The Law of Nines

  “Will do,” Hal said, his voice echoing from the bathroom as he flicked on the light.

  “Mr. Rahl?” Mildred said, unable to take her eyes off the bloody corpse sprawled on the floor in front of her. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Mildred, look at me.” The frightened woman looked up at him. “You’re going to be fine. Don’t look at him, look at me. You’re not going to be sick. You’re a member of the Daggett Society. You’re going to be strong.”

  That seemed to buck her up a little. She took a deep breath and kept her eyes on Alex. He hoped she wasn’t in on it.

  “I don’t understand,” Mike Fenton said. “We’ve all known Fred Logan for years.”

  “Don’t feel bad,” Alex said. “I’ve been fooled by these people as well. They’re good at what they do. You knew Fred here for years. I’ve only known most of you for hours. There is a lot at stake. I hope you understand why I can’t take any chances.”

  Most of the people nodded.

  Alex was glad to see Jax coming out of the bedroom. Her left forearm had a makeshift bandage made of strips of motel towels.

  She drew her knife as she knelt down beside Alex. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “I’m just angry with myself that he caught me off guard like that. I feel stupid letting him cut me.”

  “Now you know how I felt,” Alex said.

  A number of the people watching from only a few feet away gasped when Jax leaned over and started cutting symbols into the dead man’s forehead. The beige carpet was soaked with blood all around his head. Yet more trickled down as Jax cut.

  Finished, Jax sat back on her heels. Alex concentrated on trying to stop his hands from shaking as he sighted down the gun at people he hoped he wouldn’t have to shoot.

  “Jesus H. Christ,” Hal said under his breath. “He’s vanished.”

  Alex glanced down and saw that the dead man was indeed gone. The carpet was clean. Jax’s knife was clean.

  “He was from my world,” Jax said to the people watching in wide-eyed shock. “I sent him back.”

  Everyone began asking questions at once.

  “Quiet!” Alex shouted. The room fell silent.

  “What now?” Jax whispered to him.

  “Now,” he said so that everyone could hear, “we’re going to test all of these people to see if any of them vanish and go back like Fred did.”

  People gasped in fear. Alex gestured with one hand to quiet them down.

  “Don’t worry, we’re not going to use a knife.”

  Struck with a sudden worry of his own, he glanced over at Jax and whispered, “You don’t need to cut the skin, do you?”

  “No. I only use a knife because I want to send their people a message, a message delivered in blood. I can use anything that will make marks.”

  “Hal,” Alex said, gesturing with his gun, “frisk them. I want to know if any of them are armed.”

  Hal apologized as he went from one person to the next, doing a thorough job of looking for hidden weapons. When finished, he stood.

  “No hand grenades, no rocket launchers.”

  “Good. Can you get Jax a pen off the table there, please?”

  Hal stayed out of the line of fire and walked around behind to hand Jax the pen.

  Jax crooked a finger at Mike Fenton, then pointed at the carpet a few feet in front of her. “Stay on your knees and come forward.”

  Mike moved forward, keeping his fingers locked behind his head. He looked up at Hal, as if pleading his case.

  “Just do as they ask, Mike. After what happened with Fred, Alex is making sense. We have to check everyone out.”

  “Why not you?” Mike asked.

  Hal heaved a sigh and knelt down in front of Jax. He tapped a finger against his forehead. “Test me first.”

  Jax nodded and started drawing the symbols with the stubby motel pen. When she finished she sat back on her heels and rested her drawing hand in her lap. Hal turned and showed off the symbols on his forehead.

  “See?” she said to the group. “I’m drawing a trigger that will activate a lifeline to take anyone from my world back there. If Hal had been from my world, he would have gone back just like that dead man, Fred, did.”

  Everyone nodded that it made sense. They all looked considerably less worried. They came up one at a time and let Jax draw on their foreheads with the pen. It looked bizarre to see a roomful of people on their knees, all getting strange symbols drawn on their foreheads.

  Mildred went last. She didn’t vanish. She looked relieved, though, as if she had feared she somehow might.

  “I wish I could somehow preserve it,” she said to the group as she looked at all their foreheads. “We’re the first members of the society to see something from that other world since the book was first written.”

  “Now what?” Hal asked, concerned with more important things than preserving a design.

  “Now we let the doctor see to Jax’s arm,” Alex said.

  “About time,” the man grumbled as he stood and came forward.

  On his way by, Hal grabbed the man’s shirt at his shoulder. “Don’t you be that way to Alex. Fred’s the one who tried to kill Jax. Alex didn’t have to come. He didn’t have to take the land and he doesn’t have to be a part of any of this. Don’t begrudge him being afraid for his life, and the life of this young lady, here. It was one of the people we asked him to trust who attacked her.”

  The doctor sighed. “You’re right, Hal. Sorry, Alex, Jax. I guess I just feel guilty because we let one of them into our midst. We could have ruined everything, and it would have been our fault.”

  Other people nodded.

  “Like I said, they fooled me, too,” Alex said. “But just because you all passed the first test, that doesn’t mean that I’m satisfied yet. Jax and I were almost killed by a doctor from this world who was working with them.”

  Hal looked surprised. “Seriously?”

  “Serious as a heart attack,” Alex said.

  “This is going to need stitches,” the doctor said as he unwrapped Jax’s arm.

  “Can’t you use magic glue?” Jax asked.

  When the doctor frowned up at her, Alex said, “She means superglue.”

  “Oh. Well, I could.”

  “I have some in my truck. Hal, you want to get it?”

  “Wait.” The doctor tossed Hal his keys. “Get my bag out of the back seat of my car instead, will you? I’ve got superglue but it’s medical grade. It’s more flexible and works better.”

  Hal hurried out. He shortly returned with a black bag.

  The doctor gestured to the table. “Over there. Let’s get her over there so she can lay her arm on the table.”

  The two of them guided Jax over to the table. The doctor warned her that the glue would feel hot and sting. If it did, she didn’t voice a reaction. Alex didn’t hear a peep out of her as he kept his eye on the group on their knees before him. A few of them were getting tired and sat back on their heels.

  It seemed to take forever, but when the doctor was finished Jax reappeared at Alex’s side sporting a tightly wrapped arm below the rolled-up sleeve of her white blouse.

  “I have blood all over me,” she said. “I need to get some other clothes or I will draw attention.”

  With a quick glance, he saw that she looked like she’d participated in an ax murder. “You’re right. Hal, would you go out to my truck with her? Watch her back?”

  Hal caught the keys when Alex tossed them. “Sure.”

  After they had returned, Jax hurried into the other room to change. It wasn’t long until she came out of the bedroom wearing the red top and different jeans.

  “What now?” Hal asked.

  “Now,” Alex said, “we’re leaving.”

  “What about all of us?” Mike asked. “We have so much more we need to talk about.”

  “We’ll have to talk later. I’m going to let Hal do the second half of the testing first, to see if any of you were in cahoots with your
dead Daggett Society member from another world.”

  Alex kept the gun pointed in the general direction of the group as he took Jax by the arm and backed toward the door.

  51.

  ANY IDEAS WHAT WE SHOULD DO?” Jax asked on the way across the dark lot toward the Cherokee. Safely out of the room, Alex scanned the area and at last holstered his gun. “I don’t see that we have a lot of options. We can go after them or we can run.”

  “If we run they will hunt us down.”

  “Then I guess that answers your question.”

  He looked back over his shoulder to see Hal come out of the motel room and turn to tell everyone to wait there and that he would be back shortly and they would discuss it all then. Hal shut the door and started across the lot after them.

  He was carrying something under an arm.

  “We came here to get to the land and see what we could figure out,” Alex told Jax in a low voice. “I think it’s about time we do so.”

  “That makes sense,” she said as she watched the shadows at the edge of the lot. “But I don’t think we’re going to be able to get to it in the middle of the night.”

  “And it’s still a long drive to get there. We’ll probably have to get a room somewhere along the way, grab a little sleep, and then first thing in the morning collect some supplies and head up toward Castle Mountain.”

  Hal Halverson caught up with them as Alex was unlocking the Jeep. Hal set something dark on the hood of the truck. Even though it was hard to see in the dark, Alex thought that he knew what it was.

  “So I’ve got to ask, why did you trust me in there and no one else?”

  “Two reasons,” Alex said. “First, you were the one who kept Fred from doing worse to Jax.”

  Hal shrugged. “Makes sense, but I could still have been party to it.”

  “True, but you were the only one in that room who has had a background check. You and your security force have all had extensive law-enforcement background checks. I’m sure they must be quite thorough.”

  Hal smiled. “That’s pretty good.”

  “That’s the second part of the test—run those background checks on everyone in there.”

  “You think there was someone working with Fred? Someone from this world in on it?”

  “I’d bet on it. From what I’ve seen, these people from the other side try to find people here to help them. I’m not sure what they offer but they can probably come up with any wish or want.”

  “Anyone in particular you suspect?”

  “Tyler.”

  Hal nodded unhappily. “That’s what I was thinking. He provided the diversion for Fred to make the attack.”

  “That was my thought, too,” Jax said.

  “It may not be him,” Alex said. “In fact, it may not be any of them.

  But you need to do the most extensive background check you can and see if anything troubling turns up. If it does, it could indicate that the person would be susceptible to being turned against us.”

  Hal nodded. “I was FBI before I came on board with the trust. If any of them didn’t wash behind their ears in the third grade I’ll find out about it.”

  “Keep in mind that the people we’re dealing with are killers,” Jax said. “Be as quick about it as you can. If one or more of them are working against us, then the rest of those people in there are in great danger. Any traitor among them would be able to point assassins right toward them.”

  Hal let out a deep breath. “They’re good people. At least the clean ones are. They’ve given up a great deal for their belief in the purpose of the society. They’ve devoted their lives to protecting the people in your world. They’re in there now, cleaning up Jax’s blood to avoid any kind of trouble.”

  Jax nodded. “All the more reason to take measures to protect them. None of us wants good people to get hurt.”

  “Do you want me to help you two find a place to stay tonight? It was a long drive from Nebraska. In the morning we could get back together and you could ask them about any other information on the land that might be helpful.”

  “We’ve done what we needed to do,” Alex said. “The deed to the land is transferred. It’s now legally mine and I’m signed off on the trust as well. The requirements are fulfilled.”

  In the faint illumination of a light that lit up the lot closer to the building, Alex could see the man smile a little. “That’s what I would do. Safer to be on your own, without being around people who know you.”

  Alex frowned as an idea came to him. “This book that the society keeps, it doesn’t have any information about something called a gateway, does it?”

  “Gateway?” Hal shook his head. “No. Never heard of it. There is one place, though, that says that the one identified by the Law of Nines will know the secret. Maybe they were talking about the gateway.

  “But listen,” Hal went on, “there is one other thing from the book that we weren’t able to get to because of the attack.”

  “What would that be?” Alex asked.

  Hal slid the object sitting on the hood of the truck toward Alex. “The knife we showed you. We didn’t get the chance to tell you that the book says this must go to you, that you will need it.”

  “Are you sure?” Jax asked.

  Hal nodded. “In a way, the whole purpose of the book, the whole part with the Law of Nines, and all the rest, is just a long involved way of finding the person this knife needs to go to.”

  “And what am I supposed to do with it? What purpose does it have?”

  Hal shrugged. “Sorry, but the book is mute on that topic. It insists that you must have this, but doesn’t say why. In a way, the whole purpose of the Daggett Society is to make sure you get this knife.”

  Alex lifted the lid to look at the silver knife lying in the box. Faint light on the side of the building reflected off the ornate scrollwork that made up the letter R.

  Alex sighed. “Then they’ve carried out their part in all of this—for the time being, at least. It’s up to me now.

  “Besides, I don’t want to stick around long enough to give other people a reason to snatch those people and torture them for information about us. They don’t have the mind-set to deal with the likes of those who are after us.”

  “They’re good people, but you’re right, they don’t think like we do. Most people aren’t good at being properly paranoid. I’m thankful that you seem to have the knack.”

  Alex smiled. “You’d be paranoid, too, if people were after you.”

  “Guess so,” Hal said with a laugh. He pulled some papers out of his inside jacket pocket and laid them on the hood of the Jeep. He brought up a small flashlight.

  “Here are some maps I thought you could use.” He shined the light on a state map as he opened it. “I’ve outlined the property, since it isn’t identified on any map. This highway here is the best way to get up that way. Then take this road here, through Westfield.”

  Hal tapped a thick finger next to the town. “Most people go through Westfield on their way to Baxter State Park. It’s a tourist town that has become a destination in and of itself. A lot of art, crafts, antiques, that sort of thing.

  “Instead of heading on toward Baxter State Park, though, you take this small road that cuts off here, right after Westfield. Then follow it up this way,” he said, tracing the road with his finger. “It will eventually take you all the way to the property, right here.

  “It’s about a two-, two-and-a-half-hour drive from Westfield to the property. It only gets more remote the farther you go. If you want any food, supplies, or gas, you’d best get it in Westfield, because there isn’t anything between there and the property except woods.”

  “Are there any roads on the property?” Alex asked.

  “Yes, if you have four-wheel drive. Your Jeep is ideal.”

  “Good.”

  Hal pulled out a paper from under the map. “I drew this out for you. It shows the state road, here, that’s on the regular maps, and then here
I drew in the private road that isn’t. This takes you onto the property. Here’s the combination for the locks. We keep the gate locked at all times to keep people out.

  “These roads, here, on the property, are only accessible by four-wheel drive. You can only drive into the land for a short distance, and then you have to hike the rest of the way to Castle Mountain. That’s here,” he said as he tapped the homemade map. “I marked it for you.”

  “Thanks,” Alex said. “This will be a big help.”

  The man extended his hand. Alex and Jax shook it in turn.

  “I’ll call my people and tell them they can expect to see you out there sometime probably late tomorrow morning,” Hal said. “I’ll give them a description of your truck and the license number so that they won’t get spooked when they see it.”

  “Good idea,” Alex said.

  “I’ll tell them to watch your back, and make sure you aren’t followed once on the property.”

  “Thanks, but I’m afraid that won’t do a whole lot of good. These people can show up out of thin air.”

  Hal sighed heavily. “I suspected as much.” He handed Alex another piece of paper. “Here’s my number. It’s a new phone, never been used. Call if you need anything. If need be I’ll come with guns blazing.”

  Alex smiled. “Will do.” As he gathered up the maps he saw a small envelope. “What’s this?”

  Hal frowned as he took it from Alex’s hand. “I don’t know. I had the maps sitting on the table earlier, before you two arrived. I must have picked it up with the maps without seeing it.”

  He turned it over. Both sides were blank. He ran a finger under the flap, tearing it open. He unfolded the piece of paper that was inside and stared at it a moment, reading.

  “All it says is, ‘Hamburg, Germany, seven-fifteen a.m. local time. London, England, six-thirty a.m. local time.’ ”

  Alex took the paper and looked it over. The words were handwritten with precise care. He handed it back.

  “Any idea what it is?”

  “Not a clue.”

  “Well, we have a long drive tonight. We need to be on our way.”

  As Alex and Jax climbed in the truck, Hal came to the driver’s door. “You be careful, Alex.” He ducked down so that he could look over at Jax in the passenger seat. “You too, and please take care of him for us?”