The Link 3 - The Huntress

Chapter 9 - Anthony

"No, sir," I replied. I had to breathe, letting the hospital smell invade my nostrils yet again. The odor was a foul chemical based stink that scarred the insides of my nose."The man failed."

"And we lost one of our military contacts," Sabbatini said, his anger was blatant in his tone. I disliked him thinking I failed.

"It wasn't planned. He took it on his own initiative, without my instruction," I said, defending my part in the poor results.

"Do we have to fear Righthouse now?" Sabbatini asked.

"From what I've been able to understand," I said, "he's more concerned with her...I mean 'it'... than us. One of our other contacts said it's gone closed door, but he's heard some scuttlebutt that fear is replacing the curiosity."

"Maybe you should stoke the fires of these fears. It could convince the military to deploy their more clandestine resources," Sabbatini said. "I don't care who kills it, though I had hoped it would be you."

"Is that what you want?" I asked, ashamed about the repeated failures.

"Don't take it so damn personally," Sabbatini said, waving away my shame. "It's the human race we're concerned about, not your ego."

"Yes, sir."

"Start a few rumors," Sabbatini continued, "have them fed to the military. Something about other unexplained deaths and strokes in its vicinity. Maybe if it has to dodge the government, it will create opportunities for us."

"What if they grab it, bring it underground?" I asked. Sabbatini laughed. It was one of his maniacal laughs that I hoped the nurses couldn't hear.

"It is too powerful to be taken," Sabbatini said, coughing between chuckles. "It must be taken out by surprise. The military thinks at turtle speed. Use them as a distraction."

"It has money now," I said, "that will make it more difficult."

"Wealth will involve more people," Sabbatini said. "You should be able to identify one or two that love our Lord and can't be tempted by evil." It always amazed me how he could find a silver lining in every failure. He looked decrepit, but still, his mind worked like the first day I met him. Had it really been thirty years?

"At least we should be able to acquire an itinerary," I added.

"Yes, and that will create opportunities," Sabbatini said. "No attempt can be forecast, that's obvious. It has to be quick, quicker than thought."

"Another sniper?" I asked.

"Or an explosive," Sabbatini replied, "big enough to limit the chance of failure."

"It could harm others," I said, surprised at his vehemence.

"This demon will destroy this world," Sabbatini growled, "sending a few other souls to our Lord early, shouldn't deter us."

"No, it shouldn't, sir," I agreed. Sabbatini's devotion was absolute, so much stronger than mine. I looked at his feeble body and wondered if he would push me aside if he could. "What about its family? We could take one as hostage, possibly bring it to us."

"You really think you can use its followers as bait?" Sabbatini said as if I were a child. "It would either leave them to die or most likely use them to ferret us out. It no longer needs to be physically present to use its power." The revelation surprised me. Sabbatini was truly God's messenger to surmise so much from the evidence I had given him. I had barely suspected it myself. "No, surprise is the only weapon we possess. Kill it before it knows the strike is coming."

"Yes, Sir,"

"Good," Sabbatini said, then waved me away. I bowed my head slightly and exited the room, happy to leave and regain some of the strength my mentor always drained from me. Exiting the care facility, I breathed deeply, trying to replace the foul air that lingered in my nose.

I know nothing about bombs. It would take research and talking with ex-military again. I wasn't comfortable with the sniper, and now I had to find a demolition expert with loose morals or religious zeal. Sabbatini was correct; collateral damage shouldn't be a consideration. I needed to be stronger, more like him. God's warriors couldn't be weak, not with the world at stake.