Truth Behind the Mask Read online

  “The ones fighting outside that restaurant the other night. Those idiots that landed the lucky punch to Pagan’s jaw. She said you sorted them out for her.”

  Rogue took a deep breath and nodded. “Oh, those were sorted out with very little problem. They won’t touch anyone again for a long time.”

  “Good. She doesn’t deserve to be hit.” Erith turned away from the door. “No one does.” The last was whispered almost to herself.

  Rogue heard the softly spoken words and wondered again at the waiflike woman who had drawn Pagan’s attention.

  “So will Pagan be back tomorrow?”

  Rogue nodded. “I’m sure she will be.”

  “Good. Tell her to bring enough for two.” She held up the bag and shook it slightly. “It’s no fun eating on your own.”

  Rogue turned to go but was halted by a soft voice.

  “Hey, Rogue?”

  Rogue dutifully turned back.

  “Are all Pagan’s family so tall and intimidating?” Erith was once again leaning against the door to her office, staring at Rogue with a piercing emerald gaze.

  Rogue shrugged. “I like to think we’re just larger than life, Erith,” she replied.

  “God, I bet Melina has her hands full with you.” Erith chuckled, then laughed more heartily when Rogue’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “So you’re what Pagan is going to grow up into.” She looked Rogue up and down with a studious air.

  “We’re not connected by blood,” Rogue said.

  “You don’t need blood between you to be influenced by someone important in your life. It’s obvious she worships you. I can hear it in her voice.”

  “She’s a remarkable person in her own right,” Rogue replied. “Believe me, the adoration goes both ways.”

  “Good. Will you tell her hi from me?”

  Rogue nodded. “Have a good day, Erith.”

  “I will, Rogue. Thanks for bringing me lunch.”

  Rogue left the office with the distinct feeling she was being laughed at. She turned back to stare at the door, but Erith was no longer lounging against it. She chuckled. The little fiend knew I was checking her out. Good, that way she knows that if she hurts Pagan in any way she has me to deal with.

  *

  Rogue was already halfway around the car lot before Tito Ammassari caught up with her.

  “These cameras aren’t going up a day too soon!” He rubbed a handkerchief over his face. “Did you hear about the casino last night?”

  Rogue looked down from atop her step ladder. “I heard. Random acts of violence in this city make for headline news.”

  “You think it was random? I think Louis Miller was targeted.” Tito leaned closer to the ladder. “A big man like him, his casino made lots of money for the city. I heard he was killed before the explosion blew out his gambling floors.”

  “Nothing about that was mentioned on the news, Mr. Ammassari.”

  Tito looked around furtively. “I keep my ear to the ground. I’ve been in this city too many years not to have my sources. You have to watch your own back, Ronchetti, because no one will watch it for you.”

  Rogue considered this, then went back to attaching a camera in just the right position. “Did you know Mr. Miller?” She saw the nervous twitch that betrayed Tito’s answer.

  “I knew of him. I remember him from years ago. Kids on the street, you know?” He rubbed at his face again, wiping away the copious sweat that was running from his brow. “But you grow apart, grow up, then you start a business, make a family.” He shrugged. “Life goes on and you move on.”

  “I heard he had a troubled background.” Rogue fixed the last wire into its connector and flipped shut the casing.

  Tito was quiet for a moment. “Years ago, Chastilian wasn’t what it is now. You either ran with the crowd or you were chased by them. Some people had to do bad things before they could start doing good.”

  “And yet some people are just good from the start.” She gestured to the car lot. “I’ll fit all your cameras outside in the lot today and get you hooked up to the mainframe you wanted installed in your home. I’ll install everything you need in your home this afternoon. Then tomorrow, we’ll install your detectors inside the offices, and you’ll be good to go.”

  “Safe and sound, eh?” Tito didn’t look convinced.

  “As safe as anyone can be in life.” Rogue cast one last look up at the camera she had installed. It looked just like all the rest, except it had an extra transceiver. Just one more eye in the city for the Sighted to see with.

  Chapter Eight

  Sitting out a night of Sentinel duty chafed at Pagan’s sense of responsibility. Her shoulder still bore the pain of the previous night’s adventure, so she sat beside Melina to watch over Rogue as she stepped out into the night alone. She was less than happy about having to remain behind and watch the city through Rogue’s eye-view. She rustled through some papers that were coming off the printer beside Melina. It was the direct fax line between the Sighted and the police. Her attention suddenly focused on the information she was halfheartedly reading.

  “Mel, we should start checking out known associates of Louis Miller, both past and present.”

  Melina leaned back in her chair to see what had Pagan’s attention.

  “What has young Sergeant Cauley sent us?” She reached for the sheets Pagan held.

  “It would seem Eddie has done a little digging into Miller’s past. Miller, in his younger days, was a friend of Tito Ammassari. They were arrested together a few times for minor offenses.”

  Melina frowned as she read the information. “No wonder Ammassari was so frightened today. He knew the guy more than he admitted to Rogue.” She read through the rest of the report quickly. “There was usually a third man with them. It wouldn’t hurt to check him out.” She began typing. “Richard Quaid…”

  “Isn’t he the one who runs the Jewelry Quarter in Chastilian? Quaid Quarter? Every piece of gold and silver, and any gemstones, go through his hands first in the Quarter.”

  Melina’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “Rogue, can you please head back to the lighthouse and pick up your set of wheels? I need you to go check out something for me a little farther afield.”

  Rogue’s voice sounded clear through the room. “I’ll head back now. Where am I being directed to, may I ask?”

  “Quaid’s Quarter,” Melina replied, her attention firmly on the computer as she brought up maps of the area.

  “Are you hinting after an eternity ring?” Rogue’s tone teased her over the airwaves.

  Melina laughed. “I’ll keep on hinting until I receive one from you. But I’d rather we shop together for that in the daylight. Tonight, I want you to check in on an old acquaintance of both Miller and Ammassari.”

  “Sounds intriguing. I’ll be back shortly and get my motorcycle.”

  Pagan made a face. “Great, the one night we could take to the streets, and I’m out of commission.” She moved her shoulder experimentally and winced at the dull pain.

  “There’ll be other nights, Pagan. I promise you.”

  Pagan looked at the screen showing Rogue’s view of the city and yearned to be out there by her side.

  *

  Once briefed at the lighthouse, Rogue fired up her motorcycle and raced through the outskirts of Chastilian, enjoying the speed of her machine and the cool night air on her face. Rogue thrilled to the feel of the bike. It was styled like a racer, fashioned with sleek lines and angling the rider to crouch low over the tank for a more aerodynamic ride. Rogue had helped design the motor that purred silently beneath her. It was the trademark of the Sentinels: silent running. She enjoyed the fact there was no noisy revving to disturb the night ride. It was just her and the motorcycle leaving behind the noise of the city.

  “Been a while since you’ve fired up a cycle.” Melina spoke softly in her ear, and Rogue smiled at the tender voice.

  “Yes, it has, but it feels like second nature to be watching the road through just
the beam of my headlight after being blinded by the city lights for so long.”

  Rogue lifted her head a little and peered into the night. The long roads out to the Quaid Quarter bordered a rare stretch of countryside. She steered through the curves. The fields were dark, the stars shone brighter in the night sky, and all was oddly quiet. Rogue grew uneasy as her journey continued. She rounded another corner and the Jewelry Quarter came into view. A series of buildings fashioned in a U shape comprised the strip mall that housed Chastilian’s jewelry center.

  “Mel, you need to get the fire crews out here.”

  There was no mistaking the flickering flames that licked through the building just ahead. Getting closer to the target, Rogue eased her motorcycle to a halt and got into a position so that Melina could see everything she did.

  “Why set fire to that particular shop?” Rogue used her night vision binoculars to try to see more of what was happening. The fire had already taken hold of the main building and was traveling along its roof to the smaller adjoining shops.

  “That’s Quaid’s own personal shop,” Pagan replied over Rogue’s comlink. “I’ve got a map here on the Internet of what is sold in each facility. That was where he started. It’s the keystone of his business.”

  “Again with the personal attack.” Rogue quickly turned her attention to a figure that stalked away from the burning building. “Mel, can you get a fix on that guy using my mask cam?”

  “He’s got something obscuring his face. I can’t get a clear view of him.”

  “I’ll get in closer,” Rogue said and began to quickly make her way across the field to the back of the warehouse. “Damn it, where’s he gone now?” She raced up to the back of one of the end shops and peered around the corner cautiously. She swiftly drew her head back so she wasn’t seen. “There are more men here than I thought.” She watched as one man, tall and slender, seemed to direct the others as they ran to and from the other shops. “I think we have a ringleader, but there is no way I’m going in alone against that many. I count at least nine, maybe ten men with him.” She backed away from the wall. “Do we have time to get other Sentinels to my position?”

  “I’ve put out a call to them,” Melina said.

  Rogue edged her way along the buildings, conscious of the fact that the fire was dancing from one rooftop to another with amazing speed. She peered into a window to see if any of the buildings were occupied. She edged along until she came to the one that Pagan had told her was Quaid’s shop. She stretched up to look inside and found herself peering into a back room filled with boxes, and a table and chairs. Seated at the table was a man, his arms tied to the back of his chair, tape placed across his mouth. On the floor by his feet were countless blocks stacked up one on top of the other. A bird molded crudely out of a white material was sitting on the table before him. Detonators were stuck into the bird’s base. The man saw Rogue and he began to struggle, his eyes wild and plainly terrified.

  “Rogue, get out of there now!” Melina screamed.

  Rogue ran as fast and as far away from the building as she could.

  “Just keep running. That amount of C4 will blow the place sky high in a matter of—” She was cut off by the explosion that ripped through the shop and blew slate and debris high into the air with a deafening boom.

  Rogue threw herself to the ground, covering her head as pieces of the building flew past. She felt the air around her shudder with the force of the explosion and grunted as something hit her squarely on the back. She kept her head down until debris stopped landing around her.

  “I’m okay,” she said over the comlink. She sat up and looked back at the buildings. They were now all engulfed in flame.

  “There was someone in there.” Pagan couldn’t keep the tremor from her voice. “How many more were tied in place by this gang?”

  “This crime lord obviously has no care for innocents,” Melina said. “Rogue, can you see the gang? Are they still there?”

  Rogue got out her binoculars and scanned the area. She bit back a curse. “They’re all fine and dandy. They’re in a van driving back to the site.” She watched the same man she’d seen earlier alight from the van and walk toward the buildings. “He’s going back again. I’m going to follow him.”

  Rogue set off running across the field. As soon as she reached the burning buildings, she sought cover amid the ruins. “What is he doing?” The man casually lit a match by flicking its tip with his thumb. The small flame it produced seemed inconsequential in the roar from the fire that was burning through the rest of the buildings. He flicked the match upward; as it fell to the ground, the air was suddenly rent by an enormous whoosh. It was the unmistakable sound of gasoline being ignited. Rogue ducked back behind the building at the rush of hot air that reached out even at her distance away. She could hear faint laughter and the sound of an engine starting. She quickly ducked from behind the building to try to see the van.

  “It’s too late, Rogue. He’s gone. He and his henchmen have taken off.”

  Rogue cursed softly and watched the taillights of the van disappear down the road, leaving the burning shops behind.

  “Mel, do we have access to the Earth’s Eye satellite?”

  “What do you need, Rogue?”

  “When you have a fire burning already, you don’t usually set another on the front lawn.” Rogue got out her palm-sized screen and waited for Melina to send her what she had found. The Earth’s Eye satellite was used by the military to zero in on points on the globe. Rogue had found a way to use that technology to her own advantage by piggybacking the signal and using it to find targets of her own. Sometimes an eye in the sky gave the best view.

  “Sending you the data now.”

  Rogue watched the screen. The city grew larger as the satellite’s eye drew closer, and then Rogue’s location was visible as a bright fiery patch on the ground. As the camera drew in closer, it was possible to see individual landmarks. The buildings set alight, the surrounding land covered in smoke, and burning brightly in the middle of it all, the distinct shape of a winged bird. The ferocity of the flames made the bird appear to be flying, its wide wings lifting it up and its lengthy tail trailing behind. It was both beautiful and grotesque.

  “It’s a Phoenix.”

  Rogue heard the distress in Mel’s voice. She looked up at the blazing buildings before her and then back to the screen.

  “I’m coming home. Call the other Sentinels back. There’s nothing more to be done here.” Rogue headed for her motorcycle, her need to understand who had done this warring with her need to get back to the people she loved. The past was rising from the ashes and burning all too brightly in the symbol left burning for Chastilian to heed.

  *

  An endless stream of noise sounded through the lighthouse as the scanner announced the activity of the police and fire crews on scene at Quaid’s Quarter and what they were finding. The Sighted were in contact over their own secured lines. The Council had been convened, and they were discussing theories back and forth over the airwaves. Melina sat before her computer, directing it all.

  Pagan heard none of them. The flaming Phoenix burned brightly on a monitor, and she was unable to take her eyes from it. She was chilled to her very core by its significance.

  “Could it just be a prank?” Pagan asked Melina, finally tearing her eyes away from the symbol that was seared onto her brain. “A copycat lowlife using an old name in Chastilian’s history to generate fear?”

  “Maybe, if it was just the burning Phoenix we had scorching the dirt in a field. But this came after blowing up Quaid’s Quarter. I think there’s deliberation in both the building and the placing of the symbol right at the entrance to the Quarter.” Melina leaned back in her chair. “Xander Phoenix is dead. He died within weeks of being taken into custody for killing our parents. He was found knifed in his cell. The police never could say who did it, but they believed it was a hit orchestrated by Phoenix’s own gang to keep him quiet and not implicate them.
” Melina shrugged. “But the strange thing is the extortion our parents fought against stopped once Xander Phoenix was imprisoned. The Phoenix’s gang just disappeared.”

  “And yet now, so many years later, he is symbolically set alight after a second night of terror.” Pagan ran a hand through her hair as her mind raced with endless fears and possibilities. “I think we need to have a chat with Ammassari. Maybe he can shed some light on this newly risen Phoenix and why he’s targeting Tito’s old friends.”

  “He might be too scared to tell. He’s already shown his fear by equipping his home and workplace with the latest security equipment.”

  Pagan crossed her arms and returned her attention once more to the burning sign left at Quaid’s door. “Then I’d say he knew full well this Phoenix was about to resurface from the ashes. He was preparing for a storm before we even had a hint of rain.”

  Chapter Nine

  As Pagan drove to the Ammassari Dealership the next day, her head was full of thoughts of last night’s fire. She blindly followed the traffic as Chastilian’s residents continued with their daily lives. Not for the first time, Pagan wondered if ignorance was truly bliss.

  Once at the dealership, Pagan parked her van and grabbed her computer case. She gathered what equipment she needed, testing out her damaged shoulder and then switching the box of supplies to her other side. She looked up briefly and saw Erith heading straight for her. She rested the box back down in the van and waited.

  “Where were you yesterday?” Erith launched straight in for the attack, grabbing at Pagan’s arms to hold her still.

  “Sick in bed,” Pagan replied. “But today I’m much better, thank you.”

  Erith stared at her, her gaze seeming to bore right through her.

  “Really, I am,” Pagan assured her quietly.

  Erith dropped her hands slowly. She seemed to have found something fascinating to look at on the ground. “I missed you yesterday,” she said. “And I was worried. There’s so much craziness happening in the city, it’s hard to feel safe anymore.”