Politics of Blood (Gray Spear Society Book 8) (31 page)

A titanic explosion almost knocked Haley off his feet. In a flash, the huge house was demolished. A ball of orange flame rose towards the sky. Burning chunks of wood rained down. His heart was pounding, and he was very glad it had been fixed.

The light allowed him to see the landscape briefly. A black shape perched high in a tree caught his attention. It was Ethel, and she was wearing night vision goggles. She looked down at him like a vulture with robotic eyes. Her presence comforted him more than he expected.
I have powerful friends looking out for me.

The light faded. Haley began to hear exclamations of terror from the people behind him.

"Stay together!" he bellowed. "Don't be afraid! Keep moving! For God's sake, don't fall behind!"

Haley resumed his journey through the darkness. As he stumbled through the brush, he began to comprehend Aaron's plan. The enemy would assume the attack had succeeded and Haley was dead. They had no way of knowing he had escaped. All the phones had been destroyed.

Seferis caught up to him. "What was that thing, sir?"

"A UAV," Haley said.

"That's military hardware!"

"Yes. All your elaborate security precautions were completely useless. The assassins knew exactly where I was and how to kill me. They were seconds away from succeeding."

The gray phone rang again. Haley answered, "Hello?"

"I'm seeing a few laggards," Aaron said. "Get your ducklings back in line. I can't allow anybody to wander off and let the enemy know you're still alive."

Haley stopped the march and took a moment to get the group back together. He saw a lot of very frightened expressions. Even the most veteran Secret Service agents were flustered. Templeton looked like he was about to crap his pants, if he hadn't already.

Haley decided to do what all good politicians did in a crisis: lie.

"Everything is under control," he said in his most authoritative tone. "This was all planned. Just stay together and keep moving. There is no reason to be afraid."

The beam of a flashlight caught a black shape dashing between the trees. It was the woman with the sword. She left a trail of smoky darkness in her wake. It seemed he was the only one who had noticed her.

Haley started walking again. He held his head up confidently as if this were an ordinary stroll through the countryside. The President wasn't allowed to show fear.

Templeton ran up to him. "You planned to destroy my house?"

"You'll be compensated." Haley was an expert liar.

"You could've warned me."

"This is a top secret operation. You're not authorized to have that information. No lives were lost. Houses can be rebuilt, so calm down."

Haley picked up the pace as much as he dared in the darkness. He followed the planned route and eventually reached the service road.

A completely black bus was parked there. Even the windows on the sides and back were painted black. Bars also covered the windows making it a big cage.
A prison bus?
Haley wondered.

Two men were standing by the bus. They were big, muscular, and equipped for war. All their weapons were military grade. Black and gray camouflage made them look like flowing shadows. They wore night vision goggles. Haley recognized the doctor who had fixed his heart.

The doctor stepped forward and called out, "I need everybody to get on the bus. We're going to take you to safety, but we have to move very quickly. For security reasons, I can't allow anybody to keep their weapons. Please, leave them on the side of the road. We'll pat you down to make sure you comply. Mr. President, you'll be driven separately. Just wait here."

Everybody looked to Haley for guidance. He realized it was his job to make this plan work. If he went along with the orders, the rest would, too.

Did he want to go along? How much did he trust Ethel? He smiled. She had saved his life at least twice now. He could hardly ask for more proof of her loyalty.

Haley yelled, "Do what he says. It's all right. These are federal agents. I'm ordering everybody to comply. No weapons on the bus. No exceptions."

With some muttering, the real federal agents began to disarm themselves. They formed a line at the door of the bus. One at a time, they submitted to a thorough pat down and entered the bus.

Seferis ran over to Haley. "This is too much, sir. They're hauling us away like criminals! No phones, no radios, no weapons. We're helpless. We don't even know where we're going."

"And it's clear why," Haley said. "There is a traitor in our midst. Everybody is under suspicion. This is the only way to make sure the assassins don't find out we survived."

"I still don't believe that, sir. All my people are loyal."

"I have my doubts. Get on that bus. Try to figure out who we can really trust."

Seferis glanced at the black bus. "I can't just leave you out here alone!"

"I'm not alone." Haley looked at the dark wilderness all around. "I have very good friends who will keep me safe."

"You're starting to get weird on me, sir."

"Go."

Seferis grumbled as he went to the line.

It took a few minutes to get everybody on the bus. The two men in gray and black were the last to enter. They drove off without turning on the headlights. Haley remembered they were wearing night vision goggles. The vehicle quickly disappeared into the night.

For a minute, he listened to the buzz of insects. He felt surprisingly relaxed. The burning house was throwing a column of yellow sparks high into the sky. That could've been his funeral pyre.

"How does it feel to be a dead man?" a male voice said.

Haley jumped. Aaron was standing a few feet away. A huge sniper rifle was slung across his back.

"Liberating," Haley said.

Ethel, Boreas, and the woman with the sword approached. They were almost impossible to see in the poor light.

"Hello, Roy," Ethel said warmly. "You already met some of these people, but it's time for a proper introduction. Aaron is the commander of my team in Chicago. Tawni works for him."

Tawni put out her hand. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. President."

Haley shook her hand. "The pleasure is mine."

She giggled. "I just held hands with the President!"

He couldn't help but smile. "That sword trick is something else."

"You like it? I just learned it today while we were in the woods. I can't wait to use it in a real fight. I bet I could cut a guy in half."

Her bloodlust disturbed him. It wasn't right for a beautiful, young woman to enjoy killing so much.

"Who is my true enemy?" Haley said.

"General Arnold Joseph is one of them," Aaron replied.

Haley snorted. "Impossible."

"Oh?"

"I mean, we're not friends. He certainly doesn't like my budget proposal, but an old-school military man like him would never..."

"You're sure?" Aaron said. "Tell me about this budget proposal."

"Everybody knows I'm making severe reductions in military procurement to pay for job and education programs. The bill is waiting for me on my desk right now. I was going to sign it as soon as I got back to Washington to give my reelection campaign a boost."

"Sounds like Joseph has a strong incentive to make sure you never come home."

"That's ludicrous," Haley said. "Besides, if I died, Darrow would sign the budget instead."

"And what if he died? Let's say, hypothetically, a bomb killed both of you at the same time. To be specific, what if dynamite were dropped onto a stage where both of you were standing? The Speaker of the House would become President. Isn't he a Republican?"

Haley paused. "Yes. He would veto the budget."

Aaron raised his eyebrows.

"General Joseph is an American soldier first and foremost."

"Exactly," Aaron said. "His duty is to keep a proud nation strong. Our traditions of democracy and freedom must be protected by the sharpest swords and the toughest shields. Anything less would be un-American."

Haley was speechless.

Aaron continued, "We know Joseph is responsible. Now we're trying to figure out who else is involved and why. This thing could be a lot bigger than just a budget dispute."

Haley scuffed his shoes in the dirt. The feeling of betrayal was like a sharp knife in his heart.

"What's the plan?" he muttered. "Where is that bus going?"

"Back to Washington," Aaron said, "same as you."

"But the Democratic Convention is here. I have to stay and lead. I never run from a fight."

"You're in my protective custody until I say otherwise. You're going home, unless you want to fight me." Aaron popped his knuckles for emphasis. "The plan is to maintain your status as a dead man while we round up your enemies. When it's safe to do so, you'll come back to life and resume your duties as President. There will be some chaos in the meantime, but it can't be helped. Tawni, get the van."

"Yes, sir." Tawni ran off.

"But..." Haley said.

Aaron's glare silenced him. Even in darkness, that gaze was intimidating.

Ethel put a hand on Haley's shoulder. "Are you still mad at me?" She had taken off her goggles.

He could hardly see her. She was just a black figure against a black background.

"I suppose not. After what you've done for me, it's hard not to be grateful. You were right about everything."

She smiled a little. He could see her white teeth at least.

"The next question is transportation," Aaron said. "We have to get this man back to Washington safely."

"I was planning on giving him a ride in my jet," Ethel said. "The leader of the Free World should travel in style."

He stared at her. "Are you serious, ma'am? I hate to tell you your business, but that's not just bending the rules. That's pretty much breaking them in half."

"Why?" Haley said. "What's wrong with her jet?"

"It's a flying stronghold," Aaron said, "one of our secret places."

Ethel nodded. "And it's a very quick and safe form of transport. He'll sit in the cockpit. He won't see anything interesting."

Aaron frowned. "Yes, ma'am," he said with a lack of conviction.

"I also want you and Tawni to come along. Your work in Chicago is done. The mission is moving to Washington, and you should go with it."

"Tawni, too?"

"I'm growing fond of the young lady," she said. "Her aggressive enthusiasm is intoxicating. I want to enjoy her company for a little longer."

"My team...," Aaron said.

"Will be fine without you for a few days. You don't seem to have a problem with flying to San Francisco to have sex with your girlfriend. At least this is legitimate business."

"Touché, ma'am."

Ethel grinned.

A black van pulled up with the headlights off. Tawni was driving with her night vision goggles.

"Tawni," Aaron said, "I have interesting news."

She raised her eyebrows. "What is it, sir?"

"You and I are travelling to Washington to continue the mission. We'll be riding on Ethel's jet."

"Really?" She squealed. "Thank you, sir! Thank you, ma'am!"

Chapter Sixteen

General Joseph was sitting at his desk and studying a series of photographs. An unmanned reconnaissance drone had produced the pictures. Even though they had been taken on a dark night from twelve miles up, the details were clear. Modern optics was amazing.

The first showed Bernard Templeton's spacious vacation home before the attack. The second photo caught the explosion beautifully. The Moth-man UAV had travelled through a wall before detonating in the center of the structure. The third photo showed the flaming aftermath from the perfect hit. Nobody could've survived, even if they had been in the basement.

He dropped the photos into a shredder with a feeling of tremendous satisfaction.

He was watching a news channel with the sound off. There were no reports about the explosion, but they would come eventually. The government couldn't hide the deaths of the President and the Vice President for long. Eventually, the Speaker of the House would have to take control, and then he would veto the budget.

A glowing red word appeared on the television screen. "2: NEWS?"

Joseph grabbed his stress ball and transmitted, "1: JUST CHECKED THE PHOTOS. DIRECT HIT. TARGET DESTROYED. NO SURVIVORS."

"4: MY OPERATOR CONFIRMED. MISSION SUCCESSFUL. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL."

Joseph clenched his fist in triumph.

"1: THREE, ARE YOU THERE?"

"3: JUST GOT WORD FROM WHITE HOUSE. CRISIS SITUATION. ALL PHONES AT TEMPLETON HOUSE ARE OFFLINE. NO COMMUNICATION. WHITE HOUSE KNOWS SOMETHING IS WRONG. EMERGENCY MEETINGS CALLED."

"1: WE DID IT. WE ACTUALLY DID IT!"

"2: VICTORY!"

"1: WE SHOULD CELEBRATE WITH A DRINK TOGETHER. BAR ON GLEBE AND LINCOLN IN ONE HOUR."

"5: NO. NOT SAFE. DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN WITH YOU."

Joseph was surprised to see a message from the Fifth Corner of Freedom. The Pentagon had five equal corners, and he was a full member of the team, but he rarely spoke up at meetings. He was the most secretive Corner by far.

"1: BAR IS SAFE. DARK AND QUIET. WEAR CIVILIAN CLOTHES AND JUST HAVE ONE DRINK. WE ARE HEROES. WE DESERVE TOAST."

"5: NO THANKS. DRINK TOAST WITHOUT ME."

"4: I WILL ALSO PASS."

"2: I WILL COME."

"3: TABLE FOR THREE."

"1: THEN GOODBYE FOUR AND FIVE. NICE WORKING WITH YOU."

"4: INDEED."

"5: YES. BYE FOREVER."

* * *

Two janitors were cleaning the endless hallways of the Pentagon. They certainly looked legitimate. They wore the right custodial uniforms with all the right badges. They had passed through several security checkpoints without difficulty. Their names were in the computers, their fake names, at least.

However, a close observer would've noticed some oddities. The man and woman were in phenomenal physical condition. The man in particular looked strong enough to bend steel bars with his bare hands.

Even a close observer would've failed to see that the woman's palms were covered with microscopic hairs or setae. The bottoms of her feet had the same adaptation, and her legs could twist around until her knees pointed backwards. These gifts allowed her to climb smooth, vertical walls like a gecko. She could run up the side of a building.