Infringement Page 10

  “I’ll give that some thought.”

  “Do, and pray about it. Ask God to show Himself to you. He will, I guarantee it. You and I grew up together. Mom and dad taught us the same things and, to this day, I remember how much you loved the Lord before dad died. Seek Him again, Declan. His word is never false and the proof is all around us in signs He told us about that we see increasingly every day now.”

  “You’ve talked about the signs before, but what are they again?”

  “The wars, the earthquakes, the disease, famine, strange weather patterns, the move toward a one world government. Even gun control, the federal push into education, the Middle East, Israel, the world economic crisis that’s essentially been ongoing since 2008. It’s all interconnected and it all plays into the Biblical prophecies about the end times. All you need to do is know what you’re looking at. There’s a guy online named Scott Sykes who has a great blog and gathers prophecy related news every single day. The blog is called “Prophecy Update.” You should check it out. It’s easily one of the best sources out there for keeping up with what’s going on in the world and understanding how what’s happening relates to Biblical prophecy.”

  “Maybe I’ll take a look.”

  “I’ll send you the link, it’s on Blogspot. It’s truly amazing to look at the news each day. Thanks in large part to our government, the Israelis were forced to deal with the Iranian situation alone and now appear to be dealing with the blowback on their own. Israel is now literally alone, increasingly despised by the world as a warmonger, surrounded on all its borders by those who want to obliterate her from the face of the earth, and being bombarded with rockets and missiles.”

  “I saw that on the news last night.”

  “Declan, Jesus gave us the signs to look for to mark the end times in Luke and Matthew, specifically in Luke 21 Matthew 24, not to even get into the Old Testament prophets. They aren’t vague or open to interpretation. If you’re paying attention, you can see them all around each and every day, and what’s more, He described them as being like birth pains.”

  “Meaning?”

  “That they would only get worse in frequency, duration and intensity. Just like what we’re seeing in the world today.”

  “Hmm.”

  “If you know what you’re looking at, you can’t miss the signs all around us each and every day now.”

  “And you really think all of this is taking place now, before our eyes?”

  “I know it is. I know it is because it’s all part of God’s word and His word is Truth. Again in Luke, I think its Chapter 19 and in like Verse 40 or 41 or something, toward the end of that chapter, it says that Jesus wept on Palm Sunday when he rode into Jerusalem to the praise and jubilation of the crowd. Do you know why he wept?”

  “Why?”

  “He wept because their eyes were blind and they didn’t recognize the time of God’s coming to them. They didn’t recognize that their long sought Messiah was right there in their midst, precisely when God had told them He would be. They didn’t see that it was Jesus of Nazareth, and it made Him weep because He knew the consequence of their blindness. I believe it’s the same today. The signs leading up to Jesus’ second coming are all around us and most of us don’t recognize them. Like the people in Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, most of us, sadly, do not recognize the time of God’s coming to us and our blindness, like theirs, will have profound eternal consequences, particularly for the unsaved.”

  “So, how does someone become saved?”

  “Confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you’ll be saved.”

  Chapter 24

  December 24th

  “Good morning, my love,” Megan said as Declan walked back into his apartment. “You were up early this morning. Did you go workout?”

  “No, I met Evan for breakfast. Here, I brought you something back.”

  “Thanks. How’s Evan doing?”

  “He’s good.”

  “Are we still meeting them this afternoon?”

  “Yeah, they’re going to pick up my mom and meet up with us at 4:00.”

  “Excellent.” Megan took a bite of the breakfast burrito Declan brought home. “This is awesome. Thanks, babe. This is exactly what I needed. I was starving. How’d you sleep by the way?

  “Truthfully, I didn’t. I had this awful nightmare that involved us and David Stanton. I woke up around 2:15, and couldn’t go back to sleep. I sat up watching the news, until I finally crashed on the sofa around 4:30, then got up early and called Evan.”

  They walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa together, while Megan continued eating. The local morning news was on, but muted. “So, why’d you call to meet Evan? Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s fine. I think I was just freaked out a bit by whatever we saw and heard at Stanton’s apartment last night. Then, couple that with the dream I had, and, I don’t know, I guess I just wanted to talk. I know he’s usually up early.”

  “That was really weird last night. It was creepy seeing him out on the balcony, just standing there naked in the cold like he didn’t even feel anything. There’s definitely something off about that guy.”

  “I agree, I’ve just got to find out what.” Declan leaned back into the sofa and closed his eyes. “I’m exhausted,” he said.

  “Go back to bed. You’re not planning on going in today are you?”

  “I don’t know. Aside from Stanton, which I’m not supposed to be doing anything on anyway, I don’t have much happening that can’t wait a few days. Maybe I will go back to sleep for an hour or so. What do you want to do today?”

  “Honestly, I just want to relax and read a book.”

  “That sounds good.”

  “It does, but I probably need to logon and see what’s going on at Homeland first.”

  “Well, maybe I can sleep for a bit and you can relax, and then we can hang out before we meet my mom and everyone.”

  “That works.”

  Declan got up slowly, yawning, and walked into the kitchen to pour a glass of water. When he came back into the living room, he leaned down and gave Megan a kiss. “Alright, goodnight again, darling.”

  “Get some sleep.”

  “I wi…” Declan stopped mid-sentence, suddenly focused on what he saw on the television screen. “Can you turn that up?”

  “Sure. What is it?”

  “I know that place,” he replied as he looked at one of the local newscasters standing outside Nikki’s first floor apartment. Megan hit the mute button, and the volume came back on.

  “The victims were found earlier this morning in the apartment directly behind me. I’ve been informed that they have both been identified, but the homicide investigators have not yet released their names. My understanding is that the victims are a male and a female, both in their early-twenties, and that both appear to have been stabbed and sliced with what investigators believe was a large knife of some sort. In speaking with neighbors earlier, I’ve learned that the apartment belonged to a young woman in her early-twenties. It’s assumed that she is one of the victims; however, this hasn’t been confirmed by investigators. More details on the double murder here at the Willows Apartments are expected to be released soon, including the victims’ identities and relationship.”

  “Damn,” Declan said. “Damn, I knew it.”

  “What? What is it?”

  “I’ve been to that apartment. I followed Stanton there a few nights ago, just before you came into town. I followed him from his apartment to a strip club outside of town. He just sat in his truck. He never went inside. A girl came out of the club a little after it closed, around two in the morning, and he followed her to that apartment.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. I followed him and hid to see what he did. He approached the front door, but then he seemed to get spooked or something when a car pulled up. When Stanton saw the headlights, he ra
n, jumped in his truck and left. I stayed for a few minutes longer and saw a younger guy get out of the car and go into the apartment. The next morning I talked to John Bleeker about Stanton.”

  “Do you think Stanton had something to do with the murders?”

  “Absolutely. He had to have gone back. I knew it. I knew he was up to no good, but I listened to Bleeker and now two people are dead.”

  “Declan, you don’t know this was Stanton, and you don’t know that there was anything you could have done. He could have gone back right after you left, if it was him.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Declan replied. “I know he’s got something to do with this and I absolutely have to get access to his PRISM files.”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “Bleeker should be out this morning. You said he has access.”

  “So?”

  “So, I’m going to have to try and hack his computer, or find his password or something.”

  “That’s crazy, Declan. You can’t hack his computer, even if you knew how.”

  “I don’t have a choice. Maybe he or Ellen keep his login and password info somewhere. If I have to I can break into his office and look through files and drawers. I can’t just sit here and do nothing, and even with this he’s not going to give me anything.” Declan threw his shoes back on, grabbed his coat and keys, and headed toward the door. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

  “Wait,” Megan said.

  “Babe, I’ve got to do this. I don’t know why, but I know Stanton is involved with this. You saw him last night. There’s something about him that just isn’t right.”

  “Declan, there’s something I…,” Megan paused. “There’s something I didn’t tell you about Stanton’s PRISM data. There’s someone else on the access list.”

  “Who?”

  “My boss at Homeland, the Deputy Director.”

  Declan stood silently for a minute. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “Because, I didn’t think there was any need. I could get fired, or worse, for the information I did give you.”

  “I understand that, and I would never want to put you in a bad spot. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  “So why tell me now?”

  “Because you’re about to run out that door and ruin your career, and probably get yourself arrested in the process.”

  “I don’t know what else to do? I need to see those files.”

  “I know, and I can help.” Megan picked up her DHS laptop, which was sitting on the coffee table, and began logging into the secure Homeland internal server.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m logging on as the Deputy Director.”

  “Megan, don’t do that.”

  “Too late, it’s already done. Logging in as the Deputy Director, in and of itself, isn’t a big deal for me. He’s the one who gave me his login info, and I do it all the time for one reason or another. That won’t send up any flags, but pulling up Stanton’s PRISM files, if I have them open for too long, may. So, you’re only going to have a few minutes to look them over and see if anything jumps out at you. Any longer and, if asked, I won’t be able to play it off as a mistake.”

  “Okay. I’ll make it quick.”

  Megan’s fingers swiftly typed in keystrokes, pulled up various security screens and finally, pulled up Homeland’s internal PRISM searchable database, which housed data collected by virtually every security and law enforcement department, bureau or agency on just about every U.S. citizen. She typed in Stanton’s full name, and waited a few seconds. “Hmm,” she said quizzically.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Hold on, let me try it again.” She typed in the full name again. “What the hell?”

  “What is it?”

  “Nothing, there’s nothing.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Come look,” she replied and Declan looked over her shoulder at the screen.”

  “It says no entry found,” he said.

  “Exactly, there’s nothing there.”

  “That’s impossible. Try it again.”

  “I’ve already tried it three times. Here, watch.” Megan typed the search terms in a fourth time with the same result.

  “You and I both looked him up earlier and he was SCI,” Declan said. “How could he be SCI if there was no data on him?”

  “He wouldn’t, he couldn’t.”

  “So where’d the data go?”

  “It had to have been deleted from the system.”

  Chapter 25

  December 24th

  David Stanton carefully loaded the last of his equipment into a third black duffel bag and placed the bag gently beside two identical bags by the front door. He then sat back down on his sofa, and pulled his laptop within reach. Within a few seconds, he’d accessed the main email account for his website, which still hadn’t gone live, but was finally ready to do so. Going to his contacts, Stanton clicked on a list serve that included email addresses for all of the major local and national news stations, as well as for all of the significant online news sites and publications.

  He typed the words “Breaking News” into the subject field, and began to type his message:

  “Dear Media, the beginning of the end is upon us. Our fate, the just and deserved fruits of our wretched works, is finally upon us, as the Destroyer who has been biding his time amid the darkness that shrouds the horizon, has this day come. He has been loosed upon us, upon our decadent, obnoxious and perverse generation. Today, he comes to mete out the first of many deserved penalties for our repulsive sins. The Angel of Destruction has arrived and the blood of the unrighteous hypocrites shall be the first to fill our rivers and flow to our seas, beginning NOW. Witness…

  Abaddon

  www.fearAbaddon.com”

  Stanton looked over the email, set it for a delayed delivery later in the day, and hit send. He pulled up his website one last time from his laptop. The home page featured the four live HD video feeds from the sanctuary and they were all working perfectly. Finally, Stanton clicked on “Publish”, and his site went live. Leaving the laptop open to his website, Stanton got up and checked himself out in the mirror once more, making sure his tie was straight and his shirt still crisp.

  “It’s time,” he said quietly.

  He picked up his coat and the three large black duffle bags, stepped outside into the cold clean air, and closed the door behind him.

  Chapter 26

  December 24th

  Declan assessed his options, which were rather limited, while his system booted up. He’d called the police investigator and obtained details about the victims and what forensics estimated as the time of the murders. The female victim, Declan had been informed, was Nicole McIver. She was twenty-two, and lived at the apartment. The other victim, the male, was twenty-four year old Robert Larson, Nikki’s boyfriend.

  As he saw it, since two murders had actually been committed, and he had witnessed David Stanton following one of the victims to the murder scene, Declan could try taking his case to John Bleeker again. However, for reasons he couldn’t entirely pinpoint, his level of trust in Bleeker was minimal.

  Another option was to contact the federal prosecutor’s office to try and obtain a search warrant for Stanton’s apartment based upon his presence at the scene prior to the murder. That would take a showing of probable cause, which Declan thought he had; however, the process required the warrant be issued by a federal judge and, given that it was Christmas Eve, that could take time.

  Declan’s final option was to simply forego a search warrant and access Stanton’s apartment on his own. He could come up with an excuse, such as investigating a complaint in the area, to knock on the door and talk with Stanton, and if he saw anything suspicious inside the apartment, could then enter under the auspices of probable cause.

  As he pondered which course to take, he heard Kevin Cameron say, “What the hell are you doing here tod
ay? I thought you weren’t coming in so you could spend the holiday with Megan.”

  “Hey, Kev. I uh… something came up.”

  “What?”

  “Have you seen anything about that double homicide over at the Willows Apartments?”

  “No, what happened?”

  “These two kids, both in their early-twenties were knifed up. The police forensics guys think it happened a couple days ago. The thing is, I tailed my SCI guy, David Stanton, to that very apartment the night of the 21st. He followed the girl from one of the strip clubs to her apartment. I watched him approach the front door after she’d gone inside, but he got spooked and bugged out when a car pulled up. It turns out the car belonged to the girl’s boyfriend and they were both found dead earlier this morning, each with their throats sliced wide open. They were found on her bed, completely naked, on top of one another in a sexual position.”

  “That’s really messed up.”

  “That’s not everything. They’d both had their eyes removed from their faces, and each had ‘The Destroyer’ written in blood, seemingly their own, across their foreheads. It was written in Greek on the guy and in Hebrew on the girl.”

  “What?”

  “That’s what I said at first too.”

  “That’s seriously deranged.”

  “No kidding,” Declan agreed. “And, I’m positive David Stanton is the one who did it.”

  “Because you followed him there a night or two prior?”

  “Yep.”

  “Do you have anything else?”

  “Not yet, but I know he had something to do with it. I saw him again last night, on the balcony of his apartment, standing stark naked in the cold, and there was something very off putting about him. It was like being in the presence of evil.”

  “Have you talked to Bleeker yet?”

  “I talked to him the morning after I followed Stanton to the apartment. I wanted to see what he could do about getting Stanton’s PRISM files, since they were classified SCI, and asked about putting Stanton under a surveillance detail.”