by Tim Miller
He walked out the front door and looked to his left. Sure enough, the target was almost a block away, running down the street. Krautenhammer ran to his car and climbed inside, flooring it. He sped down the street and caught up to the guy in no time. The thug had managed to grab a gun on his way out and fired a few shots at the car, but missed. Krautenhammer stomped on the gas, and ran him right over.
The man’s body flew up in the air as if he were an acrobat performing a death-defying feat. Except death would not be defied today. As Krautenhammer slammed on the brakes, and climbed out of the car. The man was lying on the road in a bloody heap. He was still breathing, gasping for breath as his arms and legs lie at unnatural angles.
“Pl-please! Don’t kill me! Please! I’ll pay everything back to Pedro! I promise! Please!” The man begged, but it was useless. Krautenhammer held the gun up and fired once, putting an immediate end to the broken thug’s suffering. He holstered the gun and got back into the car. As he drove away, his phone went off. He held it up to read the text message. It was from his handler. And old colleague was needing his help. It had been a long time since he’d worked with Grant Storm and Jericho Systems. They usually never called him unless they had something really crazy. He flashed a rare smile as he drove. Finally a challenge.
Chapter 14
Mad Maxwell looked down at Isis’s body. He’d done quite a number on her so far. Looking at the pliers in his hand, he admired the toenails and fingernails lying on the floor around the table. Ripping out nails was one of his favorite things. There was just something about it, so simple and primitive. She held together though. Sure she screamed, but it seemed with each level of pain he’d inflict, the more determined she became.
Even now as he looked at her face, her eyes burned into him. If he had a soul, she’d be seeing into it. He took the pliers and reached into her mouth. At first she pinched her mouth shut, but he pressed on her broken nose causing her to scream, and he was in. Taking the pliers he grabbed one of her molars and began to pull.
The tooth was in there good and solid, so he twisted and yanked as she screamed and wailed. He put his foot up onto the table for leverage when the tooth finally ripped free. Screamed and moaned as he held it up before tossing it aside. He leaned in again, but this time she spit blood in his face. Some of it got into his mouth. It probably should have made him sick, but it just made him laugh even more.
He had to hand it to this girl. He’d tortured men over the years who didn’t put up the fight or hang in there the way she had. Usually by now, they were crying and begging for mercy.
“Wow. You really are a tough one aren’t you? Unfortunately, for you I’m not near tired yet. You got lots more teeth to go, so here we go!” he said as he pinched her broken nose again as she screamed. He thrust the pliers back into her mouth and went to work on another molar.
One by one, he went through her mouth, ripping one tooth out at a time. By the time he was finished, her mouth was bloody and swollen as she eventually passed out. He was sure he hadn’t broken her though. The shock just took over. He’d give her a few minutes and let her rest up for what was to come. He tossed the pliers to the side as the main doors burst open.
Several of his clowns came running inside, Terrance was with them. His looked stood out in the clown make up as the only black man. Terrance had opted to just paint on a white smile and white rings around his eyes.
“There you are! So how’d it go? As well as the last time?” Mad Maxwell asked.
“I don’t know, boss,” Terrance began. “We got in there fine and opened fire, but they responded fast. We got lots of shots off, but they returned fire quick. A few of our guys got hit, but we took out a bunch before we had to get out of there.
“Excellent! See? I just wanted you all to apply yourselves. Now look, I bet they got the whole city hunting for you guys. Perfect. Just perfect. We’ll wait a few hours for the next phase.”
“Next phase?” Terrance asked.
“Well yeah. Our assault on Jericho,” Mad Maxwell reminded.
“Yeah, I just didn’t think you’d mean so soon. They’re still out looking for us.”
“This is the best time! We’ll give it a few hours. Wait until dark and then make our move. Full assault on Jericho Systems!” Mad Maxwell threw his hands up in the air. “And we shall be victorious!”
Terrance looked around at the other men, not sharing the same enthusiasm as Mad Maxwell.
“Why don’t you go along with us instead of just sending us?” Terrance asked.
“Oh, but I am! I wouldn’t miss it for the world! It will be the beginning of an era!”
“Why do you want that place? Why not rob a bank or something?” Another clown asked. Mad Maxwell walked over to him and punched him in the nose. The man toppled to the ground at the blow.
“Banks! Ha! Do you have any idea what lies inside Jericho? They have the greatest gadgets and inventions ever made! It will be glorious! The things I can do with that place! Gives me a boner just thinking about it! Hahahaha.”
The clown stood back up while wiping the blood from his nose.
“Now, all of you get some rest! We’ll head out at night fall.” Mad Maxwell walked back to the table were Isis lie. The blood had dried around her mouth, making her look more like a doll than a real person. She began to stir as he reached into a drawer and took out an ammonia capsule and shoved it under her nose. She jumped awake as he laughed.
“Hey sunshine! Naptime is over!” He reached down and picked up a blowtorch. “Come on baby! Light my fire! Hahahaha!”
Chapter 15
April peeled into the parking lot and jumped out of the truck. All was quiet at first. As she approached the warehouse tires squealed from her left. She turned to see a pickup truck with two clowns in the back approaching. The clowns began shooting at her. She jumped out of the way and dove behind Grant’s truck as they sped by. Bullets bounced off the front of the truck as one of the tires exploded. They circled back coming her way as she rolled underneath the truck and to the other side.
They sped by again opening fire, but only hitting the truck. On the next pass, she looked at the clowns and focused on the two in the back. Within seconds, they both doubled over. One fell completely out of the truck, landing on his head. The other had doubled over as the truck skidded to a halt. April took control over the driver and made him drive over the clown lying on the ground.
She made him back up and speed into a light pole at full speed about a hundred feet away. The truck burst into flames as the doors to the warehouse swung open and several vans came racing out. April tried to zero in on one of them, but they want by too fast. A couple of vans veered off into her direction. As they got closer, the back doors opened and several clowns came out holding AK-47s.
They opened fire at April who was trying to hide behind Grant’s truck which was flying apart with each bullet that rang off it. She couldn’t reach into any of their minds while trying to keep from getting shot. A couple stopped to reload and she poked her head up, only to have some of the others begin firing again. Glass and broken metal rained down on her as the clowns began circling her.
She could see their feet under the truck forming a semi-circle. Why didn’t she bring any weapons with her? She should have known they’d be armed to the teeth. Her own abilities were great, but sometimes a gun or knife just simplifies things.
More tires squealed in the distance as an old LTD came racing toward them. A plume of black smoke rose out of the car’s exhaust as it sped toward her. The clowns didn’t even seem to notice as it approached. In a few seconds, the LTD pulled up just a few feet from the truck. A man climbed out wearing a cap and leather jacket. He looked older, with bushy hair and a beard. He took out an AR-15 and opened fire on the clowns. After just a dozen or so shots, the clowns were all dead. He walked over to April and nodded to her.
“Grant says you needed help. Looks like he was right,” the man said.
“Who are you?”
/> “I am Krautenhammer. Grant hired me for this mission.”
He spoke with a thick German accent and hadn’t so much as broken a sweat over the shootout.
“Come. We must go. Police will be here soon.”
“Isis. She’s in there. I need to find her!” April stood and ran inside, leaping over the bodies of two clowns as she ran. She heard Krautenhammer’s heavy steps behind her as she reached the warehouse. Once she was inside, she looked the place over. Mad Maxwell had been there all right. There were balloons and streamers strung all over. The walls were covered in wild patterns of various paint colors.
There was a corner where a workstation had been set up. She walked over and found blood splattered on parts of the counter. On the ground, there was what looked like finger and toenails scattered about. April knew what had gone on there. Yet, Isis wasn’t around, neither was her body.
“They took table with them,” Krautenhammer said. “Look.” On the floor there were four sets of short chains connected to the floor.
“Why would they take her? They’re going to attack Jericho Systems. They’re taking some girl strapped to a table with them?”
“Maybe she dead. Maybe they want to research on her.”
The thought made April’s stomach turn. The longer she was missing, the more she wanted Isis back.
“Don’t say that. We don’t know. Fuck. We need to get to Jericho. Now!” she said as she began walking out. Krautenhammer stopped her by stepping in front of her.
“Wait. We go see Grant. He knows what to do.”
“Grant is hurt, he can’t do shit.”
“His brain isn’t hurt. He will know. Your truck all blown up anyway. So you ride with me. We go to Jericho now, clowns no we coming and we all die. That’s no good. We must plan.” Krautenhammer said in his thick German accent.
April knew he was right, but didn’t want to hesitate.
“Come, we go see Grant. Then we get your friend back. I pretty good in a fight.”
“Yeah I noticed.”
They got back to Krautenhammer’s car where she climbed in on the passenger’s side. Krautenhammer peeled out as they drove back toward the hotel. She would need her weapons anyway which she left back at the hotel. They’d get loaded up and hit Jericho with everything they had. In the meantime, she needed to stay calm. Although, just looking at Mad Maxwell’s face and seeing what he’d done to Happytown, April couldn’t help the impending feeling of dread in her gut.
Through all she’d been through with the rednecks in Browneye, TX to Happytown, and then at Jericho, she always held out hope. There was never any doubt she’d prevail no matter what. This time it felt different. It felt like Mad Maxwell may be the one who does her in. Then again, she could just be tired. As they pulled into the hotel, she kept thinking about Isis and hoping despite him holding her, that she was still making life hell for Mad Maxwell and his clowns. If anyone could do it, it would be her.
Chapter 16
They arrived at the hotel to find Grant hobbling around and messing with weapons.
“What are you doing?” April asked.
“I’m getting stuff ready. I figure we have a big fight ahead of us so may as well do what I can until its time.”
“We think they went to Jericho now. I found their warehouse, but they cleared out. They even took Isis with them.”
“They’re a determined lot. I see you met The Hammer. He’s a tough one, but good to have in a fight, so don’t worry about him.”
“How are you planning on fighting with one leg?”
“It’s feeling better. I took some pain killers I’ve been holding onto for an emergency, so they should keep me upright for a few hours. Here.” He walked over to April handing her one of the rifles and her machete.
“So what is the plan? Krautenhammer here said you’d know how to go after Jericho.”
“He’s right. I know the place inside and out. It’s pretty fortified, but since we are going in after Mad Maxwell and his bunch, I’m gonna guess they’ll be a bit distracted. We can use that to our advantage. There’s a loading dock on the back side you drive downward into. There’s just one gate guard there usually. Once we are in there, we can take the freight elevator to the main floor and we’re in.”
“Sounds like good plan,” Krautenhammer said. “It simple. I like simple.”
“Well that part is, the execution won’t be. We’ll have Jericho gunmen there and Mad Maxwell and his bunch shooting at us. So, April I’ll want you to keep behind us. With your ability, you can take out half those guys. The wild card is all this is Maxwell. No telling what he has up his sleeve or what he’ll be up to. The guy is something special. That’s for sure.”
“I wish you guys would have just wiped them all out back when you had the chance. Instead of building those fucked up funhouses,” April said.
“I do too kid,” Grant said. “Trust me, it wasn’t my call. Anyone have any questions?”
“Yes,” Krautenhammer said. “How do I kill clown?”
“Good question. You have to remove their heads or their brains. So you can blow up their bodies, but they might still lurch around. You shoot them in the head or cut the head off and they’re done for. Not sure why. Their nervous system doesn’t tick like ours.”
“Good. I shoot his head.”
April adjusted her rifle and wrapped the machete and sheath around her shoulder.
“So we gonna do this?” she asked.
“Let’s go then.” Grant said as they headed into Krautenhammer’s car.
“Where’s my truck?” Grant asked.
“I had a bit of a mishap with it,” April said.
“Great. Don’t tell me anymore. I don’t want to know.”
As they headed to Jericho, April wondered why Mad Maxwell would have taken Isis with him on such a raid. She also wondered just what exactly he’d done to her. She could be dead already, but April doubted it. They’d have dumped her body at the warehouse if she were.
After a short drive, they were coming up to the back of Jericho. Looking up at the skyscraper, April saw smoke coming out of one of the windows.
“Looks like they’re here,” she said.
They pulled into the back, but there was no guard at the back gate. Krautenhammer sped through and knocked the gateway with the car as they drove down the ramp into the loading bay. Once inside, they piled out of the car as Grant and Krautenhammer prepared their weapons. Krautenhammer opened his trunk and was setting up a huge gun rig around his shoulder.
“What the hell is that?”
“It’s a shoulder fired minigun. Very rare, but effective for things like this. Fires thousands of rounds per minute.”
“Jesus,” she said.
“Jesus wouldn’t stand a chance against The Hammer,” Grant said. “You guys ready?”
April patted her rifle as the two men walked toward the elevator. April climbed on after them as Grant hit the button for the ground floor.
“Anyone have a bad feeling besides me?” she asked.
“I don’t trust feelings. Feelings get you killed. Trust instinct. You’re a fighter April, a true warrior. Don’t second guess yourself,” Grant said.
She nodded as Krautenhammer looked straight ahead. The guy’s facial expression never changed. He could be blowing someone’s head off, or ordering a latte and April was sure he looked the same. Though she also doubted he ordered many lattes. After a few minutes, the elevator dinged and the doors swung open. It was showtime.
Chapter 17
Isis was strapped to huge chair in the upper floors of Jericho Systems. She was stunned at how easily Mad Maxwell and his men took the place over. Most of the Jericho staff surrendered the instant they saw him. Still unable to speak as her mouth was swollen and filled with blood, she watched helplessly as Mad Maxwell seemed to be enjoying himself.
“You like this my dear? You could just stay here with me and be my queen. How does that sound? Queen clown? Hahaha, I crack myself up. Seri
ously though, I’m just not the marrying type. I was married once, Didn’t go so well. She didn’t like all my clowning around. Ha! Get it? Clowning around? I’m a clown! Haha. Wow, such a joyous day today is. However, it was much easier than I thought. Terrance! Bring me one of those security guards!”
Terrance, still in his clown get up, walked outside and came back in with a security guard with his hands duct taped behind his back and a strip of tape over is mouth. Maxwell dragged him in front of Isis and ripped the tape off.
“Well hello there. Here is our next contestant! What’s your name son?” Mad Maxwell said.
“Um, Lee. Lee Smith,” the guard said.
“Lee Smith! Today is your lucky day! So, here is the million dollar question. Well not a million dollars. Let me give you the stakes here. If you get it right, you’re free to go. If you’re wrong, I cut your balls off.” Mad Maxwell pulled out a switchblade as he explained. The color instantly drained from Lee’s face.
“Ok, here we go! First question. Where was I born?” Mad Maxwell asked. Panic instantly took over Lee’s expression. He looked around, glancing at Isis as if she could help. She couldn’t even talk, let alone have any idea where the clown from hell was born.
“Five seconds Lee,” Maxwell warned.
“I’m trying. Um, here! In Dallas!” Lee said.
“Nope! You have three more seconds!”
“New York! Florida! Los Angeles!”
“Wrong! Hold him Terrance.”
Terrance grabbed his arms and held him as Mad Maxwell pulled his pants down.
“No! Don’t! Don’t do it!”
“Hold still, you’re gonna make me mess up.”
Maxwell pulled the man’s boxers down, grabbed his testicles and sliced them off in a single swipe. Lee screamed and jerked as Mad Maxwell held them up, dangling them.
