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quite a way. Even The Church keeps quiet about their origins. They are not a group that is discussed in polite conversation.”
    “They are dangerous to The Church?”
    “Apparently, my superiors understand that they’ve been in opposition for centuries for reasons that neither side wishes to disclose in public.”
    “The Elite originated in Europe?” She asks.
    “Yes, around the time of the renaissance I think anyway, as I say they are not discussed in open. At first they were accepted into the church then something, I’m not clear on this part as it has been kept secret, occurred and they became a fringe group until finally they left Europe altogether and came to America sometime in the 19th century. There they attempted to operate openly but for some reason, maybe because they were so odd, they were forced underground where they have been ever since. The Church adamantly believes they are bent on revenge and must be stopped,” he says.
    “Interesting.”
    “The Church has battled them throughout the years, at times thinking that they have disbanded only to detect their rearing heads again.”
    “So this is just another battle?”
    “Maybe, but something tells me there is more at stake this time around.”
    “Why so?” She asks.
    “My superiors, they are very nervous,” he adds grimly.

CHAPTER 19

 
 
    “I don’t know what we’re doing here. This may not even be the place.”
    “It’s the place. I saw her downstairs yesterday. This has to be where she is staying.”
    “I don’t understand why the phone intercept didn’t work. Usually it works fine, hey, is this your water? Clovis says picking up the half empty bottle from the floor of the black van.
    “I don’t know, could be,” Cosward answers.
    “Who’s been eating tacos in here? Those little yellow cheese pieces all over the floorboards, you can never get that stuff up, never, years of vacuuming to no avail.”
    “If Haggai would let us send the vans out for cleaning it would get done right.”
    “The old man’s afraid we’ll raise suspicions,” Clovis says.
    “I don’t see how,” Cosward says looking down the barren city street. Its gray emptiness littered by a few parked automobiles.
    “She sure picked a hell of a place to run to.”
    “I just want to get this done. Logo usually does these things. He’s so much more cold blooded than the rest of us.”
    “Yeah, he sure is, our beloved trigger man,” Clovis jokes.
    “Seems like we’ve been chasing this forever.”
    “Who, her?” Clovis asks.
    “No, the clone and the power and money that it’s suppose to bring, seems like we’ve been at it forever. It just won’t stay still long enough for us to reach out and grab it.”
    “Yeah, I know. This is definitely a complication. She was supposed to be the one and now she’s run out on us and we have to track her down. As it turns out she’s not the one at all but has to be taken out of the picture or she could destroy the whole operation.”
    “If she were to talk—,” Cosward says.
    “Would anyone believe her? They’d probably lock her up somewhere but they wouldn’t believe her,” Clovis shakes his head.
    “Let’s go in and wait for her. I’m tired of sitting out here.”
    Hurriedly, they enter the apartment building and walk down the dark hallway with its lime green carpet.
    “That’s her door up there on the end,” Clovis says.
    “I’m thirsty. There’s a pop machine back there in the laundry room,” Cosward remarks.
    “What?” Clovis exclaims.
    “Come on, who knows how long we’ll be waiting.”
    They turn around and walk into the dimly lit laundry room, the silence is suddenly broken by the faint crackle of Clovis’s hand held radio.
    “What is it?” Cosward asks.
    “It’s Solar outside, he’s just seen her pull up. She’s downstairs coming up. Okay, get your freakin pop this is it.”
    “It’s not giving me any change,” Cosward kicks the machine.
    Clovis violently waves his hands to be