Staring out the window of a newly acquired arctic-white Saturn Astra, Ackerman watched Marcus walking toward the Yukon and staring down at the cell phone. The fingers of his left hand clenched around his own phone.
Pick up the damn thing, Marcus.
He could feel the rage welling up again. The knife in his right hand dug furrows into the dashboard of the Saturn. But then Marcus’s voice replaced the ringtone.
“What do you want?”
The relief washed over Ackerman like a cleansing flood. “I’m sorry about Allen. I didn’t mean to hurt him. It was unfortunate.”
Marcus was silent for a moment, his heavy breathing pulsing over the phone’s speaker. “It doesn’t matter. Don’t you get that? It doesn’t change anything. If I ever get the chance, I’m still going to kill you.”
Ackerman closed his eyes and thought of how everything would be changing soon. They were coming to the end of one era and the beginning of another. As soon as his plan was complete, Marcus would see the world very differently. Ackerman was reminded of the story of Paul the Apostle. Paul had been devoted to the persecution of Jesus’s early followers, but on the road to Damascus, fate had drastically changed the course of Paul’s life. The sinner became the saint. And it would be the same for him and Marcus.
“I’ve never lied to you, Marcus. Unlike everyone else in your life.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Have you ever asked your friend the Director why I was specifically chosen for your recruitment?”
Marcus was silent.
“We’re connected, Marcus. You know that I’m right. A part of you feels it. Our destinies are linked and have been for a very, very long time. But don’t worry. You’ll understand everything soon enough.”