Society Rules (41 page)

Working quickly, Will plugged in the name of a local dive, and then dialed Lockhart’s home number. It rang three times before it was snatched up, and her wheezing voice shrieked into the phone,

“This had better be important!”

Through the shriek, Will could detect the thickness of sleep, and smirked bitterly as he hung up on her. She had obviously not had the same kind of luck as Baker.

The phone rang back immediately, and he answered with a heavy Spanish accent. He held the phone away from his ear as Cassandra spewed forth a stream of obscenity laced fury, and then hung up abruptly.

“Always a lady,” Will thought as he turned off the phone. He held it tightly gripped in his hand as he considered how to approach this from a professional angle.

Pitting his skills and abilities against others with much of the same training was going to be a challenge. But Will had no choice but to take on this challenge.

He had started it, and now, he was going to end it.

He glanced once more at the GPS, noting Shawn was still busy in his location. This fact, coupled with the knowledge that Cassandra was safely tucked away in her crypt, encouraged Will to get a little rest. He needed to be at the top of his game in the morning. His mind was calmer, now that he had focus.

He felt more like himself.

Stretching out on the small bed, he closed his eyes and promptly fell into a light sleep, listening for the telling “ping”, alerting him to Baker’s movements.

His dreams were strange, filled with images of some hideous sharp-toothed beast with the body of a man, and the sounds of his house, as his ears remained on alert.

He awoke with a start at five A.M. God, what the hell was
that
about, he wondered as his eyes snapped to the GPS automatically.

Baker was still at his ex’s house. Will stretched and peeked out the window. There was only the faintest hint of a lightening sky toward the East. He leaped to his feet, alert and on edge.

The dream left him uneasy, but he was ready to move on from that little freak show his mind had invented for him.

Max needed to go out, so Will opened the door for him, and afterward, jumped into the shower.

He decided that a surprise visit to Baker was in order. Normally, Will didn’t like to tip his hand so early, but he decided that the best approach with Baker was to put him on edge. The guy was cocky, and needed unnerving. He was more apt to slip up if he were just a little rattled. Will was going to stick with him like glue today, starting with the instant he emerged from his little love shack.

He held his head under the bracing stream of water blasting through the shower head.

Calm focus was what he needed today. Will watched the suds swirling around his feet circle the drain, destined for a rendezvous with the septic system, and then lifted his head.

In his eyes was a deadly calm, the grey stillness before an approaching monster of a storm.

Stepping out of the shower, he toweled off roughly, and then stalked naked to a locked chest at the back of his office closet. He dragged it out, and then threw on a pair of jeans with cargo pockets, a button down shirt and a denim jacket, which was for function today, rather than fashion.

He then unlocked the chest and threw back the lid, rifling through the contents on a hunt for exactly what he needed.

And he had everything.

Will could have led a war against a small third world country with the items at his disposal.

He gathered a small arsenal of weaponry, attaching them to nearly every part of his body, ending with the fully loaded 9mm, and several extra clips, just to be safe.

Will glanced longingly for a moment at his S&W X-frame Model 500, of which all fifteen inches were restlessly reclined in a wooden box at the bottom of the trunk.

At four point five pounds; five fully loaded, this was a weapon that you didn’t just pick up . . . you had to lift it.

This sweet thing would blow a hole in your chest the size of a dinner plate, but even if you didn’t plan on actually firing it, the bastard was just plain intimidating as hell; especially if you happened to be unfortunate enough to get an introduction from the wrong end.

Or maybe he should just go old school with the classic forty-four. After all, it seemed to work for Dirty Harry.

Will opened several more boxes, placing the contents carefully on the bed.

Hell, maybe he’d go gangsta, and pack his Sig.

He had no desire to use any of these things on his fellow agents, but he knew what this could mean to them, and he was sure that at least one of them would not mind if anyone was hurt or killed during this little operation. Will was going to make damn sure that it was not going to be himself or Indie.

He grudgingly realized that he also had to include this Jackson person in his protective thoughts.

For Indie.

After a brief hesitation, Will lugged the 500 out of its resting place, and stood for a moment, at a loss as to where he would stash the thing. With a sigh, he replaced the beast back into its box, and impatiently snatched up the forty-four. The thing would put holes in whatever needed shooting just fine.

After making sure that he had every possible gadget and piece of gear at his disposal loaded into his truck, Will pulled himself up into the four-wheel drive Ford, and found his way to the little house where Shawn had spent the night. Baker’s Nissan was still parked conspicuously in the driveway.

Will looked around quickly, and found an area to the side of the house that was thick with small saplings and bushes. He backed his truck into the midst of this, concealing it very nicely, then crawled out through the back window, as he could not open the door without the echoing sound of it shutting again. This neighborhood was very secluded, and the sound would draw notice if anyone were awake.

Will crept carefully to the side of the house, and sat down to await Baker’s departure. By his watch, it was now nearly six thirty. He was willing to bet that he wouldn’t have long to wait.

Sure enough, by seven o’clock, Baker was exiting the front door. Will waited until the kisses and promises of a call later were finished, and the door closed again, signaling that the girl was out of the way.

As Baker strolled to his car, Will moved behind him in complete silence. Baker swung open his car door and sucked in his breath as Will threw his arms casually over the top of the window, inches away from him.

“‘sup, Baker? Got an early day?”

Shawn recovered quickly. “Jesus, man, you scared the crap out of me!”

“Did I? Christ, I’m sorry buddy . . . are you okay?” Will’s voice was heavy with deliberate sarcasm. “I just couldn’t help wondering where you could be going at this time of day.”

“Well, you seem to be out and about a little early yourself,” Baker replied stiffly. He was instantly suspicious, noting Will’s tone.

“I’m not sleeping well these days,” Will replied steadily.

“Yeah, man. I told you I was on top of the situation. You know I don’t mess around. I’ve got a plan.” Baker spoke carefully, determined to play along.

“I appreciate how seriously you’re taking this, Baker. It means a lot to me.” Will’s voice held a mocking edge. He could play too.

Shawn looked uncomfortable. Unlike the drunk and careless man he’d seen the night before, he knew
this
Will.

Dangerous Will.

In control Will
. In spite of his tendency for bravado, Shawn was unnerved.

“Uh, what are you doing here, dude? How did you know where I was?”

“Oh, I know a lot of things, Baker. I just thought I’d come out to see what our plans are for today. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Well, actually, I had planned to work alone on this part of the plan, Taylor.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right. Now if you’ll excuse me . . .” Baker’s eyes were narrowing.

Will was obviously there to let him know that he was on to him, but he comforted himself with the knowledge that he couldn’t know his entire plan.

“Sure, Baker, no problem. I don’t want to mess up anything you’ve got going on. I’ll just hang back until I hear from you, right?”

“Right. I’ll be in touch. See you later, man.” Shawn sat down in his car and slammed the door, scarcely controlling his fury that Will was already being the cog in the wheel. He thought he would have some time today, before Will got all antsy.

With a barely concealed glare out the window, he cranked the engine and roared down the road, leaving Will standing in the driveway.

Will watched him drive until he was out of sight, then turned and walked casually back to his truck, using the door this time. He retrieved a small device from his pocket, and switched it on.

The small magnetized tracking tool that he had deftly slipped under Baker’s wheel well was working perfectly. He started his car, and followed, keeping out of sight for now.

Guess what? I’m not so easy to double cross, Baker,
Will thought.

Now let the games begin.

Chapter 21

Baker was on his cell phone immediately. Cassandra answered on the first ring.

“What’s the problem?” She asked at once.

“It seems William is having an early case of buyer’s remorse. He thinks I might be planning something he won’t like.”

“Hey, Will’s smarter than I thought!” laughed Cassandra, which caused a fit of smoker’s cough to incapacitate her for a moment.

Shawn listened with distaste.

Apparently, Lockhart used her mornings to hack a clearing through her blackened lungs.

“So,” she continued, the fit over. “You wanna proceed as planned, or what?”

“Yes, but do it now, don’t wait. Get those kids out of town and we’ll maintain the upper hand.”

“Got it. I’m already there!” Cassandra hung up the phone without another word. She’d gotten dressed and ready earlier, and was ready to roll, but gave herself a moment to think over the situation.

She drummed her pointed nails noisily on the black laminate side table that supported her ridiculously heavy and outdated gold and cream enameled phone.

The sharp tacking sound seemed to help form her poisonous thoughts quickly.

Yes, she would go along with Baker’s plan, but with a few modifications of her own. This was too big to let anything blow it. Cassandra wasn’t sure that Baker was heartless enough to do whatever it might take to make this work. She knew that she did not have that problem.

Not in the least.

After a deep moment of concentration, she snatched up her purse and her handgun, tucking it into a modified holster that clipped on to the back of her skirt. She was dressed in her regulation outfit, skirt and jacket, having decided it would be beneficial to dress the part of the professional federal agent that she was.

Best to look official. She slipped on her sunglasses, and walked briskly out the door.

Chapter 22

What Man sets in motion

I can put right

For I am the Sun

The dark and the light

I slay the shadows

My fury, profound

The claws, they’re extended

My rays pierce the ground

So spew forth your hatred

Your evil, your fright

The last of my fire

Brings eternal night

“Final Warning”

Katherine Whitley

Indie stood looking out of the huge picture window, not seeing the beautiful view sprawled out before her.

No, she was seeing something else entirely. She knew that what she was viewing was second hand, from Jackson’s mind, and it wasn’t giving her a good feeling.

Jackson was in the shower, but apparently, his mind was busy evaluating the visions playing across his mind, although they seemed to be in an unusual form.

Vision without pictures, only feelings. He appeared to be working on decoding these feelings.

They had discovered many surprises from yesterday afternoon and throughout the night. For one, Jax, who had thought himself only marginally gifted, had discovered that he was able to “see” plots against them, and the level of danger to expect. Jax had told her before their Commitment that he thought himself able to know the thoughts of potential enemies and threats, but not to what extent.

This seemed to be an extraordinarily handy gift, given the circumstances.

What she did not know, because Jax could not see it yet, was from whom the threat was coming. They had assumed the problem would be Will, and his promise to come hunting them down, but there seemed to be more involvement, and on a more personal level.

Apparently it was
not
just a bunch of armed government goons on a random witch-hunt. But Indie left those thoughts to ponder other things now.

She had learned much in the last 20 hours. Jax had given her every detail that he knew about the Society in a quick condensed version, and she found that her already good memory was now flawless. Better than photographic, it was
audio
graphic. If she saw it or heard it, it was locked in forever.

She had also learned how to throw off the cloak that she had wrapped around herself, concealing her from the notice of others . . . her gift of “invisibility”.

Before this, Indie had been unaware that she herself was responsible for others’ inability to see her clearly, but she now realized that it was not entirely an unconscious act. Had she not always tried to be as small and unobtrusive as possible, struggling to blend in?

It had worked, and splendidly.

Indie now understood how to allow herself to be seen and thought of by others through nothing more than an act of will. A simple relaxation of her mind, letting go of the fear that she
would
be noticed and seen as an oddity. She also knew that her ability to retreat into the safety of concealment remained at her disposal, should she ever feel threatened.

The veil had been lifted, for the moment.

Jackson and Indie had taken a little field trip down to Woodstock to visit the Calendar II stone chamber. She had sat on the cold damp ground within, felt the vibrations of the Earth, and the power of the sacred geometry.

Indie had also been given incredible lessons regarding the Society, linking legends from all over the world, about beings “from the sun.”

Of all the lessons, the one that had touched her the most, remembered as if it were a favorite bedtime story, was about Society Members who were Equals most pure, descending from that powerful single Elder, the Seraphim who came, separate from the rest, sent to infuse a select few with his divine perfection in the completely sexless union.

His children, these descendents, were equally pure, sent by the Creator to begin the Incan dynasty.

Not the first, but one of many accounts of “Children of the Sun.” The legend captured her imagination, and was one of the most well documented. Ironically, it was also the most factual, despite having been brushed aside by the modern world as mythical nonsense. Nothing but a good story.

Jax explained how Equals Mallku Kapuc and Mama Ocllo, were given a second life by the Creator, after the end of their first incarnation, and arose from Lake Titicaca where they began their journey to find the land that would become the cradle of Incan civilization.

They settled on the highlands of Huanacauri, and drew people to them, encouraging them to abandon their barbaric ways, and embrace true community values. They formed two more centers for teaching in Cuzco and Vilcashuaman.

Indie loved the legend’s suggestion that the learning centers’ locations were decided upon by the rays of light that the pair carried with them, selecting the first places where the sunbeams sank into the Earth, rather than reflecting upwards. It was not part of the factual story, but it was intriguing to her, just the same.

These Equals began the first simple teaching of “Society Rules”;
ama
suwa,
ama
quella
and
ama
llulla
; translations, do not steal, do not be idle and do not lie. More rules were to follow, regarding self-reliance and accountability for ones’ own actions.

They taught the Inca rulers the laws of energy and the secrets of the sun.

Indie wondered about the partnership of this particular brand of Society Member, and if they suffered any sense of loss, not marrying, and never having more that a “spiritual” relationship.

Jax had explained that what these beings shared transcended any other sense of connection and love. They were completely engulfed in one another’s minds, and partners in the truest sense.

Definitely, no one needed to feel pity for these beings. They bring light to those around them, so perfect is their serenity and limitless patience and love. This was the reason they were chosen to bring light and civility to this particular future dynasty.

The genetic combination culminating in such beings was beyond rare, Jax told her, re-stating the fact that he had never come across any or anyone else who had. He, himself, had only heard the stories of their existence.

Indie drank in this knowledge, as well as the legends from every culture since the beginning of time referencing the people of the sun. Jax had told her about the rules of energy, negative and positive, how it affected the energy of the Earth, and how this, in turn affected the energy of the sun.

The secret to survival of humankind was always the sun, aside from the obvious way. Of course we need the light and heat . . . but the
energy.
Negative energy weakened the sun, hastening its aging, its demise. And a sun that was dying burned more intensely, pouring forth the last of its fire before the end.

The supernova.

Global warming. The scientists were so misguided.

No amount of tree planting and light bulb changing would affect the increased amount of solar flares, and building pressure in the core of the sun. Negative energy caused by the acts of evil in the world was what had to be controlled. These simple emotions and actions severely affected the energy flow from the Earth to the sun.

Positive energy soothes the raging core of fire, reducing the frantic energy expended. Negative energy opposes positive. These opposing forces create conflict, and the sun burns hotter.

Imagine
, Indie thought.

Emotions
causing
such
a
thing
.

Callousness, apathy, greed and misery.

She had also learned that there are those among humankind who thrive on creating chaos. Those behind the drive for the end of humanity. It was terrifying to learn, but it stood to reason.

The simple fact that there were angels . . . and a Creator . . . meant that there were, conversely, demons.

They stalked humankind. Indie had been struck mute with horror by this revelation.

And the fear she’d felt from finally learning Jax’s job, and the feat he’d performed while still a teen that had made him famous among the Society, had left her; rational thinking showing Indie the necessity of things that were monstrous in their distastefulness.

The horrible fact was that one of Jax’s jobs was to kill.

This fact had shocked and confused Indie. Aside from the very idea of it, she had seen not a single weapon anywhere in his home, and she’d been very thorough in her nosiness.

“I am obliged to use only organic weapons, those that I pick up in nature . . . or my own hands to dispatch our common enemies.” He’d told her.

“Gun’s . . . .” he’d shrugged. “I am well trained to use them, and carried those weapons in my duties with the SAS, but I may not use them for Society purposes. The things I . . . kill—” Jax looked at her nervously as he said the word, but Indie was stoic, “—do not belong in this realm and the organic nature of the weapons help me destroy them.”

He then showed Indie the only real “weapon” he owned, which was a four inch long hilt, fashioned from an ancient-looking stone, with the very tip ending in a sharply pointed curve.

Indie gulped. One would have to get very,
very
close to whatever you were trying to kill to use this weapon.

This, Jax acknowledged was true, but he caressed the weapon reverently, and informed her that it had served him extremely well in the past. It was one of the first weapons fashioned by the first descendent of the Archangel bloodlines, and was given to Jackson upon his completion of his Society training.

Jackson had explained that when the truly Fallen One, once an Elder himself before his tumble from grace, saw the Angels turning into the flesh, instructed to infuse their angelic perfection with the daughters of man, he was outraged, and sent several of his Dark Soldiers down to do the same.

Only the seed of these evil ones did not perfect the human form . . . the human
soul
. It decayed it, from the inside out.

It turned all that was good in the Creator’s world into distorted versions of beings in human form.

As their spawn reproduced, they also created the random synchronization of the genetic make-up of those demonic ancestors. When they came together, it meant nothing but chaos. These being were like hideous caricatures of the Society Members. They were not warm, but like ice.

The only powers they possess are the power to ruin and destroy. They are shrewd enough to sense and avoid danger, but usually unable to read minds. One must be able to open one’s self up, and to
coax
the mind to reveal its secrets, in order to read the thoughts of another.

Evil does not coax. It demands. The human mind instinctively protects itself from such invasions.

It was during this discussion that Jackson revealed the reason for his infamy.

His words had left her speechless, his confession unfathomable; He’d killed
Satan
himself.

And with nothing more than his crudely fashioned, hand-me-down weapon.

Now this, of course, was
technically
impossible, as the Fallen one is actually immortal, but in his jealousy and need to be worshiped, the Fallen takes the flesh, and becomes The Speaking Man.

He’d done it numerous times throughout history, and the method was sickening; the literal high jacking and possession of a human embryo.

Jackson had explained how the Fallen One, Satan, was incapable of true creation . . . of becoming the flesh, and this infuriated him. Oh, he could possess a
body
for a short time, but it took so much effort for him to remain in a body that instinctively rejected him, that it was all he could do to remain anchored.