Soul Thief (Blue Light Series) (43 page)

Who are you?
Where did you come from?

Impossible to explain.
Even more impossible for you to understand. The seeds I have sewn here on earth will help your child do what it was meant to do. But be warned, no future is assured. Your enemies are ruthless and they will do everything in their power to prevent your child from succeeding. These spoilers know about the future. They are dark and terrible souls who only wish to see harm come to your kind. They wish the object for their own greedy ends. They will not rest until the child is dead and the object is theirs. You must come awake and fight, for agents of these spoilers are now at your doorstep.

Please, tell me
about the blue light. What is it?

There is no time.

I need to know.

It is
a complex life form, a sort of transport system, brought here long before humans arrived.

A transport system?

Correct, but it is so much more than a simple transport system. There is no time to explain.

Why is it here
?

A terrible plague will
besiege your species. It will provide hope for some.

You knew this was coming?

For longer than you can imagine.

I
’m dreaming this,
Doug thought.

You must move quickly.

Doug woke with a start, his body bathed in sweat. He reached out to Nadia but she was gone. Had it all been a dream?
“Nadia?”
he whispered. He was answered by the sound of distant and rapid automatic weapons fire. He sat straight up in bed. “Nadia?” he said again, this time louder. His answer came in the form of several sets of hurried footfalls out in the corridor. Doug rolled from the bed grabbing the Beretta off the night stand as he did so. He crouched next to the bed, using it for cover. Three dark shapes rushed into the bedroom. Rapid flashes pierced the darkness, the staccato rhythm of automatic weapons’ fire assaulting his senses. The flashes illuminated the impact of countless rounds as they tore into the bed sheets, pillow feathers flying, mattress stuffing erupting. A sheet of paper swept up by the eruptions drifted down along with feathers and mattress stuffing and came to rest on the floor in front of Doug.

Before the gunmen had a chance to realize their mistake,
Doug fired from his position on the floor, squeezing the trigger spasmodically. Two of the gunmen lurched and fell. A third man scrambled from the bedroom. Doug shot at him and missed, the bullet shattering a door jamb beside him as the man disappeared into the corridor.

Doug leapt to his feet and ran for the
bathroom, got inside and closed the door. From a distance came more of the staccato rhythm of automatic weapons fire. His ears were ringing painfully but not so much that he did not know what the sounds were.

H
e couldn’t tell how seriously he had injured the two men he shot. Would they still be capable of firing at him if he tried to leave the bathroom? And what about Nadia? Dear God, was she outside somewhere battling more gunmen? Had she already been killed?

Doug
’s mind was cluttered with the previous night’s events, Nadia and the things she’d told him. Good lord, the things they had done together. A deep sense of shame assaulted Doug’s senses. He shook it off. He didn’t have time for shame. And Doug had talked to the Collector about some terrible future, but it wasn’t a future totally devoid of hope.
A complex life form. A sort of transport system. A terrible plague will besiege your species. It will provide hope for some.

Could he trust
anything the Collector had said? Did he have a choice? One thing was certain: his unborn child needed to be protected. But he couldn’t think about any of that now. His first priority was survival.

He
opened the bathroom door a crack, waiting anxiously for his night vision to return. His nude body was bathed in cold sweat. He concentrated on his breathing, trying to get it under control. Moonlight washed in through the bedroom windows illuminating the sheet of white paper on the floor like a beacon. Where had it come from? Was there a message from Nadia written on it? Wondering about Nadia’s fate was making him crazy.

The moon’s illumination
gave him a view of two dark forms lying still on the floor. As he aimed towards the corridor beyond his open bedroom door he shivered from stress.

He
knew he had to keep his attention directed toward the bedroom door, prepared to react if someone attacked through it. The thought had no sooner entered his mind when an automatic weapon roared from the bedroom’s entrance, the muzzle flashes brilliant, bullets tearing up each side of the bathroom’s doorjamb, strafing the open space between them, slamming into the wall and plumbing fixtures beyond, shattering porcelain and filling the room with smoke and white dust. Using the muzzle flashes as a target, Doug fired off three shots in quick succession. As suddenly as it began, the din ceased, the only sound the ringing in his ears. The combined stench of cordite and porcelain dust filled the room.

He carefully watched the entrance to the bedroom
wishing he could hear if the gunman was moving around out there, but his ears were ringing too loudly.

He waited a few more minutes
before deciding to leave the bathroom, getting down and carefully crawling across the bedroom floor on hands and knees. He came upon the bodies of two gunmen wearing masks and dressed in black, and just outside the bedroom door, a third. He checked their pockets for ID but found none. He doubted these were government guys. But if not, then who were they? De Roché’s henchmen seemed more likely, or perhaps rogue agents of the Order, which according to Nadia was the same thing. They were all carrying MAC-10 machine pistols. Doug tore the masks off the gunmen but he did not recognize any of them. How the hell had they found out where he was? No time to think about that now. He had to move. He had to find Nadia. 

Carefully Doug
crawled back to his bedside stand and retrieved the small flashlight there. He shined it on the sheet of paper that had flown off the bed amidst the hail of gunfire. He’d been right. It was a note from Nadia.

Doug,

When you wake I’ll be gone
.
Sorry it had to end this way but I have decided to go back to the
Order
and face the consequences. When I explain why I had to do what I did, I believe they will understand. The
Order
may not be the safest haven right now but it is my life and there is plenty more work to be done.

You know what’s at stake
now and I trust that you will find a way to protect your wife and child.

“
My SUV is parked in the woods a quarter mile up the east trail. It is untraceable and all legal. The keys are in the ignition and the proper paperwork is in the glove box, which includes two driver’s licenses, passports and social security cards, one each for you and Annie. You now have new identities.

The next part is very important
and there isn’t time to explain how I know this but please trust that it is so. The Collector is gone and with his passing De Roché has once again become mortal. But please, do not act upon this information in any way. You must run for your life. It is important that you go quickly, find Annie and disappear.

Love and Godspeed,

Nadia

P.S. make sure you destroy this note.

Doug stood in a state of shock trying to absorb the words on the page.

De Roché
has once again become mortal.

The implications of that statement were astounding.

One thing was certain; he now understood why Nadia had drugged him. She needed to make a clean break and she did not want him standing in her way. But according to the gunshots he’d heard moments ago, she too had encountered resistance. His heart ached. He would never stop wondering if she had made it out alive.

The ringing in his ears was diminishing so he strain
ed to hear any other sounds. He felt the mutterings of the drug still in his system but now, at least, he was capable of rational thought. He replaced the pistol’s nearly spent clip with a fresh one. Then he dressed hastily, watching the entrance to the hallway as he did so. He put the envelope of money and the extra ammo clips in his pockets and began a slow and careful search of the house. He found no other gunmen. He burned Nadia’s note on the bathroom floor scattering the ashes with the sole of his shoe. Next he snuck back into the kitchen, opened the oven door and turned on the gas.

Doug knew he didn’t have time to
articulate his thoughts. There was nothing more he could do now except follow his heart.
Follow the path.
Even so, his heart ached deeply. Nadia had saved his life, sacrificed so much in his name. She’d loved him unconditionally and he hadn’t been able to find room in his heart to love her in return. He hoped she’d find happiness wherever she went.

At the front door he
peered out into the night. He knew that this was just the beginning. They would never stop hunting him.

They will never stop looking for your child.

These spoilers know about the future. They are dark and terrible souls who only wish to see harm come to your kind. They wish the object for their own greedy ends. They will not rest until the child is dead and the object is theirs.

I
n the study he lit a candle and set it on the fireplace mantle. Then he picked up one of the MAC-10s, checked the magazine and saw that it was mostly full. He retrieved several more full magazines from the dead gunmen’s belt clips and stuffed them, along with the Beretta in his belt. Holding the Mac-10, he moved through the house, peering carefully out through windows. Although it was still night, the moon was bright enough for him to see the entire yard. He saw no vehicles. He wasn’t surprised. These guys were pros. They would have been smart enough to approach the estate on foot. Doug was fairly certain more would be coming. How long did he have?

He
stayed low, and as quietly as possible he opened the door that led from the house to the garage. He stopped and surveyed the garage carefully. It was empty.

He went to the rear door, unlocked it and slipped out into the night. Stealthily he made his way across the
back lawn to the woods beyond. Staying close to the tree line he headed east toward the trail system, all the while watching the house.

Doug froze
when he saw a series of stealthy shadows moving quickly toward the house from several different proximities. He had the darkness of the woods behind him as cover, and unless they were wearing night vision gear he was fairly certain they couldn’t see him.

He did not wait around to see what would happen
but moved on into the woods and headed down the trail. He’d gone about fifty yards when a massive explosion shook the earth. A cone of brilliant white light blossomed behind him. Doug did not stop to look back but hurried down the trail until he spotted the vehicle parked exactly where Nadia’s note said it would be. He got in the car, started the engine and drove along the trail, mindful not to rev the engine or use the brakes, fearful of giving away his position. He knew these trails by heart and he knew that they were wide enough to accommodate a vehicle. There were some low wet areas, but this shouldn’t be a problem because the Range Rover was equipped with a four-wheel-drive transmission. He also knew that there were places where it was possible to leave the trail and cross to the main road. He would get as far away from the estate as possible before doing so. It wouldn’t be long before they figured out what he’d done.

They’ll never
stop hunting you.

“Okay, Rick,” Annie said. “Don’t you think it’s time you let me in on the little secret?”

Annie sat tensely in the seat beside
Jennings as the small chartered turbo prop sped through the breaking dawn at 20,000 feet above sea level. The sky was clear all the way to the horizon and below them forests and fields crawled past at what seemed a snail’s pace.

“
Yesterday I received a phone call from a private investigator out of Clearwater,” Jennings said. “Evidently he’s someone Doug met on the day he was supposed to have died in that crash. He asked the investigator to keep an eye on your father’s house and he gave him my phone number in case he heard anything. The guy said he liked Doug and decided to help him out. His name is Jeff Dean and from what I can gather he seems to be some sort of savant as far as electronic surveillance is concerned. He’s miles ahead of anything the government is capable of. He doesn’t trust the government so he just might be a useful ally. His methods are covert and for obvious reasons he would like to keep them that way. Anyway, he managed to pick up conversations from inside your father’s house. He heard enough so that your old man won’t be running for president any time soon.”

Annie sucked in her breath and
closed her eyes. “What’s the investigator going to do with the information?”

“
Nothing. But I might. He’s already sent the recordings to my office in Portland, and I’ll decide later what to do with them. There’s this federal agent that would like to get his hands on your father. He also wants Doug. I’m thinking a little deal might be in order. I’m sorry, Annie.”

“No
, I don’t care. My father’s a monster. I’ve always known that. Actually I’m not surprised.” Annie heaved a deep sigh. “I just want Doug to be safe.”

“
I know, Annie,” Jennings said. “We’ll find him.”

“Do you think he’s
being held somewhere against his will?”

Jennings
shrugged. “Possible. Maybe it’s why he hasn’t called me. Yesterday the surveillance guy picked up a conversation between your father and his security chief that gave away Doug’s location. I’m hoping it’s not a smokescreen but it’s the only lead I’ve got. They said that Doug was hiding out at a private estate in the Kentucky countryside. That he was being helped by members of that religious organization we talked about. I’ve done some digging into the Brotherhood of the Order. It’s hard to get a handle on them. They’re a very secret and slippery organization, sort of like a private CIA with religious and scientific overtones. There’s talk on the internet of them being directly descended from the Knights Templar.”

“That’s interesting,” Annie said.

“Yes it is, but I take everything I read on the web with a grain of salt. There are millions of conspiracy theories involving the Templars.”

“What if it’s true?”

Jennings shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. Listen, if Doug isn’t being held against his will then it’s my guess that they’re keeping radio silence so as not to alert anyone to his location. I think they’ve been protecting him.”

“Then how did my father find
him?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. He seems to have a lot of resources.”

“He’ll come after me, you know. And he’ll kill Doug. I know that now.”

“Let him try,”
Jennings said. There was a tone of resolve in his voice that gave Annie comfort.

Jennings
had no sooner spoken when he got the sense that the plane had started a wide turn toward the west in a gradual sweep that would take them back toward a southbound heading.

“What the hell’s going on?”
Jennings muttered. He got up out of his seat and went forward, leaned into the cockpit and said, “Why are we changing course?”

The two pilots exchanged glances.
“We just received a communication that there’s a fugitive on board and have been ordered to turn around,” explained the pilot.

“Who gave the order?”

“FAA.”

Jennings
pulled out his badge and showed it to them. “I’m a cop,” he said, “and I can assure you there’s no fugitive on this plane.”

“
FAA trumps local police,” said the pilot. “Besides, the message originated at Homeland Security. I have to do what they say.”

Jennings
nearly screamed in frustration. “Did they give you any details?”

“
Only that it has something do with that Delta crash last spring. Supposedly either you or the little lady there has information about it.”

“This is bullshit,”
Jennings said. He knew he had to make a quick decision. No way was Spencer getting his hands on Annie.

“
How far is the nearest airport?” he said.

Again the two pilots exchanged glances. “Our orders are to
take it back to Atlanta,” the pilot said.

Jennings
pulled his nine millimeter from the holster beneath his jacket. “Your orders just changed,” he said.

“Wait a minute, man,” the co-pilot said. “I thought you said you were a cop
?”

“I am. And I told you there’s no fugitive on this plane. Now turn around.”

The pilot began a slow bank back toward the north. “Okay, but this is going to mean big trouble for you.”

“Yeah, it won’t be the first time. Just do
it.”

“
You realize they’re tracking us,” said the pilot. “They know exactly where we are.”

Jennings
looked out the cockpit window expecting any minute to see that they were being escorted by a squadron of fighter jets. “How far are we from Lexington?” Jennings asked.

“About
half an hour.”

Annie c
ame up behind Jennings. “What’s going on?”

Jennings
explained.

“You’ve got to be kidding. How did they know
where we were?”

“
Good question.”

He turned back to the pilot. “
Where’s the closest place to put this thing down?”

“
Madison County Airport, Richmond, Kentucky.”

“How far?”

“Ten minutes.”

“Okay, land there.”

“I can’t just land—”

“Do it!”

“Okay, but I’ll have to radio for instructions.”

“
Do what you have to do. Just get us on the ground.”

“And I’ll have to report that I was coerced with a gun.”

“I don’t give a good goddamn what you have to do,” Jennings said. “Just put this thing down.”