From the Devil's Cradle Ch. 02

Caleb paid the driver and tipped him a C note over.

"Have a goodnight sir."

"You too Biru."

The cab driver smiled; his fare tonight was not typical; he'd asked his name and smiled as he made sure he pronounced it correctly. The man had sat quite most of the ride, but he put off a pleasant air and when he spoke to Biru he spoke to him, not at him.

Most fares seemed to think cabbies were beneath them, especially that he, himself wore a turban. This man spoke to him as a friend when he did speak. Said he had met a few Sikh in his travels they are respected warriors. He even knew Biru meant 'courage'. Yes, this man was not his typical fare. He must tell his wife of this man.

Caleb entered his front door and punched in his alarm code, grabbing a bottle of water from the counter and headed to the lavatory to relieve himself. He noted the color of his urine frowning, they had kept him from drinking for too long. He drained the bottle as he drained himself.

Grabbing another bottle and dropping the consumed one in one of the recycle bins, he headed into the garage. Opening the upright freezer in the far corner he removed a box of frozen fish sticks. How anyone could indulge in such a disaster as a fish stick was beyond him. He'd ate much worse of course, but those days were behind him. Prying open the sealed box he slid out an envelope.

Caleb took the box into the kitchen dumping the fish into the trash and the box into another recycle bin. Tearing open the envelope a piece of paper inside read, 'The house has been swept for listening devices. She is expecting your call.' He smiled at the thought of the fish box, Kassandra's running joke that he did not get laid enough.

Back in the garage, Caleb stood in front of an old Michelob bar mirror staring at his reflection. A few seconds of biometrical reading, a couple of audible clicks and the locker that held his yard tools swung open revealing a twelve by twelve room. In the room two weapon lockers, equipment lockers, shelves of ammunition, some of the ammunition no one outside the team had seen, and a desk with secure and armored laptop. Sliding a desk drawer open Caleb retrieved one of the four cell phones inside and powered it on just as the locker swung back sealing him in. Three seconds later small red led lights in the ceiling came on. The shredder under the desk whined as he fed it Kassandra's note.

He dialed the number from memory. "How can I help you a familiar voice came on the line?"

"Bravo, Alpha, Lima, Lima, Oscar, Oscar, November, Sierra."

"She's expecting you sweetie. Been a long time, stop bye sometime."

Caleb smiled; he knew Julie's voice. She'd been with the president since she'd been governor and one of the five living people who knew about Caleb's previous history.

"Hey honey, how are you?"

"I'm fine Madam President."

Laughter, "come now Caleb; we've been through too much for you to not call me Sharon."

"I know ma'am. How's Katherine?"

"She is fine, adjusted well. She asks almost every day if I've spoken with you. I... We owe you everything Caleb."

"No Sharon, I owe you. Your predecessor left me for almost two years, you rescued me."

"If I had known about you sooner, I would have made arrangements to have you released Caleb."

"I know."

"Imagine my surprise when my daughter had been kidnapped in Russia by vampires. The shock was hard to believe they even existed. Surrounded by our nation's finest men and women in uniform, covert operations, Secret Service, DHS, FBI, Marshals, DDS the damn CIA, everything and not one person knowing what to do. Just suggested the story be she was currently on a private vacation."

"I sat crying at Camp David with Steven, when Julie sent Kassandra knocking on my door. She knew one man, a man left from a team. A man who had handled these situations before. Problem was, he'd taken out a witch, who just happened to be wife of a senior KGB agent. You were alive and my only hope."

"I know Sharon, but the ones you had to release to set me free..."

"You killed them all eight weeks later. No harm done. As I said to you the day you killed the vampires and returned her to me, there is nothing I won't do for you."

"You do too much Sharon."

"Bullshit, I do not enough."

Caleb laughed, "Imagine the sound bite of you saying bullshit on CNN."

She laughed, "imagine if they knew a lot, like for ten years our country had a group of men who hunted the things in scary stories for real, or that book had a lot of truthful elements in it."

"Thank you for making me write it."

"No, thank you, I know it's sold as fiction, I could never openly tell the story, but this way there are people out there who know. Rather they think it's real or not they know some of what you've done."

"Plus it allows you to funnel me way too much money,' Caleb chuckled.

"Well... so..., Sharon laughed. Caleb did not. What's on your mind doll you are never overly talkative but even for you, you're quite."

"The man they brought me in about, something is off with it."

"You mean why they singled you out?"

"No they are grasping at straws; I can't exactly explain. I just saw two photos, but he looked dry."

"Dry?"

"Sharon the man looked dry, like firewood. Dried out, devoid of fluids."

"Oh my? What could do that to a man? Vampire?"

"No I've seen that. Maybe prolonged exposure to sun, maybe intense heat. I mean a man living in the city plenty of water available..."

"You want me to get you a federal badge and credentials?"

Caleb laughed again. No. I'm retired till you put me to work for you.

"Hopefully the day I need you to do something like that again never arises. But if you change your mind... Any and all traces of the team is gone now as you requested. Large insurance policies that had been 'misplaced' were paid to the families."

"I know and thank you. I did offer my assistance as an observer".

"You should just ask her out Caleb."

"Who?"

"Let's see, tall, athletic, long raven-haired beauty with full pouty lips, quite busty for her frame, round butt... I believe her name is Detective Mendez."

Caleb laughed; "I see Kassandra still talks a lot."

"Kassandra loves you. You have no idea what it done to her the day she lost your team... And you. She came to me in pieces, had been for almost two years, but she came with a plan to free you. The team never will be again, but I will always have her as an advisor to make sure you are ok. Even after I have left office there is a large shell company for her to keep you and her safe."

"We were set up. Me in Russia and the others in Italy all hit at the same time, they knew we were coming."

"You know that for sure?"

"I could never prove it. Carmichael never liked us just seen us as means to an end. Us being so secret nobody, but he and Kassandra still knew about us... Jenkins died weeks after leaving office so nobody else knew. With us out of the way..."

"Would you take him out Caleb if I asked?"

He sighed, "Sharon you know the answer to that."

"I know, I wouldn't ask. The other's you'd have to take with him are not worth his life. Plus he is human, those you took out that I set free were the last humans I'd ask you to take out. Evil or not I know it weighs on you."

"Thank you, Sharon."

"Well Caleb doll, I've kept you. Please do come by Camp David when we are there. Katherine would love to see you, we all would. The White House is always open to you also."

"I will Madam President."

"And for Pete's sake ask that girl out. Move on and enjoy life."

"I just might do that Sharon."

"Good night doll."

"Good night Sharon, tell Katherine and Steve hello for me."

"Caleb ended the call, turned on the hotspot on the phone and then the laptop, his fingers clicking away on the forty-seven-character alphanumeric password."

"Pulling up a program, he started listening to the police channels. He looked at his watch almost midnight, Jessica was probably in bed his chance of hearing her voice on the scanner none. He switched it off."

He stood in the shower enjoying the water. Scenes replaying through his head of the torture he'd endured in Russia. All the clocks and calendars on the wall, so he'd know every minute of every day he was held.

He was to be kept alive and healthy between torture sessions, so he could be tortured until his natural death or till Agent Sokolov got tired of torturing him. Sokolov had even killed a guard, who had struck Caleb.

Sokolov had come one day and saw the bruise on Caleb's face. He'd beat the guard to death in front of the others, after that nobody touched him. Only Sokolov could torture Caleb. For almost two years he'd tried to get information from him. He gave nothing. A man's body is only as strong as his mind. Sokolov had never even figured out he spoke Russian.

He smiled in the shower, he won... Every time they tortured him, he won. How? In his mind he was in his mother's arms the day she adopted him. The happiest day of his life, that's how. In his mind he went there to her protection, nothing could kill her love. To Caleb she'd been an angel sent to watch over him.

"It's been a long day, Carnes, Mendez go home. Let forensics do their job," Chief Wallace said.

"Sounds good boss, let's go Rich."

In the car heading to drop Jessica off, "You think the guy looked maybe like that last one, dried out," Carnes asked?

"Yeah, looks the same."

"What the hell could do that to a man?"

"I don't know but he had his pants off. White had his cock out..."

Carnes drove silently.

"Rich? Rich?"

"Yeah Jess?"

"You're gonna get fired, Caleb has nothing to do with this."

"I know that now seeing the coroner's report."

"Then what's the deal?"

"You don't find it strange a man has no real life till a few years ago he said glancing at Jessica, and now he is rich, Jess?"

"I chalk it up to being military like Jacobs said. He probably done some crazy shit and is retired. His record altered to look like it does to keep people from finding him."

"Yeah but who?"

"I don't know Richard. Maybe he was an assassin. I mean, you know what we do to protect cops that go in deep for a long time. I assume the government does for guys like that. Maybe SEAL or Special Forces who knows."

"You really think we have soldiers on American soil doing stuff," Carnes asked?

"I don't know, maybe after cartel or terrorists who knows."

Now Jessica was sitting quite as Carnes pulled up in front of her apartment. "You ok Jess?"

"Huh? Oh my stop."

"You that smitten with him," Carnes asked.

"What? Who? Oh no, I was thinking about what the red head asked. Do I believe in things that go bump in the night?"

"Want me to go in and check the place with you?"

Jessica laughed; "no Rich thank you though," opening the door, "Rich?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Accepting me as a partner, I know there were not a lot of female detectives on our force when we partnered up."

"Jess you know that never bothered me. You are great at what you do. Are you sure you are ok Part?"

"Yeah, just some of the things that came up today. To sit there looking into his eyes, knowing now some of the things he said were clues about him."

"Like what?"

"About you being old enough to be old school yet accepting me as a trusted partner. How we live in an equal country when many aren't. I think he was saying he'd been in other countries. You know been places where women aren't equal."

"Kassandra talking about him enduring torture basically for an extended period of time. Knowing his mother was allowed to bleed out by the police instead of getting her help, all could be clues about him."

"Kassandra said she wasn't his handler. I could tell she loves him, like maybe a sister though not as a woman."

"He did speak more freely with you Jess. I knew he didn't look like a Ramos," Carnes said.

"I know I thought the same. But the look in his eyes when he was telling about his mom and sister and how they died... I don't know... but it was the truth about what happened. I'm sure he has no love for police."

"Him being able to read the crime scene photos like he did."

"Kassandra suggesting we go out," Jessica said laughing.

"Maybe you should," Carnes offered.

Jessica looked at him. "Oh a couple hours ago you wanted him drawn and quartered now I should go out with him?"

"A man can be wrong Part."

Jessica kissed his cheek, "and a real man can admit it even more. You need to date too."

"Blah... I'm an old set in my way cop, no woman in their right mind would."

"Maybe find a lady cop about your age. Frisk each other," Jessica winked.

Carnes laughed, "pick you up Monday morning?"

"You not going in tomorrow Rich?"

"It's Friday Jess, we earned a break."

"Ok see you then."

She stood watching Carnes drive off. He was up to something that she knew. She assumed he was keeping her out of it by saying he wasn't working tomorrow. Maybe he did need a break. She did that was for sure.

Showered and lying in bed Jessica was thinking about Caleb. What have you endured...? He said his best quality was patience. Was that built by being tortured? Kassandra basically said he had been tortured for an extended period. How long was that? Who tortured him? No wonder he was not rattled in them least by them.

The way he moved when he grabbed Richard, like lightning, he kicked the two-hundred-pound table like it was cardboard. He had to be military or something. But what the hell would him being military and things that go bump in the night have in common? Kassandra did not seem like one who would throw out something just for shits and giggles. She could have easily just left. Was she hinting something about Caleb? She could tell Kassandra cared for him, not as a girlfriend or wife. She said Jessica should go out with him.

Caleb had said no human could hit that hard... OR it was beyond most human strength... What does that mean?

"Caleb Sparks," she said out loud. "Is that really your name?" If he had lied to her she would never go out with him. If it was his cover was it really a lie? Was he in Wit Sec? No the Marshalls would have shown up had he been in witness protection. She doubted he needed protection from anyone he could no doubt handle himself. She also realized she just admitted she did want to go out with him.

"Who are you Caleb," she asked out loud?

Caleb lay staring at the ceiling. "Mom..., he whispered to the night. I know you are watching. You watched every night in that Siberian prison. Tell Lupe, her brother sends his love. You sent me a sign when Sharon came for me, just when I thought I'd finally break you sent Sharon... Mom... There is a woman, she reminds me of you a lot. Mom... I don't know... I love you... Thank you for saving me from the dumpster, saving me from the abuse and from Siberia.

Caleb had drifted off to sleep, a few moments later the room had a dim blue hue... Maria Ramos leaned over and kissed her son on the head like she'd done in the hospital till they took him, then from when he was nine years old, until he left home into the Army and every night he'd been in that prison.

Caleb was right, she'd watched over him, he was just not allowed to see her. She'd witnessed her son take down many over the years. He was a good boy doing good work. He had removed spawns of hell from this world. Like the spawns that had possessed the men who took her and Lupe from him. The men he had taken also were just as evil.

Even in heaven she still prayed. Prayed that he would be spared from continuing that work and that he would find a woman who would love him like he was capable of loving. To fill the void she left. He was alone again and that was not fair for all the good work he'd done.

After all it was her fault that he had to do this work, she remembered looking at him asleep in that incubator. She'd prayed that she would raise him right and that he would perform whatever service he had to if she could adopt him. For nine years she'd prayed every morning and night.

She remembered the blinding light and the booming voice; she'd remembered falling to her knees in fear in her bedroom the night before she adopted him.

"Fear not Maria Ramos," the voice lowered, and the light eased.

She looked up to a figure both freighting and beautiful, clad in armor that appeared of ivory and gold, a massive sword in his hand pointed at the floor. His eyes fire in their sockets, the swirling fire died, replaced by a swirling blue of the sky in his eyes.

"Who," she asked with a trembling voice?

The figure spread beautiful wings. "In your tongue I am Gabriel. Your prayers have been heard Maria Ramos. Tomorrow you will adopt the child. He was being prepared for the promise you made; he must be a warrior to fulfill that promise. Love him and teach him, he will suffer much for the greater good of mankind and the service of Heaven.'

Maria nodded in tears.

The figure spread his wings again in a mighty beat, showering her with wind he as gone.

Just as she was drifting off Jessica swore, she heard a girl laugh, but she was falling under fast. "Caleb," the voice whispered as she went completely under. Jessica fully asleep, a woman appeared next to the girl.

"I like her momma; she and Caleb would be cute together. Momma is everything alright?"

"Yes Lupe, he has only a little more left".

"No momma!"

"What?"

"I don't want him with us yet."

"No baby. I mean he has a little more work to do with this one here. Then he can be free from his work. Maybe you will be a Tia then."

"Oh I hope so momma. When he is done with his work can he see us?"

"No baby, but we can still see him from heaven whenever we want."

"Momma he will be with us, won't he? I mean he won't go down there where he sends the bad things will he?"

"No baby he will come to us. Taking life is wrong yes, but the ones he sends there are bad. He is doing good work."

"Gabriel says he is a good man too mom."

"You really shouldn't bother the Arch Angels sweetie."

"Oh momma, he says I can come to watch the chariots any time I want. He also says Bubba is a real warrior and he could use him in his army. That when the end of time comes Bubba can ride with heavens warriors."

"I know Lupe, he is a true warrior. One day he will have wings, but he must continue here."

"Both ghostly figures vanished from Jessica's room..."