"Forget my father," said Janet bitterly. "I know all about him, too. It just took me a long time to realize his connection with the Order. He must have joined right around the time Ralph died."

  She paused, a strange look on her face. Taine sighed deeply. Despite Janet's suspicions, he trusted her father. Leo seemed genuinely devoted to his grandson. And to a lesser extent, his daughter. Not that she would ever believe that now. The truth hit Janet like a brick in the face. A slowly dawning comprehension filled her eyes with a blind, all-consuming horror.

  "That accident never took place," she said, haltingly. "They fixed the whole thing." Angrily, she grabbed Taine's shirt with both her hands. "They faked the crash. Didn't they? Didn't they!"

  Taine nodded, unable and unwilling to deny the truth. "Just like they did for the Sangmeister's boating accident," he said somberly. "Not to mention the gangland slaying of Royce's son. And god knows how many others. Like I explained to Jack Korshak, given enough money you can always manufacture the necessary evidence."

  "Hey," said Ape, a slight edge to his voice. "You want to clue us in on what you're talking about? After all, Papa Benjamin and I want to help. We can't do much if you keep ignoring us."

  "The greatest strength of the Black Lodge is the secrecy that surrounds it," said Taine. "For all of their bluster, Caldwell and Royce refused to discuss the basic workings of the Order. They were bound by an oath stronger than even their fear. Membership in the Black Lodge requires a payment in blood."

  "I don't like the sound of that," said Ape, shaking his massive head from side to side. He looked from Taine to Janet and then back to Taine again. "I don't like it one bit. Not after the way you've been talking about kids dying."

  "Their children?" said Papa Benjamin, his voice shocked. "Their sons and daughters?"

  "There is only one way to gain admission to the inner circle of Initiates of the Order of Antioch," said Taine grimly. "That method has remained unchanged for centuries. To join that select group, the candidate must sacrifice his eldest child at a Black Mass, as held by the Lodge each year on the eve of Walpurgis Nacht."

  "May first," said Janet. "Tonight. Roger plans to use the life of my son, his child, as his admission ticket to this band of inhuman monsters."

  "Unfortunately, they are all too human," said Papa Benjamin. "Such greed comes only from within. No devils or demons force these men to act this way. Their lust for power makes them mad."

  Rising from his chair, Papa Benjamin hobbled over to Janet. The events of the past twenty-four hours had weakened his body but not his spirit. Reaching out, he clutched one of her hands with both of his.

  "All of my days I have served the voodoo Mysteres. As did my father, and his father before him, and so on back to the time when my ancestors first came to Haiti from Africa. Only once during my entire life have I let my personal desires interfere with my duties as a houn'gan.

  "That was when two arrogant killers murdered my only son. In a fit of black rage, I asked the Great Serpent to strike at them for me. They paid the price, but their deaths did not bring my child back to life. My revenge meant nothing to him."

  There was no hesitation in Papa Benjamin's voice. "I refuse to let another child die. No matter what the price, I will not let this sacrifice take place tonight."

  "Yeah, me neither," said Ape. "I've taken about all the crap I can handle from this Black Lodge. I may look like a freak, but I try not to act like one. Nobody ever accused me of hurting a kid, much less sacrificing one to the devil. Time for somebody to teach these bastards a lesson."

  Taine shook his head, feeling only a twinge of remorse. He had hoped not to involve Janet in his rescue attempt. He realized now that he needed her help. He needed all of their help. They were all involved in this madness. Together, they had defeated the Dark Man. Perhaps pooling their strength they stood a chance against the final scheme of his master, Arelim.

  "The police can't help us. They would never believe our story and I'm not sure we can trust them. Like I said, the all-powerful dollar works wonders with the truth. We're on our own.

  "Fortunately, I had Mrs. McConnell do some checking for me the past few days. She located where and when the Lodge meets tonight. Originally I planned to attend the Mass on my own. I owed that much to Angel Caldwell. However, I made my rescue plans before Roger kidnapped Tim. That changed everything."

  Grimacing, Taine clenched his fists in anger. "Both of their lives are in jeopardy. There's only one way to save them. Some how, some way, we've got to infiltrate and then destroy the Black Lodge."

  44

  Taine put down the phone, his features grim. "Still no answer. Either Angel got out of town, or she's at the ceremony. I suspect the latter."

  Biting her lower lip, Janet nodded. She had expected nothing less. It was nearly nine o'clock. There was no time left to try any more calls. The Black Mass started within the hour.

  During the past sixty minutes, her spirits had been sinking lower and lower. All of the outrage she had felt earlier was gone, replaced only with emptiness. Deep within her heart, she knew it was too late. Too late for plans, too late for rescue, too late for hope.

  They had eaten a light dinner in Taine's office. There had been no mention of Bruno's murder on the evening news. Either his body had not yet been discovered or the police were keeping the killing under wraps. Sooner or later, the story would make headlines. Tim was the grandson of one of the richest men in the United States. Link the Packard name with a mysterious death and a possible kidnaping and you had front page news. Especially when neither the boy's mother nor grandfather could be found. Janet prayed the story would end happily. Despite all of Taine's assurances, she felt Tim was doomed. And, without him, her life meant nothing.

  As if reading her mind, Taine came over and squeezed her tightly around the shoulders. "Don't give up without a fight," he said. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve. The bad guys don't always get the last laugh."

  "I gave you my word," said Papa Benjamin, sounding slightly peeved. He looked a bit indignant. "Do not take such a promise lightly. All of the powers of the voodoo Mysteres stand behind me."

  "You heard him," said Ape, grinning. "And whatever Papa Benjamin says goes double for me."

  The big man's face took on a more serious expression. "Most of my life, I've been on my own. None of the breaks ever went my way. Life pushed me around and when I could, I pushed back. With an attitude like that, I had more than my share of troubles. Now for the first time ever, I feel that I'm doing the right thing. To a loner like me, it's nice to be on the side with the angels. Papa Benjamin speaks for the both of us. Arelim and the Black Lodge are gonna take a beating tonight." Ape slammed one big fist into the palm of his other hand. The sound of flesh hitting flesh resounded like a bomb in the small room. "Ape Largo takes no prisoners."

  Janet shook her head in bewilderment. "You're all gambling your lives in a fight we can't possibly win. It just doesn't make any sense."

  "It makes all the sense in the world," said Taine, pulling on his overcoat, then helping her with hers. "Remember what I told Angel Caldwell when she first came to see me? Magic has no orientation. It is neither black nor white. Only the user's intent gives it direction."

  He turned her around so that they stood face-to-face. "The members of the Black Lodge think only of themselves. They care for nothing other than their own profit. That is the real purpose behind these sacrifices. It proves to all those assembled that the candidate is willing to perform any act, any abomination, for the sake of his personal success."

  "It also explains that strict code of silence you mentioned earlier," interjected Ape. "What a perfect way of maintaining absolute loyalty to the Lodge. The Grand Master probably keeps nice detailed files on all of his acolytes. One wrong word and a few photos get sent to the police. The threat of exposure keeps everybody in line."

  "Exactly," said Taine, still looking Janet directly in the eye. "This Order lives on hatred and greed. It thrives on the basest emotions imaginable. Unfortunately, in this imperfect world of ours, too many people have stopped fighting back. They accept evil as inevitable and uncontrollable. Calling themselves 'realists,' they condone the most horrible crimes as the result of an unjust society. They think of the universe in terms of gray, never once considering that black and white actually exist.

  "Not Sidney Taine. I refuse to compromise with evil. The same holds true with Ape and Papa Benjamin. Tonight we work together for one reason. It's the right thing to do. And that places us in absolute and total opposition to the principles and aims of the Black Lodge. To me, that makes perfect sense."

  "You're crazy," said Janet, tears filling her eyes. "All three of you are crazy." Then she shook her head defiantly. "Make that, all four of us are crazy. What are we doing standing around here? Let's get going. We're wasting too much time talking. Timmy needs me. I can't let him down."

  "Now," said Taine, releasing her, "that sounds like the real Janet speaking. Not the pale imitation that stood here a few minutes ago."

  "You ain't kidding," said Ape. "Let's go kick some butt."

  45

  According to Mrs. McConnell's information, Harmon Sangmeister owned a huge country retreat in the far southwest suburbs. It hadn't surprised Janet one bit when she recognized the location as being within a few miles of the scene of her brother's "accident." Finally after all these years, she knew the terrible truth about Ralph's murder.

  Taine drove, with Ape Largo beside him. Janet and Papa Benjamin sat in the back. Only Ape was armed. In a belt holster nestled in the small of his back, he carried a snub-nosed .44 automatic. He had admitted to her earlier that he wore it more for self-confidence than any real purpose. Outnumbered twenty to one, they were counting on guile, not firepower, to save Tim's life.

  They rode in silence, each of them sunk deep in their own thoughts. Covertly, Janet studied the faces of her companions. She wondered what each of them was thinking.

  For what seemed like the hundredth time in the past few days, Janet found herself pondering Taine's background. He knew much too much about the occult for mere idle curiosity. That "New Age" detective nonsense didn't fool her either. Taine was no Yuppie involved in channeling or crystals. His beliefs were anchored in ancient, essential truths. Who was Sidney Taine, really? It was a question that would not go away.

  The night sky was clear and full of stars. Once outside Chicago city limits, they made good time. A few turns off the main highways brought them onto a deserted country road. No other car disturbed the silence as they swiftly closed in on their destination.

  Twenty minutes before ten, Taine steered their auto onto an isolated, unlit road in the midst of a heavily wooded area. It was little more than a blacktopped strip disappearing into the forest. Shutting off the headlights, he slowed the car down to a crawl. A hundred yards ahead on the trail, barbed wire gleamed in the moonlight.

  "Welcome to Harmon Sangmeister's estate," said Taine, tersely. From the sound of his voice, Janet guessed he was annoyed about something. "I never once considered the possibility there might be guards at the entrance. We'll have to bluff our way inside."

  "Hold on," said Ape, gently opening his door. "Not so fast. You're a city boy, Taine. Just the opposite with me. I spent most of my youth playing in woods like these. The circus traveled throughout the Midwest touring farm towns. I was born for this type of terrain."

  As if to emphasize his point, Ape clenched his hand into a huge fist. Powerful muscles rippled in his arms and chest. "Strategy works most of the time. But brute strength has its place, too. Give me fifteen minutes and then roll up to the fence nice and slow. I'll be waiting."

  The big bodyguard vanished into the forest. Taine turned around to the two of them, an astonished look on his face. He started to say something, then just shook his head. Janet giggled. Beside her, Papa Benjamin chuckled softly. "That one will make an effective houn'gan someday. He is a man of many talents."

  "You can say that again," whispered Taine. "I'm glad he's on our side."

  Exactly a quarter hour after Ape left, Taine eased their car along the road to the gate. No one hailed them as they approached the stockade fence. Two nearby wood sentry boxes stood empty. The place appeared deserted.

  As they drove through the entranceway, a shadow darker than the darkness detached itself from the nearer guardhouse. "Keep the lights off," said Ape as he slid back onto the seat next to Taine. "There's a parking lot around the next bend. Looks like we're last to arrive."

  "Any problems with the sentries?" asked Taine.

  "Nope," said Ape, grinning. "There were two men at the gate, another two patrolling the perimeter. None of them expected any trouble. It was easy."

  "Too easy," said Taine, as he steered their car into the parking lot. "Security should have been a lot tighter."

  "It's a trap," said Ape, nodding his head in agreement. "Someone important expected us to show up. They must have pulled the rest of the guards. So, what else is new. I don't see that we had any choice in the matter.

  "Stop here," he commanded abruptly, as they pulled alongside of a long, narrow cabana.

  "I scouted around for a few minutes after I neutralized the opposition. This place right here evidently served as the changing room for all the visitors tonight. When I checked it out, there were still lots of robes and stuff like that inside. On the other side of the building, a path leads through the woods to some sort of outdoor arena. It reminded me a lot of one of those Greek amphitheaters. There were too many people milling around, drinking and talking, for me to do much snooping. And I had to get back and meet you."

  "Mrs. McConnell got a copy of the contractor's blueprints for the entire estate," said Taine. "In the plans, the arena is described as an entertainment center. The architect designed the place according to exact specifications provided by Sangmeister. There's even a raised stage that connects directly to the back of his mansion."

  "How convenient," said Ape. "Great place to throw a rock concert for a few hundred friends. Or sacrifice an innocent kid to the devil."

  Hastily, they entered the cabana. The place was deserted. A stack of monk's robes covered a center table. "Put one of these on," said Taine, pulling a cassock over his head. "They'll serve as perfect disguises. We'll blend right in with the Lodge members."

  "Shouldn't we hurry up?" asked Janet, as she struggled into the black robe. "You said the ceremony started at ten o'clock. It's already five minutes past the hour."

  "Like any big group, I doubt if the Lodge will start exactly on time," answered Taine. "But you're right. It's time for action. However, I have to warn you about one more thing before we go."

  Taine looked around at all of them. "Magic always follows one of two paths. From his use of blood sacrifice and a doppleganger, it seems pretty obvious that Arelim is a believer in Tiferet, the way of the Physical. None of us possesses the knowledge or skill necessary to match his power. To defeat him, we must counter with Yesod, the way of the Spirit."

  Starting to feel uneasy, Janet said nothing. There was something in Taine's tone of voice that frightened her. He sounded much too intense. She suspected she was not going to like what was coming next.

  "The only way I can use this magic is with your complete and absolute cooperation. No matter what happens, no matter what occurs, you must remain silent. Our only hope of saving Tim rests with Arelim's colossal overconfidence. We can't interfere with his other plans for tonight. The minute we threaten his schemes, our own rescue attempt is doomed. I know none of this makes much sense yet, but it will. Believe me, it will."

  "That it?" asked Ape. "Nothing else you want us to do?"

  "I feel so ... useless," said Janet. "Shouldn't we just dash in there, find Tim, and get away?"

  "Sounds good to me," said Ape.

  Taine shook his head. "Tim's probably hidden away somewhere in Sangmeister's mansion, hypnotized or sedated. We'd never find him before the ceremony. And remember, there are nearly a hundred hostile members of the Black Lodge out there. We can't fight them all."

  "What other choice is there?" asked Ape, starting to sound angry. "They ain't gonna just give us the kid."

  "Perhaps they will," said Taine evenly. "Perhaps they will. Remember, don't give up hope no matter what happens. The Way of the Spirit doesn't always require active participation by all those involved. Your presence here is enough."

  "Our strength is your strength," said Papa Benjamin, cryptically. "We will not fail."

  Janet wished she shared the voodoo priest's confidence. Despite all of his assurances, all of his promises, Taine had revealed absolutely nothing of his plan. They were depending on him for guidance. It all came down to trust. Despite all of her misgivings, her fears, Tim's life as well as all of their own rested in Taine's hands. Silently, she prayed that it was not the greatest mistake she ever made.

  46

  Taine snorted in amusement as he checked out his companions. They looked like four refugees from Ivanhoe. All of them wore heavy wool monk's cassocks, grim and black and reaching to the floor. The deep hoods effectively served to shroud their features in shadow. Draped over each robe was a white surtout emblazoned with a bold red passion cross. However, unlike the emblem of the Crusaders, the symbol was reversed, with the long arm up, its transverse arm lowered.

  "Please take your places," said a sharp voice from behind them. They froze motionless, caught completely by surprise. "The ceremony will begin shortly."

  Raising a hand, Papa Benjamin pointed to a loudspeaker hidden in the rafter of the cabana. Taine breathed a sigh of relief. He should have guessed that the whole estate would be wired for sound. Waving an arm, he gestured to the door leading to the amphitheater.

  A thin bead of sweat trickled between Taine's shoulder blades as he led the way to the outdoor arena. Janet followed close behind, with Papa Benjamin third, and Ape bringing up the rear.