CHAPTER 18
Plots and Parents
“Those bastards,” swore Jerrod Grogen, as he watched the latest news story on Freedom and the new Mystery Man.
“This will make it tougher to sell our story,” said Mike Ferell’s voice from the computer’s speakers.
“No shit,” Jerrod responded angrily to Mike’s statement of the obvious. The kid was right, Mike was a dumb clod. But he was ruthless and loyal. As the news story he had been watching ended, Jerrod enlarged the window on his computer screen which displayed Mike’s face. “But that’s my problem.”
“On the other hand, it confirms that we’re taking the right course. They can’t be trusted. The kid even admitted that his first allegiance was not to his own country! And they directly countered a presidential order, for Christ’s sake!”
“Let’s get to your business," said Jerrod. "Have you made contact?”
“Roger that; I sent Fredricks to give her a message stating that I wished to talk with her and he gave her my location. He had a hell of a time keeping away from British agents and police swarming the area.”
“Has she responded?”
“I think so.”
“You think so?”
“I can’t raise Fredricks on his cell, but he sent me a text message saying that she’s on her way here now.”
“Right to your hotel room? Implying she’s already in Cairo?” She could have flown in from London, her last suspected position, but she would have had to have done it immediately after receiving the message. He had agents at Cairo entry points but hadn’t heard anything from them. How did she do it?
“I assume so.”
“When is she expected?”
“The message didn’t say.”
“Get Fredricks to tell her it has to be A-S-A-P. The plane with Ellen and the girl will be there in seven hours, and we don’t know when the prime targets will arrive, or even if they will divert to Cairo at all.”
“Roger that,” said Mike.
Abruptly Jerrod heard a loud crash and Mike cursing. On the video, Jerrod saw him rise from his chair and move out of sight from the camera. Moments later he saw the big man stagger backwards and into view again. His body shook as though it were convulsing, while pain and terror were evident on his paling face. “Ferell! What’s happening? Is she there yet?”
Mike Ferell couldn’t respond, though a low, pitiful moan escaped from his lips. He stumbled further, and in doing so turned more towards the camera such that Jerrod could see his full face including his eyes. Jerrod had seen that look before, during the course of his long career, on the faces of several people as they died.
A new figure came into view than, that of a woman that turned to regard Mike’s computer screen. She was stunningly beautiful, and covered almost totally in a skintight black leather outfit that only served to accentuate her voluptuous body. Her smile was pure Evil, and her eyes were black pits that matched her long hair perfectly but contrasted sharply with her pale white skin. On her left hand she wore an odd-shaped black-blob of something that the humans couldn't identify.
“Are you this pathetic creature's superior?” she asked, in a voice that sounded like that of perhaps an old woman. “What do you want?” she said. It was more a command than a question.
“My name is Jerrod, and I’m in charge here. I can speak for the President of the United States. What have you done to Mike Ferell?”
“Nothing much, yet. Answer my question.”
“We mean you no harm. We want to discuss a possible alliance against our common foe, the White Dragon.”
“You lie. You are allied with him and the boy; I’ve seen the news reports.”
“That’s for publicity. Secretly we fear their power and the fact that they attract your attention and the attention of the Horde, putting Earth in danger.”
“What do you know of the Horde, human?”
“Only what the elves and their friends have told us. We’d like remove the elves and directly form alliances with both the Horde and you and totally avoid any conflict. To start, right now we’d like to exploit our common interests.”
Greble smiled, showing pointed teeth. Humans were such fools! The Horde had standing orders to eliminate any and all humans from existence, and her key interest in humans was in sucking the life from them. There were no 'common interests' to discuss. “Perhaps we could indeed exploit our common interests," she said anyway. "What do you offer me?”
“We can influence your enemies, bring them to you both how and when you want them, to your advantage. We can tell you their plans. We can strike at them to support your attack. We can deny them energy that they would feed on, such that they will be weak.”
“Really? All that? Where are they now?”
“Flying over the Atlantic ocean towards Africa.”
The witch’s smile disappeared. “They come here?”
“Not to Cairo, but to the monster KraKara. The other Chosen One, the girl Mary, comes there to Cairo in a few hours by airplane. The boy Chosen One George and the young dragon might follow, if that is your wish. But we want some things of you in return, of course.”
Two Chosen Ones? One of them a girl? Interesting. “What of the old elf warrior?”
“He died after fighting the dragons. The boy intends to take his place.”
She couldn't help smiling at the news of the old elf warrior's death. “What do you want?”
“We want you to free no new monsters and kill no more humans, and to leave Earth and destroy the Portal to keep the Horde from us. In return we’ll not attack you and we’ll help you destroy the dragon, the Chosen ones, and their troll and elf friends here on Earth.”
Greble again smiled. The humans were worse than fools! She would help them betray themselves, to make her killing of them even more enjoyable, while reducing her own risks. “I need to know what they are doing at all times, and I need you to influence them and betray them at the right moment. Do you agree to all this?”
“Of course," said Jerrod. "Do you agree to our terms?”
She felt her Talisman vibrate its agreement. “Of course. How do you propose that we communicate?”
“Ferell has communication devices to give to you.”
“Acceptable," said the Witch. "I’ll take him with me also, to aid in our communications.”
Jerrod hesitated. Mike Ferell was standing silently like a zombie in back of the Witch, his eyes vacant and drool dripping from his mouth. Jerrod had known Mike for over ten years, and liked the man, but the young agent had known the risks when he had asked for this assignment. He was expendable. “Very well, but remember your vow not to kill humans.”
Greble smiled deeper. She would hold off killing for now, but would still feed and amuse herself with them short of their deaths. There are worse things than death, they would soon learn. “Send the dragon and its boy to fight the KraKara monster. I have other plans for the girl that I’ll tell you of soon.”
“Agreed.”
“And one more thing, human. If this is a trick, my retribution and that of the Horde will be total.”
“Total?”
“Every last thing on Earth will die.” She felt her Talisman eagerly vibrate its approval.