Read Online The Judas Line by Mark Everett Stone - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mark Everett Stone
Ads: Link
Magic,” I said offhandedly as I unfolded the paper. In the center lay a sticky patch of grayish paste. I scooped a bit with a forefinger and applied it behind my ears like perfume. “Because now I can craft a defense against magic.”
I experienced an immense feeling of satisfaction as realization registered on the faces of Burke and the twins. It took Henri a while longer to get my drift. They could try to use their Words against me, but it would do them little good if I were protected.
Henri moved closer, his breath foul in my nostrils. “You think you’re so smart, do you little Olivier? Well, let me tell you something … as a near Wordless runt, you are of no interest to Julian. You’re out of the running, little brother. Not even worth killing.” His hands clenched and unclenched. I know he wanted to thrash me then and there, but the rules barred his way.
I laughed in his face, which mottled with fury. “Maybe so, brother , but he’ll still have a use for me. Most likely to take care of his wet-work.”
The assassins of the Sicarii (or Dagger Men) were—
“Hey Jude!” I yelled. “Hey, Jude! Got a question.”
The door to the bathroom opened and he stood there in a towel. His wet black hair stood out like a ridiculous, puffy ’fro. “What is it?”
“Didn’t you tell me that we had to avoid water? You just took a shower! ”
He smoothed his hair down with slender hands. “I used the Word of Avoidance, man. Keeps attention off of me.”
Oh. Good to know. “I’m a little puzzled by a name here. Sicarii. I know it is Latin for Dagger Men, but what is it?
His normally lively eyes darkened. “The first Sicarii were Jewish rebels in Judea some two thousand years ago,” he informed me tonelessly, face closed. “They were assassins who slaughtered Romans and their sympathizers. Later, the Medellin Cartel had what they called the Sicarios, their version of the Sicarii assassins. The singular is Sicarius, or Dagger Man.”
“Assassinations would have caused the Romans to retaliate harshly,” I mused, more to myself than him.
“Yes. They did, all across Judea. The Romans slaughtered thousands to in an effort to find and discourage the Sicarii.”
“Did your family have a connection to the Cartel?”
“My Family trained their assassins and took a large portion of the billions they made in the drug trade. Then, when things started heating up as the U.S. Delta Force, the CIA, and the Colombian National Police started hunting Cartel members, we withdrew our support and watched it die. It all ended in 1993.”
“So, the Sicarii and your family…?”
His voice became hollow, as though his soul had been plucked out. “My Family are descendants of the Sicarii. In fact, I’m the last direct descendant of their leader. We call him the Founder.”
“So—?”
“Yeah, Mike. We’re a Family of assassins. The Sicarii are still around, still trying to destroy the Romans, man.”
My mind wobbled. “But, Jude, the Romans are all gone. It’s just a city now.”
“No Mike,” he claimed. “Not true. There’s still the Roman Catholic Church.”
Holy moley! I opened my mouth, but he had already turned and shut the door behind him. With a sigh, I went back to the manuscript.
The assassins of the Sicarii (or Dagger Men) were still a large part of our Family’s legacy, although we had lessened the practice over the last century, preferring to let the media to do our dirty work for us in the form of character assassination. News hounds were quick to believe the worst in even the most honorable of people. However, our assassins were still the best-trained, most well funded, killers the world had ever known and even the most insane idiot (like Henri) feared them above all others.
All Family members were trained in wet-work, hence the title of Sicarius, even for those who did not practice assassination. Only a select few were chosen to join the ranks of the Dagger Men, the Sicarii Killer
I experienced an immense feeling of satisfaction as realization registered on the faces of Burke and the twins. It took Henri a while longer to get my drift. They could try to use their Words against me, but it would do them little good if I were protected.
Henri moved closer, his breath foul in my nostrils. “You think you’re so smart, do you little Olivier? Well, let me tell you something … as a near Wordless runt, you are of no interest to Julian. You’re out of the running, little brother. Not even worth killing.” His hands clenched and unclenched. I know he wanted to thrash me then and there, but the rules barred his way.
I laughed in his face, which mottled with fury. “Maybe so, brother , but he’ll still have a use for me. Most likely to take care of his wet-work.”
The assassins of the Sicarii (or Dagger Men) were—
“Hey Jude!” I yelled. “Hey, Jude! Got a question.”
The door to the bathroom opened and he stood there in a towel. His wet black hair stood out like a ridiculous, puffy ’fro. “What is it?”
“Didn’t you tell me that we had to avoid water? You just took a shower! ”
He smoothed his hair down with slender hands. “I used the Word of Avoidance, man. Keeps attention off of me.”
Oh. Good to know. “I’m a little puzzled by a name here. Sicarii. I know it is Latin for Dagger Men, but what is it?
His normally lively eyes darkened. “The first Sicarii were Jewish rebels in Judea some two thousand years ago,” he informed me tonelessly, face closed. “They were assassins who slaughtered Romans and their sympathizers. Later, the Medellin Cartel had what they called the Sicarios, their version of the Sicarii assassins. The singular is Sicarius, or Dagger Man.”
“Assassinations would have caused the Romans to retaliate harshly,” I mused, more to myself than him.
“Yes. They did, all across Judea. The Romans slaughtered thousands to in an effort to find and discourage the Sicarii.”
“Did your family have a connection to the Cartel?”
“My Family trained their assassins and took a large portion of the billions they made in the drug trade. Then, when things started heating up as the U.S. Delta Force, the CIA, and the Colombian National Police started hunting Cartel members, we withdrew our support and watched it die. It all ended in 1993.”
“So, the Sicarii and your family…?”
His voice became hollow, as though his soul had been plucked out. “My Family are descendants of the Sicarii. In fact, I’m the last direct descendant of their leader. We call him the Founder.”
“So—?”
“Yeah, Mike. We’re a Family of assassins. The Sicarii are still around, still trying to destroy the Romans, man.”
My mind wobbled. “But, Jude, the Romans are all gone. It’s just a city now.”
“No Mike,” he claimed. “Not true. There’s still the Roman Catholic Church.”
Holy moley! I opened my mouth, but he had already turned and shut the door behind him. With a sigh, I went back to the manuscript.
The assassins of the Sicarii (or Dagger Men) were still a large part of our Family’s legacy, although we had lessened the practice over the last century, preferring to let the media to do our dirty work for us in the form of character assassination. News hounds were quick to believe the worst in even the most honorable of people. However, our assassins were still the best-trained, most well funded, killers the world had ever known and even the most insane idiot (like Henri) feared them above all others.
All Family members were trained in wet-work, hence the title of Sicarius, even for those who did not practice assassination. Only a select few were chosen to join the ranks of the Dagger Men, the Sicarii Killer
Similar Books
