“He’s in the trunk,” answered Father Sin, cold and matter-of-factly.
“He is no more.”
24
R obert and Thorne sat outside the Napier’s house in silence, and had barely spoken a word since leaving Cardinal Maximilian and the rest of Il Martello di Dio back at the warehouse. The sun had set, and soon the entire area was blanketed in darkness. Hidden from view in the shadows, Robert and Thorne continued to wait.
“Are we going inside?” Thorne finally asked.
“No,” answered Robert, his blood still boiling. “Let’s just sit here and wait. There are too many ears inside. I want to talk to Donovan alone.”
Thorne rolled down her window halfway, leaned her seat back and closed her eyes. Robert, still off kilter from the cardinal’s revelations, rubbed his neck, trying to ease the tension, without much success.
Samuel’s kidnapping stabbed at him, but the notion that his godson, his son as far as he was concerned, was a clone, the Anti-Christ no less, was more than he could accept. He had every intention of, not only getting Samuel back, but getting to the bottom of the madness that ripped away at his insides.
Cardinal Maximilian offered to assist any effort they put forth in Rome, a favor Robert planned to accept as soon as he finished with Donovan. He wanted to verify whether or nor Samuel was a creation of science. After that, he and Thorne would go to Rome, find Samuel and bring him back to Chicago, or lose their lives trying.
A midnight blue Cadillac rolled down the driveway, made a right and eased down the street. Robert saw Donovan behind the wheel, alone.
“He’s on the move,” said Robert, pulling out and following, careful not to follow too close. Donovan had been out of the game for a while, but was still sharper than most pedestrians.
Thorne cracked open her eyes. “Let me know when he stops,” she said, crossing her arms and shutting her eyes again.
Ten minutes later, Donovan pulled into the parking lot of a Dominick’s Supermarket, parked and went inside the store.
Thorne snapped up and raised her seat. “Let’s go,”
“No,” said Robert. “We’ll catch him on the way out.” Thorne rested back, her eyes roving the near empty lot. Robert kept his eyes riveted on the market’s front entrance. Twenty minutes later, Donovan reappeared and spotted them as he left the market. They both exited and met him at his car.
“I thought I told you I didn’t want to see you,” said Donovan, perturbed.
“Listen, we need to talk, not later, but now,” said Robert, struggling to keep his temper in check. “We have a few questions, and then we’ll leave.”
Donovan brushed by Robert and opened the trunk. “I’m not answering any of your questions. Please, just leave.” Robert saw Thorne’s face twist, and pulled her back. He grabbed Donovan by the shoulder and spun him around, his own anger simmering just below the surface.
“Dammit, Donovan, we know! We know who Samuel is, what he is, so stop playing games!” snapped Robert.
Donovan snatched away from Robert’s grip. “I don’t know what you’re talking about! Just stay out of it, Robert! You’re going to get him killed!”
“By who?” snapped Thorne. “Who’ll kill him because we know?” Donovan, veins crossing his forehead, eyes wide, began to shake as though he were having a stroke. “I can’t,” he cried.
Robert relaxed and motioned for Thorne to do the same. “We know Samuel’s a clone,” he said.
Donovan’s eyes filled with tears. His body stopped shaking, and he relaxed up against the car and sobbed.
Robert put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “It’s okay, we understand.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you,” said Donovan. “The boys at Langley thought it might put Samuel at greater risk if the world found out. Can you imagine?”
Thorne found a tissue in her jacket pocket and handed it to Donovan.
“You know we wouldn’t do anything to hurt Samuel,” she said. “We love him as much as you do.”
“I know,” answered Donovan, gathering himself. “But put yourself in my shoes. What would you do?”
Robert took a deep breath. “Then its true?”
“Yes,” said Donovan. “Samuel’s the world’s first human clone.” Robert steadied himself. “How? Why?”
“First, tell me how you found out,” said Donovan.
Robert pondered. He had given an oath to Cardinal Maximilian that he’d keep Il Martello di Dio a secret, an important promise if he expected help in finding Samuel. He put a hand on each of Donovan’s shoulders.
“If I could, my friend, I’d tell you, but that’s not possible right now. I gave my assurance to someone who can help find Samuel, so you’ll have to trust me.”
Donovan stared into Robert’s eyes, then looked over at Thorne.
“We’ve known each other for a long time. I trust you.” Robert smiled. “Tell us how you came to get Samuel from the CIA.” Donovan looked down at his feet, then back up at them. “Ten years ago, the CIA contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in adopting a baby, a boy. Of course I asked a lot of questions, but was told very little.
They said Samuel was healthy and normal, but that it was important they keep him in a regular family setting. They told me he’d develop abnormal intelligence as he got older, and when he turned eighteen they’d come take him away.”
“And none of this struck you as odd?” asked Robert.
“Of course it did,” said Donovan. “But we’re talking about the CIA, strange goes with the lay of the land. Besides, Alison and I had been trying to have a child since we married, and the doctors said we probably wouldn’t be able to. So she was an easy sale on the idea.”
“She knew the government was involved?” asked Thorne.
“No, I just told her I had a line on a baby boy and she took it from there. It all looked legit as far as she was concerned.” Robert stroked his chin. “And they didn’t give you anymore detail than that?”
“They monitored Samuel’s progress in school, met with me every other month and asked simple questions, nothing deep, and I’m sure we were being monitored.”
“When did they tell you he was a clone?” asked Thorne.
“Just about a year ago,” said Donovan. “They stepped up their visits, asked more questions, and followed us around from time to time. I asked them what the hell was going on. They said Samuel might be in danger.”
“Did they say from who?” asked Robert.
“No, but they told me they might have to take Samuel away, which floored me. He’s our son now, and I just can’t imagine not having him in our lives. Not to mention how it would devastate Alison.” Neither can I, thought Robert, looking over at Thorne. He knew she was thinking the same thing.
“I wanted to tell you,” said Donovan. “But Langley said no. I argued that you two would do the best job of keeping Samuel safe, but they wouldn’t budge. In fact, they were more than angry when I chose you as godparents.”
Robert paced back and forth. “How much does Alison know?”
“Nothing, that was part of the bargain, she’s completely in the dark.” A car screeched into the parking lot. All three of them reached for their weapons, but the car parked and a group of teenagers jumped out, obviously high, laughing and carousing, stumbling their way inside the store.
Donovan looked around the parking lot. Robert and Thorne followed his lead. “We better go. We’ve already taken a big chance talking here,” he said.
“You’re right, but I watched carefully,” said Robert. “We weren’t tailed, but let’s go anyway. We’ll follow you back to the house.” They got in their cars and Robert trailed Donovan’s Cadillac, lying back far enough to spy out anyone who might be following.
“What’d you make of it?’ asked Thorne, checking her shotgun.
“I think it’s just what Cardinal Maximilian told us. The Order thinks Samuel’s the Anti-Christ, and is going to
