Deadly Weakness (Gray Spear Society) (29 page)

"So, you think she is the reason for his behavior?"

"Without a doubt." Charles took a deep breath. "This disaster is entirely my fault. Xavier was an old and dear friend, and I allowed that trusting relationship to blind me. I should've stopped him two years ago. My duty was clear even then."

"I don't understand," Ethel said.

"Then hear it from the Voice of Truth. Wesley."

"Hello, Ethel." Wesley said.

The boy's musical voice was instantly recognizable. A year had passed, so it was a little deeper, but it still rang like a bell. Aaron imagined Wesley's jewel-like blue eyes which were so full of divine wisdom.

"Did you hear what I told Charles?" Ethel said.

"Yes. It's obvious why Xavier did those bad things. He's destroying the Society to weaken God."

"And why does Xavier want to weaken God?"

"Because he's angry at Him for killing Rhiannon," Wesley said.

Ethel shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. The Lord's enemies killed Rhiannon."

"But He could've saved her. How many times did He save your life?"

"Twice." She furrowed her brow.

"What about you, Aaron?" Wesley said.

"Twice for me, too," Aaron said. "On Lake Michigan and recently near Springfield."

"And at least once for Xavier. So, God chooses who He wants to save, and He let Rhiannon die. The Lord intentionally left Xavier alone."

"Inaction is very different from action," Ethel said.

"Xavier is in terrible pain. He doesn't care about that difference. He only wants revenge. Here is Charles again."

"I couldn't have explained it any better," Charles said. "Again, my deepest apologies. If I could do anything to make amends, I would. You shouldn't have to clean up my terrible mistakes."

"Just keep Wesley safe," Ethel said in a sad voice. "That will be amends enough. Good bye."

She put away her phone.

"It's that simple?" Aaron said. "I was expecting hidden conspiracies. Instead, it's just a lone man broken by grief. It could happen to anybody."

Ethel's shoulders sagged. "Indeed. Anybody. Xavier's demise will be the appetizer at tonight's banquet. Unfortunately, the final big meal of the convention won't be the happy occasion I had hoped for."

"But it will be memorable, ma'am."

"And very educational. I'm going to give a speech. I have a lot to talk about." She checked her watch. "Now get out of here. Xavier's scheduled meeting with me is in ten minutes. It will be the last time we pretend to be friends."

* * *

Xavier was lying on his bed in his cabin. The clock on the nightstand was telling him to get ready for his meeting with the legate, but he lingered in bed a moment longer. The idea of sitting with her and playing nice was so repulsive it made him sick. He just wanted to destroy her instead.

The conversation with Hanley had nagged at Xavier all day. The entire tone had been wrong. Hanley had seemed a little too wise and weary, as if he had had a profound experience last night. More importantly, Xavier didn't understand how he had survived Camp Zonta. It seemed incredible that Hanley had just walked away unscathed. Aaron was too smart to have created such a sloppy trap.

There was only one reasonable conclusion. Hanley was still alive because Ethel wanted him alive. He had probably been captured last night, interrogated, and released. There was an even worse possibility. She had recruited him, and now he was a Spear.

It wasn't a ridiculous idea. Hanley had exactly the right background for a new
legionnaire
. He was a highly trained and experienced killer. Those same attributes had drawn Xavier to Hanley in the first place. The more Xavier thought about it, the more sense it made.

If that were the case, Xavier had already been caught, but then why was he still alive? Ethel wasn't known as a patient or forgiving woman. Maybe she was waiting for the best time to drop the guillotine.
The banquet tonight,
Xavier realized.
She wants to use my death as a lesson for the others.

He needed to execute his escape plan, but before he started running, he wanted to confirm his conclusions. He would talk to Hanley one more time before fleeing.

Xavier put on his warmest clothes and wore two layers of shirts. He didn't know how long he would be outside. He strapped on as many weapons as he could comfortably carry. He stuffed one pocket with cash and the other with fake identification taken from his suitcase. Finally, he put on the heavy winter coat Aaron had given him.

Xavier took out his big, gray Society phone and stared at it. It was more than just a communication device. It was his lifeline. The phone was how members found each other in an emergency. Carrying it at all times was absolutely mandatory. A Spear would literally not be caught dead without his phone.

With some reluctance, Xavier placed the phone on his bed. It felt like he was leaving a piece of himself behind. He had carried that phone or one like it for the majority of his life.
Thus, I cross the Rubicon,
he thought.

He went outside into the bracing cold. He hustled to the mechanical shed where the ATV was hopefully waiting for him. The door was still unlocked. He went inside and found the ATV in the spot where he had left it. The propane tanks and road flares were still in position. Everything appeared ready.

He took out his slim black phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hanley here."

"This is Xavier. Let's not bother with the usual questions. I want to make this quick."

"What's going on?" Hanley said. "I wasn't expecting another call for two days."

"Just checking to see if you're OK," Xavier said. "You sounded weird this morning."

"I was rattled, but I'm a little calmer now. We're in O'Hare Airport. My plane to Washington departs in half an hour."

Xavier heard airport noises in the background.

"Listen, you need to be a lot more careful for the next several weeks. I'm worried they might figure out you were at Camp Zonta. They could be following you right now."

"I haven't seen anything suspicious, but I'll keep my eyes open," Hanley said. "Thanks for the warning."

"You realize if the legate identifies you as an enemy, you're a dead man."

"I'll be safe once I'm back in Washington."

"It doesn't matter where you are," Xavier said. "She'll show up at your office and cut off your head. Then she'll just walk away. Nobody will stop her."

"What do you suggest I do about that?" Hanley said angrily.

Xavier looked down with disappointment. Twenty-four hours ago, Hanley would've dismissed the threat. He would've bragged about the awesome powers of the federal government and the impregnability of the FBI headquarters. He would've chastised Xavier for being so paranoid.

This Hanley was a changed man. He had looked into a pair of dark eyes and had seen eternity.

"Just be careful," Xavier said softly.

"I will. I'll expect your call in two days. Bye."

Xavier ended the call. Then he threw the phone as hard as he could and shattered it against a wall.

He froze and listened. The legate probably had people following him. He silently walked to one of the filthy windows by the front door. With the tip of his finger, he cleaned a tiny spot in the corner and peeked through the gap in the dust.

It took a minute for Xavier to spot the tail. There was an extra shadow behind a bush. It wasn't moving, but a man was definitely hiding there.

Xavier took a deep breath of cold air. Once he started running, he would never be able to stop.

He started the ATV. The engine coughed a few times before it settled down to a steady rumble. He grabbed a flare from the box. It lit on the first strike, and he tossed it against the wooden wall. He drew a gun. Finally, he shot the propane tanks, putting a hole in each one. Liquid and vapor gushed out.

He only had a few seconds now. He jumped onto the ATV and twisted the accelerator all the way. The vehicle crashed through the part of the wall where he had weakened it.

Suddenly, he was in daylight. He drove straight towards the frozen lake at top speed. The ATV bucked like an animal on the uneven surface, but he had good balance and avoided a fatal tumble.

The sound of thunder made him glance back. The mechanical shed had exploded in a huge fireball. Hopefully, the blast had taken out his tail. Xavier needed as much of a head start as he could get.

He hit the lake at full speed. The ride smoothed out, but he knew it would get interesting again soon. Aaron had mentioned heating elements and had probably told the truth. The ice would be dangerously thin in spots. Xavier twisted the accelerator as far as possible.

He heard a loud pop. The ATV dipped for an instant but then returned to level. He glanced back and saw a crack in the ice.

Another thin patch almost threw him off his seat. Fortunately, the oversized wheels on the ATV quickly found their grip again. He leaned back and struggled to maintain his balance as the ice kept breaking beneath him. It was like riding an angry bronco, but he didn't dare slow down. A rooster tail of loose snow was thrown high in his wake.

A bullet whizzed by Xavier's shoulder, and then he heard the gunshot. Somebody back at the camp was using a sniper rifle. He weaved left and right. There were several more shots but he only got nicked on the arm.

He travelled a mile before finally reaching the other side of the lake. He was out of range of the sniper now. He drove up a slope and entered a forest. He slowed down as the ground became uneven and dangerous.

He picked his way across the countryside for a few minutes. He didn't bother trying to hide his tracks through the snow. Distance and speed were his best friends now. The time for stealth would come later.

He came to a road and turned onto it. He cranked the accelerator all the way again. According to the speedometer, he was travelling at 60 MPH. The frigid air clawed at his exposed face. His tears were actually freezing onto his skin. He squinted but it didn't help much. He remembered seeing goggles in the shed, and he wished he had been smart enough to grab them.
This is what happens when you fight in unfamiliar conditions,
he thought.

He drove until his vision was just a blur and there was real danger of frostbite. When he finally stopped, his whole body felt like it was still vibrating. His heart was beating fast as he considered his next step.

He kicked over the ATV and laid down on the frozen road with his eyes closed. He waited for what seemed like a long time but was probably just a few minutes.

He heard a car pull up.

A man stepped out and said, "Are you OK, mister?"

Xavier opened his eyes. An old man wearing a wool coat and a knit cap was standing there. Xavier jumped up and knocked him out with a punch.

Xavier ran over to a big blue SUV that was idling on the road. When he climbed in, the warm interior felt like Heaven. He put the metal beast in gear and drove off.

He proceeded at a quick but controlled speed. Getting pulled over by a cop would be an inconvenience. The radio was playing country music. He turned it off so he could think more clearly. He was very glad he was done with that miserable ATV.

He realized he needed a plan. Just evading the Society for as long as possible was pointless. He had to make productive use of whatever time he had left on Earth. As long as he still breathed, his battle against God's capricious tyranny would continue. Rhiannon was depending on him.

No good plan came to mind though. Locating and destroying cell headquarters had barely worked before. Now Xavier was alone without even the Special Missions Unit as an ally. Making contact with his team in Houston would be dangerous at best. He had to find worthy targets he could tackle by himself.

That project would take patience, hard work, and a lot of luck. Xavier had to survive in the meantime. Fortunately, the Gray Spear Society had limitations. He had bemoaned those limitations as a commander, and now he would exploit them to the hilt. He knew all the tricks.

The one good thing about this situation was he could stop pretending. Soon, the whole division would know what he had done and why. He might even find new allies. There had to be others who were unhappy with the way the Lord mismanaged His bloody business. Xavier wasn't the only Spear who had loved and lost.

The sun was setting. It was going to be a long, cold night.

Chapter Sixteen

Aaron was supervising the banquet preparations when he heard a distant motorcycle engine at full throttle. He was immediately concerned. There was no reason for a motorcycle to be near the camp. Then he heard a thud, and an instant later, all the windows rattled. His mind raced to several unpleasant conclusions.

"Smythe and Odelia!" he roared.

He ran into the kitchen. The final stages of cooking were proceeding at a desperate pace. Nancy, Jack, and Kamal were sweating over hot pots and pans. Smythe and Odelia were spreading chocolate icing on a cake.