’t stop unless you kill me.”
Sixteen
More Questions
“Alex, what the hell is going on here?” Crow said. “That man was an Italian spy! I will have to explain this to the boss; you know that.”
“I didn’t kill him,” Alex said.
“Then who did?” Crow asked.
Payne: a suspenseful FBI crime thriller (Alex Payne Series Book 1) Page 5