“Truce, Herr Murder? Or should we see if your scientists can save your brain after I’ve put a bullet through it?”
Murder tensed but slowly nodded. When Lunt backed away, lowering his gun, Murder stood up straight. “I am not going to simply turn over the device that I have spent so many months working on.”
“Understood. That’s why I’m prepared to not only give you enough money to fund your operations for the next decade but also extend an invitation to you for membership in The Illuminati.”
“The Circus gave me money aplenty,” Murder responded. “And I’ve heard differing opinions about the group you’re involved in. There are those who say that becoming a member is tantamount to surrendering control of your life. You can never be your own man again.”
“There is some truth to that,” Lunt admitted. “But you’re also protected by the full strength of The Illuminati. You’ll never worry about spending another night in jail, I assure you.”
Murder grunted. He glanced back towards the hellish realm that he called home. “The Circus won’t be back anytime soon. I betrayed them. Right now, they’re just ash in the heart of the sun.” He scratched himself as an ape would and nodded sagely. “I had planned to use Die Glocke to test the full limits of human knowledge. I would visit the future and harvest the past. I’d become God.” The Professor lowered his voice. “What do you plan to do with it, Lunt?”
“Since their attempt to control The Circus has failed, The Illuminati plan to use it to cement their hold on the world. They can go back in time and arrange it so that everything lines up perfectly. All our enemies will be snuffed out in the womb; all our allies will be given added strength.”
Murder looked at him knowingly. “For a moment there, you made it sound like you weren’t a part of it. You said ‘they’ before you corrected yourself. I’ll ask you again, Lunt… what are you planning to do with it?”
The German hesitated for a moment before he spoke. When he did, he sounded both vulnerable and determined. “The first thing I will do is a bit of vanity.” He touched a glove hand to the scarred flesh on his face. “Once my appearance has been restored, I will set about taking control of The Illuminati. The idea of the group is a good one but I could improve upon it.”
“So you seek to be a God, too,” Murder said.
“Of a sort, yes.”
Murder grinned like a jackal. “Then perhaps we can help each other, after all.”
Lazarus Gray’s airplane banked low over the fog-shrouded terrain of Locust Mountain. Lazarus craned his neck, trying to catch sight of a suitable place for a landing. It was early morning and even though the sun was shining bright, the clouds hung heavy around the city, making visibility difficult.
Not satisfied with any of the landing sites he could see, Lazarus flipped a switch and activated several devices mounted on the bottom of the plane. These converted the airship into something suitable for use on uneven terrain. The new landing gear was set in place by the time he lowered the plane until it was skimming against the bumpy surface of Locust Mountain. Gray stopped the engine and stared out the front window, marveling at how drab and unwelcoming the place really was. To think that people still lived here was mind-boggling.
Lazarus stepped into the passenger cabin of the small plane, his mismatched eyes taking in the people that he considered friends and family. Samantha wore an ankle-length pleated skirt, flats and a button-up blouse. She was busily putting her gasmask on when she caught sight of Lazarus, flashing him one of her megawatt smiles. Just behind her was Morgan, who wore his usual suit and tie. His gasmask was already on, giving him a surreal appearance. Eun wore brown pants and a white shirt. He was staring miserably at his own mask but quickly slid it into place when he saw Lazarus studying him. The young Korean disliked wearing anything that covered his face but after hearing about the effects the air in Locust Mountain could have on his lungs, he had agreed to wear the covering.
Along with Assistance Unlimited was Sporrenberg. The handsome Nazi was wearing a military uniform, though he had stripped it of any sign of his national allegiance. This had been done with much distaste, as Sporrenberg felt that this implied shame over his German heritage. But in the end, he had agreed with Gray’s request. Though America and Germany were not enemies, there were still many who felt uncomfortable with Hitler’s rhetoric.
“Remember, everyone, we have to be prepared not only for Professor Murder’s forces but also for Satan’s Circus.” Lazarus slid his mask into place and his voice became muffled by the leather and plastic that covered his features. “We’re here to find and destroy Die Glocke. Shutting down Murder’s operation sis secondary objective. Understood?”
The group nodded their assent and began heading towards the door. Samantha reached out and took Morgan’s hand as they stepped to the ground. Keeping her voice low, she said, “I have to confess, I’m glad to be back on a mission. Things have been too slow lately.”
Morgan laughed softly, the sound taking on an eerie quality because of his mask. “You’re an action junkie.”
“We all are,” Samantha countered and Morgan’s lack of response was all the confirmation she needed that he agreed.
“I think Eun’s just looking forward to getting rid of Sporrenberg,” Morgan added after a moment.
Samantha pulled her hand away and pulled out her pistol, mimicking the same thing that her companions were doing. She had tried talking to Eun about his attitude towards the German but it was hard to put much heart into the fight. She agreed with him that Hitler’s policies were wrong and that eventually all of Europe — and perhaps beyond — were going to realize how dangerous the Fuehrer really was. But Sporrenberg seemed like a decent sort to her. He was just a man who had grown up in an environment that had confused patriotism with blind obedience. As far as she was concerned, the best way to deal with him was with kindness. In the end, perhaps he’d realize the error of his ways.
For his part, Sporrenberg seemed to care little for how Eun viewed him. Even now, the German stood side-by-side with Lazarus, surveying the hellish scene before them. If he was even aware of Eun being off to the side, watching him closely, he gave no sign of it.
“We’re being watched,” the German said. He pointed to the left and then to the right. “A man over there, third house, the one with the red roof. And to the right, there’s a small camera, not unlike the one you have at Assistance Unlimited’s headquarters.”
Lazarus began moving forward, his fingers adjusting their grip on his gun. He had already spotted the surveillance and figured there were several more that couldn’t be seen so easily. It didn’t matter. In the end, it would come down to the same thing it always did: force. That was a language that every criminal in the world could understand.
The group moved through the mostly abandoned city in silence. The steam rising up from underground soon had them sweating in their clothes and Samantha was glad she’d worn a skirt. She couldn’t fathom how Morgan was able to keep going in his suit and tie.