Left Behind Series - The Remnant Part 32

"Stefanich is beside himself looking for you," Chang had told Mac. "They were worried when they couldn't get through to Elena for a while, but they have reached her now and have been a.s.sured everything is fine at headquarters. "

"What do you make of that, Chang?"

"I don't worry about it. Sebastian confirmed the Elena kill, and he has her phone. Who knows how he bluffed them? I wouldn't put anything past him. My worry is for Chloe and Hannah. The Morale Monitors lost them after the women led them to what the MMs thought was the Co op. They won't know that was phony till they raid it. But Stefanich had so many of his people in the woods to help bring you three back, he was short on help in Ptolemais.

That's all changed now. Everybody's on their way back."

The problem for Mac, he realized as he hot wired the Jeep, was that he could call Chloe and Hannah, but he couldn't reach the Co op or Sebastian except in person. He had an idea of how they might all escape, but the women had to stay safe in the meantime.

"How bizarre is that?" Chloe said. "We were probably walking distance from George when he came out the back door of GC headquarters. We could have driven him to the Co op."

"And ruined it for everybody."

"Well, yeah, but I'm just saying. We've got to ditch this car and get where Mac can find us."

"The sooner the better," Hannah said. "I haven't noticed anyone for quite a while. Let's do it now."

"Let's at least get to the outskirts."

"Risky. "

"Not as risky as parking in town and walking through the streets."

Mac hated the thought of having to walk even a few blocks, but he couldn't risk parking anywhere near the Co op. He left the Jeep about a mile north and set off on foot. The trick would be to get in without getting shot, with those at the Co op on the lookout for GC.

He thought about just waltzing into the pub above, but for all he knew Socrates had described him, and the whole town was watching for him. He was still in camouflage and armed with an Uzi not your typical Ptolemaist out for a nightcap.

Instead, Mac went by what Chloe and Hannah had told him of the place and stayed in the shadows, coming the far way around, slipping in the back door and into the tiny bathroom. The pub was full and noisy, and that was to his advantage. He locked the door, tried not to inhale deeply, and scrubbed the grease from his face. Mac didn't look much cleaner in the dingy mirror, and he was struck by the fatigue showing around his eyes. Some night, he thought, end we've just started.

Mac studied the pipes. They ran straight down through the floor, probably just a few feet from George and who knew how many local believers huddled in the back room of the laundry. He sat on the floor and used an Uzi clip to tap in Morse code on the pipe.

"Seeking friend from S. D."

He repeated the message twice more.

Finally, return taps. Mac had nothing to write with, so he had to remember each letter. "Need a.s.surance."

Mac responded: "Amazing Grace."

The reply: "More."

He tapped out: "Let's go home."

Back came: "Favorite angel?"

That was easy. And only a compatriot would know that. "Michael."

"Welcome. Hurry."

Mac turned out the light before he opened the door, saw no curious eyes, and hurried down the stairs. He heard a "Psst" from the back room and ducked through the curtain, only to look down the barrels of two Uzis in the dim light.

A young, dark haired man appeared ready to shoot. "Let me see your hands."

Mac raised them, his own Uzi supplied from that very room dangling from. his arm.

"Is that him?" the young man asked.

"Could be," George said. "If it's not," Mac said, "how do I know you're Costas ? "

Then he realized why George had to be waffling and

whipped off his gla.s.ses. "I used to work for Carpathia, i

man! The freckles had to go and the hair color had to

change. "

"That's him," George said, stepping forward to embrace Mac.

Several others mostly men, all ages and all armed emerged from under piles of clothing. Only three women were there one meddle aged, one elderly, and one in her late teens. The first introduced herself as Costas's j

mother, Mrs. P. The older said, "My husband is K's

cousin."

A thin, wiry man who looked to be in his late seventies

i

said, "That would be me."

George pointed at the teenager. "This one answered Elena's ehone a little while ago. Despite a very bad connection and a lot of static, she a.s.sured her partners I was still safely locked away."

"Nice to meet you," the girl said, adding the staticky sound as she spoke and causing the others to smile.

"Excellent work," Mac said. "Now, brothers and sisters, we have no tune. There is a ma.s.sive manhunt for me, and it won't be long before they find out Elena is dead and their prisoner gone. I have two compatriots on foot. K's cousin, are you also a Kronos.

"I am, sir."

"Are you the one who lent your truck to the cause?"

He nodded solemnly.

"And is that truck available?" "Two blocks from here."

"I want to buy it." Mac pulled a huge wad of Nicks from a packet below his knee.

"No, no, not necessary."

"Actually it is, because by the end of the night, it will be well known to the GC and you will be unable to be seen in it again."

"I do not reed the money."

"does the Co op? the underground?"