PRESENT DAY

“Do we still have her tracker online?”

Katherine was in a windowless, dark room with a laptop and a lot of screens on the wall. She also had a headset on, with Winifred on the other end.

“We have her online, but her vitals look severe. Her pulse is weak but she’s holding on for now.”

“What’s our next move?”

“Well, I have a plan, but the divine tells me that we need to focus on the other thing right now.”

Winifred held in her sigh. “You know I will never question you or your decisions, but even you would have to admit how much of a risk that is.”

“I know, my dear. I also know that in all the years I have walked with the divine, I have never gone wrong in going the way I have been led, even when it goes against all logic. For now, keep focused on your mission. It is very important that you get the two of them here safely. They hold the key to why Mr. G decided to reveal his true intentions and turn on us.”

“I understand. I will not fail.”

“Be great, Winifred. And be careful.”

“In his service.”

“In his service.”

Katherine hung up, mumbled a prayer, and then looked at the huge file on her table. The file had ‘GLAZER MURDER INVESTIGATION’ written on it. Just as she was about to open it, she fell into a trance and was frozen for a few minutes. Once she came to, she had urgency written all over her face.

She left everything and rushed out of the room.

******

“Mr. G, we have been partners for thirty years, but I am starting to think you intend to cross me. It’s been a month since I paid for the Turkish lace fabric. My guys need the fabric to produce the merchandise we need. Where is the fabric?”

“Ling, trust me, your fabric is well on its way. We have too much history together for me to try to double-cross you now.”

“I know of our history, Mr. G. That is why I haven’t contacted the syndicate yet. But I cannot wait much longer. You promised to personally see to the shipment of the fabric. We need you to come through on this.”

“I assure you, Ling, the fabric will come through. All I ask of you is patience.”

“You know our business, and you know how important time is. If I don’t hear from you in three days, I will have no choice but to notify the syndicate.”

“I understand, Ling. You won’t have to wait that long.”

After the call ended, Kane cursed under his breath, then he made a phone call.

“Kurtulus, is the shipment ready? … Excellent. It is good you waited for confirmation. The team is in place for the shipment, but I need you to change the destination. We are not in business with Asia on this one. … Our man over there will tell you more. Make sure the product is moved before midnight. … Perfect. Thank you, Kurtulus.”

Kane hung up. “Motherfucker really thinks I fear his bosses. Pathetic.”

The driver spoke up. “The syndicate has been keeping tabs on us since we got here. We know how to lose their tail if you need us to.”

Kane smiled. “No need to run from the mouse that wants to be eaten. Let them continue to believe we have no idea of their presence.”

The driver nodded. “I’ll let the boys know. In the interest of full disclosure, I should also mention that I’m not sure that the girl and her boy toy know anything.”

Kane smiled. “Good observation, Kana. They are just part of a long game of chess.”

*****

Katherine stood in front of the door to her father’s private study, hesitant to go in. She had avoided this part of the house since his passing, afraid that it would trigger memories of the sadness she’d gone through. Now she’d been led here and for the first time in a while, she was nervous to obey.

She took in a deep breath, steeled herself and reached for the door handle. As soon as she touched it, she felt a slight bit of calm rise up in her. She took that, opened the door and walked in.

*******

Back at the torture site, Caris and Jenny still hung upside down, while Carol’s tears had begun to dry. The more she pondered over the thing which she could not let go, the more confusing it got for her.

“Caris, something is wrong.”

Caris raised his head as much as she could to see Carol. Using his eyes, he gestured towards Jenny, then towards the car battery.

“Quite the observation, my love.”

Carol kept the firm look on her face.

“Yes, there’s all that going on, but something else is not right. That man looks a lot like Kane, but there’s something off about his vibe.”

Jenny mustered all the strength left in her and raised her head to try to see Carol.

“What do you mean?”

Carol continued. “Something about the way he talks doesn’t add up. The man I worked for never ever referenced God unless it was to mock something or someone. He also was a lot more ruthless.”

Caris looked at her. “Babe, its been ten years since you last worked for him. Maybe he’s changed. He may have become one of those types who believes in a deity but also believes in doing what must be done.”

“Yeah, except Kane’s greatest strength was his understanding of the pieces on a board. He always knew who mattered and who didn’t, long before they had a chance to show him. ‘Knowing your audience before you’ve met them, that’s how you stay ahead.’ That was what he used to say. It makes no sense that he’s asking us anything. He has to know that we won’t know anything.”

*****

The room smelled like old stuff and camphor balls. Everything was still in its exact location from before, and it looked like a mix between a library and a museum. Katherine slowly walked through the room, which really was not that big. She looked at the art on the wall, touching each one. Her father was a lover of painting, and his art lived on in this study. She felt the tears welling up within her, but she was able to keep them at bay.

She got to his table and sat in the chair behind it. The table itself looked about the size of a president’s table. To her left, there were five bibles, all in different versions. On her right, there was a stack of notebooks. She took one and looked through it, seeing his handwriting and trying to make sense of his notes.

“What you seek is in the drawer beneath the desk.”

Katherine looked around and saw no one. There was no window in the room, so the sound could not have been from outside. She brushed it off and continued to read.

“Look beneath the desk, young lady. Will you go against your father even in his death?”

Katherine looked around again and there was still no one else present. She get up and went to look outside the door to make sure no one was there, and there was no soul in sight. She turned around to go back to the desk and received the shock of her life.

In the chair on the other side of the table was a man, seated. From behind, he looked very familiar, but he had a bit of a glow. She walked over to her side of the desk to get a better look, and there he was.

“They say dead men tell no tales. They may have been wrong on that one.”

“Father?”

Well, ain’t this wild? This has to be a dream, right? Cassius visiting Katherine?? Wow!