C16 Chapter Sixteen

Cade was waiting outside when First and Second Squad arrived. He had them park the SUVs behind the church in the rear parking lot and helped them carry the equipment in through the storage room. Riley and Flynn were already suited up, so they took lights downstairs while the rest of the men assembled in the sanctuary and quickly donned the equipment needed for the mission ahead of them.

A set of dark ceramic body armor, blessed by the Holy Father, went on first, followed by a black jumpsuit of flame-retardant material. Normally each man would carry an HK Mark 23 .45 caliber handgun in a shoulder holster, but these were discarded today in favor of their combat knives and swords. The former were worn in either wrist or ankle sheaths and the swords were worn in specially designed scabbards across each team member’s back, the hilts readily accessible over one shoulder or the other. Lightweight Kevlar tactical helmets with built-in communications gear, including video and audio recording devices, went on last.

When they were ready, Cade passed through the ranks, inspecting each man, joking with them; offering a word of encouragement here and there when he felt it was needed. When he was finished they filed into the pews for the benediction and communion offering.

It was Cade’s intention to take one additional squad besides the men in the command unit. That was it. Eight men total. No vehicles, no extra troops, nothing to limit their speed or reaction time. Their intent was to harass the enemy and for that, speed was crucial. Cade had no intention of getting into a long, drawn-out battle if it could be avoided. In fact, he would do everything in his power to make sure it didn’t happen.

First and Second Squads drew straws to see who would go and who would stay. Second lost and so Cade ordered them into a defensive position around the portal with orders to shoot anything that came through that wasn’t a part of the Order.

After Second Squad had filed out of the room, Cade addressed the rest of the men remaining in the group. He told them what they had found downstairs, what he intended to do about the discovery, and what to expect in the process.

“We’re about to leave this plane of existence behind and step into another one. The barrier between the two realms is called the Veil. Physically, you’ll feel a brief sense of dislocation, cold, and weightlessness when you cross it. It’s entirely normal and I’m telling you about it now so you don’t freak out when it happens in the midst of transit. Just stay calm and relax. It will go away in a few seconds.

“Emotionally it’s another matter. Everyone reacts differently to the crossing and I can’t predict what it will feel like for you. But no matter how you feel, remember that it’s only temporary. Stay focused on your faith and on the mission and you’ll be fine.

“Where we are going doesn’t have a formal name. Over the years, I’ve simply come to call it the Beyond. It’s like a mirror world of this one, except over there, emotion is the big differentiator, not technology. Your firearms won’t work, so we aren't bringing them along; they’ll just be dead weight. Each of you has been issued a recurve bow and a quiver of arrows; we'll use those as long range weapons instead. Keep your swords handy and if you’ve got an extra combat knife, it wouldn’t hurt to keep it close.

“The more force, willpower, and sheer determination you put into a strike, the better the outcome. If you don’t believe in what you are doing, the most perfectly executed slash to the enemy’s throat will only serve to draw a little blood rather than take the man’s head off. So stay focused and put everything you have into each and every swing.”

Cade paused and looked them over, confident that they were the right men for the job.

They all met his gaze squarely and without hesitation.

“You’re going to experience a change in your vision over there. All the color will be leached away. Everything, and I do mean everything, will be seen in some shade of grey. Once you come back to this side of the Veil, things will return to normal, so don’t panic when it happens. The one exception to this might be each one of us – in the Beyond, the living often seem to come across as more colorful, more vibrant than the dead.”

Cade caught Simpson, a man who’d joined Echo after Callevechio’s demise a few months earlier, looking green around the gills and nodded to him encouragingly. “Those of you who were with me on the Eden op spent several days in the Beyond and escaped unscathed, so you know what to expect. Help the new men through the portal and stay with them until they’ve gotten used to things on the other side.

“Our mission is to disrupt the Chiang Shih encampment. We strike hard, strike fast, and then fade into the mountains, waiting for the next chance to do it all over again.

“Some of you have fought the Chiang Shih before. You know how fast and utterly ruthless they are. For the rest of you, understand that the enemy is driven by one thing only – hunger. They feed off the life force of the living and they need to do so again and again in order to sustain themselves. You’re going to look like a five course meal to them, since the living are few and far between in the Beyond. Stick together. Don’t let them drag you off alone.”

He paused, gave them a moment to digest what he’d said, and then asked, “Questions?”

There weren’t any, so Cade let Riley take over. Echo’s exec got the men on their feet, double-checked their gear, and then marched them out of the room and down the stairs to stand single file in front of the portal.

Casting one last look at the crucifix hanging above the altar and saying a short prayer, Cade turned and walked off after them, his thoughts no longer on the here and now but on what they would find once they crossed the Veil into the Beyond.

With Second Squad’s men in position, and the men from First Squad and the Command Unit packed into the room, there was very little space left to move around. Cade squeezed his way past the altar and stepped up next to the portal, to where Riley stood waiting for him. The portal had already been opened.

“Ready?” Cade asked.

“Always,” Riley replied and Cade knew he meant it. The Master Sergeant was one of the best men he’d ever served with and he always felt better facing the unknown knowing the big man had his back.

“All right, I’ll go through first. You should be able to see me once I emerge on the other side. At my signal start sending them through one at a time after that, thirty seconds or so between each one. You bring up the rear.”

“Roger that, boss.”

“Good. I’ll see you on the other side.”

Drawing his sword, Cade walked over to the portal and without hesitation stepped through its shimmering surface.