Tricks and Traps (Gray Spear Society Book 7) (28 page)

He desperately wished he had a clue about the identity of his enemy. The attacks had come out of nowhere. He couldn't defend himself if he didn't know what he was dealing with.

He needed to start thinking about an exit strategy, even if the idea was painful. He had learned long ago that it was better to get out too early than too late. As long as he remained alive, he could always start over. He still carried the secret of the monkey machines in his head.

He sighed again. It wasn't fair.

* * *

Aaron held Marina tightly. They didn't speak to each other because there was nothing to say. The moment they had both dreaded had finally come. She was going home.

They were standing on the sidewalk in front of the departure level of O'Hare Airport. Other people rushed past them with tense expressions. It was early in the morning, too early to be desperately running through airports.

"I have to go," Marina whispered. "I don't want to miss my flight."

Reluctantly, Aaron let go of her. She wore a simple, gray business suit that would've seemed drab on most women. She made it look fashionable.

"I have to talk to Tawni and Sheryl next."

"Be nice," she said. "We were in their situation once."

"I remember. I'll give them the same speech Ethel gave me."

"You mean the one you pretty much ignored?"

"You got it." Aaron gave Marina a quick kiss on the lips.

"I love you. I'll call when I get home." She kissed him one last time.

She ran off, pulling her suitcase behind her.

He watched her go with a feeling of profound depression. He had no idea when they would get together again. The original plan had been to visit each other once a month, but it had happened much less often. The life of a commander was full of pressing obligations.

He strolled back to his car in the airport parking garage. The drive to Tawni's house took just a couple of minutes.

He parked a few doors down the street so the car noise wouldn't be heard. He walked up to the house. The yellow exterior had a cheerful rosy tone in the morning sunlight.

Aaron walked around, looking for a way to get inside quietly. He didn't bother with the doors. He could've picked the deadbolt locks, but he expected Tawni had placed booby traps behind the doors. That's what he had trained her to do.

He spotted a window on the garage that looked vulnerable. It was painted shut, but some quick work with a sharp knife loosened it. A cheap brass latch on the inside prevented the window from sliding. He applied extra force and broke the latch. He climbed inside.

Silently, he walked through the small house. He arrived at the bedroom and found Tawni and Sheryl sleeping close together. Some sex toys were on the night stand.

Aaron smiled. It was good to see his people getting along so well. These two in particular had a lot to offer each other. Tawni could teach Sheryl how to be physically aggressive and courageous. In turn, Sheryl could teach patience, subtlety, and deviousness. Tawni still didn't understand that a master warrior could sometimes win a battle without spilling a drop of blood.

Tawni's gun was also on the night stand. Aaron walked over and collected it. He suspected she might have a second gun, and when he felt under her pillow, he found it. He slipped it out without waking her.

He went around to Sheryl's side and checked for a gun. He didn't find one, which was disappointing.

He moved to the foot of the bed. "Hello, ladies," he said loudly.

Tawni reached for her gun but grasped empty air instead. She checked under the pillow and found nothing.

Finally, she looked at him. "Sir!" She blinked in surprise.

Sheryl pulled the sheet up to her neck and peered at him.

"I won't forbid you to date each other," Aaron said. "That would be the height of hypocrisy. But I will caution you. Love is a very dangerous thing in the Gray Spear Society."

He sat on the bed beside Sheryl. She was blushing fiercely.

"You love Marina, sir," she peeped.

"Which is exactly why the legate separated us. Any mission can be your last. It's hard to lose a teammate but much harder to lose a lover. That kind of grief can drive you insane. It's better to not take that risk."

"Do you want me to be lonely instead?"

He shrugged. "It's not nearly as problematic. What if I order one of you to do something dangerous and unpleasant? The other will suffer sympathetically." He gave Tawni's guns back to her.

"I think you're jumping to conclusions, sir," Tawni said. "I don't love Sheryl. We were just fooling around."

Sheryl frowned.

"The warning is still valid," Aaron said. "Jack is in trouble partly because I let my guard down. I was thinking about sex with Marina instead of the safety of my team. It was an inexcusable lapse. I want both of you to learn from my mistake."

"How is Jack?"

"Unconscious. He had a rough night and took a strong sedative."

Tawni winced.

"That's all I came to say." He stood up. "Take my advice seriously, please. And get dressed. Sterling Ford is arriving soon. We have to get ready for him." He walked out.

* * *

Sheryl waited until Aaron was long gone before she said, "That is the most obnoxious man in the world. What gives him the right to break in here while we're asleep and scare us like that? Does being an asshole come naturally to him, or does he have to work at it?"

Tawni chuckled. "Aaron does whatever the hell he feels is right."

"Is it too much trouble to knock on the door and give us a chance to put on some clothes? Did he have to embarrass us?"

"He was making a point."

Sheryl glared at Tawni. "What point?"

"That our private lives are his business," Tawni said. "He's more than our boss. He's like our father."

"And that's all right with you?"

"I never had a real father. It feels good to have a strong man watching over me and helping me succeed. Aaron has always done right by me."

Sheryl furrowed her brow. She hadn't considered that aspect of it.

"Let's get dressed," Tawni said.

They got out of bed.

Sheryl hadn't brought a fresh change of clothes. Tawni loaned her underwear and a pretty blue dress which went down to her ankles.

"How do I look?" Sheryl turned around.

"Underdressed," Tawni said.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have any weapons."

"Oh," Sheryl said.

Tawni pulled two light pistols out of her secret closet. She showed Sheryl where to locate the weapons so they wouldn't be obvious. One gun was strapped to her inner thigh, and the other was on her arm under a baggy sleeve. The extra weight felt strange.

Tawni wore a brown skirt and a yellow pullover. The shirt fit very loosely, and Sheryl didn't find it attractive, but it allowed Tawni to hide two guns and a knife underneath. Sheryl realized her fashion choices would be limited for the rest of her life.

When the women were finally ready to go, they went to the car. The morning felt a little cooler than yesterday. Sheryl hoped it would stay that way through the day.

Tawni drove to headquarters. She navigated through the shadowy, confusing passageways of the basement and parked in the secret garage.

"Next time, you drive," Tawni said. "You have to learn how to get in here safely."

"What happens if I make a wrong turn?" Sheryl said.

"You probably won't get killed... probably."

They took the elevator up to the small entry chamber. The thick concrete walls were painted white and reminded Sheryl of a prison cell. This room was the last line of defense before an intruder got into headquarters.

Kamal was behind the bulletproof glass this morning. He wore a white shirt which contrasted against his brown face. His black bowtie was cute.

"Good morning," he said.

Tawni smiled. "Hello. Anything going on?"

"Everybody is on the roof."

"Why?"

"Words fail me. You'll have to see it for yourself." He pressed a button and the side door buzzed.

Tawni went through, and Sheryl followed close behind. They hurried through headquarters to the nearest stairway. Tawni took the steps two at a time and banged open the heavy door at the top. Sheryl had to work to keep up.

She walked out onto the sunny roof of the hotel. "My God," she whispered.

Bethany and Leanna were floating a few inches in the air with their arms straight out. They were looking at the sky with their mouths and eyes wide open. Beams of intense white light went from their eyes to the heavens. The glow was so bright it was hard to look at.

Sheryl cautiously approached. She swept her arm underneath Bethany's feet to confirm there was nothing there but air. It seemed the light was supporting her like a marionette on a string. Sheryl could hear the energy crackling. A surreal glow was leaking out of Bethany's ears.

Aaron, Smythe, Norbert, and Nancy were standing there with concerned expressions.

"What is this?" Sheryl said.

"Some kind of miracle," Aaron said.

"Can they talk? Are they OK?"

He shrugged. "All we know is their hearts are still beating."

Sheryl put her hand near a beam of light and felt radiating heat. The air was wavering. She touched Bethany's cheek. Her skin was feverishly warm, and she was unresponsive.

"The twins were afraid something might happen," Norbert said. "They knew the Lord was very frustrated."

His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was slack. Sheryl realized he had been crying.

"What are we going to do?" she said.

"Nothing," Aaron said.

"But it feels like Bethany is burning up. She could be in pain. We can't just leave them hanging out here."

"They're in God's hands now. We won't interfere."

Sheryl kept looking for the gimmick behind the trick, but this miracle was happening right in front of her. There was no smoke, mirrors, or tricky lighting. She walked around and viewed the twins from all angles. Either it was a perfect illusion, or it was frighteningly real.

"Keep your distance," Aaron said. "We'll just wait and see what happens. In the meantime, we have other business. Smythe, the rest of us are going out. Headquarters is yours while we're gone. Keep an eye on the twins and Jack. If he wakes up, try to help him feel better."

"Yes, sir," Smythe said.

"Norbert and Tawni, you'll dress as cops and pick up Ford at the airport. Tell him you're going to a police station. Instead, take him to the following location..."

Chapter Fifteen

Tawni felt silly. She was standing on the sidewalk outside the airport and holding a cardboard sign like a limo driver. The sign read, "Sterling Ford."

Her police uniform wasn't a treat for her either. She couldn't get comfortable wearing the clothes of people she had despised as a child. It made her skin itch.

Norbert was standing beside her, and he looked great in his uniform. With his huge chest and sculpted body, he was the pride of the force.

"I heard you and Sheryl did the deed," he said.

Tawni rolled her eyes. "Indeed, we did."

He looked down and clenched his jaw.

"Are you judging me?"

"I'm trying not to."

"I don't understand your problem," she said. "Two adults hooked up and had a great time. Not that it's any of your business."

"How do two women...?"

"Lots of rubbing, licking, and toys."

He blushed fiercely.

"You asked," she said.

"Are you going to do it again?"

"Probably. It was the hottest sex I've had in a long time. The orgasms were amazing. Women know each other's physical needs."

"I suppose that's true," Norbert said. "Sex with the twins isn't as simple. They want every detail to be planned in advance. If I don't follow the script, they freak out. And of course, I have to do everything twice exactly the same way. The girls like to be treated equally, but sometimes, I don't have an encore performance in me."

Tawni snorted. "I feel your pain. I like them, but I don't want to hang out with them. They're just too geeky for me."

A short man in a tan business suit walked over. He had straight, brown hair with a prominent bald spot in the middle. He was carrying a black briefcase in one hand and pulling a suitcase with the other.

"You must be my ride," he said.

"Mr. Ford?" Norbert asked in an official tone.

"That's right."

"Get in. You'll sit in the back."

Norbert pointed to a nearby blue and white police car. It was parked in a tow zone, but cops had the privilege of parking where they liked.

"Like a criminal?"

"That's the only open seat," Norbert said, "unless you want to ride in the trunk."

Ford frowned. "The back seat will be fine. I suppose I should be grateful for the free ride."

"Don't thank us. We're just following orders."

Everybody got in the car. Norbert took the driver's seat and Tawni rode shotgun. Ford muttered about the smell in the back.

Norbert drove away. He had the cool, disinterested expression of a real cop, but Tawni knew it was just an act. The truth was exactly the opposite. He was passionate about everything.

"Where are we going?" Ford said.

"District 26," Norbert said blandly.

"Oh."

Tawni made sure not to smile. There was no district 26.

They went south on Interstate 294 for about twenty minutes. The only sounds were the road noise and an occasional squawk from the police radio. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. She hadn't slept enough last night, but it had been worth it. The sex had rocked her world.

Norbert turned off of the highway. He pulled into the parking lot of a donut shop with a white exterior. Red awnings were the only splash of color.

"Why are we stopping?" Ford said.

"I need coffee," Norbert said.

"I'm kind of in a hurry."

"It will only take a minute. You want to come in with us?"

"Sure," Ford said. "Better than waiting in the back of a police car."

Norbert and Tawni got out. He had to open the back door for Ford because there was no handle on the inside. Everybody went into the shop.