PRESENT DAY

“Worry not, my dear. I am still dead. You are just experiencing a live vision. Your world will go back to normal soon enough.”

A beyond-stunned Katherine held onto her chair, afraid that she would fall if she didn’t.

“Sit down. We have much to discuss and little time to discuss it.”

He spoke in a relaxed manner, almost like it was at half speed, but the authority in his voice had Katherine stumbling into the chair.

“You once told me about this, but I thought you were just being spooky. I would never have imagined it being real.”

“I was sure you would see the truth soon enough. There is always a lot more to this world than we are willing to comprehend. Now, reach your hand under the table and gently push the button once you feel it.”

Katherine did exactly as she was told and sure enough, there was a button on her left. She pushed it from beneath, and then what had previously been a flat panel on the right side of the desk started to slide downward, revealing three drawers. Katherine’s confusion was answered by her father.

“This room was not always my study. It was once my hub of operations. This was a long time ago. Now, pull out the second drawer and take what you see.”

Katherine pulled the drawer and found a folded piece of paper. It looked really old and thin, even though it was neatly folded. She took it out and was about to open it.

“Not yet, Kate. It matters that you only open it once you return to reality.”

Katherine put it on the table.

“Now, I was given permission to allow you one question. Once that question is answered, I must leave. Make sure it is one worth asking.”

Katherine sat up, not needing any time to think.

“Was all of this worth excommunicating Caris over?”

Her father sighed. “I feared you would ask me that.”

“You cursed him, father. I was in the other room when you two had your final words with each other. You were never the same after that day. I felt your warmth dwindle until your soul barely remained. I’m not sure you would’ve survived if it hadn’t been for this work I have now inherited from you.”

“I considered it my greatest failure, not being able to reign your brother in. It broke my heart for many reasons, and without your mother here, there was no one who could help me to move on. However, the one thing I knew was that the woman he ran off with was a woman who truly loved him. That love was never going to usher him into his destiny, or at least what I thought his destiny was. But I had to accept that my dreams for him would never materialize, and that crushed me. Every mission I ran after he left served an extra purpose: to preserve his life. Even though my curse follows him now, you are now in my place, and your words have the power to override mine. It is your choice whether he is freed or he dies.”

He nodded, then he stood up. Katherine wanted to say something else, but her mouth wouldn’t move. He turned to leave and once he reached the door, he gave her one last word.

“Part of why Heaven’s Mercenaries remained was to protect the brother of a young man who saved my life in my youth. Had it not been for that young man, I may not have survived my youth very long. That man grew up to become a man I no longer recognized, but I was bound by my word to his brother. My loyalty to my word was almost my undoing, but the divine had mercy on me. It is of the greatest consequence that you remember that you are not bound by that promise. You have the truth in your hands. Do with it what must be done.”

He stared at her for a while, then gave her the warmest smile. Then he nodded and walked out the door. She wanted to stand up and go after him, but it felt as though there was a rope around her waist that tied her to the chair. So she reached for the letter and slowly opened it, making sure not to tear it. Once she’d completely unfolded it, she glanced at the bottom and saw the last few words.

With all my gratitude,

Aurelius Glazer.

“Glazer?”

She went to the top of the letter and began to read.

*****

It took a little while, but Katherine finally woke up from her impromptu nap. She looked up and she was still in the chair in her father’s study. She looked to her right, but the drawers were not there. She reached under her table to the exact spot where she’d felt the button before, and it was not there. She looked, and there was nothing underneath the table. She looked on the table and the letter was gone. She looked up and shook her head as she smiled, then she looked at the open door in front of her.

“Rest easy, Archbishop Cassius Benton. I’ll take it from here.”

******

Kane was being driven to the office of Inspector Kpodo with two of his men when his phone rang.         

“Boss, it’s Mr. Zhang.”

Kane took the phone.

“Ling, my friend.”

“I wish I was calling you as a friend, Mr. G. Your three days were up two days ago, and I never heard from you. I have spoken to the syndicate. Expect a visit soon.”

“Ling, I wish you had been a little more patient with me because of all the years of business we have done together. I must say that I am disappointed.”

“We are not enemies, but business is business. I did all I could for you. And now I must say goodbye. Good luck, my friend. I hope you make it out as you always have.”

“Mr. Ling-”

The line went dead. Kane smiled as he handed the phone back to the man who handled it.

“Kana, has Kurtulus received the instructions already?”

“Yes, Mr. G. The shipment is already en-route.”

“And the markers?”

“The entire underworld will know who the message is from, Mr. G.”

“Excellent. We need to be out of this country before that happens. I would rather not have the syndicate actively following me while their members are being relocated to hell. How long do we have until impact?”

“Three days, boss.”

“Sad. I have developed a fondness for Julius Kpodo. We would have had such a wonderful discussion. Too bad the ladies we used in the beginning kept missing him with their explosive attempts. It just goes to show why one must never send a woman to do the job of a man. Selah, let our man know that he is a go. He must be sure to get it done quickly and quietly.”

“Consider it done, Mr. G. Where would you like to go now?”

“Has the captive agent given up her employer?”

“No, boss. Three days of torture seems to have had no effect on her at all.”

“That was to be expected. Perhaps she needs some colorful persuasion. Take us there now, and have Dora and Daria meet us.”

Kana nodded and turned the car around. Kane smiled as he looked out the window at the scenery.

“Three days until the world is mine again.”

Well, that was a major revelation from the late Archbishop. Surely Katherine’s gonna save Caris. And she’s gonna deal with Kane too, right?