Banff, Alberta, Western Canada
Gordon found it impossible to sleep. He kept waiting for the door to open and guards to come in. He wasn’t so sure now if telling Autry was a smart move, as he couldn’t guarantee where his loyalties lay.
Samantha had stayed up with him, but eventually the fatigue won out, and she had fallen asleep leaving Gordon to pace back and forth.
After making an endless number of laps around the room, Gordon settled into a chair and stared into the darkness. His mind raced through a multitude of scenarios. He had come to the conclusion he couldn’t leave Samantha; together they would have to escape. To him the situation resembled a Mexican standoff. Surely if he lowered his weapon, the person could just kill him; only when he had a weapon did he still pose a threat. And so it was with Samantha, by leaving her there, he lost all leverage. There was no guarantee Jacques would keep his word. And no guarantee that if he convinced the council to sign the treaty, Jacques wouldn’t kill him then. Jacques needed him alive; he was no good dead. So if Gordon attempted a daring escape, there was a solid chance that Jacques would have his men try to capture him. With these suspected rules of engagement, Gordon had a chance. What he needed now was the right time, a weapon and a means of transportation.
Gordon sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed Samantha’s arm. “Sam, wake up.”
The steady rubbing roused Samantha. She rolled onto her side and purred, “Yeah, baby.”
“Get up. It’s time to go,” he whispered.
“Huh?” she asked and sat up.
“It’s time to go. We have to make a run for it.”
She leaned in and whispered directly into his ear, “You sure?”
“I’ve never been so sure. This is our only chance. If they separate us, there’s a high probability I’ll never see you again. Jacques needs us alive. I’m no good to him dead, and he knows if he kills you, I’ll never agree to do anything.”
“Are you really sure?”
“Yes, get your clothes on.”
Samantha got out of bed and quickly dressed.
Gordon needed something he could use, something simple. On the desk he found it, a ballpoint pen.
“I’m nervous,” Samantha said under her breath.
He walked over to her and put his arm around her. “Me too.”
“Now what?” she asked.
“Let’s see how good your acting is,” Gordon said.
***
“Help!” Gordon yelled and opened the door.
Two guards were posted at the door. Both ran in, their weapons at the ready.
“It’s my wife; she’s having a seizure. Something is wrong.”
Both guards went to the bed.
Samantha flopped up and down.
With their backs to him, Gordon didn’t hesitate. He thrust the pen into the throat of the first guard he came to.
The guard clutched his throat and gasped.
Samantha opened her eyes and smashed a glass she had been holding against the other guard’s head.
Gordon finished him off by jamming the pen into his eye.
The guard fell to his knees, blood flowing from both his head wound and the puncture in his eye.
With an open palm, Gordon pushed the pen all the way into the man’s skull.
The guard groaned and fell backwards.
Samantha jumped out of the bed and took one of the M16 rifles and a Beretta pistol.
Gordon took the other rifle and pistol. He also grabbed the spare magazines and the radios. “Here, these will come in handy.”
Samantha took the radio and clipped it on the pocket of her jeans. “Where to now?”
“Home, time to go home,” Gordon said and gave her a kiss.
***
They raced down the darkened hallway lit by sporadic lights placed along the floor.
Jacques had much of the main areas on generator power but kept the hotel room tower lit by sparingly.
Gordon suspected that at any moment his radio would crackle to life with an alert informing everyone that they had escaped.
They reached the stairs and stopped.
Gordon grasped the handle and opened it slowly.
Like the halls, the stairwells were lit but not generously.
Not seeing anyone, he led the way and entered the space with the rifle at the ready.
“Clear,” he said.
Samantha stepped in behind him.
He peeked over the railing and looked down; from his perspective it appeared the stairs were empty. “Let’s go,” he said and raced down one flight.
“Aren’t we going to help Andrew?” Samantha asked as they passed the floor Gordon was told he was on.
“No, I can’t trust him.”
“We have to,” Samantha insisted.
Gordon stopped and said, “Sam, time is of the essence. Now c’mon.”
“I can’t in good conscience leave him and his mother behind,” Samantha said and cracked the door to that floor open.
“Sam,” Gordon whispered loudly.
Samantha saw a hallway identical to theirs. To the left it was empty, but when she looked right she saw two guards and they saw her.
“Damn,” Samantha said, ducking back into the stairwell.
“Don’t say it. Please tell me you didn’t get spotted,” Gordon griped.
“Sorry,” Samantha cried.
“Go, now, down the stairs,” Gordon said, grabbing her arm and pulling her past him.
Samantha ran down one flight with Gordon right behind her.
The door opened above them and heavy footsteps followed. “Who is that?”
Gordon raised his index finger and placed it to his lips, signaling for Samantha to be quiet.
“Hey, Rob, which way do you think she went?” a guard said.
“You go up and I’ll go down,” Rob replied.
Heavy footfalls on the stairs told Gordon one guard was heading up; that meant the other was coming their way.
Without notice Gordon and Samantha’s radio crackled to life.
“Command post, this is Foxtrot Seven…” Rob said into the radio then paused when he heard his voice echoing beneath him. He looked over the railing and saw the muzzle of Gordon’s rifle.
Gordon squeezed off one single shot.
The round struck Rob in the face and blew out the back of his head. He fell onto the railing, dropping his radio.
“Run, Sam, run!” Gordon yelled.
Together they sprinted down the stairs.
A rapid succession of gunfire from the one guard still alive ricocheted off the concrete steps and metal railings.
Samantha tripped making a turn. Headfirst she fell, striking the third step with her left shoulder and rolling down the remaining eight stairs on her side until she collided with the wall.
“Sam,” Gordon called out. He knelt down and asked, “You hurt?”
Planting her hands down on the floor, she pushed up and got to her feet. “I’m fine.”
He took her hand and said, “We’re almost at the bottom.”
A pause in the shooting indicated the guard was reloading.
They reached the bottom.
Without looking, Gordon kicked the door open and stepped out with Samantha behind him.
A volley of gunfire rained down, striking above and to either side of the door jamb.
Samantha screamed in fear.
Gordon turned and, using his body as a shield, pushed Samantha back into the stairwell. He slammed the door behind them.
Heavy footfalls came from above and it sounded like a small army was headed their way.
“What are we going to do?” Samantha asked.
“We’re not giving up, Sam. Get up. Let’s go,” Gordon said.
“Where to?” Samantha asked.
“Up, we’re going up,” he replied and raced up to the first floor and stopped at the door.
A wheezing sound came from Samantha.
“Time for you to hit the treadmil
l when we get back,” Gordon joked.
Samantha elbowed him and said, “Shut up.”
Gordon cracked the door and peeked to the right and saw an empty hall. He looked left and there at the end standing in front of a door were two guards.
The guards were bantering back and forth. The topic was Gordon and Samantha.
Seeing they weren’t paying attention, Gordon took advantage. He put his rifle in his shoulder and took aim. With his thumb he placed the selector of the M16 on semi and squeezed off two rounds into one guard and another two into the other. Gordon’s aim was true.
The men dropped to the floor dead.
Gordon walked into the hallway, his rifle still in his shoulder. He tactically moved down the hall to where the guards were. He picked up their rifles, slung them on his back and grabbed the spare magazines and their pistols. Gordon never believed too much was a bad thing.
“Now where do we go?” Samantha asked.
“Who do you suppose is in this room?” Gordon asked.
Samantha didn’t reply. She breathed heavily and waited for Gordon to act.
Gordon stepped back and lifted his leg.
The door opened.
Gordon found himself face-to-face with the muzzle of a pistol.
“Just stop right there.”
“Autry?” Gordon asked. He couldn’t quite make out the man with the pistol, but his voice was familiar.
Autry stepped out of the shadows and replied, “Van Zandt?”
“Do you mind if we come in?” Gordon asked.
Autry looked at the dead guards and said, “You killed my fucking men.”
Gordon looked down and then noticed the guards were wearing plain clothes. “I thought they were Jacques’ men.”
Autry stepped into the hall and looked towards the stairs. Seeing no one was coming, he grabbed Gordon and Samantha and pulled them inside. “Get in here.”
“They’re trying to kill us,” Gordon said.
“Help me drag the bodies in,” Autry ordered.
Gordon did as he asked.
With both bodies inside, Autry closed the door and said, “You have a lot of explaining to do.”
“Jacques took me, Sam,President Cruz and his mother hostage. He forced me to sign a treaty giving him all of Cascadia. I wouldn’t have done it, but he was going to hurt Sam.”
Autry looked at his dead guards and said, “What a fucking mess. I should beat your ass.”
“Goddamn it, Jacques is going to kill us.”
“I heard you, but did you have to kill my men, what the fuck?”
Gordon was tired of hearing Autry complain. He ran to the window and looked out. The moon had set over the mountains and with no exterior lighting it was impossible to see what was outside. “What’s out the window, just below us?”
“Swimming pool,” Autry replied.
“We don’t have time. This room is being watched, I guarantee it,” Gordon said a slight tone of panic in his voice.
“No, it’s not,” Autry said confidently.
“Jacques has all the rooms wired.”
“He does, but my men checked and removed everything. We’re safe to talk.”
“Autry, we need your help. Where is your chopper? We need it; please help us get out of here,” Gordon begged as he approached Autry.
“You’re asking a lot, Gordon. Just you being in here is putting the Republic of Texas in a precarious position.”
“Damn it, Autry, they’re trying to kill me and Sam!”
“That might be the case, but it doesn’t have anything to do with Texas.”
Disgusted by his response, Gordon pushed past Autry and walked to the door. He placed his ear against it and listened. “It’s quiet out there.”
Samantha sat on the edge of the bed and shook.
Seeing the fear coursing through Samantha and the panic in Gordon, Autry came to a quick decision. He walked up to Gordon and said, “The chopper is located just east of here, maybe a five-minute drive.”
“Where’s the pilot?”
“You’re looking at him.” Autry said, standing tall.
“I didn’t know you were a pilot,” Gordon said.
“I’m not licensed, but I know how to fly,” Autry declared.
“You’re not inspiring confidence,” Gordon said.
“Well, I’m all you’ve got. Take it or leave it.”
Gordon gave Autry an odd look and asked, “What happened to putting the Republic of Texas in a precarious position?”
“It could be, but I’m not Texas. I’m Autry Lewis and I’m your friend. I never leave a friend in need.”
“Thanks, brother,” Gordon gushed.
“Give me one of those rifles and some extra mags.”
Happily Gordon gave Autry an extra M16 with five extra thirty-round magazines.
“Well, it’s not the most tactical, but it will do,” Autry said, stuffing the spare magazines into the pockets of his jeans and coat.
Gordon walked over to Samantha, who still sat on the edge of the bed, her head hung low. “How you holding up?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just tired, Gordon. I’m tired of all the killing, all the blood and death and chaos. I’m just tired,” Samantha confessed.
“Me too.”
“Please promise me that if we survive, we’ll take the kids and leave, go as far away from these troubles as we can.”
He hated making promises while under duress, but he needed her in the best mental condition he could get, so he relented and told her what she wanted to hear. “I promise we’ll take the kids and leave, but first, we need to get home to our family.”
She nodded and stood up.
“You rowdy kids ready?” Autry asked.
Always one to give cliché comments when cued up, Gordon let it pass. Normally he would have responded with, I was born ready, but he didn’t think making fun or being cute was appropriate with Samantha there.
“We’re ready to go,” Gordon said.
The three walked to the door and stacked up.
Autry would take point, as he knew exactly where to go.
With a count of three, Autry opened the door and took a peek. “Looks clear.”
“Thanks again, Autry,” Gordon said.
With a devilish grin, Autry replied, “Let’s go break some shit!”
***
They entered the hall and sprinted down past the stairwell Gordon came from towards the opposite end of the hall where an additional stairwell was located.
Autry grabbed the handle and asked, “Everyone good?”
Gordon squeezed Autry’s arm, signaling they were ready.
Slowly, Autry opened the door and listened first.
Silence.
With the others close behind, Autry entered the stairwell.
Samantha closed the door quietly behind her.
They all stood for a second and listened.
“It’s too quiet,” Gordon said.
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” Autry said.
“Can we go?” Samantha asked.
“C’mon,” Autry said and raced down to the main floor. “This door exits out into a hall east of the lobby and near the gym.”
“What are we waiting for?” Samantha asked. She was nervous and wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.
“Easy, missy, I need to explain where we’re going just in case we get separated,” Autry said.
“She’s just anxious, as we all are,” Gordon said, defending Samantha.
“We’ll exit right and head straight for a door at the end of the hall; that leads to the outside to a sidewalk. We’ll go left until it ends then onto a street and head right.”
“Okay,” Gordon said.
Autry opened the door but couldn’t see anything either way. “It’s pitch black, shit. Dude, I can’t see anything.”
Gordon understood his concern and asked, “How far down is the door?”
“Twenty maybe thirty feet,” Autry re
plied.
“You hear that, Sam?” Gordon asked.
“I can’t wait anymore. Let’s go,” Samantha said.
“Let’s go. We’ll make a run for it. You go, I’ll come out and provide cover if needed then will follow,” Gordon said.
“Okay,” Autry said.
Samantha grabbed Gordon’s arm and asked, “You’ll come right along, right?”
“Of course,” Gordon assured her.
“Everyone ready?” Autry asked.
“Let’s go,” Gordon said, his rifle at the ready.
Samantha switched places with Gordon.
“One, two, three,” Autry said and burst out of the door headed right.
Right behind Autry, Samantha raced out.
Gordon stepped out and pivoted left, his rifle raised.
It was pitch black, as Autry said. It didn’t make sense. Why are the lights off? Gordon thought.
Autry covered the distance quickly. Not being able to see clearly, he slowed down when he thought he was close and held his hand out in front of him.
With her left hand Samantha found Autry and placed her hand on his shoulder.
With his arms extended out in front of him, Autry found the wall and moved along it until he felt the door. Quickly he tried to open it but couldn’t. “Shit, it’s locked.” He tried again, nothing. Frustrated, he stepped back and kicked it.
Autry’s kick echoed down the hall. Gordon didn’t know what it was but by the sound assumed they had reached the door. He stood and took off.
“There’s something blocking it,” Autry said.
Bright, blinding lights suddenly came on, illuminating the hall.
Autry and Samantha recoiled from the lights, using their hands to shield their eyes.
The sudden eruption of light confused Gordon but didn’t slow him down.
“Everyone freeze. You can’t get out; you’re surrounded,” a voice boomed from far down the hall towards the lobby.
Gordon looked over his shoulder and saw guards, their rifles leveled at them. He stopped and brought his up.
“Put down your weapon. You can’t escape. You’re outnumbered,” the voice said.
Autry kicked the back door repeatedly, but it wouldn’t move. “Shit!” he barked.
If she was going to die, Samantha was going out fighting. She lifted her rifle and aimed.
The Razor's Edge: A Postapocalytic Novel (The New World Book 6) Page 15
