The Mark of Cain (38 page)

Inac felt a tearing at his soul. He had learned to
really respect this man when he’d seen him withstand the torture he’d put him
through. He wished that it didn’t have to be this way. But it did. If Inac
didn’t follow through, then he would lose control. And if he lost control, the
world would be set afire from the wars that would break out as everyone tried
to take it as their own. One man’s life, no matter how respected, was worth it
for the rest of the world’s peace.

He looked into Aviv’s eyes and nodded.

You would think Aviv had just seen the coming of his
lord from the joy that took over his features. “Thank you, sir. Thank you.”

Inac nodded to Aviv—saying goodbye with it—before
turning to Santoni, who was already cocking his gun as though he’d understood
the Hebrew’s plea.

“After you’re done,” he said to the giant of a man,
“take his body to Palestine. Let them get credit for his execution.”

“Yes, sir. And his family?”

“Let them go. They don’t know anything.”

“Thank you,” he heard Aviv cry behind him once
again.

Inac walked out of the room, flinching a few moments
later when he heard the sound of the gunshot that ended Aviv’s life. Inac was
so tired of death and war. Why did it always come back to this?

Reminding himself that Aviv had brought this upon
himself, he took a deep breath and pushed away the remorse. Now feeling like
himself again, he pulled out his phone to call Hara; he needed to move on to
the next order of business.

“Hello?” she asked. She sounded angry.

“Hara? It’s Inac. Sorry I haven’t called, but the
Israeli Prime Minister and his family were all missing. We’ve been searching for
them all week.”

“Did you find them?” she asked, her anger turning to
concern. Leave it to Hara’s bleeding heart to automatically believe the best in
Inac.

“Yeah. His family’s fine, but he wasn’t so lucky.
Rebels in Palestine executed him.”

She took in a sharp breath. “Oh my gosh….”

“Yeah,” he said, keeping his voice tired as he
attempted to sound like he was affected by it. “Look, don’t tell anyone because
the media doesn’t know yet. We’re just trying to do what we can to keep a lid
on this. The two countries already have very hostile feelings toward one
another and we don’t want things to get worse. Many more people will die if
they find out the truth.”

“I promise. I won’t say a thing. And now I
understand why you haven’t called or answered my calls.”

“Yeah, babe. I’m sorry about that. You aren’t mad at
me, are you?”

“Of course not! You’re out there trying to keep two
countries from going at it with each other. That’s more important.”

“Thanks for being so great about it.”

“How much longer will you be gone?”

“I’m not sure. I need to brief the government here
to make sure that they all understand what’s going on. I’ll try to make that
quick. But if I get too busy to call, just remember how much I love you.”

“I love you, too. Be safe.”

“I promise.”

After hanging up he turned to Santoni, who was
wiping blood splatters and pieces of brain matter and bone from his face and
arms with a clean rag.

“Get me a meeting with the person who will take over
as prime minister,” Inac commanded. “We need to make sure that he’s on board so
I can go back to Hara.”

***

Inac had tied up all loose ends within a few days,
which was only because the new prime minister was willing to do what Inac
wanted. Of course, how could he not when he learned that he would be killed
otherwise? It was always so much fun telling people who he was and who they
really worked for. Sometimes the grown men even urinated all over themselves,
as the new prime minister had. That always told him that he wouldn’t have any problems
with them. It was only when they
didn’t
urinate or defecate themselves
that he had to worry.

Inac had then loaned the new prime minister his team
to help with the battles going on between Israel and Palestine because of the
recent “assassination.” Inac himself was leaving the area because news vans
from the West had taken over the area and he really didn’t want to be recorded;
not only so he wouldn’t appear in any footage that the Vatican could use to
locate him—Professor Sampson obviously hadn’t told The Order where he was as
they’d agreed—but also because his last wife was still alive. She thought that
he’d been killed in the war of the times so, if she saw him, she’d ask
questions. Lots of questions. Not that she would think he was her husband. She would
think that he was a long-lost grandchild of his. However, he really didn’t need
her endless queries with everything he was trying to accomplish with Hara just
now.

He was walking toward his jet to go back home when
an unfamiliar number called him.

“Mr. Adamson?” the voice on the other end asked.
“It’s Professor Sampson.”

Inac definitely wasn’t expecting a call from him.
“Enough with the formalities, Professor. Please, call me Inac.”

“Oh. Okay. And you may call me Todd.”

“Okay, Todd,” he said, the name sounding odd as it
came from his mouth. “What can I do for you?”

“Tracker told me about the engagement. I would have
called sooner, but I know you’ve been busy dealing with your people in Israel.”

“You seem to know a lot about what I’ve been up to?”

“You’d be surprised how much we know now that you’re
staying in one place. I have a couple of people who report to me on all of your
movements. They think that I’m then reporting them to my superiors but, well,
you know….”

“I’m only staying in place for the time being;
however, back to the engagement. It isn’t breaking our deal.”

“I know. I’m calling about something else. Tracker
said—”

Inac interrupted. “If it’s about how I said that we
had never specified exactly what good and bad entail, I was just pushing his
buttons. He was uptight about the engagement and acting infantile.”

“Good,” Todd said, breathing out a sound of relief.
“I didn’t think you would do that. You seem to keep to your word.”

“Well what fun would cheating be? I like a
challenge.”

“And is Hara a challenge?”

“Surprisingly,” he said, climbing the stairs to his
jet, ignoring the pilot waiting there to greet him. “More of one than I thought
she would be. I thought I’d have her in a week, but she’s proving difficult. Of
course, I have noticed changes that I hope mean that I’ll win.”

“Like what?”

A large frown overtook his face as he settled into
his black leather, over-sized chair, a pretty redheaded stewardess he’d hired
who knew enough not to cross him doing up his seat belt—she probably thought he
worked for the mafia, or was an assassin or something by the way she obviously
feared him beneath her painted on smile. “She has a bit of a temper now that
could possibly bring her to violence. Also, I believe that she’s becoming lax
about swearing. Now, I know that swearing is no big deal to us, but to Hara,
things that aren’t even cuss words bother her. Then, obviously sex with me is
something I’m working toward; another thing that isn’t really a big deal, but
she thinks is. I’m getting closer to that all the time.”

“You know, I’m actually surprised at how honest you
are; you’re telling
me
, your
enemy
, exactly what you plan on
doing. That makes it easier for me to prevent.”

“Which makes it more of a challenge for me. I’m
actually glad my man messed up in killing her as a child. This is much more
fun.” Then, on a more serious note, he said, “Getting to know her, I can see
why God chose her. As fragile and pure as she is, she has a core of steel.”

“Yes, she does.”

“I’m actually on my way home right now,” Inac said,
grasping for a more comfortable subject to talk about since he didn’t want to
think about any of Hara’s good qualities. “I thought I’d let you know so that
you can have a head start because, the moment I land, I’m taking my game to the
next level.”

Todd chuckled. “Thanks for the warning. You really
aren’t such a bad dude…despite what they say.” For some reason, his choice of
words humored Inac. The professor usually tried to act all mature, but his
façade was cracking if he was unknowingly calling Inac “dude.”

Pushing aside the chuckle that wanted to work its
way up his throat and out his mouth, Inac replied, “Oh yes I am. I just don’t
see why we can’t be cordial. I’m pretty old-fashioned. You know, the kind of
warrior who shakes my enemy’s hand before battle. People had honor once upon a
time.”

“So is this us shaking hands?”

“Not yet. You’ll know when that moment comes.” The
engines of the jet roared to life. “I have to go now, but I’ll see you soon.”
Without another word—or waiting for a reply—he hung up the phone. In a few
hours he’d be back home where, true to his word, he planned to step up his
game.

***

Hara climbed the stairs leading to her apartment,
all the while thinking about the lecture from her science class. She wished
that Inac was around to explain it to her because she was totally lost. She
hated chemistry…all the stupid
math
.

She was still walking up the stairs getting her key
ready to open the door when she noticed Tracker standing in the way. She hadn’t
seen him since slamming the door in his face a few days ago. He’d called a
bunch of times, but she hadn’t answered.

Upon seeing him now, she crossed her arms in front
of her chest.

“What are
you
doing here?” she demanded in a
hardened tone she thought Inac would be proud of.

“We need to talk and you won’t answer your phone.”

“Now that the tables have turned, do you get why I’m
so angry with you?”

He looked down; the penitent puppy. It also
dissolved all her anger.

“Yes,” he choked out. “And I’m really sorry. It
won’t ever happen again.” The tears spilling from his eyes made
hers
well up.

She was to Tracker in a matter of seconds, hugging
him as he threw his arms around her too until they were standing there as one
blubbery mess—she just couldn’t stay mad at him when he had the face of an
angel. Once they had calmed down, she grabbed one of his hands.

“Come inside so we can talk,” she said, pulling him
along.

They settled on the couch, her sitting Indian-style
facing Tracker, who was sitting on one of his feet while the other rested on
the floor. He was nervously playing with a bit of fluff coming out of the back
of the ancient couch. Again, she noticed how much more like a man he was
dressing in his green polo shirt and only slightly baggy jeans. He’d started
dressing that way about the time Inac had come into her life….

“Looks like you have another patch job ahead of
you,” he said.

“Yeah.” She grabbed the hand fiddling with the
stuffing and rested it between them, not letting it go for an instant.

“Track, will you at least explain what made you not
speak to me?” she finally asked upon realizing that he wasn’t going to broach
the subject himself.

“I would think that it would be obvious from the
timing of it.”
Apparently
he was still hostile….

“Okay. Then will you tell me why you’re so upset
about my engagement to Inac? You two finally seemed to be getting along?”

“I guess so. I guess I just understand where he’s
coming from better. I don’t agree with the path he’s walked and where it’s
taking him, but…I guess I pity him. He hasn’t exactly had it easy.”

She felt a pang in her chest. It sounded like Inac
had opened up to Tracker more than he had to her.

“He’s told you about his life?” she asked, unable to
keep the hurt from her voice.

“Not exactly.” Tracker was uncomfortable. She knew
this because he let go of her hand to play with the couch again.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s more like other people have told me all about
his life so I already knew it. That just helped him to explain some of it to
me.”

“But who knows about his life and why would they
tell
you
?”

“I can’t really tell you a lot other than the person
who told me belongs to a group that’s watched the Mokolios for hundreds of
years. That’s how I knew.”

“And you won’t tell me?” she pleaded, letting her
eyes droop so he would feel bad and tell her.

“I can’t,” he said with a groan. “I shouldn’t have
even told you that much.”

“So you know he’s a Mokolio, then?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that why you didn’t like him? Because of what
they’ve done in the past?” Without allowing him time to answer, she added, “I
hope you know that Inac would never do the things his ancestors have done?”