Authors: Carolyn McCray
“
Nyura is a unisex name,
”
Rebecca stated.
“
Like an American
‘
Terry.
’
”
She looked to Levont
,
who nodded his agreement.
“
Nori is the feminine nickname most women go by.
”
“
So
,
”
Brandt said, his eyes flicking back and forth between the man and woman
,
“
t
he real doctor is her?
”
“
I believe so,
”
Rebecca stated.
In response
,
Nori lifted the
burka
up and over her head to reveal a crisp business suit. Unlike her husband, with his more Arabic features, Nori
’
s nasal ridge was far more prominent
,
along with a higher forehead. A far more classic Jewish phenotype. Her dark
-
black straight hair was only lightly peppered with gr
a
y. Her eyes
,
though
,
showed her age. As a matter of fact, she looked perhaps a decade or two older than her husband. Lines etched the corner of her eyes. Wrinkles zigzagged her forehead.
Was this what Rebecca would look like if she continued to chase religious mysteries? A face filled with regret and purpose?
“
What gave me away?
”
the older woman asked as she straightened her dark
-
navy
-
blue jacket.
Rebecca nodded to her feet.
“
Ultimately
,
your shoes.
”
She had unconsciously noticed the click of heels when the woman walked around the room, offering the tea. Then Rebecca saw a blue leather top to a rather expensive set of shoes peak out from under the burka. Women in burkas just didn
’
t wear upscale heels.
“
We were in such a rush…
”
Nori said with more than a twinge of sadness.
* * *
“
Does somebody want to explain what the hell is going on?
”
Brandt demanded.
The woman moved from behind her husband
’
s chair to stand next to him.
“
The first thing I must tell you
—
”
Then the woman grabbed her stomach
,
nearly doubling over.
Brandt
’
s gun flew up. He scanned the windows. Not a single bullet hole. And looking closer at her white dress shirt, there was no blood. Another ruse? Rebecca rushed over to help hold
up
the woman.
“
Well, perhaps the first thing I must tell you,
”
the woman said,
“
is
that my dearest husband appears to still be loyal to the Disciples.
”
Retraining his aim, Brandt focused on the husband.
“
I have no idea what she means, but it isn
’
t sounding very good for you.
”
“
He has been poisoning me for weeks,
”
the woman spat out.
“
And I believe he gave me the final, fatal dose this morning once we heard you would arrive.
”
Brandt might have thought she was faking
,
except for the fact her skin went gr
a
y as she struggled to breath. You couldn
’
t fake that level of shock.
“
Rebecca, get away from her.
”
“
The good news
,
though?
”
the woman said, then coughed heavily.
“
I returned the favor.
”
The man
’
s eyes dilated as his hand went to his stomach.
“
The tea?
”
he questioned
,
then spasmed.
“
You
bitch
.
”
He rushed his wife before Brandt could intervene. He needn
’
t worry
,
though. The old woman buried a hidden knife up to the hilt into her husband
’
s chest.
“
For
Her
,
”
she said as the knife slipped from her hand.
“
Damn it,
”
Brandt rumbled.
“
I could have interrogated him.
”
As the man slumped to the floor, his eyes already glazing over, Rebecca lowered the dying woman to the floor. Brandt signaled Levont to check the man.
“
He wouldn
’
t have told you anything,
”
the woman said
,
then sp
i
t out blood.
“
Besides,
”
she said, smiling
to
reveal red
-
streaked teeth
,
“
I
’
ve wanted to do that for a very long time.
”
Damn it. This meeting was so far sideways it was doing
doughnuts
.
“
We
’
ve got to get out of here,
”
he said to Rebecca
,
urging her up.
“
There
’
s no computer or files that I can see,
”
Levont informed him.
Of course there weren
’
t.
Brandt had Rebecca halfway up when the woman grabbed her hand.
“
Please, they are coming, but a moment only.
”
* * *
Rebecca knew they needed to get the hell out of there, but she just couldn
’
t deny the woman
’
s dying request. Lowering herself back down to the floor, Rebecca cradled Nori
’
s head.
“
Is
s
he as glorious as prophesized?
”
the woman asked.
Picturing the laughing, giggling little girl, Rebecca was not necessarily lying.
“
Yes, she is.
”
Nori squeezed her hand.
“
I have nothing else to share with you but my research.
”
The woman coughed, moist and wet. It was a disturbing sound. A sound Rebecca had heard back under the caves of Rome. A sound that only ended in death.
“
You will find it hidden with the people of the Eukaldunak
.
”
Nori squeezed hard
,
although Rebecca wasn
’
t so sure she was conscious of it.
“
You know the place. You must study the monks
—
”
Rebecca held the woman as another coughing fit claimed her. When it was over
,
the woman sagged in Rebecca
’
s arms.
“
Nori?
”
There was no response.
“
Here they come,
”
Levont reported from the door. Brandt helped the point man move a large bookcase in front of the door.
Rebecca wiped blood off the woman
’
s cheek as her breathing turned shallow and rapid.
“
Nori?
”
she whispered.
It was hard to imagine this woman, ashen and weak
,
was once a Disciple. Aunush
’
s mother no less. Then again
,
she did just kill her husband.
“
Nori,
”
Rebecca repeated.
“
You fought them your whole life. You fought for
her
. You
’
ve got to give me more so I can protect Vakasa.
”
The woman roused enough to flutter
open
her eyelids.
“
Shekinah,
”
she uttered before blood trickled, then gushed from her lips.
* * *
Brandt grabbed Rebecca by the elbow and propelled her up. She wouldn
’
t voluntarily leave the dead woman.
“
I don
’
t understand,
”
Rebecca said
,
holding out her hands
,
which were covered in the old woman
’
s blood.
Brandt grabbed the woman
’
s burka and wiped Rebacca
’
s palms.
“
I don
’
t
,
either, babe, but we
’
ve got to book it.
”
Rebecca
’
s eyes lost that far
-
off stare and focused on him.
“
Yeah, right. Okay.
”
“
Levont,
”
Brandt called out
,
“
y
ou want to start our daring escape?
”
“
Damn right,
”
the point man said, walking to the western, centermost window. He picked up a chair and smashed it through the glass. A rope dangled down from the roof.
Brandt urged her over to the window. Rebecca looked to the rope
,
then back to Brandt.
“
You never thought Talli was going to have to shoot. He was ou
r
back up out of here, wasn
’
t he?
”
She was smart.
“
Yeah
.
”
Brandt chuckled.
“
Our meetings never go well.
”
Levont was out the window, climbing up the rope to the roof. The plan
,
once he got up there
,
was to throw down a harness so the men could haul Rebecca up there while Brandt held down the fort.
So they had a few seconds. Brandt pulled Rebecca close.
“
I love you more than life itself,
”
he stated.
Rebecca
’
s eyes scanned his.
“
Ditto,
”
she said
,
seeming confused. Declarations were not exactly his thing.
“
But I want you to promise me before we get to that point,
”
Brandt said
,
indicating to the dead couple,
“
w
e
’
ll get a divorce.
”
A smile flickered on her lips.
“
I
so
promise.
”
* * *
Davidson watched Rebecca find her footing on the roof as Brandt slung his rifle over his shoulder and climbed up after her. They knew they would be attacked at the office. It was a no
-
brainer.
The Disciples were just that. Disciplined. Smart. Fast. And well connected. A visit to a supposed ex-patriot of theirs would not go unnoticed. Equally certain Rebecca needed to get more information on Vakasa. The only way to get ahead of the Disciples was to figure out their end game.
Why did they want the girl? Rebecca seemed to have some idea, but even she appeared unsure.
Even though the Disciples
’
men broke through into the penthouse office, Davidson held his fire. Talli and Levont shot at any head that dared peak out of the window. The Disciples would mount an offense to the roof, but Talli had secured that door pretty damned well.