The Grin of Prophecy (Book 1 of the Death Incarnate Saga)

Chapter 1

  The bell above the door rang out clearly as it opened, alerting the sole person within that someone came in.

  “Hey, Boss-Man! What are you doing here so late at night?”

  “My lawyer finished drawling up the papers, Jake.” Cage shouted back as he wheeled his way into the mixed martial arts gym. Jake, an old fighting master, took off the wrappings around his fists as he walked away from the old leather punching bag.

  Cage fondly looked upon the gym for the last time, remembering everything within it and all the memories it contained. Pain and tiredness usually left the place, but it was always worth it. Heavy equipment made boys into lethal men and the ring had been used so much that blood and sweat could no longer be distinguished. Most of all memories were good, even a much missed old warrior who pushed any who entered those doors to reach a level the individual wouldn’t believe could be possible.

  While Jake toweled the profuse sweat from his face and took a drink, Cage placed his hands on the rails of his wheels to glide to an easy stop by the nearby bench to wait for a few seconds.

  Jake sat down while Cage pulled out a thick envelope from the bag hanging from the wheelchair’s back. “Why not wait till in the morning when all the guys will be here?” he asked as the paperwork came into his possession.

  “Because I’m leaving first thing.”

  “Really?” Jake asked in disbelief. “Can’t you stay? You know the guys will help out with whatever you need. We all miss the old man and know what he meant to you. You’ve inspired us more than you know. I know you probably think the guys find you as a novelty, being forced into a chair and all, but come on.”

  “That’s one of the reasons why I’ve got to leave. They use me as a crutch and they need someone who is always around. I’m not a leader anymore, but after my injury you stepped up and since Beau died last week, I’ve did a lot of thinking, but everything I’ve come up with will only ruin all he did. In my condition are many needs and I’ll have no choice except to take from the gym’s budget. In eight months I’d bleed this place dry just to take care of my personal requirements. You know better than anyone else that I support myself. I’ll not be a leech who is supported and not be able to return the favor. No matter how much I love the thrill of a good fight I cannot in good conscience do that. I have to go, but not before leaving the old man’s legacy in capable hands.”

  Jake leaned back and closed his eyes before a knowing smile touched his lips. “I’ve never seen someone who enjoys a fight quite like you do, Cage. Even after you came back to the boys in a chair I’ve yet to see anyone beat you in the ring.”

  Cage grinned. “Sure you have! The old man schooled me plenty.”

  “That’s true!” He chuckled and looked into Cage’s twinkling black irises at the mention of a good fight. “I’d give up all I have just to see what would have happened if the old man was in his prime and fought you on equal terms.”

  A dark look passed Cage’s expression and Jake’s smile vanished. “Don’t ever word something like that. You don’t understand what is truly important till you no longer have it. At last not yet.” And he intentionally touched his paralyzed legs that were atrophied from none use.

  “Sorry man.” He apologized and was given a nod of acknowledgement.

  “Tell the guys I’ll be watching their careers and if they are slacking I’ll track them down and shove my crippled leg up their ass.”

  “That I’ll do. It will sure motivate them.” He laughed hollowly.

  Cage grabbed his wheels and pushed, gliding across the hardwood flooring with powerful arms and a top of the line chair that required little to travel easier and its lightweight yet sturdy design made the physical condition as comfortable as possible. As he reached the door Jake asked without emotion “You were gone again when the old man has his heart attack.” Cage stopped, hearing the implication, and looked at the fighter’s reflection off the glass door. “I know you well enough to realize that you didn’t just sign over the gym for financial problems. Beau spoke to me in private, on his deathbed, on what is going on with you and how you disappear for weeks before coming back and doing it all over again. You’ve got money so don’t sit there and lie to me, Kid. I now know how you really ended up crippled and what you’ve did for justified vengeance. Tell me the truth, Cage, who did you kill this time or piss off to make you need to leave town at this hour?”

  Dropping all pretences he pulled his left wheel back, to spin the chair so he could meet Jake’s even stare. “I saved the best for last, the traitorous snitch who caused all this to rain down. General Tripp of the Marines died by my hands for what he did, not one day prior to now.”

  “You killed a Marine general?” Jake asked with a dumbfounded expression.

  “I did.” He retorted honestly with a wicked grin. “He put up a pitiful fight, but as he pulled out his sidearm I knocked it away before grabbing his wrist, pulling him off balance and strangling the life from him. I killed all who were linked to the plot, one by one. My vengeance and debt is now over and nothing is holding me here any longer.

  “And by the way, your wrong… I no longer have money. Inside the envelope, in your very hands, is a check made out to you for sixteen million dollars.” Jake’s jaw dropped. “Your wife left a message on the old man’s answering machine, explaining that your youngest boy has been diagnosed with leukemia. He didn’t erase it and I know my money is going to help your boy. Use that money to take care of him for your insurance won’t cover all he’ll need. Also in there is a number to the best medical treatment center on the planet. I’ve made all the arrangements. And before you ask, yes, I looked in detail to each livelihood of every member here and any persons I come in contact with on a daily basis. The money is in an offshore account so no one can link the cash to you or anyone else. You’ll never see me again, nor will anyone else for that matter. And if someone does miraculously track me down here, say I’ve gone to Alabama. It’s best if you don’t know further details so they cannot torture or trick you into revealing something you don’t know. Take care, Jake. And I hope your boy pulls through.” And he smiled kindly towards the dumbfounded fighter.

  Jake yelled as the door began to close behind Cage “Thank you, Boss Man! I’ll never forget!”

  Guided by the only outside light of the building, Cage pushed his chair towards his medium sized truck and opened the driver’s door. He reached inside, grabbed a reinforced handlebar and lifted his body up enough to pull his bottom into the sideways facing seat. He continued holding the bar as he reached down with the other arm and grasped the frame of the black painted, aluminum wheelchair. It’s lightweight design made it easy to pull up and with a simple push of a button, collapsed it. Flat, it became easier to twist just enough to put it safely in the back seat of the king-cab. Cage then grabbed both of his long, useless legs, pulled them up and sat them onto a plate welded to the swiveling seat. He reached down deftly and released the lock so that he could spin the seat into the forward facing position. Hearing the ‘click’ of it locking into place, he put on his seatbelt and started the truck.

  Cage fired up the engine and looked back towards the gym to see Jake standing behind the glass, holding the check and information with bright eyes and talking excitedly on his cell. Cage read his lips for a moment and smiled as he learned Jake was telling his wife the good news.

  Hand controls are the only way for most truly handicapped drivers to get around from place to place. He grabbed the steering wheel with the left hand and the lever that controls the gas and brake with the other. After putting it in drive he twisted his hand to accelerate. In minutes he vanished from the gym and headed down the dark streets. He took multiple routes and made absolutely sure he wasn’t followed and glanced skyward to look for any helicopter flashing lights.

  All appeared to be mundane driving down multiple Floridian backstreets. Summer was in full swing and that only made things worse for it remained as hot and humid in the day as it is at night. Cage con
tinued evasive and casual driving as he began the last trip he’d ever make to Beau’s house. Beau lived out in the woods and it made for a unique environment to live in. The best thing about it is that very few people chose to bother you and you actually knew your neighbors.

  About ten miles later came a faint silver flash of light high in the cloudless night sky. Every minute Cage would look and began to see a pattern emerge to its movement’s.

  It kept circling, slowly.

  Alerted, Cage kept glancing and a mile later he noticed an unmarked tactical SUV. It sat in a familiar driveway of an old man Cage knew couldn’t afford it and had no one who ever visited him. He gently turned the wheel as if it was part of the road to find the windows of the SUV were heavily tinted so none could see in.

  “Damn it! They must have found Tripp’s body already.” Cage cursed, but kept driving as if he didn’t figure anything was amiss.

  He passed the parked unit at the fifty mile per hour limit. Seconds later he caught the moon’s reflection, for a flickering moment, as it pulled onto the road without turning on its headlights. “Night and heat vision too. This won’t be easy.” Otherwise they wouldn’t be able to follow safely down a road in darkness.

  Six houses later he saw yet another tactical unit parked and dreaded if they pulled out and boxed him in, but worry became unfounded as he passed it and it too pulled out behind the first trailing team.

  Cage grinned at what he knew lay ahead. “Catch me if you can boys!”

  As he took a well known right curve he pulled out a transmitter and turned off the head and tail lights. Suddenly he turned the steering wheel hard to go left on a hidden trail he found years ago, one that hunters no longer use or remember. He slammed on the breaks after diving successfully into the overgrown trail, knowing he customized the truck so that the head or break lights wont activate once the truck starts and lights are turned off while driving.

  He turned his head and saw two quick flashes, grinned and hit the limited raged trigger.

  As the two covert teams continued pursuit in darkness a hidden device activated in a canopy hanging over the road that took weeks to design and deploy and as a camouflaged bag opened, dropping hundreds of tire destroying tacks that rained on the asphalt. At the same time, a small amount of C4 detonated and destroyed an old, dead and dry pine tree. The explosive was perfectly placed, for it dropped the tree completely across the road and ignited plastic accelerant that, won’t wash off from a rainstorm. It ignited in a fireball, consuming the entire tree in a large flame. Flames rendered both their heat and night vision useless.

  Cage opened the window to hear eight loud pops, after the explosion, signifying all tires were blown and disabling the vehicles. Screeching came next from slamming on the brakes. Then came the shouting “Alpha team has been stopped! Eyes in the sky, find him! Last seen heading due east of our current location! … How the hell were we supposed to know! All you said was to proceed with caution, not that he’s a damn pro! … Fine Sir, we’ll stand by and establish a perimeter while you track the bastard down… Roger! Alright boys, you heard ‘em!”

  Since he stopped on a hill, Cage eased off the brake and glided down the dirt trail, not making any sounds the men could hear. The brush also helped dull and dilute the noise of the idling truck. When he felt he got away, he accelerated, knowing about how long it will take for the chopper to fly by and establish a search pattern. Cage smiled as he was glad this area remained mostly underdeveloped and the trees made a great canopy to mask the truck’s heat signature. He drove down the road and reached what he was searching for, a bog he remembered from before his injury and knew it wasn’t too deep, especially since it hadn’t properly rained in months. He flipped the truck into four wheel drive and entered the stink and mosquito infested area. He applied the brakes when he heard the whipping sounds of a helicopter and watched as it used its great spotlight to fly back and forth. No longer were they using stealth. When it turned away he continued driving. With the summer’s uncomfortable heat, the bog also concealed the truck. If it were day he’d be found much more quickly, but he had only a handful of hours before the men found the disturbance the truck left behind in the muck. “Nice try!” he laughed as he pulled out and onto a bank.

  The powerful truck easily pulled itself out, but then suddenly it began sputtering. “No, no, no! Not now!”

  With those words the vehicle coasted to a stop, but on a shallow hill. “Fuck!”

  He applied the parking brake and put it in park.

  “I’ll take it easy on you guys. You’re only doing what you are ordered. I know that better than anyone.” And he disarmed the self-destruct function by ripping out a wire underneath the steering wheel. If anyone other than Cage didn’t know his routine they would activate a plastic explosive in the engine, cab and bed.

  Quickly, he decided to open the door and set up his chair. It wouldn’t be long, but he’d continue to get far away and still chance escape. “After all, I’ve got till morning.” And sat the open wheelchair on the short grass with the wheels locked. He turned the seat and skillfully threw himself in the chair. He looked up and saw the truck had died under the protection of tree cover and knew it would be difficult to spot because of its forest green color, for a while at least.

  He shut the door and began rolling away, constantly listening to everything and using a dimmed flashlight between his teeth to push further without getting stuck in sugar-sand, Florida’s natural enemy for all wheelchairs.

  Ten minutes later Cage located another trail, but this one had more activity. “Have to chance it.” And began heading down it. Every now and then he’d hear the chopper, but over the course of an hour it became less and less frequent. The worst part of Florida for someone like Cage is there are no hills to see what is going on. If he could establish a vantage point he could determine just what is going on, how much damage he created and how close the squad is to his very location.

  Still he pushed on.

  It took another hour to navigate the treacherous road. Twice his smaller front wheels immobilized him and he had to lean the whole chair back to rely on his thicker back wheels to escape the sand. But as he continued evading he began to wonder why his truck broke down. He had checked it over only a few days prior and fixed every detail it had and knew it shouldn’t have. Especially since it couldn’t be flooded because of a snorkel system and all the modifications that nearly made it impervious to tampering or an outside attack from small to medium caliber bullets. “No use dwelling on what will only get me caught.” He grunted as he continued pushing.

  Just as the dawn returned, Cage happily spat out the flashlight that made the jaw ache for holding it in place for several hours. Now with natural light, it became much easier to navigate the path and speed the escape.

  He came to a dead end. “Wait… What is this?” He looked around and saw the ground looked well traveled, but many young trees taller than he blocked the way. He looked at their roots and noticed they were planted in the past week. Looking around for a way to circumvent the barrier he found just one space just wide enough for him to pass. Cage took it and sighed as the wheels only scraped the bark of either pine and it led into a game trail. He followed it and it led him to a grassy clearing of only thirty yards of open space.

  Suddenly he pushed the wheels to pass through, but they didn’t move. Cage looked down and found that the grass tangled into the spokes. He leaned down and began tearing at the tangled mess, but the grass didn’t break no matter how hard he tried. “Strange.” He thought aloud. The other side was in a similar situation. He pulled a hidden knife from his shoe and its razor sharp edge couldn’t even cut the dry foliage. Might as well have been cutting against steel.

  He sat there for several minutes, trying to find a way out when he heard the drumming sound of a chopper approaching. Seconds later he faintly heard shouting and barking of canine units. “Nowhere to run huh?” He resigned himself and sighed.

  At that moment there c
ame a strange feeling, almost like vibrations traveling through the ground. Blades of grass oddly began to float and drift away in the breeze. “What the?” He exclaimed as he saw the impossible happen. The only grass to remain in a perfect ten foot circle, held the chair still. The vibrations began to change into a low hum, one even he could barely hear. The bare dirt began to glow, even in the morning light. It was an eerie green glow, but it wasn’t uniform around the whole circle. Lines of an alien design began to appear and strange symbols became more distinct. The hum grew in intensity, drowning out all other noises, especially those tracking him.

  Cage sat and watched with wonder at this unique phenomenon. He is a rationalist, but even he knew no one could understand what he saw developing before his very eyes. Then something changed as the symbols stopped growing in intensity and the hum maintained a crisp sound.

  The circle of energy began to shrink around him. He couldn’t get away from either force coming so he watched it all for it would be his last memory as a free man.

  Green lights began spinning in a clockwise direction as it stopped shrinking not a foot from any direction he sat in.

  It then began to rise as its speed made the symbols blur into a single, yet solid and transparent, green color. He watched in awe at first, seeing the light rise up around him, leaving the chair unharmed. Then it reached his shins when he noticed where the light rose from, took his legs because his pants looked to not cover or be supported by his already paralyzed limbs. Still it continued rising and he tried struggling, but his body became somehow incapable. Probably from shock. He could feel nothing other than constant pain for years in his legs because of the paralysis, but he wondered how it would feel when sensation rises above the injury.

  When it reached his buttock he found himself sinking into the light, but as it reached his lower back he felt nothing but warmth. His pants became completely flat as the light consumed the flesh. He relaxed. “At least I’ll die without any more pain.”

  And he sunk willingly into the strange radiance.

  As the Marine search party followed the obvious chair tracks, the odd sound stopped abruptly and the dogs ceased to cower and whine in fear. The whole tactical team moved with a new sense of urgency and the dogs led them to the clearing.

  Sitting before everyone was a lone wheelchair with hollow clothes. Everyone looked around in great confusion, but not as much as every dog that couldn’t find the target’s scent. The whole team searched the area for days and had to stop when he couldn’t be located.