Politics of Blood (Gray Spear Society Book 8) Read online

  "I think he's still in Washington, DC," Aaron said, "but I don't really know. His travel plans are none of my business."

  "The last time he was in Chicago, he told me I'll be his guardian angel one day."

  "If the Voice of Truth said that, it must be true, but don't get distracted. Wesley's prophesies tend to be more annoying than helpful. I hope he doesn't come back to Chicago. He's a nice kid, but I don't need that kind of stress and chaos in my life right now. Having the legate here will be bad enough. And let's not forget about the Democratic Circus, er, Convention coming to town." Aaron made a sour face.

  He sat in a chair and watched the security system while he waited. The huge console was divided into four sections. The first controlled the surveillance system outside the Rosemont Tower Hotel. The second was for the public rooms within the hotel. The third section controlled the surveillance within headquarters and other secret areas. Aaron believed in having eyes everywhere. The last section was for the weapons systems. The hotel was actually a heavily armed fortress in disguise, capable of fighting off a small army. He hoped those weapons would never be needed.

  Several minutes later, Aaron saw Ethel walk into the hotel lobby on one of the high resolution surveillance displays. She had the exceptionally lean body of a marathon runner. The bones in her face stood out prominently. Her skin was as black as Tawni's, but Ethel's tightly curled hair was pure white. She wore a gray business suit made of glossy material. She was pulling a suitcase, a disconcerting sign that she intended to stay for a while.

  Her huge companion had to be Boreas. Ethel looked like a little girl next to this beast of a man. He had a short, gray beard and gray hair, and his rough skin was heavily creased. Aaron wondered about his age. Ethel wouldn't pick an old man to be her personal bodyguard. There had to be an interesting story there. Boreas was dragging two oversized suitcases.

  Smythe was with them. He led the legate and her bodyguard to the conference room that served as the secret entrance to headquarters. Aaron watched them go through the entry process.

  When the group boarded the secret elevator, he checked the security scanners. The elevators were equipped with non-intrusive sensors that could detect the smallest concealed weapons or bugs. The displays showed that Ethel and Boreas were carrying a small arsenal under their clothes. Her legendary, silver-plated machetes were strapped to her back under her jacket. Aaron had seen her cut the wings off of flies in the air with those blades, and the heads off of men.

  A moment later, the elevator doors opened. Ethel, Boreas, and Smythe stepped into the white entry chamber. Aaron observed them carefully through the thick glass separating the security booth from the chamber. He had to be sure of their identities before he allowed them into his headquarters. It was impossible to be too careful, and the legate understood that.

  "Hello, ma'am," he said. "It's good to see you again. I just wish I knew why you're here."

  Ethel nodded. "I'm happy to see you, too. I really must make an effort to visit Chicago for pleasure instead of business. Whenever we get together these days, it's always a crisis. Good morning, Norbert."

  Her eyes were her most intimidating feature. The pupils were very large and black. They were holes leading to a dark dimension where no life existed.

  Norbert nodded. "Good morning to you, ma'am. Is the weather nice outside?"

  "It's a perfect autumn day. I don't believe any of you met my bodyguard. This is Boreas."

  Boreas nodded slightly. Up close, his skin looked like old leather. Body armor under his jacket added bulk to an already bulky chest. The whites of his eyes had an odd bluish tint that certainly wasn't natural.

  "Glad to meet you," Aaron said. "Ma'am, did you manage to make contact with Wesley?"

  "I left a message," Ethel said. "I'm sure he'll call me back soon. He's pretty good about that. In the meantime, I'd like to meet the newest members of your team."

  "Of course. They're waiting for you."

  He pressed a button that unlocked the door in the entry chamber. Smythe held it open for Ethel and Boreas.

  Aaron left the security booth to join them.

  The group walked down the hallway to the conference room. A huge, oak table dominated the room, and it was big enough to seat the entire team plus a few guests. Engravings of swords and shields ran along the edge. Shelves on the back wall held the tabella, the secret historical records of the Gray Spear Society. There were three hundred leather-bound volumes, and each described five years of missions.

  Tawni, Sheryl, and Perry were waiting. They jumped to their feet immediately when Ethel entered.

  She smiled politely. "Tawni, it's nice to see you again. I heard you received a gift."

  "Yes, ma'am," Tawni said.

  She waved her hand and left a trail of darkness behind. It looked like greasy black smoke but it dissipated quickly. She playfully wrote the word "legate" in the air with her finger. The letters stuck for a few seconds before evaporating.

  "Is it a weapon?"

  "A deadly one, ma'am. I can put the darkness into people. It's like a poison, and it's very painful. The range is limited though. I have to touch my target or be just a few inches away."

  "Excellent," Ethel said. "It's unusual for such an inexperienced legionnaire to get a gift. You must have enormous potential in God's eyes."

  Tawni smiled. "Thank you, ma'am. I think Aaron was the first person to see that potential. He's like a father to me."

  "That's nice." Ethel faced Sheryl. "And you must be the famous magician. I'm curious to see some of your magic tricks."

  Sheryl bowed slightly. "I'll be honored to perform for you, ma'am."

  "You look thin and weak to me."

  "I've been working out every day," Sheryl said nervously. "Aaron is a slave driver when it comes to training."

  "Keep at it," Ethel said. "Legionnaires have to be tough enough to battle God's enemies. Being a woman is certainly no excuse."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "And you must be the apprentice hacker." Ethel looked at Perry. "I don't recall your name."

  "It's Perry, ma'am."

  She furrowed her brow. "This is probably the only cell in the world with three computer experts. I allowed it only because of the special circumstances."

  "I really appreciate the opportunity, ma'am," Perry said eagerly. "Aaron pulled me out of prison and gave me a great new life. I love it here. It's like Heaven."

  "Don't get too comfortable. After the twins finish their project, I may move you to another team that needs you more. Computer skills are in demand throughout my division."

  "As long as I'm a member of the Society, I'll be happy."

  "Speaking of Bethany and Leanna, I want to see what they've become. The last time I saw them, they were still human."

  Aaron gestured towards the door. "Follow me, ma'am."

  He led Ethel and Boreas across headquarters to the computer room. Aaron fought the urge to cover his ears when he went inside. The fan noise from a thousand computers was deafening, and a giant air-conditioning system added to the din. The servers were stacked floor to ceiling in tall racks. There was a constant ventilation breeze. Space was so tight, Aaron had to walk sideways to reach the twins.

  He found Bethany and Leanna seated in their workstations. They had many monitors but no keyboards or mice. The girls' brains had built-in wireless capability. They communicated with their machines without the need for mechanical interfaces.

  Bethany faced Aaron as he approached. Crystalline, black eyeballs always grabbed his attention first. They were made of a translucent material with gleaming internal structures. She lacked pupils, but her vision was excellent regardless. Instead of skin, smoky, gray metal covered her head. The covering was hard and smooth but had enough flexibility to allow simple expressions.

  Bethany's head, neck, and spine were synthetic, but the rest of her body was still human. Her natural skin was a very light brown that made her look deeply tanned. As always, she wore a plain white s
hirt and a pleated, red skirt. Her wardrobe hadn't varied for as long as Aaron had known her.

  Leanna was almost perfectly identical to her sister. The only obvious difference was that Bethany wore a diamond necklace with a giant pendant. It was the last remnant of their former lives as Arabian princesses. So much had changed since then.

  "Stand up," Aaron said. "The legate is here."

  The twins got out of their chairs. When they stood together, their bodies and postures created a perfect mirror image.

  "Amazing," Ethel said. "So alien, but still so beautiful. You are truly divine creatures."

  "Thank you, ma'am," Bethany said.

  Her voice was constructed from pure tones, clicks, and whistles. Her mouth moved when she talked, but Aaron believed that was just for show. She lacked real vocal chords. Leanna rarely talked at all these days.

  "How is the project going?" Ethel said.

  "Well. We just completed our theoretical analysis and achieved promising results. We understand the mathematics of what we must do. God checked the equations and supports our general approach."

  "Can you give me an idea of what's going to happen?"

  Aaron winced. Asking the twins such an open-ended question was risky. They sometimes forgot their audience wasn't a tenth as smart as them.

  "The current universal firewall simply reinforces the relationships underpinning our reality," Bethany said. "Its dynamic responses are limited. Our new firewall will be a much more active entity. It will analyze and aggressively repel attacks as they occur, and it will improve itself continuously. Each hostile encounter will make it stronger, not weaker. We were inspired by the immune system in the human body."

  Ethel nodded cautiously. "That sounds good."

  "The most difficult part will be performing the upgrade. The obvious approach would be to halt the universe, update the software, and reboot from the Big Bang state, but, of course, that would annihilate all life everywhere. We're still searching for another solution."

  "Please, do."

  "And there's also the problem of the Gray Spear Society," Bethany stated in her soft mechanical voice.

  Ethel raised her eyebrows. "Problem?"

  "The new firewall will have different characteristics, and therefore, it will require different secondary defensive mechanisms. The Society in its current form will not work. I'll be happy to show you the math if you're curious."

  "I'm not that curious. Is there anything we can do to help you?"

  "Yes, ma'am." Bethany turned to Aaron. "We're going to perform a series of physical experiments to verify our calculations. I just sent a list of needed materials to your phone."

  He took out his phone and looked at a text message. "Twenty kilograms of platinum, a diamond press, an ultra-high temperature kiln. It goes on. This is a long list."

  "We already ordered most of the supplies. We'll need Nancy and Kamal to assist us in the laboratory."

  "That's no problem." Aaron shrugged. "They're at your disposal."

  "Thank you, sir," Bethany said.

  "Will these experiments be dangerous?"

  "Only if our calculations are wrong."

  "Ah." He licked his lips. "God checked the numbers, right?"

  "He trusts us. The likelihood of a catastrophic energy release is relatively small."

  Aaron wasn't satisfied with that answer, but he decided not to press the issue. He wasn't about to second-guess God's judgment.

  Ethel's phone rang, and she answered it immediately. "Hello, Wesley. Let me get everybody into a conference room. I'll call you right back." She hung up.

  "Who do you want in the meeting?" Aaron said.

  "You and all your legionnaires."

  He quickly found the members of his team and sent them to the conference room. Seven people found seats around the table: Aaron, Smythe, Tawni, Sheryl, Norbert, Ethel, and Boreas.

  Ethel used a speaker phone in the center of the table to call Wesley.

  The boy answered immediately, "Hi. Who's in the room?" His voice had a beautiful musical quality, as if he were singing every word.

  "The whole team," Ethel said. "What's going on? Why am I in Chicago?"

  "Because the Democratic National Convention starts in two days."

  "I'm painfully aware of that fact," Aaron said. "The whole city has been buzzing for a month. Many of the delegates are staying in my hotel. Why do we care?"

  "The President will be there," Wesley said. "He's flying in tomorrow morning on Air Force One."

  "And?"

  "He'll be assassinated unless you stop it from happening."

  A shocked silence filled the room.

  Wesley went on, "Roy Haley has an important role in God's plan. I'll rely on his help in the future. I need him alive."

  "How do you know he'll be assassinated?" Aaron said.

  "I'm still in Washington learning about government. I talk to all kinds of people every day. I noticed a change in the last few weeks, a shift in expectations. I can't put it in words, but I know I'm right. The President is in great danger."

  Aaron frowned. "Haley already has plenty of protection. It's called the Secret Service. I'm told they're pretty darn good at their job."

  "Not good enough. Aaron, I need you. Your unique abilities will make the difference. It's a shame Marina isn't with you. You're supposed to work together, and she could really help you this time."

  "That won't happen." Aaron glanced at Ethel. "Do you have any more information?"

  "No," Wesley said. "All I see now are ghosts of rumors and the tangled threads of destiny. Thanks for helping. You're a life-saver. Ethel, there is something important I have to tell you. It's a little bit personal."

  "Go on," Ethel said. "I trust the people here."

  "Love is the most essential emotion of all. God has no use for a legate who refuses to accept love. For once, allow yourself to be a woman instead of just a monster."

  "What does that mean?"

  "You'll understand soon," the boy said. "Bye."

  The call ended.

  Typical, Aaron thought. Wesley drops some bombs and walks away.

  "Well." Ethel raised her eyebrows. "We have our marching orders: protect the President."

  "At least we have a little time," Aaron said. "He won't be here until tomorrow." He noticed Sheryl had an odd expression. "Is something wrong?"

  "Yes, sir," Sheryl said. "This is crazy! A kid tells us he has a bad feeling about the President, and we jump like it's a scientific statement of fact."

  "That kid is a genuine prophet. I trust his bad feelings."

  She frowned. "Honestly, what are we supposed to do? This convention will be huge. Haley will be in front of giant crowds every day. A million extra people are coming to Chicago just for this event. The security will be nuts. The streets will be mobbed with protestors. Police and federal agents everywhere. How can we operate in that environment? How can this tiny team accomplish what the Secret Service can't?"

  "Because accomplishing the impossible is our job," Aaron said. "I already have some thoughts."

  Ethel smiled. "That's why Wesley wanted you. Please, tell us your thoughts."

  "First, we need to gather every bit of information about the security arrangements for this convention. I also want to see the President's entire itinerary, including the secret backroom meetings. That seems like a job for my hackers."

  "I agree."

  "Second," Aaron said, "my legionnaires need to sort out their false identities. Be prepared to dress as police, FBI, Secret Service, or civilians, depending on the situation. Spend a few hours rehearsing. This mission will require absolutely convincing performances. You have the rest of today to prepare. Tomorrow, I'm putting you to work."

  "Yes, sir," Smythe, Norbert, Tawni, and Sheryl responded in unison.

  Aaron looked at Ethel. "Third, I believe you and I should meet Haley face-to-face as soon as he arrives in Chicago."

  "That will be tricky to arrange," she said. "You can't just walk
up to the President of the United States and tell him he'll be assassinated."

  "It's his life. He'll have good ideas about how best to protect it. At a minimum, he needs to be warned. If he knows he's in danger, he'll be safer."

  She furrowed her brow. "I'm also concerned about exposure. Important people will see our faces."

  "It's a gamble, but we don't have time to be cautious. The clock is already ticking."

  "You're right." She nodded. "I'll call in some favors and setup the meeting. It should be interesting."

  "Whatever it takes, ma'am," he said, "and when we're with the President, let's try to avoid a confrontation, please. A friendly alliance would work best."

  "What are you saying?"

  "Only that you have difficulty with situations that require restraint and diplomacy."

  She glared at him. "I'll be on my best behavior."

  "Thank you, ma'am," he said. "My overall plan is to identify, analyze, and investigate as many threats as possible. With a lot of hard work and a little luck, we should be able to find the bad guys before it's too late."

  He saw dubious expressions around the table.

  "Does anybody have a better suggestion?" he asked.

  There was silence. Aaron looked at Ethel.

  "You're dismissed," she said.

  Everybody cleared out of the conference room.

  Aaron searched for the twins first. They weren't in the computer room. After a few minutes, he found them in the science laboratory. Bethany and Leanna were engaged in a technical discussion with Kamal.

  The scientist was American, but his parents had come from southern India. Brown skin and black hair showed his true heritage. He wore a crisply pressed, yellow shirt which was buttoned up to his bowtie. Black slacks and dress shoes were just as sharp. Kamal always dressed as if he were giving a presentation at a conference.

  "Girls," Aaron said, "I need you."

  Bethany looked at him. Her crystalline eyes gleamed in the bright lights. "We were just about to start our first experiment, sir."

  "God told me I could have a half-hour a day of your time. That half-hour starts now. Come to my office."

  "Yes, sir."

  The twins followed Aaron across headquarters to his office. Perry was back at his workstation.