Free Soul Identity by Dennis Batchelder

watching this?”
    “No, sir, I’m driving.”
    “Can you pull over and watch this with me?”
    “Yes, sir. There is a rest area coming up in a mile or so.”
    I waited as he drove into the parking lot. When he didn’t move, I said, “Come on back here—I want to ask you questions about what we see.”
    He climbed in back and sat next to me.
    I went to the beginning and paused when the camera was at the window. “Where is this?” I asked.
    Bob studied the monitor. “That’s the view out the back windows of our headquarters. We’re going there now.”
    Good answer. “Let’s move forward.” I pressed play until Archie was smiling, then I paused. “Who’s this guy?”
    “That is Mr. Morgan, our executive overseer.”
    I pressed play. Archie introduced himself. Another pause. “Does it sound like him?” I asked.
    “Yes, sir. That’s definitely Mr. Morgan.”
    We continued watching the video together. Archie told us about my role as his security consultant. He gave a quick tour of the Soul Identity grounds. Then he showed us a guesthouse.
    I paused the video again. “We’re not staying at a hotel?”
    “No, Mr. Scott, we don’t stay in hotels when we visit headquarters. Soul Identity provides us private housing on the campus grounds.”
    “What if I want a hotel room?”
    “Sir, I assure you that you will be very comfortable in the Soul Identity quarters. We have much better amenities than you would find in a hotel.”
    These guys were paying me twenty-four hours a day, so I figured they had the right to choose the place I slept. I nodded and hit play.
    Archie resumed speaking. “George and Sue will take good care of you while you reside with us.” The camera panned to the left, and a smiling fifties-something-looking couple waved at the camera.
    The video reverted to the office. Archie stood next to his desk. “You are already learning about Soul Identity. I am sure Bob has even shared his physical-therapist-to-delivery-person story with you.”
    Bob sat up straight. “Mr. Morgan knows my testimony?”
    Archie continued. “And I would guess that by now you have discovered some information from Madame Flora.” He sighed. “But there is something that I must share for you to understand our urgency.”
    He walked behind his desk and sat down. He seemed to struggle to turn his thoughts into words. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he nodded twice, as if he made up his mind.
    He stared into the camera. “Soul Identity is under attack from some very bad people. I do not know if we can survive. I need your help before we are destroyed.”
    The screen froze for a second, stuck on an image of Archie with a big frown on his face. Then it went blank.
    Bob stared at the dark screen. He stroked the pendant under his shirt and chanted to himself.
    “Are you all right?” I asked him.
    “We have enemies, sir, but I didn’t know Mr. Morgan was worried.” He stared at me, and I could see he was working himself into a panic. He grabbed my arm. “Mr. Scott, Soul Identity cannot be destroyed. We need it. I need it.” He squeezed hard. “You must help us.”
    As an outside security consultant, my job is limited to giving advice. I don’t implement solutions. Furthermore, my clients are very creative at coming up with reasons for not following my suggestions. But explaining this to Bob wasn’t going to help. So I said, “I’ll try.”
    Bob nodded, and after a minute or two he seemed to calm down. “Thank you, Mr. Scott. I’d better get you to headquarters right away.”

    I watched the New England scenery flash by outside the window. There were more evergreens up here than on the Eastern Shore , and a lot more rocks and hills. I alternated between dozing and watching until we turned off the highway.
    I flipped back to the GPS and zoomed in. We had reached the town of Sterling Massachusetts . I looked out the window, and saw a metal sculpture of a lamb.
    Bob pointed at it. “That’s Mary