Free The Few (The Abductions of Langley Garret Book 2) by Derek Haines Page B

weakened.'
    'So why didn't they, whoever they are or were, just kill me when they had the chance?'
    'I think you can thank Helen for that. I don't know how, but during your stay with your captors, they had doubts that you were Soter.'
    'Because I didn't understand the letter.'
    'In part. I think it was more that you had no idea about the Sons at all. She kept you in the dark completely for all those years.'
    'And they assumed they had the wrong man.'
    'I'm not sure, but they doubted just long enough for us to locate you and then get you out.'
    'The Russians?'
    'Friends.'
    'I wouldn't have thought you had many of them.'
    'Oh, we do. It's just that they can change quite regularly, depending on the imperative at the time.'
    'Right. But these people who doubted who I was back then, don't doubt anymore I gather.'
    'It took a while for them to realise their error, but they did. That's why you received your visitors a few days ago and why I sent Marcus.'
    'And Chara?'
    'Sandra is part of your protection, and a very talented young woman,' he said, as he started serving his Osso Bucco. 'It's looks good. Go on, help yourself.'
    I served my food and let his words filter through my mind. My guts were twisted, and my chest tight, as the feeling of being imprisoned hit me, hard. Not contained by concrete and bars, but by fear. He was working on convincing me of the real threat to my life if I didn't conform to my designated role in the Sons, and at the same time hinting that if they didn't pull the trigger, he would.
    'Just one question, eh, Nelson.'
    'Good choice,' he said, noticing my first use of his name. 'I was rather hoping you wouldn't select, father. Yes, go on.'
    'I can sort of understand if someone wanted to kill me to perhaps weaken the Sons, or you. But I don't understand why you would consider killing me.'
    'To be humane. I would kill much quicker and cleaner than they would. You wouldn't even know about it. I think you've had a taste of how, let's say, inventive they can be.'
    My chest tightened and I couldn't swallow, as his eyes burned into me from across the table. I surrendered after a few moments and looked down at my plate, and wondered if I would be able to swallow the small piece of veal on my fork that I was about to eat. My hand forced the fork into my mouth.
    'Sandra's a nice girl,' he said, as I chewed. I nodded while I finished my mouthful. 'But she's not a reward for you I have to say. She knows why she has been chosen and what she must do.'
    'And what is that? I asked, after swallowing, uncomfortably.
    'All organisations have charters, constitutions, laws, canons or codes of some description that define their principles, beliefs, structure and function. We are no different. The gods, titans, deities and gigantes of our history guide every decision we make – in their reincarnation. As Kratos was Kratos, so I am. As Soter was Soter, so you are. As is Chara, and she will protect Soter and provide you with happiness, and in lying with you, fulfil her destiny.'
    I looked at Nelson, trying to divide the two men sitting opposite me that occupied one old man's body. One was willing to kill me, and the other delivered practised and indoctrinated myths and legends. I put my knife and fork down, as what little appetite I had, evaporated.
    'We all need beliefs, otherwise it's all pointless Langley.'
    'What's pointless?
    'The fight for what we believe is right.'
    'That reminds me of a quote by Yasser Arafat: having a war about religion is like having a fight over who's got the best imaginary friend. '
    'Does it matter what the reason for a war is? Be it imaginary friends, god, money, power, greed or in many cases, mutual security. It's just how our race of savages work and nothing has changed since we crawled from the primeval slime and began walking on two legs.'
    'Mutual security?' I asked, but saw Giovanna coming from the kitchen, and Nelson seemed to sense her presence coming from behind him and didn't answer