Read Online Faith Defiled (Gray Spear Society Book 14) by Alex Siegel - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alex Siegel
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own bed. She had seen incomprehensible horrors during her travels, and she wished she could wipe some of the memories away. A sleeping pill and at least ten hours in bed was the closest she could come.
She arrived at the luggage carousel. She realized she might not recognize her own luggage. The commander of Houston had sent her home under chaotic conditions. She had grabbed a suitcase out of a closet without looking closely at it.
Marina walked up to her. Even in her state of exhaustion, Corrie felt a touch of fear. The commander of San Francisco qualified as an incomprehensible horror of sorts. Corrie had seen the aftermath of what Marina had done single-handedly onboard the Fearless Star . There were bad things in the world, there were scary things, and then there was Marina.
She was wearing a green shirt which was the same color as her eyes. Blue slacks also looked nice without being too formal. The fiery color of her hair was always striking. She was a naturally beautiful woman, and Corrie couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Corrie thought of herself as a short, fat slug.
"Welcome home," Marina said.
"You came to give me a ride, ma'am?" Corrie said.
"To headquarters. We have some crystals that need to be tested."
Corrie sagged. "But..."
"You can sleep when you're done. This can't wait. It shouldn't take you long to run a few tests. I'm sure you've had a lot of practice lately." Marina furrowed her brow. "It's been hard, hasn't it?"
"Horrible, but at least I got to meet a lot of very interesting people. There is a woman in Mexico City who can bend..."
"Shh. Not here. Tell your adventures to everybody tomorrow, but be careful. Don't give away information that might put another team at risk."
"I understand, ma'am," Corrie said. "No names or addresses."
She recognized her bag, but she checked the tag to make sure. Marina volunteered to pull the bag for her. The small kindness surprised Corrie.
"Let's go home," Marina said. "It's good to have you back."
* * *
Yang looked at the home of Theodore Kern. It was in a nice part of Sausalito and right on the Bay. Yang expected the house came with a private dock. Brown wooden shingles covered the walls, and redwood planks framed the windows. A hill forced visitors to drive down a narrow, steep driveway to reach the front door. The night was still and very quiet.
"Where did this guy get his money?" Ipo said.
"He buys and sells water rights all over California," Reinagle said.
"A contentious business."
"He doesn't have a lot of friends. He prefers books."
Reinagle knocked vigorously on the front door. Ipo and Yang stood behind him.
Yang expected Kern to be asleep or at least getting ready for bed, but the man who opened the door was still fully clothed in a dress shirt and slacks. He was in his sixties, and the top of his head was bald, but his skin was still a healthy pink. He was short and round.
"Mr. Kern," Reinagle said, "sorry to bother you at this obscene hour, but these men have an urgent business proposition for you."
Kern narrowed his eyes. "What proposition?"
Ipo stepped forward. "I want to buy your copy of Symbology of the Divine . I'll pay whatever it costs."
Kern looked up at the legionnaire . They were so different in size, it was almost a joke.
"It's not for sale."
"Everything is for sale," Ipo said. "The only question is the price."
"Not in this case."
"It's just a book."
Kern shook his head. "No. Brian Kelly might be a modern day prophet. His book could be added to the Bible someday, and I have a rare, first-edition copy. It's priceless."
"I think you're jumping to conclusions." Ipo furrowed his brow.
"Why do you want it so badly?"
"My motives are my business. I will only say I can't walk away empty-handed."
"Then you'll be standing here a long time," Kern said. "Good night. Reinagle, we'll discuss this unpleasantness tomorrow."
He tried to slam the door, but Ipo blocked it with his hand.
"I don't think you understand how serious
She arrived at the luggage carousel. She realized she might not recognize her own luggage. The commander of Houston had sent her home under chaotic conditions. She had grabbed a suitcase out of a closet without looking closely at it.
Marina walked up to her. Even in her state of exhaustion, Corrie felt a touch of fear. The commander of San Francisco qualified as an incomprehensible horror of sorts. Corrie had seen the aftermath of what Marina had done single-handedly onboard the Fearless Star . There were bad things in the world, there were scary things, and then there was Marina.
She was wearing a green shirt which was the same color as her eyes. Blue slacks also looked nice without being too formal. The fiery color of her hair was always striking. She was a naturally beautiful woman, and Corrie couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Corrie thought of herself as a short, fat slug.
"Welcome home," Marina said.
"You came to give me a ride, ma'am?" Corrie said.
"To headquarters. We have some crystals that need to be tested."
Corrie sagged. "But..."
"You can sleep when you're done. This can't wait. It shouldn't take you long to run a few tests. I'm sure you've had a lot of practice lately." Marina furrowed her brow. "It's been hard, hasn't it?"
"Horrible, but at least I got to meet a lot of very interesting people. There is a woman in Mexico City who can bend..."
"Shh. Not here. Tell your adventures to everybody tomorrow, but be careful. Don't give away information that might put another team at risk."
"I understand, ma'am," Corrie said. "No names or addresses."
She recognized her bag, but she checked the tag to make sure. Marina volunteered to pull the bag for her. The small kindness surprised Corrie.
"Let's go home," Marina said. "It's good to have you back."
* * *
Yang looked at the home of Theodore Kern. It was in a nice part of Sausalito and right on the Bay. Yang expected the house came with a private dock. Brown wooden shingles covered the walls, and redwood planks framed the windows. A hill forced visitors to drive down a narrow, steep driveway to reach the front door. The night was still and very quiet.
"Where did this guy get his money?" Ipo said.
"He buys and sells water rights all over California," Reinagle said.
"A contentious business."
"He doesn't have a lot of friends. He prefers books."
Reinagle knocked vigorously on the front door. Ipo and Yang stood behind him.
Yang expected Kern to be asleep or at least getting ready for bed, but the man who opened the door was still fully clothed in a dress shirt and slacks. He was in his sixties, and the top of his head was bald, but his skin was still a healthy pink. He was short and round.
"Mr. Kern," Reinagle said, "sorry to bother you at this obscene hour, but these men have an urgent business proposition for you."
Kern narrowed his eyes. "What proposition?"
Ipo stepped forward. "I want to buy your copy of Symbology of the Divine . I'll pay whatever it costs."
Kern looked up at the legionnaire . They were so different in size, it was almost a joke.
"It's not for sale."
"Everything is for sale," Ipo said. "The only question is the price."
"Not in this case."
"It's just a book."
Kern shook his head. "No. Brian Kelly might be a modern day prophet. His book could be added to the Bible someday, and I have a rare, first-edition copy. It's priceless."
"I think you're jumping to conclusions." Ipo furrowed his brow.
"Why do you want it so badly?"
"My motives are my business. I will only say I can't walk away empty-handed."
"Then you'll be standing here a long time," Kern said. "Good night. Reinagle, we'll discuss this unpleasantness tomorrow."
He tried to slam the door, but Ipo blocked it with his hand.
"I don't think you understand how serious
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