Chapter XI

en and William both sat speechless.  The fact that the ad originated from Stillwell Creek implied that the discs were floating around somewhere local and in the hands of a complete novice.

This novice had no idea as to the story behind the discs, what their power was, how bad numerous governments wanted them, what they were worth, or, that they were of such import that the possession of same could cost one their life.

Len and William talked it out with the Team at lunch and they all agreed that whoever had them had no idea as to how to sell them for what they were worth.  Lane made the observation that if they weren't found and destroyed soon, some government official in the know about them would swoop in and the person would doubt die over them.

To William, it was utter amazement how something like The Codes could become such a powerful entity over which so many had already died.  There was just absolutely nothing about them but evil.  He tried to remember how many deaths had occurred in their realatively short lifespan, the suffering of those connected with them.

But worse, how much more death could be effected with them if they were turned loose to allow some rogue government get a hold of them.  There was no doubt what even the American government with her CIA could and would do with them.  It was no secret about MK Ultra, LSD, and a hundred other substances and practices they had tried in order to achieve what the Death Vengeance codes had achieved.

And that is just one country.  Good ol' honest as the day is long, protective, ne'er do anything wrong America.  What other designs by other countries of whom we know nothing?  The thought caused shivers to run up and down the back of William.  A little more of that and he'd lapse back into flashbacks.

Williams mind kept turning over the report of the findings of Len and Melinda reported of the meeting with the girl at the little shack.  After a fitful night of sleep he arose early and was at the coffee shop before Lane and Victor.  Lens' phone rang just as he sat down, and he grabbed the cup of coffee waiting for him, and stepped away from the table.

When he came back he had some news.  The girl at the shack whom he and Melinda had questioned turned out to be Rhonda Phelps.  Also, that was NOT Danny whom they'd pulled out of the mine.  Danny's tat was of a pearl handled .44 magnum and a rose and was a very high quality tat.  This corpse had a dull prison tattoo, and a .357

"There's more . . . " he added.  The female they pulled out of the mine was Rhonda's little sister, Sadie Phelps.  Rhonda knew Danny was having an affair with her as well as several other women, even one he called 'mom.'

All this was going through Williams head as he started from scratch all over.  Chief Banty called Victor to inform him of yet another shooting of an officer.  This time, it was the officer who'd helped subdue Mary at the hospital.  She would live and had gotten off a couple of shots at the perp.

The question that had not entered into everybody's mind suddenly appeared first and foremost.  If there were three of the "Clan" who died, and four were supposed to die for each that would be twelve to die.  So far, only three had died, but several had been shot.

That meant there was a passel more that were to be shot to 'balance the scales.'  The entire force had been on high alert but now it all came back to each of them - individually.  The next bullet might find you . . .

But why had the shootings stopped when Mary, Lela and Grace were apprehended?  And why had they suddenly began again?

Chief Banty had barely taken his seat when his phone rang again.  Another female corpse was found.  It was fresh, probably less than a week and was found at the address William had checked and found empty at the same time Len and Melinda located Rhonda.

Williams phone dinged with a text message which simply said, "Rhonda Phelps body was found this morning."

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