Chapter 37
The two bags of guns, ammunition, and grenades were weighty, but that didn’t slow Maks down. He picked his way carefully along the river’s edge. Close enough to hear the water, but far enough away that no one would see him if they were on a boat.
He was nearly to the bunker when he heard a motor.
It wasn’t going slowly as others did. Instead, it seemed to be moving fast. Maks paused and squatted down in the brush to look out over the water.
It didn’t take long for the vessel to appear.
It was big and sleek and expensive. And it parked right in front of the bunker.
No doubt someone high up in the Saints had arrived. Had they come to gloat at how well the virus was spreading throughout the world? Or had the Saints found something in the bunker? The latter option surely wouldn’t bring someone in the middle of the night.
Maks couldn’t make out who was getting off the boat.
He counted six armed men with the newcomer, not including the driver.
They quickly disappeared inside the bunker.
Maks didn’t care what they were doing right now.
The fact that a senior member of the Saints was there only made him eager to unleash the intel on the world so he could start taking out the organization.
He straightened and hurried to the bunker.
Once he reached his entrance, he squatted once more and listened to see if anyone was near.
Then he opened the door wide enough for him to get in and shut the door behind him.
Maks wanted to run to Eden, but the sound of the guns and ammo jangling might be heard. He had to settle for walking quickly.
Finally, he reached the hidden entrance.
He set down one of the bags and was straightening when the sound of a lighter filled the silence, followed a second later by the flare of fire as someone lit a cigarette.
Maks jerked his head in the direction, his free hand having already palmed the gun at his waist.
“There were great things in store for you, Maks. If only you would’ve stayed on the path I chose.”
He frowned, recognizing the voice. But he couldn’t place it.
Maks stared into the darkness where the end of the cigarette glowed red.
The man drew in a deep breath, burning through the tobacco and causing red light to fill his face.
Maks found himself staring into the dark eyes of none other than Jeffery Sumners.
Jeffery blew smoke out of his mouth. “You know, don’t you?”
“I know it all.”
“Not all of it, dear boy. There are a great many things you don’t know. You would have, though. I chose you a long time ago to take my position with the other Elders after I died.”
Maks jerked his head back, utterly revolted. “Why would you ever think I’d want any part of the Saints?”
“You have a killer instinct. You’re able to do what must be done for the greater good.”
Fury ripped through Maks. “You think this virus you unleashed is for the greater good?”
“Absolutely,” Jeff said and held the cigarette away from his face.
“Do you know why the Spartans were so dominant? They didn’t allow the weak, diseased, or lame to live.
Look at animals in the wild. Only the strong survive.
That’s how it’s supposed to be. Instead, it’s the sick and lame who dictate our lives.
Government spending keeps those unwilling to work fed.
They pay medical bills for people who shouldn’t be alive.
Billions of dollars are spent every year for drugs and surgeries because people don’t want to do the right thing and lose weight themselves.
They want a quick, easy fix to everything.
We, as a species, are lazy. We’ve become weak.
It’s time for the strong to take control. ”
Maks couldn’t believe the filth pouring from Jeff’s mouth. “You honestly believe you’re doing good.”
“I know I am. The world is overpopulated. Countries are polluting our air, the rivers and oceans. We’re raping the Earth without a thought to the future.
All in the name of sustaining our numbers.
The Earth simply can’t handle that. There are too many people.
Since your friends stopped Ragnarok, this was our other option.
Though, to be fair, we’d planned to release both of them almost simultaneously anyway.
” He took another puff from the cigarette and exhaled.
“The Earth has been screaming at us for decades that we’re hurting her.
Why should everyone have to die simply because others don’t listen?
That’s why the Saints were formed a thousand years ago.
It’s why we stepped up and did what no one else could. ”
“Thousands have died. Innocents!” Maks yelled.
The sound of Maks’ voice through the door alerted Eden.
She paused in her typing, trying to listen.
He would never have yelled if everything was going right.
He was talking now. And there was someone else there.
No matter how hard she tried, though, she couldn’t make out what was being said.
Since Maks hadn’t come into the room, then whoever was out there with him wasn’t friendly.
Eden sent a quick text to Callie, letting them know what was going on. Then she went back to her research. Things were coming in quickly. She couldn’t believe the Saints had found them already. She’d only been online for ten minutes, but in that little bit of time, she had uncovered quite a bit.
She was linked to the server Callie had set up, so Callie could see exactly what she was uncovering. All the while, Callie was hacking into the news outlets around the globe. As soon as Eden hit send, everything she and Maks had found would go viral.
“And more will die,” Jeff said calmly.
Maks tightened his hand on the gun. He wanted to lift it and fire, ending Jeff’s life. But if he was here, then the rest of the Saints knew Maks’ location. They didn’t, however, know where Eden was. He was going to do whatever was necessary to ensure it remained that way.
“If my grandfather had really known who you were, he never would’ve befriended you.”
Jeff chuckled and dropped the cigarette to the ground where he stepped on it, grinding it out. “Your grandfather knew. He was in the Saints, as well. Not nearly as high up as I am, but he did his part.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t care if you do or don’t. The truth is that your grandfather thought the Saints were exactly what the world needed.” A flick of a switch made light suddenly flood the corridor.
Maks didn’t look away from Jeff’s face. In all his years, he’d never hated anyone as much as he did Jeff right in this instant. He wanted to hurt the man, to cause him so much pain that he screamed for death.
Jeff shrugged and leaned a shoulder against the wall. “You look just like your grandfather. You have the same mentality. He should’ve climbed higher in the Saints than he did. He would’ve done nicely as an Elder.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Your father didn’t have it in him, though,” Jeff continued as if he didn’t hear Maks.
“We all knew that. He was too…weak. He wouldn’t have joined us, and then we would’ve had to kill him.
I made the choice to not tell him about the Saints.
But I remained friendly with the family in the hopes that one of his children would join us. Then you came along.”
Maks raised the gun and pointed it at Jeff’s face. “You have no right to make decisions for the rest of humanity.”
“Look around, son. There is nothing but lies out there. People are so sick of hearing them that they don’t even pay attention to anything anymore.
They vote someone into office simply because they can talk to a crowd.
That kind of gift is great, but it doesn’t always make for a good leader.
The proof of that has shown up many times in the past. When it’s apparent that people can’t vote properly, we do it for them.
When they can’t get a good candidate to run for office, we produce one for them. ”
“You have an answer for everything.”
“The truth hurts.”
“Is that all you have to say with a gun pointed at your face?”
Jeff smiled, unfazed. “Kill me. It won’t stop what’s out there now.”
Maks twisted his lips. “You said the truth hurts. You couldn’t be more right. You and every Elder of the Saints is about to be outed to the world. Your organization will come under fire. Everything you’ve built will be destroyed.”
“You aren’t the first to threaten such things. It hasn’t happened before. It won’t now. There isn’t anything you have that could do that.”
For the first time since seeing Jeff, Maks smiled.
“Actually, I do. All the time you thought I was working for you, I’ve been undercover stealing intel and gathering information.
I didn’t realize how much I had until I sorted through it.
I have proof that ties you and the other four Elders to several murders. ”
Jeff’s dark eyes held approval as he nodded. “See? I told you that you had what it took to be an Elder.”
Eden finished the last of her search and put it in a document. Then she hit send. All she could hope for now was that people actually paid attention and didn’t dismiss it. There was a lot of information, but with Callie’s help, the two of them had put it together in such a way that it made sense.
“It’s going,” Callie said through the speaker.
Eden couldn’t believe Callie had actually hacked all the news sources. Even now, Eden held her breath. Maks was still on the other side of the door, speaking with someone. Was he buying her time to get everything out?
“Holy shit,” Callie said in a soft voice. “It’s out there, Eden. All of it. On all the news channels in the US. Oh, now Europe. And Asia.”
Eden dropped her head into her hands, tears welling in her eyes. They had done it. They had given the world the information on the Saints. She prayed it was enough to bring down the organization. So many people had lost their lives because of the Saints. It was time that stopped.
She wiped at her eyes and lifted her head. “What about the conspiracy theorists? Can you tell if they’re picking it up?”
“They certainly are,” Callie said with a laugh.
“Eden?” Wyatt asked. “Is Maks still talking with someone?”
Eden glanced at the door, unease rippling through her. “Yes.”
“Stay there. Don’t go out. Maks has a plan. Trust him,” Wyatt told her.
As if Eden had any other choice.
“It’s time for the people of this world to make their own choices, be they right or wrong.
It’s time their votes counted. And if that means the end of Earth, then that’s what will happen.
But there are hundreds of people out there working to right what’s been done to the planet. They could pull it off.”
Jeff lifted one shoulder, his long, camel-colored coat moving with him.
“Maybe they will. Neither I nor any of the other Saints want to chance that, though. We’re going to ensure that the Earth continues.
Do you honestly think this is the first time we’ve done population control?
Where do you think the Black Plague came from?
The Spanish Flu, and all the others? They don’t just happen, my boy.
They’re created and unleashed. Same with wars.
Some we let get out of hand, some we contain. ”
“You make me sick. You’re playing God, and no one should have that right.”
“I have that right because I made sure of it!” Jeff bellowed as he pushed away from the wall.
He was no longer calm. Anger contorted his features as his lined faced reddened.
“You think because you’re born that you have rights?
You have nothing. Nothing! The only reason you have what you have is because I’ve allowed it. ”
Maks’ finger moved to the trigger. All he had to do was squeeze. A silence fell between them, and Maks let it grow. He was utterly disgusted with the individual who called himself a person before him.
Suddenly, a faint buzzing came from Jeff’s coat pocket.
Maks realized it was the man’s phone. He smiled then. “The Saints are done. Over. Everything I had is now out in the world. You can take it down, but it’ll go back up again.”
“Because your friends the Loughmans are helping you? Don’t count on them for too long. The entire ranch will be obliterated in a few days.”
“You can kill us all. But the truth is out there now. Others have seen it. I gather that’s why your phone is ringing. They want to alert you to what’s happening. The bottom line is that you’re fucked, old man.”
Jeff’s smile was cold, his eyes filled with hatred. “You could’ve had it all. You chose wrong, Maks. Now you’re going to die. Same with the woman helping you. And I’m going to make you watch what I do to her.”
Maks lowered his gun. “You’ll never get to her. You’ll never even find her.”
“The hell I won’t,” Jeff shouted, spittle flying from his mouth.
He took a step toward Maks and then froze. He blinked, his face locked in a macabre look of fear and anger. Jeff then pitched forward, his arms by his sides. He landed on his face before he rolled over, his body twitching slightly as he stared up at Maks, his eyes begging for help.
Maks squatted beside him, unsure if it had been a stroke or heart attack that got the bastard, not that it mattered. “Karma’s a bitch, old man. May you rot in Hell.”
He didn’t wait for Jeff to breathe his last. Maks got to his feet, his gun raised as he waited for men to come pouring out, guns blazing.
But as the seconds passed, there was no one.
Maks didn’t take his eyes from the space where Jeff had been.
He spotted a light in the darkness. A doorway that Jeff must have come through.
Maks wasn’t sure why Jeff had come alone. Maybe because the bastard knew Maks would have a lot to say, and Jeff didn’t want anyone else hearing anything. It didn’t matter anymore. The man was dead.
“One Elder down,” he murmured.
Maks turned and went to the picture of Hitler and opened the door to the room beyond. Eden was right there, a gun pointed at his head. The minute she saw him, she lowered it and ran into his arms.
“I love you,” she said. “I love you so much.”
Maks held her tight, marveling at the fact that he was still alive with the woman who had stolen his heart in his arms. “Jeff found me.”
Eden leaned back to look at him. Together, the two of them walked from the room to see Jeff Sumners on the ground, dead. Maks frowned when Eden dropped to her knees and began to rummage through Jeff’s coat pockets.
“What are you doing?”
She glanced at him. “He’s an Elder. Don’t you think he’d have a vaccine for the virus with him?”
Without a second’s hesitation, Maks was beside her, searching.