Chapter Thirty-Seven

Thorn

Paris, France

Monday, Zero One Fifteen Hours

B rigitte stood in the doorway watching him take a piss.

He sent her a raised eyebrow.

"Where I come from, it's a matter of decorum to shut the door when using the bathroom."

"Yeah? They do that in Israel?" He shook himself off and fastened his pants.

"You don't feel safe here? You can't take your eyes off Juliette even for a few seconds?"

"My mission is to keep my eyes on her, not worry about my manners." He soaped up and rinsed his hands under the hot water.

"Get rid of Brigitte, we have information to pass," Nutsbe said in his ear.

"Hey Brigitte," Thorn said, drying his hands then moving to her side. "I'm wondering if you could do me a favor. I'm about to starve. I've been running on meal replacement bars, and I could sure use something more substantial."

"Sure, I'll keep an eye on Juliette for you. Take your time."

He ran a hand down her arm and entwined his fingers with hers. "Actually, I've been ordered not to leave her side. The bathroom with the door open was as far as I'm allowed to move." He pulled her hand to his lips for a kiss. "It's a big ask, but would you mind getting something for me?"

"Raw steak and lots of vegetables?"

"Would be amazing. It's late. Maybe there's an all-night grocery somewhere with some sandwich fixings," Thorn said.

Brigitte looked over at Juliette.

As Juliette seemed to fall into a deeper, more restful sleep, Thorn had lifted her back to the top of the bed and straightened her out on her side, with a pillow under her head, and a sheet and blanket over her body. He'd combed out the tangled mess of her hair and braided it again. He thought that might make her feel more restful.

When Brigitte turned back to Thorn, she squinted her eyes and tipped her head. "Are you up to something?"

Thorn shrugged. "Duty, ma'am. I'm just keeping my job."

"Ma'am?" Brigitte asked swiveling to line her body up with his and paint a hand down to cup his balls, giving them a playful squeeze. "I can work with that. I don't mind a little dom play."

Thorn sent her a slow smile and a wink.

"Red meat it is." Brigitte grinned and left the room.

The second he heard the door in the corridor snick metallically shut, Thorn touched the side of his communicator as he whispered into the mic. "Go. You have new intel?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Nutsbe's voice sounded tired. "I'm posting you a blow up of the janitor's picture on your computer."

"I didn't kill him, did I?" Thorn asked, swiping his monitor and leaning in for a retinal scan. After a few taps to his keyboard, up came the photograph.

"As far as we could tell, he roused himself and walked back to his window washing. Hung out there while he inspected the area then left. He was either fine or a Zombie, but nothing about brains being eaten on the news."

The image shifted. Thorn was looking at the left wrist, partially hidden by a watch, but the watch had been shoved down closer to his wrist bone and half of a Rex Deus tat was visible.

"Shit." The word hissed out from between Thorn's teeth.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

"Wait. Margot said that Brigitte was Mossad. The Rex Deus we've run into were all Israeli special forces who were KIA in the records. This guy's playing on the same team as the Mossad? How in the hell does that make any sense?"

"Funny that," Nutsbe said.

"Shit," Thorn repeated. "Let me guess."

"Yup, Margot's BFF was Mossad, KIA, in a building explosion. So…You were making sweet love to the devil, my man. You may want to get to a doctor and get your gonads checked."

"I wrapped them up, Mom, but thanks for your concern."

"Did you see a tat on her while you were rolling around?" Nutsbe asked.

"Nope. But she could have covered it with theater makeup. She was wearing a watch. Truth be told, my focus wasn't on her left wrist – but live and learn. It's going on all my check lists from now on."

Panther Force had come up against the Rex Deus a few times now. They were formidable opponents. So far, they'd all been males who had taken a pledge of brotherhood. That was how they described it to the FBI. They claimed their tattoos had no implications beyond that.

The tattoos were always placed on the left wrist where it could be hidden behind the large face of a wristwatch. The design was a series of circles and lines constructing the Sephirot, the tree of life. In esoteric Judaism, it was the central mystical symbol that originated in the Kabbalah. Different spheres represented a different aspect of enlightenment.

Back in Washington D.C., Panther Force had taken down a dozen men with this same tattoo on their wrists. Iniquus had learned nothing about the tattoo in the interrogations. The CIA, if they had anything, weren't sharing. But his commander, Titus Kane, had brought a scholar in to teach them the basics. They'd nicknamed the group the "Rex Deus." Panther Force didn't know what they really called themselves. What they did learn from the scholars was that in myth, the Rex Deus, sometimes called "Star families," was supposed to be the stuff of conspiracy theories and imagination.

The group of twelve Rex Deus who went down in the US had illuminated the first triangle in the design. That highlighted aspect symbolized wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. That group had tried to kidnap Zoe when she was building a microrobotics WASP prototype.

Another man with the tattoo had shown up on their radar even more recently. Panther Force was protecting two archaeologists who were helping to safeguard Syrian artwork. Unlike the other tattoos they had seen, this one had the sixth sphere illuminated, Tiferet . Their resource said this one had to do with beauty, balance, and harmony.

In Africa, Honey and Meg had been with another man with the tattoo. He died of his wounds when their group of scientists were taken hostage. The sphere that this man had illuminated was Gevurah ? an instrument God used to judge humans and punish the wicked.

"Did you ID the janitor? Was he Mossad too? Some special ops guy that got himself ‘blown up'?"

"That's a delicate subject between the US and Israeli governments. But we're working the channels."

"I'm not happy sitting here, Bro."

"Roger that. FYI, when she left, Brigitte headed to her car, fanning her face."

"Act of duty. I was letting her play. She thinks she's got me by the boys, and I want her believe that."

Thorn examined the janitor's wrist tattoo. It looked like yet another sphere was illuminated.

"Which sephira is highlighted on the janitor's wrist? What are we dealing with here?" Thorn asked.

"That's Netzach. It stands firm with no regrets, no fear of death. Words associated would include victory and endurance."

"Victory maybe not so much. But I can tell you, his endurance was over the top. When I was trying to take him down in the bathroom, he was formidable. Having fought next to Brigitte, I'm saying she'd fit that pattern. What does all that mean?"

"I checked our file," Nutsbe said. "It seems that those would be the Kamikaze's of the Star Families. They're willing to die for their cause."

"Perfect. Kamikaze Rex Deus. Have you noticed that the only place we've ever picked up signs of Rex Deus in action has to do with science? It seems to me, from the pattern Panther Force has faced, that if there's a dangerous weapon, like this apocalyptic neuroweapon, or an energy system, or even like Zoe's work in blood pattern recognition and microrobotics – that they are out there trying to get that technology for themselves. Is it for development for their own use or suppression?"

"Keep running out that line of thought," Nutsbe said.

"It's important to know – if Juliette is their target, is it so they can learn from her and keep on the trajectory? Or do they want to know what's out there, and then they make sure she's no longer a threat by neutralizing her?" The muscles around Thorn's jaw tightened. "I'm not going to let it happen either way. She's an American citizen."

"We think."

"Fine. Whatever," Thorn said through gritted teeth. "Get us the hell out of here."