Faith Defiled (Gray Spear Society Book 14) (23 page)

"Just about the whole Society. You might be the last to arrive. I'm under strict orders to send you straight up to headquarters for a special meeting with Aaron and Wesley. The Voice of Truth has been asking for you."

Her eyes widened. "Now I'm terrified."

"With good reason, I think. Go on up, ma'am."

"Don't tell Aaron I'm coming. I want to surprise him."

"Sure," Smythe said. "Just go. Odelia and I will take care of your people."

Marina ran off with a backward glance at her team. Smythe shook Hanley's hand and gave him a friendly thump on the shoulder. Her people were in good company.

Marina knew the secret way up to headquarters even though it had been several months. She ran into a side hallway lined with conference rooms. She chose one room in particular which didn't seem different from the others. Six brass chairs were arranged around a black hexagonal table. Golden wallpaper with blue vertical lines covered the walls.

She closed the door and looked at a tall, wooden sculpture in the corner. The surface had hundreds of small holes which helped hide tiny cameras. She waved her hand excitedly in front of the sculpture. Hopefully, whoever was in the security booth would recognize her.

The room began to rise silently like an elevator. It emerged into a secret concrete chamber with a domed roof. She ran over to a more conventional elevator which would take her the rest of the way. She was about to enter a combination on a keypad when the elevator shot up on its own. Somebody upstairs was eager to see her, and she went straight to the twenty-second floor.

Marina hadn't visited Chicago since August and was eager to see Aaron's headquarters. He had insisted on coming to California instead for their infrequent trysts. He had hinted that significant changes had occurred, but he had been annoyingly vague about the details. Something impressive had happened to Bethany and Leanna in particular. Marina was dying to see what all the excitement was about.

The elevator doors opened, and she stepped into a white entry chamber. Her first sight came as a shock. She had expected to see a human in the security booth, but a computer was there instead. Dozens of components with lights on the front occupied tall racks. A huge bundle of network cables and power cords hung off the back of the equipment.

"Hello?" Marina said cautiously.

"Hello, Marina. I've heard a lot about you." The voice was Jack's.

She knew Jack was dead. He had succumbed to a fatal gambling addiction during a mission. He had been the security chief in Chicago, and they had served together for several years. The news of his death had come as a terrible blow. Hearing his voice again was more than creepy; it was ghoulish.

"Are you a computer?"

"Yes. The twins built me and named me Jack."

Marina made a sour face. "How clever of them." She wasn't pleased with the notion of a computer in charge of security. It was too much responsibility for a machine.

"This is the first time we've met in person, so I'm unfamiliar with your biometrics. I must establish your identity another way. When you and Aaron first met, you fought the Church of One Soul. Two boats were destroyed at the end of that mission. What were their names?"

She stared at the computer. "That was a long time ago."

"It was a significant day," Jack said. "You should be able to remember."

"Uh." She rubbed her temples. "
Scimitar of Allah
and
Aegis of Allah
."

"That is correct. Welcome to Chicago."

The side door buzzed. She opened it and hurried into the hallway beyond. She had actually felt nervous answering to a computer.

She almost tripped over a big hunk of scientific equipment. She saw similar junk up and down the hallway, and scraps of high-tech debris were heaped in the corners.
Somebody needs to clean up their mess,
she thought.

Marina made her way deeper into headquarters. She discovered the conference room had been turned into a second scientific laboratory. The machine shop was also cluttered with equipment that looked like it belonged in a science fiction movie. She couldn't believe Aaron had allowed his headquarters to become such a disaster area.

Nancy was working in the machine shop. She was the mechanic for the Chicago team, the local equivalent of Imelda. Nancy's brown, frizzy hair was cut close to the scalp. Blue coveralls hung loosely on her generously proportioned body. She never stopped smiling, but now her smile was forced and brittle. Her coveralls had a chemical stain down one leg. Her eyes were bloodshot. She looked very busy, so Marina left her alone.

When Marina entered the large exercise area, she stopped and gaped. It had become a technological junkyard. It looked like an alien spaceship had dumped its cargo in the middle of headquarters. Thick power cables ran along the floor with no attention paid to safety. Equipment glowed and hummed in a disconcerting manner.
What in God's name are they building?
she thought.

Marina saw two robots moving in the middle of the mess and approached cautiously. When she saw their bodies, she realized they were Bethany and Leanna. Marina couldn't believe the change. The girls' skulls were made of smoky gray metal now, and their eyeballs were large, black crystals. Their faces were stiff and expressionless. Below the neck, they were still human. Their skin was the color of coffee with cream, and they had skinny, girlish bodies. They still wore the same dorky white shirts and red skirts as always. Becoming cyborgs clearly hadn't improved their poor taste in fashion.

"Girls?" Marina said.

The twins ran over and gave her a hug.

"Hi, Marina," they said in perfect unison. Their voices sounded like simplified, electronic versions of human speech. It was all clicks, hums, and pure tones.

"You've changed."

"God made us much smarter," Bethany said.

Her crystal eyeballs were disturbing. They had golden structures deep inside the translucent material. They were made of alien technology.

Marina raised her eyebrows. "I see."
And I'm not sure I like the change.

The twins were working on a device that looked like a giant donut covered with colorful sprinkles. It was made of countless components, some as small as grains of sand. The pieces were arranged to form loops, swirls, and rings in a hypnotically beautiful pattern. It was an elegant blend of complexity and symmetry.

"What's this?" Marina said.

"The aperture," Bethany said. "It's the key to our project."

Marina heard Aaron's voice in his office. She had more questions for the twins, but they could wait until after she greeted her lover.

She picked her way through the high-tech junkyard to reach the office. Aaron was tall and very muscular. Bushy eyebrows shaded his brown eyes, but an unnatural darkness made them even darker. His brown hair needed a trim. A strikingly handsome face always made her sigh like a girl meeting a rock star. He had a grim, brooding expression, but she liked how it looked on him.

He noticed her and immediately ran to her. He gathered her up in his arms and gave her a big hug that squeezed the air from her lungs. He kissed her on the lips with almost angry passion. Then he hugged her again more gently. For a long time, they just held each other and enjoyed the physical contact. They were finally together again. It had been far too long.

"You weren't joking about the changes," Marina said. "Jack turned into a computer, the twins became cyborgs, and your headquarters is a disaster area."

"And I turned into a legate," Aaron said.

"What!" She stepped back.

"Ethel ran off to save the President. Somebody had to take her place temporarily."

"Wow." She raised her eyebrows. "I guess that means you're my boss again, just like old times." She could live with the situation for a little while.

"Wrong," a young, musical voice said.

Marina spun around to find Wesley standing there. He had actually grown a little since his visit to San Francisco three months ago. His straight brown hair always looked like it needed a quick combing. His flawless skin seemed sculpted from marble. He had a perfect face, as beautiful as an angel's, but his eyes were his most captivating feature. The irises glittered like bright blue jewels. They held a light and a wisdom that was as eternal as the stars in the sky.

Norbert, Yvonne, and Guthrum were standing behind Wesley. The odd combination confused Marina. Norbert was one of Aaron's
legionnaires
, and Yvonne and Guthrum were part of Wesley's team of bodyguards. He was supposed to have four bodyguards.

"Where are Charles and Atalanta?" Marina asked.

"Atalanta went with Ethel," Wesley said. "Charles is right here."

Charles was easy to miss because he had the gift of psychological invisibility. His hair was the color of hard frost. Long years of service had left deep seams in his pale face. As always, he wore a gray business suit perfectly tailored for his very tall, thin frame. He was sitting by a desk with his famous silver cane within easy reach.

The former legate waved to her. "The kid fired me. I work for Aaron now."

"And I'm protecting Wesley," Norbert said.

Marina looked at him. "Huh? My head is spinning. I need a cheat sheet to keep track of who works for whom around here. It's like a game of musical chairs."

Norbert had started his career in the Society as a big, strong man, but he had grown into an athletic freak since then. He had muscles on top of muscles. She wondered if he were stronger than Ipo. Norbert's puffy, round, and always sincere face was the only soft part of his body. She also liked his brown, curly hair. She knew him well and considered him a good friend.

"You haven't heard the best part," Wesley said.

"Which is?" Marina said.

He looked around and frowned. "Not here. We need a more appropriate place. This is important. Let's go up to the roof."

"But it's freezing cold outside."

"God's love will keep us warm. Bethany and Leanna! It's time."

Marina gave Aaron an anxious look. She didn't like surprises, particularly the kind Wesley liked to spring. Aaron shrugged and looked exhausted.

The entire group went up a flight of stairs to the roof. Marina expected to walk out into biting wind and a blizzard of snow, but it was shockingly pleasant instead. A setting sun had punched a hole through the clouds. Its red rays were heating the roof like a giant laser beam and leaving the surrounding area untouched. Snow on the roof was melting rapidly, and it felt like spring had suddenly arrived. The phenomenon was clearly supernatural.

Then she realized it wasn't the sun. God was staring down on them.
This is important indeed,
Marina thought. She took Aaron's hand and gave it a hard squeeze.

Wesley walked to the center of the roof and beckoned Aaron and Marina to join him. Everybody else moved off to the side. Bethany and Leanna were smiling as much as their stiff faces allowed.

Aaron and Marina faced Wesley.

"Love is the most important thing," the boy said. "It is the glue that holds the universe together. It joins mankind to God. Without love, there is nothing. It is finally time to make your love official."

Marina drew back. "What are you talking about?"

"Aaron Glade, do you take Marina Pavlova for your lawful wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others?"

Aaron stared at Wesley as if the boy had grown a second head. Marina was equally confused.

"Do you?" Wesley asked cheerfully.

Marina started to grin. An impossible dream was coming true. Had all the rules suddenly changed? Her heart fluttered, and she felt like she was floating in the air.

She elbowed Aaron in the ribs. "The kid asked you a question, mister!" She wasn't about to let his shock get in the way of their marriage.

He croaked, "I do."

"Marina Pavlova," Wesley said, "do you take Aaron Glade for your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others?"

She nodded eagerly. She wanted to squeal with joy like a little girl. "I do."

"Then in the name of the Lord Almighty and in front of these honorable witnesses, I declare you husband and wife for all eternity. May your undying love always guide you through the challenges you will face. You may kiss."

Marina grabbed Aaron's face and kissed him on the lips. At first, he was stiff, but then he became passionate. The kiss went on and on, and she melted in his arms. The small audience clapped enthusiastically the entire time.

When it was over, she was too flustered to speak. What had started as a miserable day had become the best day ever. She lived a life full of miracles, but she had never dared to hope for this one. She wished she had worn a nice dress.

Aaron looked at Wesley and said, "Why?"

The boy gazed at God hanging low in the sky. "In times of war, there can only be one supreme commander. A single voice must lead the army. A single will must drive it forward. Seven bickering legates won't do."

"I don't understand," Aaron said.

"The Lord wants you to lead His army, but you can't do it alone. The task is too difficult. Your other half must be at your side. You were always meant to work as a team."

"Wait. I'm the supreme commander?"

Wesley faced Aaron and Marina. "Both of you are. You'll be known as the Lord and Lady of the Society."

She cocked her head. "We're in charge until the mission is done?"

"This is a permanent appointment," Wesley said. "You report to God, and the rest report to you, forever."

The magnitude of the moment was slowly penetrating Marina's brain, and her knees grew weak. In a single stroke, the boy had rearranged the command structure of the Gray Spear Society. He had created a marriage in a place where marriage couldn't previously exist. He had destroyed all of her assumptions about what the rest of her life would be like. He hadn't just broken the rules. He had written new ones.