The Lives of Tao (30 page)

“Not you,” she said, “but Tao needs to free Yol.”

“Because?” Roen was getting a headache.

“Because we don’t know where he is,” she snapped. “Tao’s been hiding him from us for years now and with things this bad, we need him back. Edward and Tao have refused to disclose Yol’s location, and now the Keeper is forcing matters. Look, Tao, you’ve made your point, and we respect that. But more urgently, a systematic controlled lockdown was initiated on a quarter of our European safe houses. Half of our monitoring system went down, and we lost contact with at least a dozen field agents.”

“So they want me to hack in? I don’t know anything about hacking.”

“You’re not going to do it,” she said. “Neither is Tao. He’s passable, but not exactly a qualified expert. That’s why you’re going to Dublin first. We need Yol.”

“And Yol’s in Dublin? Why can’t he just log in and take care of everything?” Roen threw his arms in the air. None of this made any sense. It had never even occurred to him that there were disagreements between the Prophus. “Well, how does Tao hide someone anyway?”

He is in a mental institution.
 

“What?!” Roen exclaimed aloud.

Sonya picked up a red document. “Three years ago, Gregory was injured on a mission with Edward. Gregory was pronounced brain dead and disappeared soon after.”

Roen frowned. “So Tao kidnapped a brain-damaged Gregory. Why would he do that?”

I refuse to kill an injured host simply because his usefulness is at an end. Would you like us to kill you if I ever decided you were no longer of use?
 

“Good point. Forget I asked.”

Roen leaned back and scratched his head. “I still don’t get why he would hide Gregory from the other Prophus.”

Look at Gregory’s last name again.
 

Roen looked at Sonya, horrified. “That’s Edward’s brother, and you want to kill him! And you’re forcing Tao to do it!”

“We need Yol.” Sonya sat down in front of him and clasped his hands. “Tao needs to understand that. Our ranks are thin, and Yol’s a high-value operative. Command isn’t oblivious to his situation. That’s why they didn’t force the issue earlier, but Tao, it needs to be done.”

There was a long silence before Tao spoke. Roen could tell these were words he didn’t want to say.
I will visit Gregory, but no promises.
 

Roen relayed the message.

“Thank you,” she said, and gave his hands a small squeeze. “Baji says she knows you’ll do the right thing.”

“So, that’s the mission then?” Roen asked. “You want to take Gregory out?”

“That’s the bulk of it,” Sonya continued. “There are two parts to this mission. After you establish contact, assuming we have no choice but to eliminate Gregory, we’ll need to move Yol to the new host. Paula Kim is already standing by in Dublin. We’ll get the details once Tao lets us in on them. It could be as simple as walking in and checking Gregory out, or it could require a complicated infiltrate and eliminate scenario.”

“Infiltrate and eliminate?” Roen clicked his tongue.

Infiltration is one of my specialties.
 

“Is that a fancy word for breaking and entering?”

Semantics, but if this mission is to go through, there are a few things we need to do. We have some loose ends to tie up.
 

“When do we leave?” Roen asked.

“When you get your butt to the airport,” Sonya replied. “The rest of the team is already on their way there.”

Tell her I need some time to take care of an important matter.
 

Sonya frowned and checked her watch when he told her Tao’s request. “Don’t bail on us, Tao. I know you’re thinking about it. 1500 hours at the airport. You better be there.”

Roen nodded and turned to leave. “What do we have to do, Tao?”

You will see. Prepare yourself, Roen. This is not going to be pleasant.
 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

LOOSE ENDS

I made my way to Spain. By then, the Black Death had passed, and a rebirth, a Renaissance, was sweeping over Europe. I ran into an old Quasing friend, Chiyva, who I thought shared my ideals. Together, we searched the land and found Rianno and Francisco Cisneros, two brothers who would be suitable hosts. The four of us were close, and it was here that I connected with other dissident Quasing, disillusioned with the decisions of the Council. It was time for a change in our approach toward humans. We began to nurture the seeds of that change.
 

Roen left the safe house shortly after and made the long walk back to his apartment to clear his thoughts about ending Gregory’s life. In a strange way, it felt like fratricide. His head ached and it was difficult to keep his emotions in control. He just didn’t know what to think.

Neither Tao nor he exchanged words as he went home. Roen spent the rest of the morning taking care of personal business. He told Jill that he was being sent to training for work by his new job and would be back in two weeks, declining her offer to pick him up at the airport. He felt guilty for giving her such short notice. She herself was only back for a month before having to head back to Frankfurt in February. Now, the few precious weeks he had planned to spend with her were cut in half. As always, Jill was understanding and supportive. Roen called his parents that he was going on a last-minute vacation with a few friends. Once he had everything packed, he stopped by Antonio’s room to give him the rent check and to tell him to pick up the mail.

Antonio raised an eyebrow at Roen’s explanation when Roen told him about traveling for work. “Again? You were just gone for almost two months. How can you be home only a few days before you have to leave again? These Bynum people seemed to be working you to the bone.”

“It’s a new job,” Roen mumbled, his eyes wandering as he looked at everything but Antonio. “I want to start with a good impression.”

Antonio scrunched his face as he studied Roen. Finally, he leaned back and shook his head. “You got a flush and you’re trying to sell me deuces. You’re bluffing about this trip.”

Guy reads you like a book.
 

Roen didn’t respond. He knew Antonio was onto him.

Antonio grinned. “You’re trying to think of an excuse to lie to me right now, aren’t you? I can tell. You freeze up like that every time. So spit it out, what’s the deal? Where have you been traveling to?”

“Oh hell Tao, I’m just going to tell him.”

We do not have time for this.
 

“It’s Tao and the Prophus,” Roen blurted out.

That is it! You are never getting sent out as a covert operative. Your weak mental fortitude will crack under pressure the moment something happens. I can see it now. Border guard: Identification please, Mr Edwardson. Roen: All right! I am a spy! Arrest me now!
 

“The... aliens again?” Antonio looked taken aback.

Seriously, if you cannot lie your way past your roommate, what chance do you have outside?
 

“I’m being sent on a mission,” Roen finished lamely. “I have to go.”

“You’re trying to save the world because the aliens told you to?” The disbelief in Antonio’s voice was painful.

I mean, can you stop telling the truth every time someone asks? Or at the very least, just tell him it is none of his business.
 

“I can’t, Tao. He’s my best friend.”

“Just tell anyone who asks that I’ll be back soon and that I’ll call them,” Roen replied aloud.

Antonio shrugged. “It’s your life, buddy. But do me a favor and just be careful, wherever the hell you’re off to. And if it is some girl, I am not covering for you with Jill. I like her more than I like you.”

“Traitor.” Roen shook his head and grinned. He turned to leave and then stopped. “Antonio, if for some reason, I don’t make it back...”

Tao groaned, inwardly.

“I can have your stuff?” Antonio said cheerfully.

“Of course.” Roen grinned. “But if I don’t, tell everyone I’m sorry.”

Antonio nodded. Roen left his apartment and felt very alone in the elevator as it sped down to the garage. The Prophus had replaced his car yet again with a busted-up black Hyundai. He wasn’t sure who was responsible for picking his rides, but he was sure they were getting a good laugh at his expense. He got into his car and pulled out of the garage.

That was a little histrionic. Are you all right?
 

“I’ll be fine, Tao. To the airport now?”

Not yet. We have an errand before we head out. Drive west toward the suburbs first. We have to make a stop in Naperville and talk to Edward’s wife.
 

“What? Why?”

Because I owe it to Edward. Better late than never.
 

Roen said nothing more as he drove along Highway 88. He occupied his mind by weaving in and out of traffic. Driving in Chicago was bad all year round, and today was no exception.

Tao spent most of the trip prepping Roen on what he needed to tell Kathy. It was still going to be a lie, but at the very least, it might give her closure. An hour later, Roen exited toward a suburban neighborhood, wrinkling his nose in disapproval at the single family homes with their freshly cut lawns.

Not your kind of place?
 

“I’m a city boy.”

You will sing a different tune maybe when you have children one day.
 

“If I live that long.”

Such a pessimist. Turn in here and go up three houses.
 

Roen pulled up next to a large blue house with an enormous yard. He got out and looked around, whistling at the large houses that dotted the block. It was a very nice neighborhood. Everywhere he looked were watered lawns, neatly trimmed bushes, and large trees not found in the city. A group of kids were playing across the street, and birds flitted among the trees. “This place is nice, if you like that kind of stuff,” he said reluctantly.

One day, my friend, one day.
 

Roen walked up to the door and rang the buzzer. He felt uneasy and anxious, though he wasn’t sure why. What did Tao need to talk to Mrs Blair for? Surely it had nothing to do with him? He heard footsteps on the other side of the door.

“Who is it?” a voice said.

“It’s um... Roen. Roen Tan,” he answered.

The door opened, and an attractive woman in her mid-forties appeared. She had blond hair and still looked youthful, though Roen noticed there was a touch of weariness about her, despite her friendly smile. She was dressed in jeans and a blue flannel shirt.

“I’m sorry, I don’t recognize that name,” she continued. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Mrs Blair, I’m here to talk about Edward,” he said.

The smile disappeared, and she gave him what he could only describe as a stink-eye. “Who are you?”

“A friend,” Roen stammered. He began to recite the story they had agreed on.

Her stare intensified and she cut him off. “Edward and I were married for fifteen years. I know all of his friends and you, Mr Tan, are not one of them.”

“Tao, this isn’t working out very well. Did she have any idea about you?”

No. Edward was very careful about keeping his Prophus operations hidden from her. She thought he just traveled a lot.
 

“I... I know... Edward and I worked together,” Roen stammered.

“Really? Doing what?”

“Business consulting,” he said.

“What’s the name of the company?” she asked.

“Bynum Consulting,” he replied promptly. They were getting back on script. “I wanted to offer my condolences, and that...”

“You’re a little late, Roen. My husband died ten months ago.”

“I know it has been a while. I’m sorry that it took so long...”

“So do you still work at Bynum?”

“Yes. Yes, I do. I was a colleague of his for only a short time, but...”

“That’s interesting.” She smiled.

She is on to you.
 

“On to me what? I have no idea what I’m talking about.”

“It’s interesting,” she said, “because after Edward disappeared, I tried to contact Bynum to find anything that might help me find him. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Bynum was some dummy corporation in Brooklyn.”

“Um... well, it’s complicated, Mrs Blair,” Roen replied.

“Complicated? Maybe you should have been the one to talk to those men from the FBI. The ones who came to my home to ask about the guns they found in his deserted car.” Roen felt like a deer in headlights. This was way off script. “Or maybe you can tell me why I couldn’t even pull up his information when I looked up his Social Security number!” He gulped anxiously, wilting under her gaze as she stuck her finger in his face.