“Everything is easy with money,” Hugo replied. Crossing the border to Mexico had been easier than expected though. It had almost been as if all the Border Patrol officers had been on strike, or at toilet break, when they made it across. Hugo hadn’t spotted a single officer, which was quite unusual. It had been more difficult to enter Argentina. After days of deliberation they had ended up boarding a flight from Mexico to Chile, and then made it across the Argentinian border by car. The preparations for the trip, including obtaining fake identities and travel documents, had almost messed up their entire timetable though. Fortunately they had finally made it to Argentina in time for the rendezvous with Cody.
“Why did he choose this place?” Hugo asked.
“I needed to know for certain that I communicated directly with Cody, and that Alejandro wasn’t in the background playing puppeteer. This place is special to Cody. I didn’t even know about it until the day before I administered the DMT to Cody. We had sort of a bonding session. Probably the first bonding session we’d had since he was a toddler. Cody told me how he had tried Ayahuasca at this old temple deep in the Argentinian jungle; how he for the first time in his life had felt part of something greater than himself. It’s an ideal meeting place; it’s surrounded by dense jungle, and everyone in the area is fiercely loyal to Cody.”
“Sounds like an ideal place for Alejandro to prepare an ambush too.”
“Perhaps. But so are most other places in South America. We have to consider the realities, and those are that Cody can’t move around very well. The Ayahuasca Temple is probably the safest place we can meet him.”
“We’ve been over this before. Unfortunately there is no other choice. And since we have timed the meeting with Cody for the morning of Alejandro’s big gathering for Codyism, we should be safe. Alejandro has probably got enough on his plate for that day already.”
“Don’t you wonder what he is planning to do?” Hugo asked. “I’ve heard the invitation instructs followers to bring weapons.”
“I’ll admit I’m a bit concerned, yes. But I don’t think Alejandro is crazy enough to ask his followers to go out and kill infidels as some have speculated. Codyism isn’t militant Islam.”
“Nevertheless, bringing weapons can’t be good,” Hugo said.
“How far now?” Cameron asked.
“About two more hours,” Adam replied. “We’ll make a short stop here and continue in thirty minutes.”
“Can’t we just continue?” Hugo asked.
“No. We need to stick to the timetable.”
“Why? If we get there early we may be able to scout the site. Make sure it’s safe.”
“We’re sticking to the timetable,” Adam snapped, ending the discussion.
Cody stood staring at the mouth of the jungle with his hollow eye sockets when Guzman walked up behind him.
“Are you getting used to the crutches, Master Cody?” Guzman asked.
Cody nodded. “They’re growing on me.”
“I’m sorry to question you, Master Cody. But I don’t understand why we are here. I don’t understand why you made a deal with Alejandro.”
“Every decision in life involves risk, my friend. I do not fear death, and neither should you.”
“Forgive me, but I haven’t seen what you have, Master Cody. And there are still things I want to achieve in this life.”
“What sort of things, Guzman?”
“I hope to someday find a wife, maybe start a family.”
“To ensure your genes live on?”
“I guess so.”
“I understand. And don’t worry, Guzman. You will have a family before you leave this life. I promise you that. Now would you please go and get Alejandro and our other guests some tea?”
“Alejandro?” Guzman asked.
“You’re walking again,” Alejandro shouted as he erupted from the jungle, with a large entourage of camouflage-clad soldiers following closely behind.
“Prepare some tea, Guzman. And do not worry. Alejandro is here as my guest.”
Guzman nodded, before bowing to Alejandro and then swiftly returning to the temple.
“Yes, Alejandro. I am walking again.”
“And your promise? Are you going to deliver on your promise?”
“I will. They will be here soon. I can feel them. Now, you should get your soldiers indoors, Alejandro. Adam is an old army veteran, and I don’t see him walking straight into an ambush.”
“But isn’t that what you have planned for him?”
“I just want to be left alone,” Cody said, before turning around, indicating that Alejandro should follow him. “You know me, Alejandro. Your secret is safe with me. It dies with Cameron.”
Alejandro smiled. “It appears you did learn something during all that time we spent together.”
61
James Carter glanced at the screen on the wall. The picture wasn’t high definition, but it was pretty good quality considering the fact it was a live broadcast from a satellite orbiting the earth.
“When will the drones be in position?” he asked.
“They’re coming online in two minutes. The picture will improve then.”
“Good.” Carter said. He was quite nervous. He had a lot riding on the operation. It would in fact be the most important operation he had ever led. In less than one hour he would have them all gathered in one place. Adam and his daughter, Cody and his father, and Alejandro. All the people he had spent a small fortune of the Government’s money to track down over the last three years would all be at the same spot at the same time.
He smiled. There was only one possible outcome of the gathering; they would all have to die.
But Carter was fortunate enough to know that Alejandro would do most of the leg work for him. MKULTRA knew about the true reason for the meeting. That Cody had proposed to swap Cameron and Adam for his dad. That would never happen though. One of Carter’s agents had finally managed to infiltrate Alejandro’s organisation, and the message had been clear. In a short time Cody and Cameron, and everyone around them would be dead. Alejandro had no intention of honouring the agreement he had struck with Cody.
And then, after the bloodbath, Alejandro would go online and instruct his loyal cult of followers to kill infidels on a scale never before seen in history.
It was anticipated that more than two million followers of Codyism would watch the Gathering. If only ten percent of them acted on Alejandro’s insane instructions it would still have the potential to become the worst terrorist attack in history.
Carter could clearly imagine the consequences. If something bad happened at the Gathering there was no chance in hell that the American public would elect the pussy of a presidential candidate the Democrats had put up. It was dead set certain that the existing president would get re-elected.
“Drones are coming online,” said one of the agents in the control room.
Carter slumped down in his chair. He was tired, but sleep could wait. Right now the adrenaline was pumping so hard through his veins that it felt like he had downed a kettle of coffee. He smiled when he saw the crisp and clear picture. It was easy to pick out Cody, he was the frail-looking figure on crutches. Alejandro was almost easier to pick out; he walked as if he had a spear stuck up his ass. If he had been any straighter he would have fallen over on his pompous arse.
“ETA for the other party,” Carter asked.
“Ten minutes. They’re arriving at the road soon.”
Ten minutes. It had been a big gamble; not to take out Cameron when he’d had the chance. But this was much better. In an hour or so, all the DMT children would be dead. The gates would finally be closed - forever.
62
The temple was bathed in sun as Adam led Cameron and the others out of the jungle and onto the road leading up to the temple.
“It’s beautiful,” Cameron said as they approached the temple from the south end. A few villagers sat scattered around the base of the temple.
“When is Cody arriving? It’s almost two o’clock,” Adam said cautiously to Drecker.
“He is already here,” Drecker replied.
“Dad,” Cody called out from inside the temple.
Dr Drecker started running towards the temple upon hearing his son’s voice for the first time in twelve months. “I’m here, Cody. I’m here.”
“Yes you are. Indeed you are,” a voice beamed out from the Temple.
“Alejandro?” Dr Drecker immediately stopped in his tracks.
“Martin, I distinctly get the feeling you’re not happy to see me?” Alejandro stepped out of the Temple and started descending the stairs.
Adam, Hugo and Cameron huddled together as camouflage-clad soldiers appeared from everywhere around them.
“I don’t understand,” Dr Drecker said.
“Oh. You mean your appointment with your son? It is true that Cody abandoned me, but he returned. He returned with a most generous offer.”
Dr Drecker shook his head in disbelief.
“He offered me Cameron and Adam in exchange for you. You should be proud,” Alejandro said.
As Cody stepped out from the temple, Adam locked eyes with him. If it was possible to beam hate, then that was what Adam was doing.
“How could you, Cody? How could you?” Dr Drecker yelled, falling to his knees.
“Don’t you try to lecture me, dad. You were prepared to make the same deal with Marconi.”
“But I never did. I never did.”
“That was just because you were never given the chance,” Cody said as he descended the stairs and approached his father.
“He’s not going to let us live, Cody. He will kill all of us,” Dr Drecker said.
“No, he won’t. Alejandro has no reason to kill you or me. He still needs me, and the secret will stay safe with us.”
“You don’t understand, Cody. Alejandro has already denounced you as a False Prophet to his followers. Alejandro has resurrected.”
Cody stopped for a second. The fear showing on his face. “Is it true?” he asked.
Alejandro shrugged his shoulders. “You were never a good listener, Cody. Maybe you should have listened to your father?”
“But you can’t kill me. I’m the founder of Codyism.”
“Codyism is dead. Tonight I will gather all our followers around the world, and declare that the end is here.”
“You will
what
?” Cody asked.
“Don’t act so surprised, Cody. You’ve been there. You know what is waiting for us. Why postpone the inevitable?”
“You are going to ask our followers to commit suicide?”
“Not ask, Cody. Order. That’s the difference between you and me. I’m a true leader. I don’t have to ask. I tell.”
“You’re crazy,” Dr Drecker said.
“I’m not crazy. It’s living in this world that is crazy. I’m a liberator. And tonight I will liberate humanity and bring on Armageddon.”
Adam glanced nervously at his watch. This was not going as planned. It should have happened by now. It should have happened five minutes ago.
“All targets are within the impact zone,” the MKULTRA agent said. “Should we make the call?”
“No, wait,” James Carter answered. “I don’t think it will be necessary.” He was staring at the situation unfolding before his eyes on the screen. He secretly wished the microchip in Dr Kovacks’ notepad had a microphone installed so that he could have listened in on the conversation. But he already knew the content; Cody and the others were given the grim news, they were being told that this was the end of the road for them. That they would be executed within minutes. He could already see that Cameron and her boyfriend, Hugo, had realised what was happening. They were huddling together like prisoners of war. Like that was going to save them.
“Now. Let’s get back to business. Who would like to die first?” Alejandro asked, pulling out a big knife from his beltline.
“I’ll go first,” Adam called out.
“No,” Cameron yelled, grabbing her father’s arm. Refusing to let go.
One of the camouflage-clad soldiers stepped closer, and without warning he punched her in the back. She fell to the ground without Adam being able to intervene.
“No, I’ll go first. I was the one who made the mistake of bringing you all here,” Cody said, stepping closer to Alejandro.
“I knew you wanted to go back. I knew you missed it,” Alejandro said. “Any last words?”
Cody turned to face Alejandro’s soldiers. Then he cleared his voice.
“I want you all to know that I hold no grudge against you. You are doing what you believe to be right. But I can assure you that I am the only True Prophet. And if someone hurts me the universe will strike back with such vengeance that it will make your blood freeze and your hearts explode.”
Alejandro clapped. “Bravo, bravo. Finally you provide the drama and theatrics I always wanted you to. But enough talking. Time to die.”
“I promise you, Alejandro, with God as my witness, that the moment your knife penetrates my skin, God will strike you dead as you stand.”
Alejandro laughed nervously. Then he stepped closer to Cody.
“See you soon,” he whispered as he rested a hand on Cody’s shoulder before pulling him towards the sharp blade of the knife.
Cody staggered a few steps backwards, his left hand pressing hard against the blood stain mushrooming on his white robe.
“Where is your God now?” Alejandro asked with a wry smile on his face, before theatrically wiping the blood off his knife.
Cody just smiled.
When Alejandro noticed Cody’s arrogant smile, he hesitated.
Why was Cody smiling?
The hesitation soon turned to anger though and Alejandro raised his knife again, ready to charge. He took two steps forward as Cody staggered backwards. Alejandro was now only two meters from Cody, and his face erupted in a grin as he raised the knife. Cameron looked away as Alejandro let out a massive scream and charged forward.
But then his body just seemed to go limp, and he fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Awe went through the spectators. Then two of the soldiers rushed to Alejandro’s assistance.
One of them quickly placed a finger on Alejandro’s throat to check for a pulse. “He’s dead. You killed him,” the soldier said, staring at Cody with fear in his eyes.
“I didn’t kill him. I told him this would happen. The universe killed him. But you don’t have to fear me, my child,” Cody said, clutching his wound. “You were being misled by Alejandro. He was never a Prophet.”