Chapter 28
"NO!" I cried. "Don't do that. Please, sir, I'm begging you. Don't hurt her. Please."
"Ah, I see you have feelings for her."Strong feelings I sense. She is an exceedingly beautiful young woman. Now talk to me."
"You already know my name," I began. "I never had a father. When I was six years old a man saved me from drowning. He became like a father to me. He was a retired United States government operative—their top one. I don't know what agency he worked for or specific details about any of his missions. He was the one who homeschooled me. For the last 12 years he has trained me in all his skills in addition to teaching me his specialized curriculum."
Gunther stared at me dumbfounded. He let the knife slip out of his hand to drop onto the floor.
"That is how you have obtained your skills and knowledge?"
"Yes."
"What was his name?"
"Scott James."
"That's… astounding. If what you're saying is true, then you are an extraordinary individual, a completely unique individual."
He stood there deliberating for a moment before continuing, "To kill you would be a complete waste; a… tragedy."
He drew near to me and then put his hands on my shoulders. "I'm going to spare your life on one condition. I want you to join me. I could most definitely use someone like you in my organization. Your unique skills and gifts would be greatly appreciated and put to good use. I know what you're going to say; that you're still in high school and that you intended to go to college to obtain a career. Why does anyone go to college? They go to obtain a degree, to find a job, to try to scratch out a living. In my organization, you'll have more money than you could possibly spend in your life. Partner with me and I'll also spare Ursula's life and give her to you. I'll let you have her whenever, wherever, and for as often as you like—anyway you desire. Let your imagination contemplate that!"
"I would never want her that way."
"Fine, but I could provide you with any kind of girl you wish for. Do you crave power and control? You can have that too, eventually. What else is there in life beside money, power, and women?"
"I'll join you on one condition. That you free all the girls and then swear to me that you'll never, ever, bother them again."
"No, Lance!" exclaimed Stacy with alarm. "Don't join him! Don't do it!"
"Unfortunately, she is a non-negotiable item," he replied while glancing over at his ex-wife in annoyance. "Is there anything else I can persuade you with?"
I shook my head no.
"Then, goodbye young Mr. Rock," he remarked while pulling a Walther P5 pistol out of his coat pocket and then aiming it at my forehead.
He stood there but he did not pull the trigger. "I don't want to kill you. Join me," he hesitatingly pleaded.
My life was seconds away from ending. Shannon and AJ's would soon follow. I had never felt so completely helpless in all my life, even when I was trapped on that tiny iceberg 12 years ago. I thought of Scott and I wished he'd come walking into the room right now to rescue me. I glanced up at the tattoo on my right arm.
Now switching to German I quickly said, "Before you kill me, I want you to know that you've made a serious error. You impress me as an exact man, but you've failed miserably in one specific task."
"What task?" he answered back in the same language.
"You never asked me why I've done what I've done, or why I am even here."
"You're a remarkably trained Canadian exchange student who inadvertently found himself in the wrong home and who then decided to use his skills and training to protect the girl he loves along with her sister and mother."
"You are wrong," I said calmly. "I am here to execute you. I am a paid assassin on a mission of revenge for Daitaro Kobayashi of the Kobayashi clan of the yakuza. You were foolish and negligent to not finish and follow-up on the hit you put on his family 10 years ago. He survived and he has contracted me to take you out or delay you while he obtains his revenge. He is also a trained assassin. I believe your bodyguard is still here. Who is at home protecting your wife and children?"
That quickly, Gunther's cool and controlled expression melted into one of panic. He pulled out his smartphone and began dialing it as he swiftly exited through the door which I had now surmised led to the roof.
I stared up at the sprinkler pipe and I jumped—catching hold of it with my hands. I swung my feet up and I wrapped them around it to hold me in place. The pipe mounts strained under my weight and I could feel them loosening from the ceiling. Indescribable pain exploded through my right side and a tremendous nauseous feeling overwhelmed my stomach! I could feel myself beginning to pass out and so I shook my head to try to maintain consciousness. I slipped the handcuff chain over the shut-off valve and then I dropped to the floor while almost breaking a wrist in the process! I began to vomit violently and uncontrollably. A second puddle of blood gathered on the floor.
"Lance, run!" commanded Stacy. "Get away from here and get to the hospital. Run away now while you have the chance!"
"No," I weakly replied while slowly shaking my head. "I gave Shannon my word that I would always protect her. I'm not going to abandon her, or you and AJ."
I tried to regain my feet, but the room started spinning around. While taking deep breaths, I finally managed to stand up. Then I raised my hands back up toward the pipe just as Gunther came striding back into the room.
"Unfortunately, there's been a change of plans," he remarked. "You're all going to die and your bodies will be disposed of later." He pulled out his gun and pointed it at Stacy's head.
"WAIT!" I shouted.
"What?" he replied, annoyed.
"Out of respect for your abilities and world class reputation as an assassin, I honored you with a heads-up warning. As a fellow assassin, I ask you to reciprocate that honor by allowing me to die first in the manner befitting an assassin—execution style.
He walked over to me and as he did, I saw his eyes drop to the floor and glance at the new puddle of blood. A strange look came over his face as he raised the gun to the left side of my temple. Then he noticed the handcuff chain dangling free from below the sprinkler pipe, but it was too late! As he pulled the trigger, I knocked the gun away with my left hand and I drove the index and middle finger of my right hand hard into his eyes! The bullet sped by my head as he shrieked in pain and shock.
While backpedaling, whimpering, and clutching his eyes with his left hand, he began to shoot blindly in my direction. I had dropped to a prone position and while crawling on my knees, I began inching my way toward him. His gun held eight bullets and he had soon fired all but two. Unfortunately for me, he regained just enough vision in his left eye to spot me as I lunged up at him. He shot me through my left shoulder—spinning me in mid air and then knocking me back down onto the floor to land on top of Reina's knife. All three of the girls began screaming hysterically!
I gripped the tanto in my hands and I turned my head to look up at him. Instead of finishing me off however, he swung the gun up and aimed it at Stacy! I sprung up from the floor and I hurled myself at him again while driving Reina's knife straight into his heart just as he pulled the trigger! The gun fired and the bullet tore into the wall behind her—narrowly missing her head by half an inch! He stared at me in shock and disbelief while clutching the protruding handle of the blade with his left hand. Then he slowly sank to his knees and toppled over dead.
The girls were still wildly screaming my name as I attempted to make my way toward the door that led to the roof! My body was going into a state of shock and I feared it would shut down before I could reach the pilot of Gunther's helicopter and my key. The pain in my left shoulder was doing its best to equal the pain in my right side! After opening the door, I stumbled down a hallway toward stairs that led to another door while leaving a trail of blood. I became alarmed as I heard the distinct whine of a helicopter's engine starting. I Lurched up the stairs and then I threw open the door to the roof. The chopper was about 5
0 feet away and I could see the main rotor blade slowly spinning—trying to reach enough R.P.M.'s for liftoff. Glancing to my left, I could also see the blue and red roof lights of several police cars now speeding into the parking lot with their sirens wailing.
I stumbled and I fell down on all fours. Blood was running down both my chest and back—soaking my jeans. I also felt cold even though the outside temperature was in the mid-eighties. I forced myself up to a standing position—pressing onward. I had to get my key back! As I neared the chopper, I saw Colonel Chang outlined by the interior lights. He was staring at me. Then he raised his pistol and pointed it at me but he did not shoot.
Now staggering toward the cockpit door, I finally reached it and I grabbed the handle. If I could eliminate the pilot this bird was going nowhere and I would have a chance to get the key. I yanked the door opened and the pilot turned and looked at me. It was a woman! The shock of seeing her caused a delay in my reactions and gave her enough time to spin her left leg out and kick me hard in the chest. I fell back onto the roof. The helicopter lifted off, but I was too weak to even watch it soar away. I simply stared up at the stars in the night sky. Their tiny pinpoints of light began to dim and slowly disappear as everything faded to black.
Dawn of the Knight: The Lance Rock Chronicles Volume 1. Page 46
