Malevolence: CATU Book 4 Ch. 10

Sam and Spencer reached Washington D.C. in the early hours of the morning. Having to wait for visiting hours to visit Doug Wiltkins the two decided on some much needed sleep. After a few hours of rest they traveled to D.C. General and are taken to Wiltkins' room. His wife Crystal Wiltkins is there by his side and when the two enter she gets up and greets them.

"Hello Spence, Sam," she says giving both agents a hug. "He came out of his coma a couple days ago. You can go ahead and wake him. I'll leave you alone, I need some coffee anyway." She gives them a smile and leaves the room.

The two agents walk quietly over to Wiltkins' bed. He already has his eyes open and starts talking before they reach him. "So you two finally found the time to come visit me," he says jokingly.

"Well you know saving Spence's ass is no small task," Sam says smiling at Spencer. He responds with a grin and then all three give a heartfelt laugh.

"How are you doing?" Spencer asks changing the subject to something more serious.

"I could be better," he says grimly. "I couldn't stop her."

"It's not your fault," Sam intercedes placing her hand on his. "We'll get her, I promise."

"What can you tell us about Roger?" Spencer cuts in bringing the conversation back around.

"What would you like to know," Wiltkins says. His eyes and face become serious. He seems to forget his sorrow and pain and reverts to his soldier mode.

"Anything and everything," Spencer blurts. "I thought, we thought," he corrects looking over at Sam, "we knew everything about him."

Wiltkins gives a snort. "At one time I thought the same thing until he told me the truth. "Please sit down; there is a lot you don't know."

They grab two chairs and pull them up to the bed.

"I was told the truth when I was in the Special Forces with him. I learned he was a Magi, a descendant of the legendary Atlanteans. Imagine my surprise and disbelief of his story. Being his friend though I listened to what he had to say and I'll admit some of it I believed but most I did not. It wasn't until many years later after we joined the FBI did things happen and I fully believed him them. He had knowledge of things no one else did. He had connections to people and organizations, many of which weren't supposed to exist.

"Everything Roger did was for a purpose, from the formation of CATU to your paring together as partners. Roger knew of your abilities, Second Sight. He also knew of you being a Marid. I'm sure there were times he'd have liked to talk to you about these things, but he always believed in people learning about themselves and the world on their own accord. What better way to accept something to learn of it on your own than to have it thrown at you.

"The entire situation with Senator Rustlin was orchestrated by Roger with the exception of his assassination. It was to put CATU in a position to be where it is now. With Roger's connections and assets CATU could do almost anything and what better way to fight terrorists and demons. Unfortunately, he was unable to predict or prevent Natalya's vengeance. He had wards in place which should have prevented any demon including a Demon Lord from entering. Somehow though, she was able to get past the wards."

"What's her connection to Roger?" Sam interrupts.

"I don't know the details," he answers, "but Roger was sent over by the FBI to the CIA to act as a liaison and help investigate a mole in their DEP division. He returned successful but he didn't seem happy. Like he didn't quite accomplish a task he set out to do. That was a trait he carried. When Roger set out to do something, he did it until it was complete, nothing half-assed."

"Wait a minute you said DEP. Does that have anything to do with DEP Six?" Spencer questions hold up his hands and waving them side to side.

"From my understanding DEP was shut down after Roger's help in the case. DEP Six was created by a government program called Section 8. Not much is known about it and not even Roger knew much. His only contact with the organization was --" "Major Duncan Graves," Sam finishes.

"Yes, that's him," Wiltkins states. "I guess you know him as well."

"More than we'd like," Spencer says with sarcasm.

"If I know Roger then Grines has been given control of CATU and he knows everything Roger did."

"What do you mean?" Sam asks.

"Roger was never one to not be prepared. He knew in the circumstance of his death someone would need to have everything passed on to them. So Roger had everything prepared from documents to videos. So if you need to know something I don't then Grines is the one to ask."

A knock raps at the door just before Wiltkins' wife walks in. "Sorry to interrupt you guys but I need to get Doug ready to leave and ready for the funeral."

"Speaking of which we need to get ready too," Sam says looking at Spencer.

"Yeah," Spencer says with a nod. "Hey it's good to see you are doing well. It won't be long before you return to work."

"Then you'll have to wait. I'm not coming back," Wiltkins says curtly.

"What!" Sam says before Spencer can respond.

"That's right. I've seen a lot and been through just as much. I'm also too old for the field and I refuse to sit at a desk," he explains. "I was ready to retire a couple of years ago but Roger convinced me otherwise."

"Now that he's gone you're going to just give up," Sam says angrily. As soon as the words leave her mouth she regrets saying them. "I'm sorry that was wrong of me."

"No I understand and you shouldn't hide your feelings. I worked with you and Roger through many missions. You've just lost Roger and you're losing me, but I'll still be around if you need something."

Sam reaches down and gives him a hug and whispers a thank you in his ear. When they pull apart they give each other a smile. "See you at the funeral," Wilkins says.

——

Once the two agents are in the hallway Spencer stops Sam and spins her around. "Why is it I get the feeling there is something going down and we don't have a clue what?"

"That's because there is and it's up to us to find out what it is," Sam replies. She gives him a kiss and says, "Come on, we'll question Grines until we're blue in the face."

"Yeah right, that's all we'll get done."

"Ah he's cool; he just plays things close to the vest."

——

The cemetery is like any other one. Roger chose to be buried here because his wife is buried there. They had chosen the plots early on in their marriage and neither one of them expected to be filling them early in life. Roger had lost his wife in a car accident four years ago and though he looked forward to being with her again he probably never expected it to be so soon.

The sky is cloudy and dark and shortly after Spencer and Sam arrive it begins to slowly drizzle. The people that show up for the funeral come from many different agencies including the FBI, CIA, NSA and CATU. Those that aren't part of an agency are friends or family, including Roger's daughter. Most of the people Sam and Spencer recognize. Hands are shook and hugs are given between various people. Roger's daughter is given condolences and she stands up amazingly well.

"How are you holding up?" Sam asks Amanda, Roger's daughter.

"First my mother now my father," she answers meekly. "I don't know how else to feel."

Sam throws her arm around the young woman. She had just graduated from high school the year before and was away at college when Roger's death came. "How are you doing at college," Sam asks deciding to try and shift the conversation and help the young woman focus on something else at the moment.

"It's not bad. It's a lot like high school but different at the same time."

"Yeah I remember when I went to college. It was a whole new experience for me," Sam says.

——

Roger Cornelius was a soldier who served his country through many missions and conflicts. He continued his service when he became a FBI agent and shortly after joining Counter Terrorist Division. He went on to form the Counter Anti-Terrorist Unit which eventually became its own entity before shutting down. Roger was a dreamer, but he was a dreamer that took those dreams and turned them into reality.

"We will never know what he had in mind next to provide a service for this country but we do know it would probably have been big. So we now commit his body back to the Earth from which it was made. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

The rain is still coming down but at a steady drizzle. The soldiers standing off to the side approach the coffin and fold the flag. When it is neatly tucked and folded one of the soldiers walks the flag over to Amanda and presents it to her. She accepts it holding back her tears. Three sets of seven guns rang out saluting a fallen hero. Sam squeezes Amanda's shoulder as a sign of comfort. Spencer moves in to give her some words of encouragement when he notices something out of the corner of his eye.

"Wait her," he says to Sam and slowly begins to work his way through the crowd of people.

"Spence!" she whispers. "Damn it Spencer."

He catches a full glimpse on the figure now. She must have known she was spotted because she is on the move, weaving in and out between gravestones. Spencer figures it is a she because of the lithe form under the cloaked outfit. He picks up he paced trying to match hers. Sam isn't far behind them. As soon as Spencer left she followed refusing to be left behind.

Before he knows it, Spencer is far from the funeral sight and the people are barely visible on the horizon. The cemetery is vast but luckily doesn't give many places for someone to hide. The figure ahead, slips behind a tomb mausoleum, one of the largest in the cemetery.

"Damn it!" Spencer breathes out loudly.

"I see it," Sam yells to him. "Take one side, I'll take the other."

Spencer nods in agreement and goes left while Sam goes right. With their guns drawn they creep around the edges only to find themselves facing each other.

"You two have to watch yourselves," a voice calls from above them.

They look up to the cloaked figure and neither of them is surprised at who they see.

"You couldn't help yourself," Sam states.

"I came out of respect of a worthy adversary," Natalya corrects. "Like I said before, you two need to watch yourselves."

"Is that a threat?" Spencer questions, his tone a threat in its self.

"Not from me, but from one that has an invested interest in you. Heed my words agents."

Natalya steps out of view and both agents rush around the small building to find it is empty. "Damn I hate when they do that," Sam says.

"Tell me about it."

——

Home sweet home," Sam says as she and Spencer enter the CATU building.

"Yes it is," Spencer agrees.

They walk over to the only object in the room, a desk with a nondescript dressed guard sitting behind it. The room itself is bare and empty, devoid of any signs of human presence save for the guard at the desk. Both agents pull out their badges that identify them as CATU agents and hold them up. The guard looks up from his desk for the first time since they entered. The guard waves them on toward the elevator.

They step onto the elevator with guard's back facing them then the doors close. Sam presses the only button on the control panel and the two agents feel the elevator move. Within moments they reach their destination and the doors open revealing a large room full of desks and people milling about.

"So this is the new office," Spencer comments.

Sam remains silent as she looks around. Her eyes fall on the back of the room where it looks like a battle took place. It looks like the damage for the most part was cleaned up and in the later stages of repair but the scars are still there. "Well we may as well start with Grines," she replies.

As they cross the expanse other agents look up in recognition, many others say hi or give a wave. Sam and Spencer give nods or slight waves back but otherwise focus on their destination. When they reached Grines' office the door is open so Sam knocks on the door frame. "Come in," Grines answers not even looking up from his desk. The two agents walk in and Grines directs them to sit at the two seats placed in front of his desk.

"I meant to talk to you two at the funeral but it seems you disappeared before it ended," he says finally looking up at them.

"Yeah, we ran into an old friend," Spencer says.

"Natalya," Grines states plainly.

"How do you know?" Sam asks quickly.

"She killed Roger and two other agents. She put Doug in a coma and she seems to be involving herself with anyone or any agency that she can slither into."

"It can't be that easy for her," Sam says disbelieving it.

"She's making offers and those offers are too hard to pass up and true. Of course that can cause someone to walk a thin line but it also provides protection."

"And why she found it in her heart to warn us," Spencer adds.

"Getting to her isn't going to be an easy task. She's on our watch list and every other organization's as well," Grines says. "In fact she has been on their list for a number of years."

"We'll cross paths with her again and when we do we'll avenge Roger," Sam says with conviction. "She'll regret crossing paths with me."

"Then that will be one less threat this world has to face," Grines adds. "Now back at why I wanted to speak with you two."

"We have questions about Roger we wanted to ask," Spencer interrupts.

"As do I, but that will have to wait until I sort through everything he left for me. There is a lot to digest as I am sure you can imagine."

"Yeah no kidding," Sam agrees.

"By now you know Doug isn't coming back," Grines continues ignoring Sam's comment. The two agents nodded their agreement. "And with Roger's death I am continuing what he had as far as the future of CATU. I don't completely understand the abilities you two posses but I know enough to know how valuable you are to this organization and so did Roger. He had many plans that just didn't get put into motion yet. For instance the creation of a new division; one headed by you Spencer with Sam of course."

"Forgive me sir but I don't wish to sit behind a desk," he answers.

"No, no you won't be. You'll still be a field agent but you'll just have more responsibility and people under you," Grines explains.

"Well then I guess it can't be too bad and idea."

"Good. The new division will specialize in hunting down terrorist threats headed by demons. This will help to distribute resources to threats more efficiently."

"Well that's nice and all but there is only two of us," Sam interjects.

"That problem has already been solved. Roger created a research department utilizing nano technology. It has been discovered a part of the brain allows use of your special abilities. The nano technology can target that part and allow the sensory portion to work as if the person had Second Sight. Surprisingly it's the nervous system that relays the information."

"Not the physical part?" Spencer asks.

"Unfortunately the scientists cannot figure out a way to for the technology to unlock that part," Grines explains.

"It's interesting what we can do with technology now-a-days," Sam remarks.

"Yeah really," Spencer agrees.

"Speaking of which," Sam begins, "how are we maintaining secrecy sitting right in the middle of the city?"

"If you noticed the button on the elevator pointed up, but in reality you went down," Grines explains. "The top two floors of the building is a legitimate customer call center. When someone not working for us pushes the button, a computer scans the fingerprint and sends them up."

"And when the computer recognizes one of us it goes down," Sam states.

"Exactly."

"The real question is: who did you find that believes any of this?"

"It can be a little difficult but I already have two candidates line up and ready to join," Grines says smiling. "In the meantime we have Avyanna to deal with and right now you are the only two I have that can do just that."

"Do we have any leads as to where she disappeared to?" Spencer asks.

"Nothing much to go on," Grines answers. "We received information on something going down in Argentina, which is why I'm sending you there first."

"What's down there?" Sam asks.

"From what I understand from Roger's notes, when a Demon Lord is released they seek out a gate to open a portal to Hades. The information we received told us Avyanna plans to move this gate to someplace in Argentina in order to amplify the gate's power. What that means I do not have a clue, but it's important to stop her at any point we can. There is a cargo company called True Merchants Cargo owned by Baldur Flosadottir who has been under watch by the CIA for years now for suspicious activities but he has managed to avoid arrest or being shut down."

"So what makes us believe the two are related?" Spencer asks.

"We received a tip through a source," Grines explained with a sigh, "Not a fully trustable source, but with nothing else to go on we have no other choice. Were you two always this questionable with Roger?"

"Of course, how else are we going to learn anything?" Sam says playfully.

"Can the source be trusted?" Spencer asks turning the conversation back around.

"As much as one can be trusted." Grines looks grim. "I really hate having to send out four agents on what could be a runaround or trap, but it's all we have to go on with so little time left."

"So what do you want us to do down there?" Spencer questions.

"Find any link between True Merchants Cargo and the demons," Grines says sliding a packet toward Spencer. "And if you can find out where Avyanna has disappeared to."

Spencer looks to Sam and receives a smile before turning back to Grines. "We'll get you something boss."