Free A Covenant with Death: The Peacock Trilogy - Book 3 by Bill Wetterman

her head that sang beautiful hymns to her.
    “As you wish,” she managed to say.
    “I wish for you to be comfortable. All you have to do is give me the location of the Global Realms’ hidden master computer, Edison.”
    “I don’t know. I don’t even know who I am.”
    The man grinned. “What is the name of your daughter?”
    Do I have a daughter?
    She coughed, then went limp unable to hold herself up and wrenched her shoulder.
    “Where is the underground master computer?”
    Peacock shook her head. “Don’t know.”
    He poured a glass of water and held it to her lips. She drank.
    “Slowly,” he said. “A little sip at a time or you’ll throw up.”
    “Thank you,” she said.
    “Let us approach this in a different way,” the man said. “Tell me what you remember. Anything at all will be helpful.”
    Peacock struggled to think. “You’re twice my size. I’d think better unchained.”
    He took a key and unlocked her wrist cuffs. She slid to the floor and sat quietly for a moment. Then a hard backhand slammed her head against the wall.
    “Just so you know. I’m not a nice guy.” He chuckled.
    “Why am I here?”
    “You’ve asked us that too many times to count in the last 10 days. Tell me what you remember.”
    Speak. I’ll give you the words.
    Her vision cleared. Across the room from her stood a tall figure surrounded by a beautiful light. She remembered him. He was her angel. His hand motioned to her not to mention his presence. “I remember I am loved by my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. I remember I’m the worst of sinners without Him. I don’t remember much else, except I believe I’m going insane—an illness or something.”
    The man’s face reddened. “You are not to mention that name again. Call him Isa . Mentioning him as being God outside this room will bring death. Isa went to his people, the Jews. They rejected his message. Now he waits to appear at the coming of Muhammad, the Chosen One.”
    “I’m not a scholar of these things. All I know is you are wrong.” Peacock surprised herself with her words. Awareness that she had been a warrior awoke in her.
    “In my prime, you and five like you couldn’t defeat me in battle.” She smiled. “But today I’m helpless. I’m dying. I know that as well.” She reached out her hand. “I forgive you. You’re like I once was, following orders that lead to death.”
    The man cocked his head. “Declare Muhammad as the Prophet of Allah, and I will treat you well. Refuse and Ammad will come soon to kill you himself. You will be hardly human by then. Make things easy for yourself.”
    “Ammad won’t change my mind.” Peacock sighed. “Always killing and converting by the sword. My Lord believes in peace. He loves the sinners and offers them life, if only they will believe. Why does the god of Muhammad force his servants to covert by the sword?”
    He hit her so hard in the ribs, an old rib injury cracked again. She groaned as she realized her ability to keep her reaction to pain from her enemy had failed. He yelled at her. “Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, even if they are of the People of the Book, until they pay the tribute with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
    She managed a breath. "Yet God teaches, ‘Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.’"
    “How is it you remember Scriptures, but nothing else?”
    She looked into his eyes. “I can’t explain. But Scripture comforts me.”
    Apparently, he took pity on her. He said something in Arabic into his cell. Two men entered the room carrying a cot. A third man followed with a small plate of figs and cheese. The big man pointed to the plate. “Eat. I’ll bother you no more, and may Allah have mercy on your soul.”
    Well done. Your time is short, but heaven awaits you.
    She wished she could