Page 52 of Major

“Of course. My apologies, Spencer. Why are you up so early?”

“It’s 0530, sir. I knew you’d need some support. Besides, I don’t sleep much. My head is constantly thinking of things I need to do.” Major smirked at the others.

“We appreciate the help, Spencer, but Fitz and Zoe are going to be worried about you,” said Major.

“I’m here, brother. He at least did me the courtesy of waking me up to tell me where he was going. I’ll be on time for morning PT. Are we good here?”

“Yes, sir,” laughed the little boy. “Good luck, sirs.”

“Thank you, Spencer. You did good,” said Major. “Let’s go.”

“Are we sure this maniac doesn’t have weapons? He used dynamite in the tunnels. No telling what he might do in that apartment,” said Garr.

“Shit,” muttered Major. “Disrupt the cameras and then we’ll trip the fire alarms. We’ll wait until everyone exits and wait for him to exit or go up to him.”

“Let’s do it,” said Forrest.

To ensure the message was sent loud and clear, each man triggered an alarm on a different floor. Within moments, single people, families, children, even pets were running down the steps and out onto the grass. It was a comfortable evening, although a bit cool. When it appeared the last of the residents were out, the men walked back inside.

“Cameras are disrupted,” said Garr.

“Anyone see him come out?” asked Major.

“Nope.”

“Fuck. I really don’t want to kill my father-in-law unless I have to.”

They walked slowly, carefully up the lone stairwell, checking the corners and hallway as they rose. When they reached the fourth floor, Major pointed to the apartment door.

With every man in place, they counted down and breached the apartment. With guns raised, they stared at the man in the chair, unable to comprehend what they were seeing.

“Is that real?” whispered Sebastian.

“I’m not sure. His mouth is open like he’s screaming,” said Garr. He moved closer to the chair and then reached out, gently touching the figure. A single grain stuck to his finger. Bringing it to his nostrils he sniffed, then touched his tongue to it.

“Salt. It’s salt.”

They all stepped back, shaking their heads.

“It’s like Lott’s wife. She looked back to see the destruction of Sodam and Gomorrah and turned into a pillar of salt,” said Forrest. “Is this possible? Is it real?”

“It’s real,” said Sebastian. “His shirt collar is sticking out, and his shoes are on his feet. Someone wanted us to know that this was for real.”

Major was breathing heavily, completely out of his element. He looked around the apartment, trying to see if there was a computer or stack of files or books. But there was nothing other than furniture.

“Fire department is here,” said Garr. “We have to go.”

“But. But where are the crates? Where is he?” asked Major.

“Brother, I think that’s him, and we’ve found exactly what we were supposed to find. We need to go. Now.”

The men made their way to the roof, then down onto the fire escape below at the back of the building. They moved as calmly as they could to the front of the apartment building, then leaned against their car to watch.

Police cars, investigators, and eventually the military showed up. Hours later, they watched as they carried a seated sculpture of a man covered in salt. When one of the men tripped, the sculpture hit the sidewalk, and the salt shattered. Beneath it was the terrified, frozen expression of Aasad Fayek.

“How? Who did this?” asked Major.

“I don’t know. But maybe we’re not supposed to know,” said Sebastian. “Maybe it’s time for us to go home.”

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