Trinity

Chapter One

The small man trembled with fear as he stood outside the inner office. His boss would not be happy hearing the news that he carried about another failed mission and another dead operative. The man wished that this message was not his to deliver, but wishing would not change anything. His hand reached out and softly knocked on the inner office door.

A deep, emotionless voice rang out in answer.

"Enter!"

The small man slowly opened the massive door and slid into the office. All the drapes were closed blocking any natural light from entering the room. A few standing lamps were placed at odd intervals throughout the office. The man could not make out the features of his boss' face, but the voice commanded complete respect and obedience.

"Give me the report on the Berlin Mission." The voice demanded.

"S...sir," The man stuttered. "The mission was not s...s...successful."

"Five of our top operatives were assigned to this mission. Failure was not a possibility. Explain." The boss said.

"It was," The man gulped in fear. This was the part of the message he was afraid to relay. "It was Trinity, sir."

"How many operatives are still alive?" The boss asked, his voice tight with hatred.

"Four operatives survived, sir." The man quietly replied. "They are on their way back to headquarters now. Their flight should be landing in a few hours."

"Send them to me as soon as they arrive." The boss said, obviously dismissing the small man.

The man quickly left the office, grateful to be away from his boss's wrath. The man behind the desk sighed as the office door closed. He reached out and picked up the phone on his desk. His fingers quickly dialed a number that only he knew. The call was answered after one ring.

"Yes." The man said into the phone. "Berlin was a failure. Trinity has struck again."

* * *

The small private airplane soared thousands of feet above the ocean. One of the two flight attendants on board just finished giving the passengers their safety instructions and headed back towards the small galley. The fight attendant pulled the curtain closed behind her where another woman was standing in the small kitchen cutting up sandwiches.

"How'd it go?" The woman with the food asked.

"It went ok, I guess." The first woman responded. "Jackie, can I ask you a question?"

Jackie stopped cutting up the sandwiches and looked at the other woman.

"Sure, Marie." Jackie said with a smile.

"I'm a bit confused." Marie said with a small smile. "I know this is only my first flight, but there are only four people out there. We had five passengers in the beginning. Is that normal?"

"Let me give you a piece of friendly advice, sweetheart." Jackie said. "Forget whatever you see or hear on these flights. If you want to live to see your next birthday, just ignore everything. Got it, hun?"

"Ok." Marie replied. "So, is what I heard true then?"

"What did you hear?" Jackie asked as the smile faded from her face.

"Well..." Marie paused. "I heard some gossip that this company...well...let's just say I heard I wasn't flying with the good guys."

Jackie stepped towards Marie, the knife suddenly in her hand. Marie backed into the corner of the galley as Jackie raised the knife in front of her.

"I'm not going to tell you again. Forget EVERYTHING you see or hear." Jackie's voice had become very cold. "You're getting paid a large amount of money so don't worry about anything else."

"Okay, Jackie, I'm sorry." Marie's body shuddered in fear and her eyes were wide as she stared back at Jackie. She reached into the cabinet and grabbed her purse. "I'm going to use the bathroom really quick and splash some water on my face."

"You do that, sweetie." Jackie replied with a smile.

Marie quickly walked around the galley's corner and into the small hallway that was there. Hallway really wasn't the right word for the space. It was a medium sized area with three doors: the door to the bathroom, the door to the cockpit, and the plane's exit door. Marie quietly stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

Marie set her purse down on the small sink as she gazed at her reflection. Her blonde hair hung down until it almost touched her shoulders. The only imperfection on her smooth skin was a beauty mark that rested on her right cheekbone. A multitude of freckles were sprinkled across her cheeks and forehead. Marie reached into her purse and removed a tube of lipstick. She removed the cap and tossed it into the trash as she glanced at the bright red color that was showing at the top of the tube.

After setting the lipstick down on the sink, Marie reached above her head, pressing her fingertips on the low ceiling. Giving a sharp push, part of the ceiling lifted and she was able to slide it out of the way. Marie reached into the space and retrieved a small, wrapped bundle. She quickly moved the ceiling tile back into place and untied the package. Marie quickly stripped out of her flight attendant uniform and pulled on the skintight jumpsuit that was in the package. Once she zipped that into place she reached out for the only other item that was in the package, a parachute.

Marie looked back into the mirror and sighed. She grabbed a tissue out of her purse and quickly wiped her face off. The freckles that were so prominent before were now gone and her fingers quickly pulled the beauty mark off of her cheek. She reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. The blonde hair came sliding off of her head and Marie tossed the wig and the flight attendant uniform into the tiny trashcan. She shook her head causing her dark red hair to cascade down around her shoulder blades. It was obviously her natural color, a deep red that resembled a desert sunset that no box color could reproduce.

She picked up the lipstick again and pulled it out of the tube. She then rolled it into a small ball and pushed it against the side of the toilet. She snapped the bottom of the lipstick tube off, revealing a hidden detonator, and pressed it into the lipstick. Marie reached into one of the jumpsuit's pockets, pulled out some wire, and quickly connected it to the plastique and the detonator. Marie knelt down and placed her watch near the toilet. She pushed a button and set her watch for three minutes. She pressed another button and a small light blinked on the detonator to indicate that it was now set.

She quickly left the bathroom and headed back into the galley. Jackie did a double take.

"Who the fuck..." Her voice drifted off. Recognition dawned on her face. "Marie?"

"My name's Vanessa." Vanessa replied. She jumped towards Jackie, her foot lashing out and knocking the woman backwards. Jackie found herself up against the wall with her arms behind her back while her face showed her shock. Vanessa leaned in close to her. "Though you can call me Trinity."

She moved her one hand up, so her watch was visible to Jackie.

"Do you see how my watch says ninety seconds on it?" She asked. Jackie quickly nodded. "Good. That's how much time is left before this plane blows like a firecracker on the Fourth of July. You really should have thought about the type of people you work for; too late now."

Vanessa stepped to the side and tossed Jackie backwards through the curtain into the main seating area. As she took off towards the plane's exit she could hear shouts coming from the passengers. Her watched beeped, signifying only sixty seconds remained. Vanessa grabbed the handle and quickly spun it around. She heard the lock click and her foot shot out knocking the door open. A huge gust of wind blew through the opening. She leapt through the open doorway, without even a backward glance, and barely avoided a spray of bullets.

Vanessa kept her arms against her body and her legs tightly closed, allowing her to shoot through the air like a rocket. She heard the explosion seconds later. Her eyes searched the ocean and then a small dot appeared ahead of her. She pulled the cord on her pack, releasing the chute. She silently floated for the next few minutes as the dot became bigger and bigger. The dot became a large fishing boat and she expertly maneuvered herself onto the deck. The parachute floated behind her off the back of the boat. Vanessa took off the parachute and held the harness in her hand. She reached into another jumpsuit pocket and pulled out a small lighter.

With a simple flick of her finger a small flame appeared. She put the flame to the harness. The fire raced up the cords to the chute itself, which was coated with a thin layer of flammable gel. She watched as the chute burned and the ashes disappeared into the ocean. Vanessa pulled on a pair of overalls and a jacket that were sitting on the deck. She pulled a baseball cap out of the jacket's pocket and pulled her hair up underneath it. Vanessa walked up to the ship's bridge where a younger, attractive man was at the helm. He glanced up at her.

"You get to have all the fun." He said with a frown.

"Don't pout, Alec." She replied with a laugh. "You got to blow up that building last time, dear brother."

"It's not the same thing." Alec replied. A smile finally appeared on his face. "I take it things went well, sis?"

"The Berlin assignment went out with a bang." Vanessa said with a smirk

* * *

The Central Intelligence Agency of the United States is considered to be one of the most, if not the most, powerful spy agency in the world. A fact that is not known is that there is another organization more powerful than anything this world has ever seen. Its existence is shrouded in complete secrecy. It is called the Covenant. The Covenant pre-dates any other organization of its kind. The origin of the Covenant dates back to an area now known as Salisbury Plain, England. Salisbury Plain is also the resting spot for one of the greatest manmade wonders of the world, Stonehenge.

Stonehenge was completed centuries ago, its creation still shrouded in mystery. A group of Druid priests and their families visited the site on the night of its completion. There were a total of thirty people at the gathering, spread across six families. They discussed their own private matters, but soon the topic of war and violence was brought up. Rumors flew through the land of hatred and rage spreading across countries like a wild fire during a drought. The group quickly decided that something had to be done. They realized the pain and hatred that can be brought about by human hands.

These six families declared a pact with one another, a pact and promise to keep the world as safe as possible. Their purpose would be to rid the world of evil. These people were willing to do the unthinkable. They gave up their quiet, peaceful lives and integrated themselves into early society. They used their intelligence and determination to work up through society's ranks and claim positions of power and authority.

The Covenant was made up of people of great faith with an even greater courage. Their belief, and the belief of current members of the Covenant, is that mankind, overall, is good and deserves the chance at peace and happiness. Throughout the centuries the Covenant has successfully hidden from the world. This is, and was, due to the fact that only the members of the group knew of its existence. The only way to enter into the Covenant is through one of its members. The members were very, very cautious of who was brought into their fold, but to this day they have always been successful. Knowledge of the Covenant has never been leaked out to anyone. Another reason for its success is that the members' identities are held in secret. Even the members of the group do not know each other.

The group did need a way to recognize other members if needed, so each member wore a sterling silver pendant that represented their codename in the Covenant. A picture of Stonehenge was engraved on the back of each one, as a reminder of the group's beginning. It started with a small group of thirty people and has grown to the size of an army. The Covenant currently has over 300 active members, and is spread across six continents. The members of the group could be anyone from a world leader to the local kindergarten teacher. No matter their place in society, their mission remains the same, to bring about peace and safety to everyone and everything on the planet.

* * *

A fire red mustang convertible sped down the streets of the quiet New England town. It was a neighborhood of old money and manners. The people were a close-knit community, and were not very forthcoming with strangers. The sound of the car drew a few people to their windows, but they all recognized the car immediately. It belonged to Alec Romane. The Romanes were one of the first families to settle in the area, and their family had a great deal of respect within the community.

The mustang slowed down and stopped in front of a massive iron gate. The gate was completely done in scrollwork with a giant R that rested in the center of it. After a moment's pause the gate soundlessly slid open. The mustang drove up the scenic driveway and stopped in front of a large, old Victorian home. The house had been renovated a few years ago, returning it to its original awe-inspiring beauty. The sun was setting and it gave the property the look of a beautiful picture postcard.

Alec Michael Romane stepped out of the mustang, stretching his tall, solid body as he yawned. Alec was the most eligible bachelor in the community. Mothers in the neighborhood had tried to get him interested in their daughters for a long time, even some of the mothers went after him themselves, but it never worked. He always seemed to be too busy traveling for the family business.

It was easy to see why so many people were after him. His six foot two frame was well built, with a body developed from genetics and time in the gym. Alec got his looks from his mother's Nordic heritage. His sun kissed blonde hair hung down just below his ears and his eyes were an icy blue. Alec was a kind and generous man with a maturity that seemed beyond his twenty-four years. He always remained calm and assured, no matter the pressure.

Vanessa Lynn Romane slid out of the passenger side of the vehicle. She was almost in equal height of her brother at an even six feet tall. Her lean, muscled body was as strong as any Olympic athlete, man or woman. Vanessa's beauty was an obvious reflection of their family's Irish heritage. Her copper hair hung down towards her shoulder blades. Vanessa's eyes were a deep emerald green that flashed and burned when she was angry. Most people did not realize that they were brother and sister or that Vanessa was older by a year. Her beauty made her appear younger than she actually was.

They walked around to the back of the mustang, and began taking their luggage out of the trunk. Vanessa and Alec made their way with the luggage up to the front door. Alec dug around in his pocket for a moment before finally retrieving the keys.

"Take your time, brother dear, it's not like these bags are heavy." Vanessa said with a sigh. "I'd really like to take a hot bubble bath and relax sometime in the next few hours."

"How is it that you can't hold some luggage for a few minutes, but you were able to hang off the side of a building for an hour? Unless you were lying about that time in Athens." Alec said with a smile as he unlocked the front door. "Don't take your jetlag crankiness out on me, Nessa."

They stepped into the foyer of the home. A massive staircase was off to the left leading to the upstairs. The living room was off to the right, a few steps down from the main entry of the home. The floor of the foyer and the hallway, which ran back to the kitchen area, was covered in a rich black and white Italian marble tile. Vanessa gently closed the door behind them.

"I'll handle it this time." She smirked at the brother. "You almost got us killed last time."

"Only because you pushed me." Alec muttered under his breath.

Vanessa stepped forward onto the tile floor. She slowly and carefully stepped across some of the tiles in a specific pattern. As her foot gently pressed down on the last tile a woman's voice softly echoed into the foyer.

"Security system disarmed. Welcome home, Trinity and Phoenix."

"Thank you, Muse." Alec responded to the disembodied voice. "Activity report, please."

"There was no breach or intrusion of the estate's perimeter during your absence, expect for the occasional wild animal. Each animal was scanned and verified as actual mammals. No bugs or other communication and tracking devices were found on their bodies. Mr. Clerick from the Foundation called with the list of this quarter's scholarship finalists. All pertinent information has been loaded into the house's mainframe, and is available at your personal computer as well."

"Well done, Muse, that is all for now, thank you. " Vanessa said with a yawn. " Please remind me why she has a British accent?"

"Because someone got totally infatuated with a British man a few years ago after a mission." Alec replied.

"That's right. William...I haven't thought of him in a long time." She replied with a grin. "If I remember correctly it's your turn to look over the scholarship list."

"Yes it is, but unlike you, I don't mind doing it." Alec replied.

Vanessa and Alec's great-great grandparents started the Romane Foundation over a century ago. The Romanes had always been a family of great wealth and riches. Their wealth included money, but it was not limited to that. The family was a caring and compassionate group of people, and their loved ones and friends enriched their lives. It is a little known fact that the Romanes were one of the original six families that founded the Covenant.

Through the years the Romanes gained great respect for their generosity and compassion for their fellow man. The family was always helping less fortunate people wherever they lived. The Romane Foundation was created to help people in times of need and to contribute to charitable organizations. The family name became so well known that there are major corporations that donate millions of dollars a year to the Foundation.

The Romane Foundation also provided Vanessa and Alec with their cover. They were able to travel away on 'business' anytime they needed. When they were not on a mission or assignment for the Covenant they worked on things for the Foundation. This time of year they were looking at college scholarship finalists. Vanessa's happiness at having Alec work on it was not that she didn't enjoy helping people, because she really did, but there was always so much paperwork to read. Alec was the one that enjoyed being immersed in that much information. He may look like the star quarterback of the high school, but he was really a library nerd through and through.

Alec and Vanessa took the luggage containing their clothing up to their respective bedrooms. Vanessa came back downstairs a bit later to find Alec waiting for her in the foyer.

"Please, tell me you didn't just dump your clothes back into the dresser." Vanessa pleaded with her brother.

"Nessa, why does it matter to you what I do with my things?" Alec smiled back. "I might not be a huge neat freak like you, but I at least keep my stuff in my room." He leaned down and picked up one of the two remaining bags. "Now, can we get the rest of this put away, please?"

"Of course." Vanessa sighed. "Tell me again why we don't have a butler or maid that's 'in the know' to help us with these things? Unpacking and packing all of this is what I hate most about our jobs."

"The only people that know are the members of the families." Alec said over his shoulder to her. "You know that, and this wouldn't be so bad if you didn't whine about it the entire time."