As they entered the house all was quiet except for a television set blaring in an upstairs bedroom.
"Hello?" said Preacher. "Is anyone here?"
Nothing.
"Let's go check out where the sound is coming from" said Adrian as he walked further into the foyer.
"Naw, man. We need a warrant or probable cause to enter. You know that." said Preacher.
"Preacher. Fourteen people are dead." said Monk. "The President of the United States and Director of the FBI have tasked us with investigating. I think we have permission." he responded.
The three began walking towards the sound.
"Good thing I'm prayed up." said Preacher as he unsnapped his weapon from its holster. "Hangin' round you is going to get me killed."
They slowly ascended the stairwell and walked to the end of the hallway to the large Master bedroom.
Allowing Preacher to enter first, they saw nobody was there and only a DVD of Martin's reality show was playing. It was the episode featuring Carly St. James.
In this episode, she was modeling military equipment that Martin Tech had been developing. They had created a remote-controlled light-weight exoskeleton that was designed to move and take the weight off the soldiers who were in combat conditions that required greater than average endurance.
Martin explained, "With this device and others that are currently in the works, our troops will be able to go longer, harder and faster than they would without technological augmentation. With this technology, we will be able to dominate our opponents and in effect rule our own world."
Natalie commented on the video, "Well, that's a little creepy."
"When do expect to deploy the final version?" asked an offscreen interviewer.
"This is our prototype, but we anticipate production to begin in about two years." replied Martin.
"What do you say to people who compare this to the Terminator tech?" asked the interviewer.
"I say just about any technology can be used for good or evil. Depends on who is controlling it. They can uses it benevolently for man's good, or malevolently for his doom." he replied.
While the TV episode continued to play, Adrian, Natalie and Preacher looked around. The room was quite large with a king-sized bed with men's pajamas neatly folded on the end. Across from the bed was the television which was set in a large entertainment center that was packed with expensive looking pottery and a few well-placed books. About eight feet from the bed was the door to the expansive master bathroom. The room was all white marble and included a large thermostatic shower with a waterfall shower head and as a Jacuzzi tub big enough for two.
Monk walked over to the sink and placed his hand on the faucet. Someone has been in here recently." said Monk, noting that the pipes were still warm from someone having run hot water. He started to scan the vanity area, using his pen to open and close drawers and open and close the medicine cabinet. Taking a tissue, he turned some medicine bottles around and read the labels.
"What do you see there?" asked Preacher.
"It's not what's here, but what's not here." said Adrian as he looked up at him. "No heart medicine."
"Maybe he put it in his duffel bag?" suggested Natalie.
"Maybe." said Adrian as he continued to look around. Exiting the bathroom, he walked over to the dressing table which had a lot of women's accessories on it.
"Martin's wife? What do we know about her?" asked Monk.
"She died from pneumonia earlier this year." said Preacher.
"And he kept her stuff just as it was?" said Natalie.
"Poor guy." said Adrian.
They walked over to a huge walk-in closet in which Martin's wife's clothing was on one side and some of Martin's suits were on the other. Her side was much fuller than his. In the center there was an island that contained rows of shoes, his and hers. Again, her side was full- his nearly empty. On top of the island, laid out in a row, were 5 women's wigs - all of them on Styrofoam wig molds except for one, which was placed neatly to the side.
Adrian twitched when he saw it. Using his pen, he lifted the corner of the wig without the mold an flipped it over. 100% Human Hair, the label inside read. He cringed. "Let's go back over here." He said.
Walking back over to the dressing table, Adrian raised his hands and began to frame out the scene. He bent down and looked closely at the surface of the dressing table. Was that wax? He used tweezers to peel up a droplet of material off the table. Using his fingers, he felt it. It wasn't wax. Was it rubber? Silicone?
"Darling, do you have something I could put this in?" he asked Natalie.
She opened her purse and pulled out a baggie he dropped the object into the bag.
"I'd like to get that tested." said Adrian.
"What are you thinking?" said Preacher.
"Don't know. Just a hunch." Adrian responded as he turned back towards the television set. "Why her? Why the actress? That was two years ago."
They stood there as the program ended and the credits began to scroll. Suddenly, Monk began to shake his head yes as a grin came over his face. "I've got it." he said as he turned to Natalie.
"You've figured out the case?" she said.
"At least part of it…I think…" He said.
Suddenly, there was the sound of crashing glass coming from downstairs.
The trio looked at each other then took off running out the bedroom door and down the stairs towards the sound. In the foyer, beside the study door, a vase had fallen off its pedestal.
Preacher drew his gun out and slipped into the room and then nodded to Adrian and Natalie that it was safe to enter.
They slowly crept across the floor moving deeper into the room. Just then, they heard another sound coming from behind the bookcase.
"Has to be a hidden room." Preacher said looking at the Monks.
All three of them began looking for a hidden latch that would open the door. After about 45 seconds, Natalie said "Here!" pointing to a particular book. "No dust."
Adrian smiled at her, proud that she had been the first to spot it.
Preacher walked forward and tugged at the book and they heard a click sound. Pressing on the bookcase, Preacher opened the doorway to a secret passage.
"Nice work, Mrs. Monk." said Adrian, as he tickled her sides from behind. She giggled and took him by the hands getting him to stop.
The three friends walked into the passage, with Adrian entering a little tentatively. The passage led to a tunnel which was dimly lit and constructed of stone. It looked like a storage area and had several turns and bends within.
"Stay close you two. We don't know if this guy is armed or not." said Preacher. Adrian got in front of Natalie to protect her from anything that might come their way. She held tightly to his hand.
As they walked further, they heard another sound down the hallway and to the left.
Preacher stopped and turned back and looked at the Monks as their hearts began to beat faster and their breathing became shallower.
They stopped in the middle of the tunnel beside a stack of crates and Preacher almost slipped on a slick substance on the floor.
Turning around and bending down, he saw a dark wet puddle on the floor. Bending down, he used his finger to feel the substance which was thick and sticky.
"Cell phone." Adrian said to Natalie, holding out his hand.
"We can't be calling people down here" she said.
"Not for a call. For the light." said Adrian.
She pulled the phone out of her purse and he pressed the button on the side and shined the light on Preacher's hand, then both men smelled the substance.
Simultaneously, they said "Blood."
Natalie's eyes grew wider as Adrian moved two crates to the side, leaving just the top of the bottom crate which seemed to be leaking.
Preacher used a pocket knife to pry the lid open to the box. Preacher lifted the lid while Monk removed some cloth from the top revealing a disembodied human head.
"Wipe! Wipe!" Adrian yelled.
Natalie reached in her purse and pulled out a wipe, leaning forward to see what was in the box. She screamed!
Adrian threw his arms around her as they again looked into the box. It was a human head alright but not just any head. It was the head of Lyle Sutter, Martin's bodyguard.
From about 30 feet away, a flash of light pierced the darkness as an unseen assailant fired at the friends.
"Get down! Get down!" screamed Preacher as he shoved Adrian and Natalie down behind some crates.
Monk hovered over Natalie, and looked over at Preacher who was behind his own crate and noticed the leg of Preacher's police uniform was shiny and wet.
"Preacher. You've been shot." said Adrian.
"Stay down, Monk. And stay quiet." Preacher said as he rubbed his stinging leg wound which was bleeding badly.
In the shadows they could hear footsteps moving their way.
Preacher and Adrian looked around at the crates which were stacked one upon the other.
Noticing that it would not take much to create a domino effect, they made hand signals to one another to begin pushing over crates on the count of three.
When the perpetrator was about 20 feet away, Preacher counted three and stood, pushing the columns of crates with all of his might. Adrian stayed in more of a crouching position.
CRASH! Three rows of crates in front of them came slamming to the ground around the assailant.
Counting on the element of surprise, Preacher stood and started to fire, only the assailant had not flinched.
Hot lead went through the chest of Preacher's uniform while Preacher's own bullet went into the assailant's right side.
The assailant grabbed his side, turned ,and ran away.
Adrian jumped up and ran over to Preacher who was laying on the floor bleeding heavily.
"Preacher. Talk to me." Adrian said. "Preacher. Hang on!"
Preacher laid there and looked back at Adrian through a sweaty brow.
"It's okay, Adrian. I'm okay. Go and get you and Natalie to safety." He said.
"You're not okay, you're bleeding." Adrian said as he looked around.
"Cloth. I need cloth." Not seeing anything, Adrian took off his own shirt and ripped it in two. While he worked he spoke to his wife. "Natalie, listen to me sweetheart. I need you to run. Run like mad. The perp is heading towards the North of the building, and even if there are additional passageways if you go now I feel certain you can get out safely."
"I can't leave you." She said.
"We've been through this before. I need you to go. Preacher needs you to go. Run out the way we came in." He looked down and grabbed Preacher's car keys. "Take these. Go out to the car and drive someplace safe. Radio the police while you go. Tell them where we are. Tell them that there is an officer down."
As he spoke, he broke a slat of wood off of one of the crate lids and began making a tourniquet for Preacher's leg wound.
"Tell them that the officer has been hit and has an open leg and chest wood." He took the other piece of shirt and ripped it further and made a wad to pack the chest wound with. He looked around and found a plastic envelope with an invoice inside taped to one of the crates. He pulled it off of the crate and used the plastic and adhesive to form a seal over the open chest wound as Natalie stood shaking and staring.
When he was finished dressing the wounds, he wiped his bloodied hands on his sleeveless t-shirt and then took Natalie by the arms. Looking her in the eyes he said "Natalie. PLEASE! You have to go."
She started crying. "I can't."
"You must. Listen, there is only one gun down here and we're in the dark. Staying will put you, me and Preacher all in further danger because I will never let any harm come to you. I would die first. You have to go. Just like you did at Altman Aeronautics, but don't stop this time. Please, go radio the police. I will be okay. I promise you."
She wept and threw her arms around him. "I love you." She cried.
"I love you too, darling, and I promise, I'm not going to leave you. But you need to do this. Go! Every second counts!"
She kissed him on the lips, turned and ran. Rushing out the passageway she barely hit the stairs on the way out. She swung open the car door and jumped inside, turned the key in the ignition and slammed down the accelerator, peeling out of the parking lot. Once she was on the road, she grabbed the Police radio and said.
"Please! Anyone out there. We have an Officer down! I repeat, we have an officer down. It's at Sinclair' Martin's Mansion on 28th Street in Georgetown. We need help, now!"
Meanwhile, Adrian looked down at Preacher. "You doing okay, Preach?" he said softly.
"No worries." said Preacher. "For me to die is gain." He said with a soft smile.
"Preacher, listen to me. You're not going to die! Not this time. You're going to live." Adrian reached over and picked up Preacher's service pistol. Reaching to his belt he retrieved the spare clips.
"Natalie has called for backup and help is on the way. Hold on. You're going to be just fine. I've got to go keep Sinclair Martin from getting away."
