Part 27 (1/2)
The cab of the truck opened, and a driver wearing a blue Cubs baseball cap leaned out. He had a curious expression.
”What the h.e.l.l?” He looked over his shoulder at Aaron and Smythe. ”Hey! You're those guys! Help! They're over here!”
Smythe ran over, dragged the driver out of the truck by the arm, and threw him to the ground. One well thrown punch to the jaw silenced him.
Aaron heard other people calling out, which meant the alarm had already been raised. Taking the lead, he ran along the wall of the warehouse to the back side where there were tall weeds. Smythe hesitated before following. They found a nice, dark spot and crouched down.
”We could've used the truck to escape.”
”No,” Aaron whispered, ”trucks are slow. The police would catch us easily.”
”I feel like a criminal.”
”We could give ourselves up.”
”No.” Smythe frowned. ”I wonder where Ethel is.”
Aaron considered calling her to answer that question. However, he didn't want to make her phone ring if she were trying to hide. He had to a.s.sume she was smart enough to turn off the ringer.
He took out his phone and discovered to his chagrin that he hadn't turned off his own ringer. He put his phone into vibrate mode and instructed Smythe to do the same.
Aaron called Ethel.
”Where are you, ma'am?” he asked.
”In our car,” she said, ”waiting for you. You're too slow.”
He snarled. I'm just not supernaturally fast. ”We're hiding behind the warehouse.”
”The police are here.”
”I know. We saw the lights.”
”I changed my disguise, so they're leaving me alone,” she said. ”What's your plan?”
He looked around. ”There are fields and trees to the south, and it's dark. I think we can escape that way.”
”Walk in that direction until you find the road. I'll pick you up there. Bye.”
He closed his phone. ”Follow me,” he told Smythe.
Aaron picked his way through the field of weeds. The rough ground was treacherous in the darkness, and he had to move slowly to avoid twisting an ankle.
Two security guards came around the warehouse, and their flashlights shot beams of white light into the field. Aaron and Smythe instantly dropped down and froze until the light pa.s.sed. It was a good thing they were wearing black. Aaron's heart was pounding like a drum.
They moved faster as their eyes adjusted. After a couple of minutes, they reached a road. They squatted in a shadow between two bushes. It was very quiet.
”When you heard about the carnival,” Aaron said softly, ”what made you think of PRooFS?”
”My laboratory team knew there had to be a single, mobile source,” Smythe said. ”The pattern of outbreaks made that clear. We ran computers searches but never got a hit. It was very frustrating. When Edward told me the places the carnival had visited, I immediately saw the connection. A travelling carnival is a perfect way to distribute a chemical or biological weapon on a ma.s.s scale. Hmm.”
”What?”
”But I still don't understand how the Eternals got the weapon. It's obvious they're a sophisticated organization, but PRooFS is a monster. It's a perfect killer. It's...”
”Supernatural?” Aaron said.
”Well...” Smythe made a sour face. ”I'm not willing to go that far. I need to see hard evidence.”
”That's exactly why we're here.”
Aaron watched the road. Ethel should've arrived by now. In fact she should've been here to meet them because she was driving instead of walking.
A black shape detached from the shadows. It moved so fast Aaron barely had time to reach for his knife. He relaxed when he realized the shape was Ethel. She hadn't made the slightest noise.
”What happened to the car, ma'am?” he said.
”I left it behind,” she said. ”The police wouldn't let me drive out of the parking lot.”
”That's a shame. There's a lot of nice gear in the trunk, including a few of my favorite guns.”
”I'm more upset about the b.o.o.by traps. When the police search the car, somebody will get killed. d.a.m.n.”
”What?” Smythe said. ”We have to go back! We have to warn them.”
Ethel shook her head. ”No. G.o.d doesn't like it when we hang around after our business is done. We're supposed to be invisible.”
”Are you serious, ma'am?”
”The more we interfere, the more pain we cause. We're bringers of death. We're monsters who have no place among ordinary people.”
”Bulls.h.i.+t. If you're too scared to go back, then I'll go.”
She moved. Before he had time to react, she had a blade pressed against his throat. His jaw trembled but otherwise he remained very still.
She whispered into his ear. ”You doubt my wisdom? You question my courage? You are a fool. I should be done with you but I'm in a forgiving mood. So, go on. Warn the police. Learn your hard lesson. And when you come back, I'll expect a humble apology.” She withdrew the knife.
He stood up and walked along the road. His legs wobbled, but he didn't hesitate or look back. He headed towards the warehouse.
”Why didn't you kill him?” Aaron said.
”I like his stubborn n.o.ble spirit,” Ethel said, ”or maybe I'm getting sentimental in my old age.”
”I should go with him.”
”Yes. Watch him closely. I'll stay here.”