Coalescence (Camden Investigations Book 1) (23 page)

“You know,
guys,” Evan said. “She’s right. If Iris’s dad had been privy to our plans all
along he already would have taken action against us.”

Mitchell
mumbled. “Hmm. That’s a comfort. Meaning he still might
take
action
against us.”

“He won’t,”
Iris shouted.

“And you
know, how?” Mitchell all but barked.

“He’s my
dad. I’m his daughter. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to conclude he’s not
going to harm me or anyone with me.”

“Harm or
not. He’s not getting his hands on the artifact.” Mitchell squinted. “Gavin was
right. He’s running. But why?”

“I can hear
him again. He’s afraid for us.”

“Okay, we’ll
leave the gun out of the equation.” Mitchell sighed. “For God’s sake, can’t he
run any faster?”

“I’
M
HERE TO
help. I’m here to help.” Dan Camden was doubled over
trying to restore his breathing to a safe level for a middle-aged man.

Iris
observed her dad, bent over, hands placed on his knees. “Still think he’s here
to harm?” She raised an eyebrow toward Mitchell.

“I promise,”
Dan said in a manner resembling a pledge. “I am here to help. Now, we’ve got to
take cover. I’m afraid a man is here to harm.” He grunted and dabbed a hand
over his head wound.

Iris raised
her hands to her face. “Shit, you’re hurt.”

“Not a
concern. I’m lucky that’s all that happened.”

Mitchell
twisted his toe into the sand. “Yes, I’d like to hear all about it. What did
happen and why did this bastard,” he pointed and baited Dan to follow his hand
where the body lay, “almost succeed in killing us?”

Dan raised a
hand. “Wait a minute. Ooh. There it is.” He pulled a gun from his shirt.

Iris,
Mitchell, and Evan backed away a step, each mimicking a traffic cop with hands
raised.

As Dan
appeared to brandish the weapon, Iris observed Kassidy and Rachel taking a
position behind her father.

“Hey, hey,
guys. Come on, it’s my dad.” She said to her father. “Dad, put the gun away.
It’s over.”

Dan tucked
the weapon away. “Did you know he’s missing his head?”

Kassidy
groaned. “No shit, Sherlock. Good to see you’re at the top of your game,
Daddy.
”

Iris
screeched, “Just everyone stop it.”

“No, Iris,
why should I?” Kassidy’s temper was at a full boil. Her eyebrows nearly touched
one another. Iris allowed her friend to vent. She was no doubt unloading
baggage she had kept bottled. “And why do you still believe his crap? If I
sound harsh
Mr. Camden
it’s because I don’t like what you’ve been doing
to my best friend all these years. You abandon her and then give her promises
you’ll change. She actually fucking thinks you’re going to come be her dad
again.”

“I will,
Kassidy. As of now, I’ve resigned my job. It’s just that my boss doesn’t know
it.” He started laughing in a maniacal tone. Sweat beaded on his forehead and
he swiped at it with abandon. “Damn it. He doesn’t know a lot of things right
now I imagine.” He swiped a dismissive hand at what Iris believed to be the
universe. “I’m off the clock. Punched out. Off the grid. I have come to reclaim
my daughters . . .” Dan’s eyes widened. “Oh shit. Where is DJ?”

Dan stared
at Iris with eyebrows furrowed. Wild with impatience, he began pacing about the
rocks. “Where is she, Iris? I can’t read you.”

“You can’t
read me because you’ve let your gift rot. I don’t know how you blocked it but
it’s there. I can sense it.”

“If you can
sense it, why can’t I read you?”

“You’re
under duress. I couldn’t read you clearly when you first contacted me earlier
either. I was in the middle of something.” She pointed at the decapitated
corpse.

“Okay, I
promise. I’ll calm down.” Dan bent over and placed his hands on his knees. He
inhaled and exhaled slowly with deep breaths.
“Wait, I can hear you
 . . .
You mean DJ ripped Jack’s head off?”

“You had a
chip imbedded in your head all these years!”
Iris
retorted.
“And shit, you must have known DJ was special. Your wife had to
have told you about her relationship with an alien and how much it ‘changed’
her. Yet you kept this a secret from me as well. I would have thought that
revelation would have saved your marriage with her. Instead, you ran from her
like you did from me and DJ.”

Dan and Iris
were squared off against one another. Each eyed the other as if they were going
to draw fire. Iris believed their weapons were thoughts and each had powerful
information to tear into one another just as painfully as any bullet could. His
words had stung. The betrayal, the lies; all of it emanated from her own flesh
and blood.

“How could
you do this to Mom?”

Dan nodded
toward the others circled around them.

“No, Dad.
We’re not going to have a psychic conversation about this. You never seemed to
want one before anyway.” She inhaled audibly. “These are my friends, my family,
and anything you’ve got to say to me can be said to them as well.”

Mitchell
stepped between Dan and Iris. “I’m in agreement with my girlfriend. You might
want to enlighten us about your relationship with this man you obviously know
as Jack. Tell me why I shouldn’t suspect you were working with him.” Mitchell
clenched his fists and bared his teeth. “Tell me why I shouldn’t take you apart
like Jack.”

“Look,
Mitchell. You’re a smart man. I caught a glimpse into your mind when I was
running. I saw your good intentions. I know you’ve seen through the eyes of a
being that needs your help. You might want to question this being about doing
his bidding before you begin to question me.” He held out a hand to Mitch. “I
know you’re angry at me. I am angry at myself. But I share my daughter’s flesh
and blood. It’s just taken me a damn long amount of time to realize that that’s
the most important thing, not some damn gadget from outer space.”

“Aha!” Iris
pointed a finger at him. “You do admit to aliens. You freaking lied to me about
that for”—she paused to cast her eyes heavenward—”for I don’t know,
eons in our tiny little frame of existence.” She began circling her father. Her
finger still pointed. “Think of me as a lawyer”—she gasped—”I know,
better yet, think of me as some kind of alien judge. I’m here to take your
statement. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help you,
alien?” She raised a hand at him and waggled her head.

Mitchell
sidled up to her. “And if you know about space gadgets then you know damn well
what our artifact does, don’t you?”

“I don’t
know what it does. In fact, I never really know what any of them does until we
get them back to the labs. I sometimes help reverse engineer them. Frankly,
whatever they do is then kept secrets for years before it’s turned into a
profitable consumer product. That’s why I’m so confused. I don’t know why Jack
was so hot for yours. It doesn’t make sense.” Dan glanced at Iris. “Read me.
You’ll be able to confirm I don’t know what your artifact does. I think it
works with the OBOLs but they’ve never made their presence clear. I know you
have your theories, but I really don’t care. I just want to take my daughters
to safety.” He glared at Mitchell.

Iris cupped
her hands around her mouth and called out. “Dad, look at me.” Iris stared at
her father, wondering if any truth existed there.

A few more
minutes passed while Kassidy lobbed rocks around the pueblo.

“I think
he’s telling the truth.”

Kassidy
picked up another rock and tossed it. “For once he may have, Iris. But is that
going to continue? He’s been trained by his employers to excel in subterfuge.
He managed to pull the wool over his own family’s eyes for decades. I still
don’t trust him.”

Mitchell
folded his arms across his chest. “I am inclined to concur.” His tone mimicked
the same pledge of allegiance type cadence Dan had used earlier. “I promise I
won’t beat the hell out of you if you agree to turn around and leave right now.
We’re not sharing our find with you. And if you really swear to the aliens
above that you don’t know what its purpose is, maybe I’ll even allow you to
leave at a walking pace.”

“No! You’ve
got to let me help. I might have some experience. Some knowhow.”

Iris pointed
a finger. “Do you? Can you really help? When I calm the hell down from the
hissy fit I feel coming on, I’m going to know, Dad. I’m going to know.
Remember
that
.”

“I don’t
know about these aliens”—he pointed his finger toward the sky—”that
you’re referencing. The being that’s coercing you; did you stop and think he
may be earthbound, just some deceased human being having some fun with you?”

“Come on,
Dad, you can’t tell me you don’t know about the war. They have lived with us
for decades. One even lived with my stepmom, Doris. You even had me believing
our alien was a ghost. And to think, you’ve probably made countless deals with
them yourself over the years, you know, all for the sake of acquiring your
little gadgets.” Iris made parentheses with her fingers.

“Nah, I
promise I don’t know about any war. Do you really think I’m high enough on the
chain to know those kinds of things—even if they were true?”

Mitchell
intervened. “Okay, then how did Jack know?”

“Jack’s a
snake, Mitchell.” Dan pursed his lips. “He wasn’t here to protect like I was.
He was out for self gain.”

“You call
plausible denial protecting the public?” Evan asked. “Or, how about apology is
policy? You finally come clean about things when consequences have fully
evolved. Isn’t that nice? Mitchell, I say we send our G Man packing.”

“You know
what, Evan,” Mitchell responded. “I have a change of plan. Let’s get Mr. Camden
involved. I bet his employers would love to know he’s been aiding civilians.
Spilling their precious secrets . . . I just can imagine what
they’d do to a traitor.” Mitchell traded glances with Evan.

“You can
stop screwing with my dad, Mitch. I know you’re bullshitting. You wouldn’t wish
such a curse on anybody—even your enemies.” Iris locked eyes with her
father on the word “enemies.”

Dan cupped
his hands about his face. “What have I done?”

“I hope
that’s rhetorical, or we’re going to be here awhile,” Kassidy answered.

“Out of love
for your daughter,
Mr
. Camden, you can stay and help us.” Mitchell
stretched his hand out toward Dan.

Dan
positioned his hand for a shake. Mitchell reprimanded.

“No. I don’t
want your hand. I want that gun. Give it to me. Then you can stay.”

“You better
give that gun to me,” Iris said. She imagined Mitchell beating her dad over the
head with it.

Despite the
reign of hell she had just experienced, learning her father had lied about
aliens, coming to grips with the fact that her half sister was alien, and the
impending doom of the light weapon; Iris Camden allowed a smile to wash across
her face.
He loves me.

Dan smiled
sheepishly.

Iris scolded
her Dad. “I meant
Mitchell
, Dad. I was referring to Mitchell.”

Sharing
thoughts with her dad wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. At least she could
keep the man in check though. She hoped.

While lost in her many thoughts, Iris never considered
inventorying the team. Rusty was nowhere to be found. But she had yet to notice
him missing.

I
RIS
HAD BELIEVED
she might get a breather. But when she observed Mitchell
clutching at his chest with eyes rolling in his sockets, she wondered what form
of trouble had descended upon the pueblo once again.

He ran a
hand through his hair. “I can’t believe this. He’s gone. I thought he had gone
ahead to scout but he’s . . .
and so is the gun!”

“Who’s
gone?” she asked.

Instead of
answering verbally, Mitch nodded and placed a finger over his lips. His gaze
was fixated on something behind her.”

“Ah!” Dan
who had been walking beside and a little behind the pace of Iris let out a
staccato scream. By the time Iris turned to face him, he was stumbling to keep
his balance.

She observed
a foot kicking him in the lower back. This kick brought Dan to the sand.

He must have
ambushed us from the ledge above.
Iris scanned the circular wall
to her right.
If I was paying more attention I would have known something
was wrong. Where had Rusty been all this time? That was who Mitch had been
referring to. She wished with her heart and soul Mitch could express himself
telepathically. But she didn’t have the luxury to fashion a wish list. Right
now her father was in danger.

“It’s not
your fault,”
a voice responded in her mind. It was Dan.
“I’m okay.
He’s just venting. How many more team members are there?”

“It’s not
okay, Dad. He’s got a gun trained on you.”

Iris
screamed with a hoarse voice, “Rusty, what are you doing? Put that gun away!”

“Don’t you
see?” Rusty answered. “He’s another man like Jack. I was listening to you,
Mitchell. You said Jack’s death was justified. You’ve got to believe this man’s
will be as well.”

Mitchell
spread his hands out. “Just hold it, Rusty. Maybe you heard my anger speaking.”

Iris used
the distraction to extract her newly acquired weapon. With shaking hands, she
pointed it at Rusty. She had Jack’s gun at the ready, but unfortunately Mitch
had lost the gun he obtained from Dan because Rusty was not only a great guide
but a fairly good thief. Now she was in a standoff against a man who was
supposed to be an ally. Iris shook her head slightly and grimaced.
What
could be next?

“Your gun
will only accomplish what I seek,” Rusty said to Iris. “If you fire there’s a
good chance you’ll hit your Dad.”

“Do you
think I want to shoot anyone?” She shook the gun.

“I know you
are blinded by blood loyalty. You have to believe this man is the same as the
one your sister killed. He is guilty. He upholds corruption. People in power
have oppressed the Hopi time and time again. It happens because it’s allowed to
happen.”

“No, Rusty,”
Mitchell said. “You know the people really behind the corruption are nameless
and faceless. We’ll never see them. This man here, he’s not who you want to
harm for their sins. People like Dan are more misguided than they are evil. He
probably became delusional from all the brainwashing. But at heart, Dan loves
his children.” To Iris he said. “I apologize for discounting love. It’s a
mistake many scientists have made.”

Iris held a
hand to her heart. She wished she could embrace Mitch at that instant but that
was kind of hard to do when life was becoming more and more like the OK Corral.

Rusty’s eyes
were saucer like. “No, it
is
men like him. He empowers the nameless and
the faceless. How else would they be able to command from behind a veil unless
they got willing minions to do their bidding? This man supports them by working
for them. There is no degree of guilt here.”

Iris
observed Rusty’s body language. He was growing angrier, feeding on past
memories perhaps. No doubt they were visualizations of abuse against the Hopi.

Before she
could put her hand on the trigger, Rusty had seized her father by the shoulders
and spun him around. Then he launched a knee in Dan’s chest sending him to the
sand. Dan, who was sprawled spider-like on his back with arms and legs splayed,
was at Rusty’s mercy. Rusty began pistol-whipping Dan.

“How can you
work for the Skeleton Man?” Rusty screamed at Dan. “Tell me, what do they give
you in exchange that allows you to bury your compassion? Come on.” Spittle flew
from Rusty’s mouth. “I’m waiting to hear your excuse.”

Iris
attempted to steady the gun. She surmised Rusty was either beyond the point of
sanity or simply believed she would never dare fire a gun in the range of her
father. He was correct on the latter point.
I wish Mitch had a weapon right
now and not me.
She watched in disbelief as her father uttered not a single
response.
He’s probably been trained for these kinds of situations. Maybe
he’s even been in them before.

Iris felt
anger swelling and allowed it to overtake her fear. She couldn’t allow precious
time to evaporate by over thinking. Here was yet another situation where she
could help people she loved who were in risk.

She closed
her eyes and fired. A bullet careened off the rock wall and produced the same
sort of sound she had heard watching movies about the Old West.

After she
fired, Dan’s right hand rose and pushed at Rusty’s chin. But the young man
still had a grip on his weapon until Evan bounded down off the ledge and onto
his back.

Evan rolled
with Rusty as if they were human tumbleweeds. Iris moved her gun to follow and
began creeping toward her father.

With Evan
landing on top of Rusty, the smaller man presented no match for the burly
scientist. Evan connected a left hand jab to the boy’s chin. It was enough to
knock down Rusty’s spirit if not his consciousness.

Mitchell
pulled Evan up off Rusty and secured the weapon. Iris consoled her Dad.

Then
everybody came to a dead freeze to the sound of hands clapping.

“Good job,”
Kassidy said, applauding. “Is there anybody else who wants to hand Earth over
on a platter?”

Rachel,
standing by Kassidy’s side, nodded. “I’ve got to agree with her on this one.
We’re going to destroy ourselves without anybody’s help.”

Iris patted
her father on the shoulder. “You should think of an answer to Rusty’s
question.”

She marched
over to Rusty and stood glaring over him.

“And you,”
she asked, “did you come along as a guide knowing you would find an
opportunity?”

Rusty
answered with a moan. Blood dribbled down his chin. “What do you mean?”

“Revenge is
a pretty good motive. Rusty, maybe you were blinded as well. We came here to
save everyone. You apparently came here to feed the lust of anger, to serve an
individual need. I should have considered the fact that you were betting a man
like my father might come along.”

Rusty
covered his eyes to shield from the sun. Iris pondered if it was also to fend
off guilt.

“I am
guilty. I am ashamed. But my anger was not for my benefit, but for my
people’s.”

Mitchell
offered a hand. “Come on, get up.”

“What will
you do with me?” Rusty asked.

“Put you to
work,” Evan answered. “We’ve got to get our object online. Can you think of any
other outlets that may be available, something that might give us an
alternative power source?”

Kassidy
winked at Evan. “Good thinking.” Evan locked eyes with her for a long moment.

Rusty
sighed. “I’m afraid I have no other suggestions. We must plug the artifact back
in. We can only hope the charge will hold.” He allowed Mitchell to pull him to
his feet.

Mitchell
clapped his hands. “He’s right. Let’s get to it. Time is of the essence.”

“But,” Evan
said, “whoever handles the dial is going to be exposed to another large dose of
radiation when it becomes plugged in again. That’s why I suggest I do this.
Alone.”

“No. I
will.” Rusty shook some sand off his shirt. “It will be my penance.”

Dan shook
his head. “I don’t think we can allow anyone to do this with the exception of
me.”

“Come on,”
Rachel said. “We all can’t be martyrs. Maybe we should pick straws.”

Gavin
answered, “But where will we find straws?”

“What do you
think?” Mitchell had posed the question to Iris, but she was nowhere in sight.
“Oh. Don’t tell me.”

By the time he found her, Iris had the object reconnected.
The world sparkled once more with holographic images and laser light strobes.