Damnation Code (William Massa) - William Massa Page 0,17
with a vengeance.
Talon gave himself an internal push and approached the front door. Police lines served as a grim reminder of Michelle’s murder but now dangled forlornly from one side of the doorframe instead of barricading the entrance.
Has someone entered the crime scene?
Talon’s hand closed around the door-handle and froze.
Muffled footsteps and voices could be heard behind the door. Someone was definitely inside Michelle’s unit.
Talon’s fingers touched the Glock sitting in his armpit sling. Reassured by the weight of the gun, he turned the knob in a slow, deliberate manner. The lock wouldn’t snap open to announce his arrival. Instead the door parted soundlessly, opening a few inches.
Three men were busy combing the place. They remained oblivious to his presence, focused on the task at hand. All three of them wore expensive looking suits. Talon thought it doubtful that these guys were Feds or homicide detectives. Call it gut instinct, but they were way too sleek and polished to be law enforcement.
The two bigger men moved with precision and grace despite their size. Talon pegged them as retired military. The youthful guy carried himself with authority. He had to be the one in charge.
“What are you people doing here?” Talon demanded. He took a step toward the leader of the group and one of the big men reached for him.
Big mistake.
Talon wrenched the guy’s arm and using the big man as a human battering ram, he shoved him into his incoming partner. The two bodyguards as they hunched over into balls of pain.
One of the downed guards went for the bulge under his jacket but a quick hand signal from the boss stopped him.
Talon regarded the man they were protecting. The leader stood his ground without flinching, eyes betraying no fear. “I know you’re angry and want to lash out at someone, Sergeant Talon, but putting my assistants in the hospital won’t bring Michelle back.”
How does this guy know my name?
“I apologize for my men’s overeager dedication to their profession, but we’re not your enemy.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” Talon took a step closer, eyes blazing. “Who the hell are you?”
A thin smile played over the leader’s face and his voice became flat and determined. “My name is Simon Casca and I’m the man who’s going to help you hunt down the monsters who murdered your girlfriend and kill every single one of them.”
CHAPTER SIX
TALON AND SIMON Casca now fronted the small balcony of Michelle’s apartment. A ravenous fog had swallowed the city and the moist air prickled Talon’s face. Below, cars zipped down the street, the mist transforming them into ghostly shapes. Muted sounds of traffic drifted through the thick layers of condensation.
If Casca was to be believed, Talon now shared the balcony with one of the richest men in California, if not the entire U.S. He was the owner of Xtel, a company that manufactured twenty-five percent of all microchips currently in use. Xtel wasn’t a sexy stock on the rise, but the company had been around since the dawn of the Silicon Age.
Casca looked young, boyish almost, and appeared to be in his mid-twenties. Unlike most of his Silicon Valley compatriots, he favored slim, well-turned-out Prada suits. He didn’t dress like a teenager with a trust fund.
“I’m still waiting for you to tell me what you’re doing here,” Talon said.
“I’m here for the same reason you are. I’m looking for answers.”
Talon processed these words. Casca’s security team was visible behind the balcony’s sliding doors. Still massaging their bruised bodies and egos, the two men stole nervous glances at him.
Casca followed Talon’s gaze. “They’re both former Marines and don’t spook easily. Your reputation is well deserved.”
“What reputation? You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know exactly everything about you, Sergeant Mark Talon. You’re one of the most decorated soldiers in the entire Armed Forces. Two tours with the 101st Airborne Division, followed by your current assignment with Delta Force.”
“On paper my unit doesn’t even exist, so how did you get this information?”
“There are no more secrets once you’re worth north of a billion dollars.”
“So you’ve been throwing some of that funny money around. Question is, why?”
“When a friend is murdered I like to know who the players are.”
This revelation caught Talon off guard. “You knew Michelle?”
Casca nodded. “Michelle interviewed me a couple years back and we stayed in touch. Three weeks earlier she contacted me, asking for help. She needed to draw on my field of expertise.”
“And what field would that be?”
“Fringe religions. Ancient rituals. Demonology. The occult.” He paused, letting