Politics of Blood (Gray Spear Society Book 8) (43 page)

The boy wore a red baseball cap and a red T-shirt with the white Washington Nationals logo on it.

Tawni furrowed her brow. "When?"

"Soon! We're coming to Chicago."

"Who is?"

"All of us!" Wesley grinned. "It will be so exciting!"

Aaron had a cold feeling, and it wasn't just the weather. "Wesley, let's talk privately."

He and the boy walked down the sidewalk together.

"Who exactly is coming to Chicago?" Aaron murmured.

"
Everybody,
" Wesley said cheerfully. "The twins will need all the protection they can get."

"You're telling me I'm going to have a huge battle?"

Wesley nodded eagerly. His eerie, blue eyes sparkled. "The path to the future is a river of blood."

"Is there any way to stop it?" Aaron said.

"Don't be afraid. You'll be with Marina again, and both of you are in for a huge surprise. God has more faith in you than you can imagine."

"Isn't that supposed to be the other way around?"

Wesley laughed. "You need to go. You might miss your flight."

Aaron felt numb as he walked back to Tawni. He brushed past her and continued into the airport.

She caught up to him. "What was that about?"

"You're going to train
three
times as hard from now on." He paused. "We all are."

* * *

President Haley stood in front of bright lights and television cameras. The rows of chairs in the White House Press Room were packed with reporters, and more lined the walls. Everybody was watching him with anxious expressions.

"Thirty-five dead Marines," Haley thundered. "Four high-ranking generals, lost. Twenty-two federal agents, including my good friend George Seferis. Eighteen valiant police officers. Many civilians here and in Chicago. This is a dark day in America."

He paused to steady himself. Ethel and Boreas were standing in the back of the room, and they were wearing Secret Service costumes again. Sunglasses hid their eyes. The
legatus legionis
looked like a harmless, old woman, totally unsuited for the rigors of her job. The people around her probably assumed she was a beneficiary of some equal opportunity program.
Monsters hiding in plain sight,
Haley thought.
And I'm one of them now.

He continued his speech, "Foreign terrorists are to blame. They tried to kill me twice in Chicago with bombs. They tried again here. The great men and women of the Secret Service and the FBI saved my life. I thank them now. We will hunt the evil thugs responsible to the ends of the Earth. I will appoint a special commission to coordinate the effort."

Haley already had some names in mind for that commission. There was plenty of dead wood lying around Washington. He could easily find dozens of people with impressive credentials who would eagerly accept this assignment. They would accomplish nothing, but the task would keep them out of trouble. If he wanted to be sneaky, he could appoint some of his political adversaries. He didn't mind wasting their time on wild goose chases.

"Details will be disclosed as they become available," Haley said. "On a much happier note, I'm pleased to announce the new budget is now the law of the land. Signing that bill was my first task when I returned to the Oval Office. That budget travelled a long and tortuous road to reach my desk. Many powerful people tried to kill it." He leaned forward. "They
failed
. The will of the people has triumphed, now and in the future."

He looked at Ethel. She smiled and nodded.

* * *

Aaron and Tawni stepped out of the elevator into the white entry chamber of headquarters. It felt good to be home. Unfortunately, he had an unpleasant task to perform. It couldn't be put off any longer.

The computer known as Jack was behind the security glass. A tall rack held many components with tiny lights on the front panels. An impressive mass of blue cables hung behind the rack. A cowboy hat was perched on top.

"Hello, commander," Jack said. "Hello, Tawni. You look tired."

Aaron raised his eyebrows. "You're a computer. Do you really care?"

"No, but making a comment about unusual physical appearance is socially appropriate. Tawni, I need to ask you a security question to confirm your identity."

Tawni tensed. "Go ahead," she said uncertainly.

"When you were in the National Guard, you were sentenced to three months in the stockade for striking an officer. Give me the name and a short description of your cell-mate."

"Janet. Black hair, brown eyes, tattoos on her arms, warts on her feet."

"Thank you," Jack said. "You may enter."

The side door buzzed. Aaron walked over and held the door for Tawni.

"Jack," Aaron said, "tell Smythe and Kamal to meet me on the roof."

"Yes, sir."

Aaron went straight through headquarters and climbed up a staircase to the roof. A setting sun lit dense clouds with red light. A chilly wind was blowing, and the temperature was falling rapidly.
An early winter storm is coming,
he thought. He watched airplanes take off and land at O'Hare Airport.

Smythe came up first. He wore a gray sweat shirt with fresh sweat under the armpits. His face was flushed.

"Welcome home, sir," he said. "How was Washington?"

"Good. Productive."

"There were reports of a massacre. I'd like to hear the story."

"I'll tell it to everybody over dinner," Aaron said.

Smythe looked around. "What are we doing up here?"

"Dealing with Kamal."

"Oh." Smythe's face fell.

Kamal arrived on the roof. He wore a white shirt and black pants which were perfectly clean and pressed. A traditional black bowtie gave him the air of an old-fashioned professor. His brown skin seemed darker than usual in the red light.

"Get in the helicopter," Aaron said. "Smythe, sit in back with Kamal."

"Yes, sir," Smythe said.

Everybody found a seat in the big, blue helicopter parked on the roof. Aaron put on his headset and started the engine. He listened to the turbine come up to speed.

He glanced back at Kamal. The scientist looked scared as hell. He knew what this trip was about.

After the engine warmed up, Aaron gently took off. He flew straight up to an altitude of 1000 feet. Then he turned and headed east towards Lake Michigan.

The Chicago area passed below him. He flew over the big, gorgeous homes in the suburbs first. When he entered the city proper, the quality of the housing dropped abruptly. The divide was a straight, sharp line. The homes in western Chicago were small and in poor condition.

He continued east. As he approached downtown, the neighborhoods became gentrified. Three-story apartment buildings replaced the single homes. Aaron started seeing office buildings and strip malls.

The skyscrapers of downtown were on his right. Even at this altitude, a few buildings stood above him. The black, boxy Willis Tower in particular was like a giant among children. The helicopter passed close to the top of the John Hancock Center with its unusual angular architecture. The top was covered with dishes and antennae.

Aaron finally reached Lake Michigan. The setting sun made the shimmering waters look dark blue. The lake stretched out to the horizon.

"Kamal," Aaron said, "this is your opportunity to defend yourself. You had some time to think about it. I'm expecting a convincing statement."

"Yes, sir," Kamal responded nervously. His voice came through the headset. "Since man first walked the Earth, we've been on a quest for truth. We've always sought to understand the world around us and the stars above. The thirst for knowledge is fundamental to the human spirit."

"So?"

"Sharing important discoveries is the duty of all scientists. We don't perform research just to satisfy our own, selfish curiosity. We do it to make the world a better place. As our collective understanding improves, so does the human condition. New technology is the engine of advancement. It's why we don't live in grass huts anymore."

Aaron sighed. He already didn't like this argument.

Kamal went on, "The twins made a hugely important discovery. Imagine a future where energy is limitless and clean. Imagine what humanity could accomplish. We would remake the planet and conquer the stars. It was my obligation to give the world a nudge in that direction. Perhaps I could've handled it better, but my objectives were noble."

"I disagree. You're not just a scientist. You're a Spear and must abide by certain rules. The most important is to keep forbidden knowledge out of the hands of ordinary people."

"But sir..."

Aaron talked over him, "The offense in this case was particularly egregious. God Himself ordered me to protect the twins at all costs. No project is more sensitive. No knowledge is more dangerous. Under other circumstances, I might've excused your lapse in judgment, but in this case, I can't take any chances. The people around the twins must be absolutely trustworthy. The smallest failure is intolerable. I've lost confidence in you. Get out."

"Huh?"

"Get out of the helicopter."

Kamal looked out the window. "But we're high in the sky."

"Smythe, help the man exit the aircraft."

"Yes, sir," Smythe said in a sad tone.

He punched Kamal across the jaw, knocking him out. Smythe opened the side door, unbuckled Kamal, and pushed him. The helicopter hopped upwards as the load was lightened. Smythe closed the door. Aaron looked through a window below his feet and saw the body drop. A few seconds later, there was a splash of white spray. The helicopter was miles from shore. Even if Kamal had survived the impact, which was very unlikely, swimming back to Chicago would be impossible.

Aaron turned the helicopter and flew home.

Nobody spoke during the flight. There was nothing to say. Aaron felt bad about making Smythe kill Kamal, but being second in command wasn't always a fun job. Being a commander was even less fun.

A few minutes later, Aaron landed the helicopter on the roof of headquarters. He was surprised to see Bethany and Leanna standing there. They wore their usual white shirts and red, pleated skirts despite the cool weather. Their legs and feet were bare. Aaron wondered if they would dress that way for the rest of their lives.

After the rotors spun down, Aaron stepped onto the roof and said, "What's up?"

"Where is Kamal?" Bethany said.

"Unfortunately, he retired."

"Oh." She paused. "But we need his help with the project."

"Nancy will have to do until we find another scientist."

"Nancy doesn't have the expertise to do everything we need. She's just a mechanic."

"I'm sorry." Aaron shrugged. "I couldn't let Kamal stick around after what he did. We'll try to replace him quickly."

"That's not acceptable, sir," Bethany said. "Please, call the legate."

"You want to go over my head?" He was surprised.

"We must, sir. I'm sorry."

Aaron took out his phone and called Ethel.

She answered, "Hello?"

"We have a problem, ma'am. I just retired Kamal."

"That's very sad news." She sighed. "But what's the problem?"

"The twins need more help with their project."

"Yes, ma'am," Bethany said. Her voice came through the telephone. Somehow, she was using the wireless technology in her head to tap into the call. "We need a lot of help. We'd like all the scientists in the division to come to Chicago immediately."

"What?" Ethel said. "That's ridiculous."

Aaron couldn't agree more.

"We intend to construct the most technologically advanced object in existence," Bethany said. "We need the brightest minds assisting us."

Ethel paused. "But the entire division is very active now. We've never been busier. Those scientists are needed for missions."

"That activity is because of us, ma'am. It will get worse until we finish. The more help we have, the quicker that will happen."

"But all of them?" Ethel whined. "Let's compromise. I'll give you ten. The rest can shuttle between cells."

"Fifteen."

"That leaves six scientists to cover twenty-one cells! It won't work."

"We must insist, ma'am," Bethany said. "You know how important this is. Please, don't force me to talk to your Boss."

Ethel groaned. "Fine. Your fifteen scientists will arrive tomorrow. Take my right arm while you're at it. Bye." She hung up.

Bethany and Leanna walked down the stairs and disappeared from sight.

Smythe turned to Aaron. "These are interesting times."

Aaron nodded. "I need to make sure fifteen hotel rooms are available. Wesley warned me we'll have even more company soon."

"How much company?"

"The specific word he used was 'everybody.'"

"That's a lot of company, sir." Smythe furrowed his brow.

"Yes," Aaron said. "I suppose the good news is that this crisis will be over soon, one way or another. We'll win, or we'll die."

"Isn't that always the way?"

* * *

The Fifth Corner of Freedom sat stewing in his office in the Pentagon. He was the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a very powerful figure in the federal government.

Listening to the speech from President Haley had made the Fifth Corner quite angry. It wasn't so much that the mission had failed. He had faced failure before and knew better than to let it eat at him. His real problem was that he still didn't know why it had failed. A faceless, nameless, and exceptionally powerful adversary was out there. It certainly wasn't the Secret Service or the FBI as Haley had claimed. It probably wasn't a government agency at all.

An envelope was shoved under the Fifth Corner's office door. He ran over and grabbed it. The dense, hard material was so hot it stung his fingertips. He carefully fished out the scrap of paper inside.

It read, "Wee fownd ure ennemmee. Thay ar inn Shickago. Go ther and kill them alll. - frend"

Another envelope was shoved under the door. The Fifth Corner frowned. He had never received two at once. He picked up this envelope and found it was even hotter than the first one.

The note inside read, "But furst, their R sum peeple yoo need to meeet. Allys hoo will make shure yoo suckseed next tyme. - frend"