Aaron thought.
"Problem is," Candy added, "the local businessmen don't like no competition. Street corners are private property. But them green freaks are hard to push out."
"They fight back?"
"Old school. They come at night and take people away, nice and quiet. No dead bodies for the cops to find."
He glanced at Marina to see how she was reacting. Her expression was entirely calm and detached, as if this kind of thing was just another day at the office for her.
"Do you remember anything else?" he said to Candy. "It's important."
"Why?"
"If you want to take a turn asking questions, then give some money back."
She shook her head. "I don't remember nothin' else."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah. Come back any time." She thrust her large breasts at him. "The candy store is always open."
"I'll keep that in mind," Aaron said.
He and Marina walked out.
After they left the store, she said, "I have a problem with your behavior in there."
"What?" he said. "You don't like prostitutes?"
They were walking down the street in the oppressive heat of the day. Parking spaces were very hard to find around here, so getting back to the van would take a few minutes. Aaron thought about stopping for a cold drink at one of the many little stores on Lincoln Avenue.
"The whore was not the issue," Marina said, "and she was helpful. Now we know the cult uses drug sales to finance its operations. The problem is she knows your real name and has a personal relationship with you. You can't involve somebody like that in an investigation."
"I just asked a few questions."
"That's fine, as long as you use a false identity. Aaron Glade doesn't exist anymore. Your past life is gone."
"But I don't have a false identity," he said.
"Which is why I'll ignore this one infraction, but next time you won't have an excuse."
"That seems like a ridiculous position. My past life can't just go away. A man should be able to talk to his own parents."
"If you want to put their lives at risk," she said, "go ahead. Otherwise, stay the hell away from them."
They came to an ice cream shop that was too tempting to pass up. Aaron quickly went inside and ordered chocolate for himself, and Marina asked for strawberry sherbet. With ice cream cones in hand, they continued the long trek back to the van.
"I don't get why secrecy is so damn important," he said. "This paranoia is out of control."
"Didn't Ethel explain our mission to you?"
"Protect the Earth. Fight God's enemies."
"Yes," she said, "but God supports us out of necessity, not because we're part of His original design. We're actually an embarrassment to Him." She held up her hand. "Do you see these fingernails? I'm a monster."
"Oh." He furrowed his brow.
"We stay out of the light, like cockroaches. We disguise our activities. And after the mission ends, we hide in our secret lairs. 'Paranoia' is what God demands of us. When we're not working, we must not mingle with His beautiful children. We must not disrupt His elegant plan."
He nodded slowly. The Spears philosophy was extreme, but at least it was consistent.
"By the way," he said, "I don't think you're a monster."
"Thanks, but you just met me. Give it time."
Aaron took a deep breath. "Ethel thinks she receives messages from God."
"She does," Marina said flatly.
He stared at her. "You actually believe that? Is she some kind of prophet?"
"No, she's just a soldier with a lot of seniority. I've had more than a dozen encounters with the Big Guy. One of the perks of being a Spear is you occasionally meet your Boss. We're outside the natural world, so the usual rules don't apply. He can talk to us directly without it being such a big deal."
"Are you telling me I'll meet God?"
She nodded. "If Ethel is right about you, you'll meet Him many times."
They finally reached the brown van.
Marina climbed into the driver's seat. "My turn to pick a destination."
He sat in the passenger seat. "Where?"
"A church. We'll need nicer clothes."
* * *
Aaron and Marina
"Problem is," Candy added, "the local businessmen don't like no competition. Street corners are private property. But them green freaks are hard to push out."
"They fight back?"
"Old school. They come at night and take people away, nice and quiet. No dead bodies for the cops to find."
He glanced at Marina to see how she was reacting. Her expression was entirely calm and detached, as if this kind of thing was just another day at the office for her.
"Do you remember anything else?" he said to Candy. "It's important."
"Why?"
"If you want to take a turn asking questions, then give some money back."
She shook her head. "I don't remember nothin' else."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah. Come back any time." She thrust her large breasts at him. "The candy store is always open."
"I'll keep that in mind," Aaron said.
He and Marina walked out.
After they left the store, she said, "I have a problem with your behavior in there."
"What?" he said. "You don't like prostitutes?"
They were walking down the street in the oppressive heat of the day. Parking spaces were very hard to find around here, so getting back to the van would take a few minutes. Aaron thought about stopping for a cold drink at one of the many little stores on Lincoln Avenue.
"The whore was not the issue," Marina said, "and she was helpful. Now we know the cult uses drug sales to finance its operations. The problem is she knows your real name and has a personal relationship with you. You can't involve somebody like that in an investigation."
"I just asked a few questions."
"That's fine, as long as you use a false identity. Aaron Glade doesn't exist anymore. Your past life is gone."
"But I don't have a false identity," he said.
"Which is why I'll ignore this one infraction, but next time you won't have an excuse."
"That seems like a ridiculous position. My past life can't just go away. A man should be able to talk to his own parents."
"If you want to put their lives at risk," she said, "go ahead. Otherwise, stay the hell away from them."
They came to an ice cream shop that was too tempting to pass up. Aaron quickly went inside and ordered chocolate for himself, and Marina asked for strawberry sherbet. With ice cream cones in hand, they continued the long trek back to the van.
"I don't get why secrecy is so damn important," he said. "This paranoia is out of control."
"Didn't Ethel explain our mission to you?"
"Protect the Earth. Fight God's enemies."
"Yes," she said, "but God supports us out of necessity, not because we're part of His original design. We're actually an embarrassment to Him." She held up her hand. "Do you see these fingernails? I'm a monster."
"Oh." He furrowed his brow.
"We stay out of the light, like cockroaches. We disguise our activities. And after the mission ends, we hide in our secret lairs. 'Paranoia' is what God demands of us. When we're not working, we must not mingle with His beautiful children. We must not disrupt His elegant plan."
He nodded slowly. The Spears philosophy was extreme, but at least it was consistent.
"By the way," he said, "I don't think you're a monster."
"Thanks, but you just met me. Give it time."
Aaron took a deep breath. "Ethel thinks she receives messages from God."
"She does," Marina said flatly.
He stared at her. "You actually believe that? Is she some kind of prophet?"
"No, she's just a soldier with a lot of seniority. I've had more than a dozen encounters with the Big Guy. One of the perks of being a Spear is you occasionally meet your Boss. We're outside the natural world, so the usual rules don't apply. He can talk to us directly without it being such a big deal."
"Are you telling me I'll meet God?"
She nodded. "If Ethel is right about you, you'll meet Him many times."
They finally reached the brown van.
Marina climbed into the driver's seat. "My turn to pick a destination."
He sat in the passenger seat. "Where?"
"A church. We'll need nicer clothes."
* * *
Aaron and Marina
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