 |
| The Return of the Gov'na part nine |
In the late afternoon, the army that set out from Salt Lake City entered the border into Nevada. They had only gone a couple miles before they came to a blocked-off road. It was closed, due to construction. They could all see Las Vegas ahead, and the Stratosphere Tower. Plastic Surgery Victims were working the construction, and the flag person (who didn't look like a Plastic Surgery Victim at all) came up to the road block. "This road's closed!" he shouted. Joe drove to the front of the group and poked his head out the window. "Just move, you son of a bitch!" "Don't you talk about my momma that way!" The flag person went to one of the trucks at the construction site and took something out. He went back to the road block. "I don't suppose you recognize this?" He held it up high, for most of them to see. Kari was sitting in the passenger seat of the Ferrari and leaned forward for a closer look. "That's Kat's backpack," she said. The flag person chuckled to himself and reached inside the bag. He pulled out numerous items, first holding them up, then dropping them in the dirt. First was a University of Maine sweatshirt, some KSWISS sneakers (one stained pink), socks, a belt, some sunglasses, and a trenchcoat. Kari was close to hysterical in the Ferrari. Joe glanced at her, then turned back to the flag person. The flag person noticed Kari's reaction through the windshield and laughed. "Well, you have another one of these foreigners with you. I don't know why you like them so much, but oh well. It's certainly plain to see that you recognize these objects, so don't try to tell me you don't." "I've never seen those things in my life," Joe replied calmly. "You lie!" "No, I don't." The flag person dropped the backpack and clenched his fists. He gritted his teeth in anger and frustration. Then he relaxed. "This girl was dear to you, I see. She will be tortured for a long time. Unless," (he paused for drama here) "unless you agree to Card Sharp's terms." "Well, what are they?" Joe looked saddened by the objects laying in the dirt, and everyone knew he'd do whatever it took to keep Kat from being tortured. At least they knew she was still alive. The flag person crossed his arms and grinned again. "The Card Sharp wants the Louisiana Purchase back, plus everything east of here 'til the Appalachian Mountains." Joe snorted. "You think we'd give you all that just for Kat? You think we're even in a position to give land away? But ... " (now Joe paused for dramatic effect) "bring the prisoner forth, and maybe I'll think about your stupid terms." The flag person wasn't sure what to say to that. Finally, he just said, "No." "Why not? Don't you know where she is?" Joe was messing with this guy's mind. "Of course I know where she is. But I will not negotiate with enemies of Card Sharp." "Isn't that what we were just doing?" "Take them or leave them, dumbass." Joe got out of the Ferrari and walked up to the flag person. "Take what?" He picked up Kat's things. "These? Sure, I'll take these. But your terms are ridiculous. They're so ridiculous, I'd laugh if I wasn't so busy. So MOVE OUT OF THE GODDAMN WAY BECAUSE WE'RE COMING THROUGH, LIKE IT OR NOT!" He got back in his Ferrari, fuming. Kari was actually a little afraid of him right now. Joe backed the Ferrari up and revved the engine. The flag person yelled something to the construction Plastic Surgery Victims, and they all immediately stopped working and whipped out their big-ass guns. "Crotchrockets," TK muttered. "Why couldn't we have kept the Aviator? At least that offered some protection." He watched Matt load his small-caliber handgun in preparation. TK didn't really have anything but his Swiss Army Knife. He would just have to hide behind Matt. Hide behind Matt, he thought in fury. Why, I'd never hear the end of it. Joe and his Ferrari were in the middle of the group, with Tai and the Cowboys on his left, Matt and Cody just behind them. On Joe's right was Bear and the other soldiers from Salt Lake City. More were behind all of them, from Utah and Wyoming alike. The heard the motors and evil giggles of the Cessnas carrying the Grim Reapesr, only 8 strong now. Kari grabbed Kat's trenchcoat that Joe had picked up and put it on. She took out her 9 mm and held it in her hands. She was disappointed when Joe rejected the flag person's terms, because that would mean Kat would forever be doomed to torture by Plastic Surgery Victims. And they most certainly had the Tongue Ring, too. I wish Mimi was here, she thought. Maybe if I kill someone important over here, I could measure up to whatever it was that she did over there. Even as she thunk these last words, the Plastic Surgery Victims opened fire. Kari took a deep breath, then started firing out the window. As shots flew back and forth, Kari saw Bear go down. A creature emerged from the construction zone and headed towards Bear. It wasn't Sasquatch; it was more like a Bigfoot. Kari aimed a shot at it, but missed. She got out of the Ferrari and ran between people, dodging bullets until she got to Bear. She stood beside him and aimed her 9 mm right between Bigfoot's eyes. Her hands were shaking, and she tried to steady her grip. It was getting closer. Finally, Kari pulled the trigger, reloading again and again, until her bullets were used up. She had put four of them right into his forehead. Deep red blood gushed out of the holes. Bigfoot's eyes looked upward, then rolled back into his head as he fell forward. Kari screamed and ducked, but Bigfoot fell on top of her and Bear, as well as hitting aside some police cars from Salt Lake City. So this is how it ends, she thought as darkness came over her. And I'm still wearing my police shirt. Sora was getting tired of this. She pulled Kat to her feet. "Come on, you lazy pile. This is supposed to be the easiest part of the job." She dragged her down the street. Kat trudged behind. She had told Sora that a little Tongue Ring wouldn't be heavy, and it was just the heat, but she had lied. The Tongue Ring was growing heavier. And since the sun had sank behind the horizon long ago, she couldn't blame the heat anymore. Sora stopped in her tracks. It was the only sign that was lit up: "TATTOOS piercings". Like a big omen or something. She rolled her eyes at herself. The lights in the parlor were off except for a couple in the back. Which was weird, because it wasn't even that late. Something didn't feel right. Sora was hesitant to move forward, but she didn't know why. Behind her, Kat spat out a dry cough that pierced the silence. Sora still didn't move. Some rocks tumbled down the side of the building they were standing next to. Something jumped down, knocking Sora to the ground. "Don't take it that way, precious!" the thing yelled, trying to get a hold on Sora's throat. "Run, Kat!" Sora yelled. "Go!" Kat stared at the two of them struggling for a second, then stumbled down the road to the tattoo parlor. She reached the door and fell against it, breathing hard. She peered inside. It indeed was smoky, and it seemed to be deserted. So now what? Did one just go in there and toss the Tongue Ring in the air? Did the smoke hurt people? No, that was silly. I do enjoy the silliness, she thought absentmindedly. She thought she heard a noise and crouched down beneath the window. Sora had reached for her bag and swung it at CAC. He let go of her and curled up on the sidewalk, sobbing. "Don't hurt us. When precious dies, we die too." Sora stood up straight and looked at him. The .38 Special was in the bag and she could get rid of this menace. Wait a minute, she thought. How do you shoot a Computer Animated Creature? She cleared her throat. "Then get out of my sight, fuckface." Kat came over to Sora. "Kiiiilll it," she whispered. CAC peered at them between his hands. Then he jumped at Kat. She pushed him off. "Touch me again, you sonuvabitch, and I'll push you into that tattoo parlor." CAC sneered at her, then slunk back into the shadows. Sora watched to make sure he wouldn't jump out again, then turned to Kat. But she wasn't there. Kat was standing in front of the tattoo parlor, Tongue Ring in hand. Sora came over to her. "Just open the door and toss it towards the ceiling," she said. "You don't even have to go inside." "No, I don't need to go inside," Kat said, rolling the Tongue Ring between her fingers. "It is a Tongue Ring after all. Why destroy such a harmless thing? It's mine, anyway. I've always wanted a tongue ring, and I lost my Dice." She popped it in her mouth and disappeared. Sora was horrified. "Kat?!" How could this happen after they've gone so far? But deep in her heart, she knew something like this would happen. She reached out her hands, trying to find were Kat was, but she didn't get very far. Something hit her on the back of her head, and she fell to the ground as the neon lights faded away. |