Chapter 3: Now these are the names of the children of Israel

Soon, they will come for me, all I have to do is remember what Cardinal Ahriman told me and to make sure that I spout off all that heathen mumbo jumbo before I set this bomb off. Afterwards everyone will blame all the Islamic and then they will be so mad that we can start the Holy War.

Jacob shuddered with an almost orgasmic pleasure thinking that by sacrificing himself he would become a martyr to the church.

Cardinal Ahriman had told him he would be canonized when the cleansing had been completed. First the Islamic, then the Jews, then Hindus and so on till finally everyone was brought into the Holy Mother Church. Granted the other Christians would be allowed to convert (since they did believe in God and Jesus). Those who refused would be made to see the error of their ways by The Inquisition which was being brought back into use.

Just let them get cameras set up, spout some gibberish like he was taught and then release the detonator like Father Belzor and the Cardinal instructed and I'll bask in love as God takes me to his bosom.

I heard all this as I drove towards the hospital and couldn't believe just how dumb this asshole was. I know I had only been out on my own for the last year and a half or so, but this guy could be talked into anything. Did he actually believe that by committing suicide (a cardinal sin if I remember correctly) he would not only get into heaven, but would be respected for killing a few thousand quickly and several hundred thousand slowly over the next few months? One gram of Cobalt 60 will yield 50 SI derived units or about 0.5 sieverts (Sv) per minute of close exposure and 3-4 Sv would kill fifty percent of the population in thirty days. There was over two hundred kilograms or about four hundred forty pounds in the bomb he was planning on setting off, that would affect not only Dallas, but everything out past Fort Worth as well or a little over two million people. And figuring that this would have a half life of just over five years or so, then this area would be unlivable for about ten to twenty years depending how close to the blast zone people got,. Figuring peoples fears, it would be closer to thirty years before this area got back to the same levels of population (if ever).

Beside me, Shaylynn, on the negotiating team, was talking to someone on her cell phone, telling them that she was caught in traffic and would get there as quickly as possible. Finishing her call, and turning in her seat to look at me, she said, "OK, tell me why I shouldn't just arrest you now and figure out what I should do with you after this is over?"

At this point I had nothing else to lose and for the next ten minutes I gave her the Reader's Digest condensed version of my life from my first memory of being drilled by my instructors on the proper method of killing someone with my bare hands, to lessons on infiltration, tactics, weapons training, vehicle training, muscle development, and test after test after test, till my escape and up until this afternoon. I went on about my psychic abilities and how I tested and trained them and how all I wanted was to help people and try to be left alone by everyone looking for me.

As I finished, I listened to her thoughts to find out if she believed me, or if she would be calling the men in white coats to come and take me away. What I heard astounded me.

{You can hear me know, can't you?}

Turning to look into her eyes I nodded.

{Can you send messages to me as well?}

I sent back, {Yes, I can send as well as listen.}

She jerked back for a second and then said, "Wow! That was like the greatest stereo sound ever. It was like you were in my mind, which I guess you kinda were. So why are you trusting me with all of this? Couldn't you get into some real trouble if someone found out?"

I've heard of people feeling like they have butterflies in their stomach, but mine felt like vultures circling the dead ache right in the pit. Staring out the windshield, I softly replied, "Sure, but I felt something about you. Something different than the other people I've met. Something that said you would keep my secret and not hold any of my past against me."

And then there was no more time to talk.

I pulled my truck off to a side street about a block away from the hospital, on the side where I knew he was. Reaching out I centered on his thoughts. He was overjoyed because they were about to set up his video feed so he could get on with his speech and finish his solo purpose -- the one God had sent him to earth to complete. I saw his carefully rehearsed speech would take about six minutes once the cameras started to broadcast, so I had about nine minutes to get setup and take care of the explosive or render the detonator in Jacob's hand ineffective -- no big rush or anything.

Getting out of the truck and opening the rear doors, followed by the secret compartment in the side panel, I pulled out my favorite toy. While I was being trained to be the secret weapon of the government I was introduced to some of the best and most modern weaponry from several R&D labs that (like me) do not exist. One of these was something called M.P.R.-25 X.R. It's the most powerful man carried shoulder fired weapon created by mankind. Magnetic Pulse Rifle 25mm Extended Range. A five foot long, forty-two pound rail gun that fires twenty-five millimeter diameter steel or carbon fiber sheathed projectile. Once it leaves the terminal end of the rifle it had a speed of Mach 26 or about one tenth the speed of light. At that speed the projectile was more of a high energy plasma than anything else that affected anything it hit. Reactive armor could not activate fast enough or be effective, no armor (as of yet) could stand up to it. Picture hitting your target with a 6mm in diameter area with the force of a runaway freight train. I picked this little play toy up at one of the supply depots that also don't exist and I'm sure the guards will recover. I didn't hit them that hard.

When I pulled out my baby all I heard from Shaylynn is, "When do I get to fire it?"

This was my kind of woman!

Motioning her to follow me, we went to the adjacent parking ramp and climbed the stairs until we hit the sixth. Then, I went to the side closest to the hospital and setup on the ledge and activated the power cells. Alright my baby has a few minor drawbacks. It takes thirty seconds for the capacitors to fully charge and can only fire once every fifteen seconds which is kinda good as the recoil takes about fifteen seconds to recover from. And last, it's no way quiet. The small sonic boom caused by the projectile is capable of shattering windows for about thirty feet from the end of the barrel.

As I sighted in, I could see he had started his spiel and it looked like he was drawing to a close. A quick check of his thoughts let me see that he was in a religious fervor, not because of what he was saying, but because he would soon be with his God (little did he know). I leaned over the stock pulling in tight, checked my breathing, took in a deep breath, slowly let it out, stopped breathing, pictured where I wanted the "bullet" to be and gently squeezed the trigger.

It was all over before the sound even registered in my mind. The detonator was destroyed in what used to be his hand and he had a hole in the middle of his chest big enough to throw a mule through. I guess I was lucky he had just pulled his hands up to his chest (I really was aiming for the detonator). Now there would be an investigation and someone would find out this was not a worshiper of Islam, but a Catholic fanatic. One more blow to that group wouldn't hurt my feelings at all.

When I started to power down my rifle I glanced over at Shaylynn to see her standing there with he mouth open and a dazed look in her eyes.

She noticed me looking at her and closed her mouth only to get this big evil grin. "Where can I get one and how much of my soul do I have to sell to pay for it?"

I couldn't help it. I busted out laughing thinking, "Man, what a woman!"

About that time I heard a police car speed around the corner of the street below and head for this parking ramp. Turning off the power cell and strapping the rifle across my back, I asked, "Do you trust me?"

Giving me a puzzled look, she said, "I have so far, why should I stop now?"