Obsessions: A Monster Squad Novel 7 (7 page)

“They definitely won’t tell you, Samael. You’re a Fallen brother.”

Samael turned slowly to him. “But you’re not.”

“I wouldn’t even try. They’re both Archangels.”

“So?”

“So there’s no deceiving an Archangel. They can see right through the attempts.” Azazel shook his head. “I’m sorry, brother, but you’re on your own with that endeavor.”

He turned to leave and Samael grabbed his wrist. “You’re in this with me, brother. You brought word of Abaddon’s visions. If the Archangels discover your treachery, your life isn’t worth a bucket of warm piss.”

Azazel smiled as he pulled his arm free. “It was Michael that sent me.”

Samael’s eyes widened at the name. “Why would Michael, of all angels, send you to warn me?”

“In an effort to prevent innocent blood from being shed. Nothing else.”

Samael opened his mouth to continue the argument when Azazel vanished in a flash of green light. He stared at the spot where his brother once stood and trembled. “If the angels on high want me to stop, then perhaps we’re on to something greater than we imagined.”

4

Mark paced outside the small outbuilding where the clean-up crews incinerated the biological waste. He checked his watch for the twelfth or thirteenth time when the outer door opened and a technician in a white biohazard suit stepped out. He removed his oversized helmet and tucked it under his arm. “We checked every body in there against the stack of pictures you gave us, Major. The only match was ex-Major Sheridan.” The man handed a clipboard to Mark who stared at it as though it were infected.

“You can burn that, too.” Mark took a half step back and eyed the man warily. “You’re absolutely certain?”

“We double checked, sir. The only one was Sheridan, and all of the bodies have finished shifting back to their human forms. There was no mistaking the idents.”

Mark hung his head as he turned. “Great. There’s no telling how many may still be out there.”

“Sir?” The tech stepped toward him, concern across his features.

“Nothing, sergeant. I was just hoping that those men were with the bodies, that’s all.”

“I can’t make that happen, Major, but I bet we both know the guys who can.” The tech gave him a knowing grin.

“We have to track them down first.” Mark spun and headed back to the hangar, his mind racing. “Where the hell are your other players, Sheridan?”

“What other players?” Jack asked as he approached Tufo.

“Jack. I’m sorry, I was just talking to myself.”

“Well, when you need expert opinions, who better to turn, to, right Major?” Jack turned and walked alongside him. “I was looking for you to ask a favor, but if you’re having issues with Sheridan.”

“Sheridan is dead. They’re disposing of his remains now.” Mark hooked a thumb over his shoulder.

“Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. But I heard you mention his name and something about other players?”

Mark stopped and considered having to rehash the entire situation again. He knew that Jack and Sheridan were friends at one time. Perhaps he had the insight to assist? “Feel like listening to a hell of a theory?”

“I’m all ears.” Jack fell into step as Mark headed for his office. “But I do have a favor to ask.”

“Spill it.”

“Since you’re still technically in charge of training, I was going to ask if I could borrow Jacobs and Lamb to help train my pups.”

Mark nodded. “Have them home before midnight or they turn into pumpkins.” He held the door as Jack went through. The two worked their way through the workstations and to the elevators. “What’s the word on these ‘other’ operators of yours?”

Jack shrugged. “Beats me, Major. Word came down from the Wyldwood, and since we’re sort of beholding to her, I’m stuck on babysitting duty.”

The door to the elevator opened on the admin level and Mark held it for him. “I didn’t realize they were all so young. I guess it’s sort of hard to tell.”

“Tell me about it. Who would have thought that a teenage gnome would have a beard hanging to his waist?” Jack cracked a grin as he opened the door to Mark’s office. “So, tell me this theory of yours.”

Mark explained the discovery of Sheridan and his missing mates from Team One while Jack listened intently. Once the pieces were laid out and put together, the two had an even clearer understanding. “It sounds like Sheridan was a busy guy while he was supposed to be in WitSec.”

“And we have at least two missing team members. Possibly a third, but they did find…well, something that could have been remains.” Mark leaned back in his chair and studied Jack. “What’s your gut tell you, Chief?”

Jack closed his eyes and tried to put himself in Sheridan’s shoes. “Honestly, I think you’re right that any that wouldn’t join his little merry band of misfits were probably erased. Now, whether he would leave a body to be found…I highly doubt that.”

Mark sat up and leaned across his desk. “Why? I mean, if he’s going to kill them, why not leave the body? That way there’d be no doubting that they were dead.”

“True, but if the body wasn’t ‘killed’ in action as originally thought, then Team One would know that somebody was targeting their men. Specifically, the men that Sheridan worked with and supposedly trusted.”

“I have to give you that one. I guess I’m not used to thinking like a bad guy.”

“I’m not either, but try to imagine you’re a double agent or that you’ve infiltrated the bad guys. You have to assume the same line of thinking or you’re dead. Sheridan had to live like that for…what? Six months or more?”

“True.” Mark sat back again and tried to wrap his mind around Sheridan and his actions. “So what is his end game?”

“Truthfully? Knowing Sheridan, it’s all about the money. My opinion is he was a hired gun.”

“We sort of knew that. This Simmons guy hired him to attack both us and you.” Mark shook his head. “I’m still not sure why they’d attack you though.”

Jack sighed heavily. “That would be because of Apollo if I had to guess. He would want anybody that his twisted mind blamed for Maria…for not telling him about Maria and the Padre.” Jack shook his head. “I still can’t wrap my mind around that one, Major.”

“I don’t think anybody really saw that one coming.” He poured a cup of coffee and offered Jack one. “But regardless, Sheridan pulls Apollo into the fold so now he has to fight Apollo’s battles in order to gain his trust. And all of this is so he can get a payday?”

Jack nodded. “Sounds about right to me.”

“Okay. Then what about his operators that he recruited from Team One? Are they in it for the money as well?”

“That and some misguided sense of responsibility to the officer that led them through the fires of hell.” Jack sipped the coffee and reclined on the couch. “Look, I can’t begin to try and figure out how these guys are all thinking, but I’m betting that Sheridan probably sold them all a bill of goods. Probably told them about the augmentation and how they were sold down the river by queen and country. Whatever. The end result is the same. Those who would follow him, did. Those who wouldn’t, died.”

“Were murdered,” Mark corrected.

“Their ticket got punched.” Jack set the coffee cup down and eyed the man cautiously. “Same result. They’re out of the game.”

“So, can you think of a way that we can figure out which operators might still be working with him?”

Jack rubbed at his jaw and thought hard. “Where’s your list of missing members?”

Mark pulled another copy from a file folder and handed it to him. Jack ran a finger down the list and tapped it twice. “I can guarantee that this little cockbite is with him.” He looked up and smiled. “Well,
was
. If Sheridan is out of the game, Bigby here might still be playing, or he may have pulled up stakes and hauled ass for safer ground.”

Mark looked at the list and circled the name. “Any others?”

“Silverman and Winchester are both true blue Brits. They wouldn’t sell out for any price.”

“They’re both dead. Confirmed dead. Their bodies were found.” Mark hovered over the list as Jack went down it again.

“Sammons and Cowley I didn’t know that well.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. He slowly shook his head. “It’s truly anybody’s guess on those two.”

“Cowley is confirmed KIA. Sammons…hold on.” Mark turned back to a report and fished it out. “Ah. That’s the pile of biological goo that
could
have been a human body, but…” He trailed off.

“So they didn’t test it?”

“Negative. They found shreds of his uniform mixed in with the Jell-O and just assumed it was him.”

Jack stared at the list again and shook his head. “Bigby is affirmative. Sammons is a possible.”

“So there may be two more out there.”

“It would appear so, Major.” Jack handed the list back to him and stood. “I wouldn’t want to have to try to track them down. They’re both ex-SAS.”

*****

Laura played out different scenarios in her head. Rushing home with a ‘miracle cure’…oh, but there is this tiny little side effect. If you don’t take this other pill every day for the rest of your life, you’ll grow hair in funny places and start barking at the moon. She shook her head and sighed heavily.

How do you explain to your no-nonsense father that monsters are real? How do you convince him to become one in order to save his life? True, it would add many, many…
many
years to his life. Healthy, strong, vibrant years. But how do you explain to a man who had already suffered the loss of his wife that he could live healthier and happier than ever if he accepted this? How do you explain to him that if you’d known in time, you might have been able to save your mother?

She felt the hot sting of a tear running down her cheek and she swiped it away. She wouldn’t allow herself to do this. She had served well for far too long, asking little to nothing in return for all these years of service. This one thing was not asking too much.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and saw the accusatory stare that her image shot back. “What?” she shouted. “It’s not like you wouldn’t do it, too.”

She turned her attention back to the road then realized she had just yelled at herself.
Good lord, I’m losing it.
If only Evan hadn’t made her promise to tell him first. She could have stepped in, saved his life, and then explained how. Far better to ask forgiveness than permission.

She increased her grip on the steering wheel, her determination firmed as she increased the speed of her Jeep. She
would
save her father, whether he wanted her to or not. If he said no to the protocol, she would simply dose him in his sleep.

She clenched her jaw, her will resolute as she drove. Slowly she loosened her grip, her determination waning as the many different reactions her father could have struck home.

She glanced upward and muttered a silent prayer that whatever power above would give her the strength to see this through.

*****

Bigby pulled the Super Duty pickup up to the chain link gate of a rundown building that looked suspiciously like a school. He turned off the ignition and stepped out of the large truck. As he approached the chain link fence, he noted the various signs posted warning people to keep out, but it was obvious that that warning had gone unheeded.

He glanced at the main building and nodded. “This will do in a pinch.” He pulled up his PDA and punched up the GPS location and stored it to memory as a possibility.

He walked across the grounds and found the old gymnasium set apart from the rest of the school. It appeared as though it had been saved from the vast majority of vandalism. He wasn’t sure if it was because the doors had been chained or because the windows were mounted too high for trespassers to enter easily, but either way, the building was in far better condition.

“I think we can stage here.”

Stepping out of the back of the gym, he marched to the rear of the grounds and eyed an area where they could stage vehicles. “A dozen transports parked here would never be seen from the roads.” He tapped at his chin as he continued walking the grounds. “But how to get them here without being seen?” There were too many residences in the area and prying eyes and nosy neighbors could go a long way toward detection.
How difficult would it be to remove a dozen or so neighbors?

Bigby shook his head as he considered the ramifications. He glanced at his watch and decided it was time to gather the weapons. Perhaps he could find a suitable staging location in transit. He walked back to the truck and climbed into the cab. As the big engine roared to life, he backed out and began working his way across town to the storage unit that Sheridan had rented.

The wheels in Big’s mind started spinning as he thought about the storage rental place. Remote location, little to no traffic. Plenty of storage bins. Security was practically nonexistent. He smiled to himself as he drove. Maybe he had the proper place the entire time without knowing it. He simply couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

*****

“And you didn’t have any trouble sleeping?” Kalen looked to the two sitting across from him.

Azrael shook his mighty head. “None. I didn’t even achieve stone sleep and still I slept without issue.”

Gnat lifted a bowl of oatmeal to his mouth and slurped loudly. “I never have issues sleeping.” He belched loudly and set the bowl down on the table, reaching for a handful of sausage links. “I could sleep through battlements if need be.”

Kalen nodded, his brow furrowed. “I suppose it is just being in a new place.”

“What troubles you, elf?” Azrael scooped a large slab of ham from his tray and bit off a chunk.

Kalen shook his head. “Just dreams. Perhaps it is all of the unknowns we face. Perhaps if we knew what our quest was, who our enemies are…”

“That has never prevented me from sleeping.” Azrael bit through the large ham bone and crunched it as he chewed. “Usually the stone sleep takes me too soon and I still crave battle, but being here, underground? It was of no issue.”