Paradise Hacked (First Circle Club Book 2) (31 page)

"You're right, but now we have no plan."

Virgil looked at the bag containing Alfred. Virgil could see Alfred inside as a glowing white form. The cloth was no barrier to Virgil's new ability.

"Alfred can be our double-agent," he said.

"What?" Lisa said. "They think he's an alien. They'll lock him up immediately."

"Right. They'll eventually take him to the same place as Sara."

A smile spread across Lisa's face.

"I don't get it," Cat said.

"Lisa and I can track Alfred," Virgil said. "We always know where he is, no matter how far away."

"Oh. Interesting, but why doesn't that work with Sara?"

"It's a recently acquired skill. For now, it just works on Alfred. We simply have to arrange for his capture by the enemy."

"Not so fast," Cat said. "If it's too easy, the Army will guess it's a trick. The capture has to look completely legit. Alfred has to fight."

Virgil smiled. Insights like that were exactly why he had brought her in.

"We need to create a realistic scenario," Kyle said, "which ends in Alfred's capture. I have an idea. I could make contact with somebody in the unit and try to flip him to our side. It won't work, of course, but it will get the ball rolling."

Virgil stared at Mei's beautiful face. She had stopped working and was listening to the conversation.

Piece by piece, a plan formed in his mind. "Right. You'll go to Chinatown," he said. "We know the military is looking for us there."

"Then what?" Kyle said.

Virgil smiled. "I'll tell you tomorrow. I want all the humans to go to sleep now. It may be your last chance for a while. Mei and Cat in one room, Kyle in the other. Lisa and I will stand guard. In the morning, we'll wake up Alfred and get started."

Chapter Eighteen

"Is that all you want to know?" Sara said. "I think I've told you everything."

Dr. Z looked down upon her from behind his high window. She presumed others were watching, but she had seen no sign of them.

"You've certainly talked a lot," he said. "Several hours without a break. Sadly, I haven't believed a word of it. I kept waiting for you to slip and accidently tell me the truth, but I don't think it happened."

"Why do you think I'm lying?"

"I recognized bits from old science fiction movies and TV shows. You borrowed liberally from the original
Star Trek,
which I'm a fan of by the way. You stole an entire episode from
Doctor Who.
I have to commend you for effort at least. For an alien, you do a remarkably good job of looking and acting like a real woman. You've made a thorough study of our culture. Even your mannerisms are impeccable. You're just not a good liar."

"Thanks," Sara said, "I guess."

"You clearly have no intention of cooperating, so I'm going to sleep now. I hope you'll be more compliant when I come back. While I'm gone, some gentlemen will keep you entertained."

Dr. Z left the window.

A moment later, the bolts on the giant steel door released. The door swung slowly out of the way.

Soldiers poured into the chamber. They were wearing hard black armor which covered everything including their faces. Some soldiers carried ropes with lead weights on the ends. Others were armed with chains, clubs, or brass knuckles. They formed a semicircle in front of Sara.

"Hey, guys," she said weakly. "Can we talk about this?"

All the soldiers charged her at once. She fought but was quickly overpowered.

* * *

Virgil was sitting outside in front of his motel room on a chair. He was watching dawn break.

There were no dawns in Hell. For thirty years, he had existed in a world of constant smoke and flames without day or night. Time was almost meaningless there. Since returning to Earth, he had tried to watch every sunrise and sunset. He enjoyed the passage of time and the changes it brought. Here, actions had consequences, good and bad. In Hell, the only possible consequence was more suffering. Utter hopelessness was the rule.

Heaven didn't seem much better in some ways. The conditions were much more pleasant, of course, but souls were still locked in a kind of infinite loop. They enjoyed the same rewards again and again, forever. No amount of effort or ambition could change a soul's fate. Evil was physically impossible.

Earth was the crucible where important things happened. People who spent their lives worrying about getting into Heaven were missing the point. Life was about the journey, not the destination. Virgil hadn't really appreciated that fact before his death, but he certainly did now. The rosy pink in the sky as the sun broke the horizon was a true miracle as far as he was concerned.

After the sun had risen, he quietly slipped into the motel where Kyle was still sleeping. The door to the girls' room was closed, but Lisa was watching them.

Virgil grabbed a cell phone off a desk. It was one of the phones Mei had brought from Chinatown. He stepped back outside and called Haymaker.

The detective answered in a sleepy voice. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Virgil."

"Oh! It's been days, and I haven't been able to reach you. I was getting worried."

"A lot has happened," Virgil said. "For one thing, we know how Corporal Hartmann was killed."

"Great! Tell me."

Virgil told the tale in the chilly morning air. When he was done, Haymaker was quiet for a moment. Virgil waited.

"One thing I don't understand," Haymaker finally said. "You claim Heaven is full of radiation, and that would explain some of the damage to the body, but not all. Hartmann was
smashed
, driven into the ground, and left out like bait."

"Obviously, a powerful angel killed him. Probably the same angel who is secretly working with Dr. Harlow."

"But why would an angel open a secret door to Heaven and then kill anybody who came through it?"

Virgil narrowed his eyes. "It's not about bodies. It's about souls. The bodies come back to Earth, but the souls stay in Heaven."

"What does that accomplish?"

"I'm not sure, but it's causing a ton of trouble. I didn't call just to give you an update. There will be a big fight on Navy Pier today. It will go down at noon near the Ferris wheel."

"What kind of fight?" Haymaker said nervously.

"The Army will try to capture some of us. They may be disguised as federal agents or maybe even cops. There will be many of them."

"With all the tourists around? That will be a freakin' mess!"

"Right," Virgil said. "Here is your opportunity for some payback. Make sure the Chicago Police Department is on the scene in large numbers. Get in the way of the military. Give them a hard time."

"So you don't get captured?"

"Something like that. And afterwards, take your wife on a nice vacation in Mexico. The Army will be pissed, and they might want to know who is responsible. I got to go."

"You can count on me," Haymaker said. "Good luck finding Sara."

"Bye." Virgil hung up the phone.

He reentered the motel and looked at Kyle. The captain was snoring softly, but his eyes were cracked open slightly, and his posture was a little stiff.

"How much did you hear?" Virgil said.

"Not much," Kyle said.

"Good. Get up! It's time to be a hero."

Virgil opened the door to the other motel room. He found Lisa standing in the corner, watching over Mei and Cat who were still in bed. Mei's face was even prettier when she was asleep.

"Ring-a-ding-ding," Virgil said. "It's morning."

He left the room so the women could go through their morning routine. They called when it was safe for him to return. He opened the door and found them in the same clothes as yesterday.

"We need to go shopping," Cat said in a grumpy voice.

"We'll buy some clothes when we get a chance. Alfred should be fully marinated by now. Help me get his bag into the bathtub. It could get messy when we open it."

Virgil, Lisa, and Kyle lifted the white bag. With some mighty grunts, they placed the bag in the bathtub. Lisa and Virgil held the top as Kyle undid the tight knot holding it closed.

When the bag was open, Virgil looked inside. The white material reminded him of the glue he had used in grade school.

"Alfred!" he yelled. "Can you hear me? Are you awake?"

A head emerged, coated in white slime. Kyle assisted Alfred as he climbed out of the bag. Virgil and Lisa did their best to keep as much material in the bag as possible, but despite their efforts, holy milk splashed everywhere. As soon as Alfred was clear, Virgil tied the bag again.

"How are you feeling?" Virgil said.

"Good," Alfred said. "Great. I'm completely healed. Thank you."

Milk had saturated the shredded remains of his clothes. He also needed to go shopping after he took a long shower.

"I have more good news," Virgil said. "I figured out how we're going to rescue Sara. You're going to lead us to her."

Alfred raised his eyebrows. "I am?"

"Sure. There is a small matter of you being taken prisoner though."

"I'm suddenly uncomfortable. Can I get back in the bag?"

"No," Virgil said. "Here is the plan...."

* * *

Captain Kyle shuffled through Chinatown. He was wearing new clothes and a good disguise which Virgil had purchased. Kyle was dressed like a tourist, one of many on the busy street. A fake beard and glasses hid his face.

He was carrying a gun under his jacket, but by his standards, he was lightly armed. This part of the plan was dangerous for him. Success would depend on his ability to lie convincingly.

He spotted a familiar face looking through a window at the goods inside a gift shop. It was Captain Bernard, another officer in the Crusader Special Unit. Bernard was short but built like a tank. A wide chest and shoulders made him look top-heavy. He was disguised as a civilian in jeans and a red nylon jacket.

He was posted near Li and Li's Electronics Boutique and obviously keeping an eye on the place. The security gate in front of the store was closed, and the windows were dark.

Kyle looked around for more members of the Special Unit. He didn't know them all on sight, but he could spot a military man by his bearing alone. Life on a battlefield taught soldiers wariness and paranoia which marked them as veterans for the rest of their life.

Bernard seemed to be alone, but he was wearing a blue ski cap, and Kyle guessed the cap covered a radio headset. Kyle would have to take his chances.

He reached into his jacket and put his hand on his gun but didn't draw it. If he got into trouble, he could shoot his way out, but he very much hoped to avoid that outcome. Mei had also built a simple homing beacon, which Kyle was carrying in his sock. Virgil and Lisa would rescue Kyle if necessary.

He shuffled up to Bernard. "Good morning, Captain," Kyle muttered softly.

Bernard turned, and his eyes widened. "Captain Kyle! You must have balls made of steel to come here."

"I'm not here to fight. I just want to talk. Don't use your radio or reach for a weapon."

Kyle lifted the flap of his coat to reveal his hand on his gun.

"What do you want,
traitor
," Bernard said.

Kyle flinched. He knew the word didn't fit the situation, but it still hurt to hear.

"The aliens explained the situation to me," he said. "The Special Unit is messing with something they don't understand. Colonel Knox is leading us into a disaster. It has to be stopped."

Kyle could tell Bernard wasn't paying a lot of attention. He was probably thinking about how he could capture Kyle instead.

"You betrayed your team," Bernard said. "Good men died."

"Lots more men will die if this mission is allowed to continue. We're like cavemen playing with atomic weapons. It can only end badly."

"What are these aliens doing? Are they a threat to Earth?"

"No." Kyle shook his head. "They've been here a long time, and under normal conditions, they keep a low profile. They're just sentries. Dr. Harlow's experiments brought them out of hiding."

Bernard's hands were clenching and unclenching unconsciously. He glanced left and right, obviously looking for backup.

"I want you to meet them," Kyle said.

Bernard drew back. Kyle had his attention now.

"Where?" Bernard said.

"First, promise you'll come alone. No tricks. You can meet all the aliens, and they'll explain why I'm a hero, not a traitor."

"Sure. I'll listen, as long as they don't kidnap or brainwash me. I don't want to end up like you."

The calculating look in Bernard's eye told Kyle he was lying. Bernard wouldn't come alone. He would bring a substantial military force with the intention of capturing the aliens. Kyle would've done the same.

"We are men of honor," Kyle said. "I promise if there is conflict, we won't be the ones who initiate it."

"I believe that." Bernard smiled in an unconvincing manner. "Where and when?"

"Navy Pier. The Ferris wheel. Noon."

Bernard lost his smile. "That's a very public location. There could be a lot of tourists around."

"I'm sure that will be the case," Kyle said. "Millions of people visit Navy Pier every year. It's always busy. The location will discourage the Unit from being too adventurous, but that doesn't matter, right? You're coming alone."

"Right. All the aliens will be there?"

"Yes, at the Ferris wheel."

Bernard rubbed his chin, and Kyle could almost see the thoughts running through his head. Bernard was considering capturing Kyle on the spot. The Special Unit probably had several other operatives in the area, and the surveillance system was still in place. Kyle would have a hard time escaping Chinatown. Bernard would be giving up the big prize though. Three aliens were worth a lot more than one traitorous captain.

Bernard smiled. "I'll see you there."

"Don't be late. My friends won't stick around if there is any kind of trouble."

"I understand."

Kyle walked off.

* * *

The phone on Colonel Knox's desk rang.

He grabbed it. "Hello?"

"This is Captain Bernard, sir. I just had a very interesting conversation with Captain Kyle."